Milan Malpensa Airport is the main international airport for the city of Milan. It served more than 21 million passengers in the year 2022. The Malpensa Airport is the second busiest airport in Italy and the largest international airport in Northern Italy. MXP is the airport code for Milan Malpensa Airport.
Originally opened in 1910, the airport was initially used for military operations during the War, and civil aviation began later in 1948. It consists of two terminals T1 and T2, with T1 being the busier of the two. T1 terminal at Malpensa Airport handles the majority of international traffic flowing through Milan, Italy. Although the airport does well in handling traffic, Malpensa is located a fair distance outside the Milan city center.
Malpensa Airport witnesses most international arrivals and is the busiest of the three airports in Milan. Take a look at the Milan airports guide
to find out the other airports serving Milan and which might be more convenient for you. Continue reading to know all the various options to reach Milan city center from Malpensa Airport.
How long does it take to get from Malpensa airport to Milan center?
The Malpensa Airport is located roughly 50 km away from the city center in the neighboring province of Varese in the Lombardy region of Northern Italy. It takes approximately 40-60 minutes of travel time from Malpensa airport to reach Milan city center.
How to get from Malpensa airport to Milan center?
Train
The Malpensa Express provides a connection between the Milan center and Malpensa Airport Terminals 1 and 2. In the airport, there are two separate train stations for terminals T1 and T2. The trains run every 30 minutes and are a convenient option for visitors. However, take note that the trains do not operate at night, around 12 AM to 5 AM.
The journey from Malpensa airport to Milan city center takes roughly 50 minutes and costs 13€. You can find trains heading to both Milano Centrale and Milano Cadorna train stations from the Malpensa Airport. Give the Milan train station guide
a read for all the necessary information before planning your next trip to Italy.
The train station is located on the lower levels of the airport and can be accessed either through elevators or escalators. Tickets can be purchased online from the official website or the ticket office situated at the airport. As of this writing, there is also an option to buy a round-trip ticket for 20€ that is valid for 30 days if purchased online.
Malpensa Airport also has connections to neighboring Switzerland through the TILO S50 train. The TILO S50 connects Malpensa with Biasca in Switzerland via Varese, Lugano
, and Bellinzona.
Trainline is a popular and convenient option to get the best available prices, times, and book train tickets. Trainline makes trip planning simple and with early booking, you can save upto 51%.
Taxi
If you are in a hurry to get to Milan, then taxis are the fastest option. Taxis take around 45 minutes travel time to reach the city center from the airport. It costs around 100€ for a Taxi from Malpensa airport to Milan center.
Taxis can be booked in advance or hired directly at the airport from one of the taxi stands of several companies. Taxis are quick and comfortable but rather expensive. Nevertheless, taxis operate around the clock.
Bus
The Malpensa shuttle bus connects the airport to the city center. Buses take approximately 50 minutes to 1 hour to reach the city center. It costs 10€ to travel by bus from Malpensa airport to Milan center. Tickets can be booked online in advance or bought directly at the bus terminal before boarding. Ensure to check if the bus is headed to Milano Centrale since buses to Linate
and Bergamo
airports also operate from the same location.
Bus connections are available every 30 minutes and can vary depending on the time of day. Even though buses do not operate between 1 AM to 5 AM, they remain one of the best options for travelers looking for connections early in the morning or late at night.
Flixbus and Terravision are two of the leading bus service providers connecting Milan Malpensa airport and the city center. It is recommended to book the tickets online and well in advance to avoid long queues near the bus terminals.
Car
There are multiple roadways connecting the Malpensa Airport to the Milan city center. The shortest one among the various options is to take the A8 motorway. First, take the State highway SS336 in the Malpensa-Gallarate direction, and after a couple of km merge with the A8 motorway heading towards Milan. Continue on the A8 for about 40 km and then take the exit toward Milan.
The other option is to take the A4 motorway to reach Milan city center. Take the State highway SS336 in the Malpensa-Novara-Torino direction and merge with SS336dir. Continue for about 20 km, and then take the Mesero Sud exit toward Milan. Continue for another 25 km, take the Cormano exit, and follow the signs toward Milano Centro. There is slightly more distance on the route via A4 compared to the route via A8.
What is the cheapest way to get from Malpensa airport to Milan center?
The bus is the cheapest way from Malpensa airport to Milan city center. Depending on the bus operating time and mode of booking (online), tickets can be as cheap as 6€. In general, the bus tickets are priced around 10€.
You will come across such deals on Flixbus , a leading travel company in Europe offering hundreds of thousand connections between more than 1000 European cities. Our personal favorite and they also offer free checked luggage.
Conclusion
Given that Malpensa airport is located away from the city center, it is still well connected by various means of transport. Taxis are the way to go if you need direct transfer to your hotel and are the quickest option. It might also be the preferred option in case there is too much luggage.
The train is a comfortable and convenient choice. Malpensa Express trains ply regularly between Malpensa Airport terminals and the major train stations in the center of Milan. Buses are the cheapest option but equal in terms of service offered compared to the other two.
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