NUTS AND BOLTS
Milano Malpensa Airport
Malpensa is located 48km (30 miles) northwest of Milan and is the city’s largest airport, handling transcontinental and other international flights.
Transport to the city
Rail
The hassle-free way to travel into the city centre is by rail. The new Malpensa Express (telephone number: 02 27763, recorded information in English and Italian or 8447 7500) runs to Stazione Cadorna just north of the historic centre. Trains depart every 30 minutes 0645 hrs -2145 hrs (journey time is 40 minutes) and stop at Milano Bovisa Politecnico and Saronno Centro. Tickets cost €9 (free for Alitalia and KLM passengers) at the terminal but increase to €11.50 if bought on the train.
Non-stop buses to Cadorna FN Station depart at 0600 hrs , 2245 hrs , 2315 hrs, 0015 hrs and 0130 hrs.
During major trade fairs, trains stop at Milano Bolona for the Fiera district. Alternatively, a shuttle connects terminals with the station at Gallarate, where there is a choice of trains to Stazione Centrale or Stazione Porta Garibaldi. Fares cost €1.30 from Terminal 1 and €1.05 from Terminal 2 but note that there are more departures to Porta Garibaldi. Going to Malpensa, it is best for travellers to take the metro to Cadorna and tickets are available from the Malpensa Express office at the train station.
Taxi
Taxis are available from outside Arrivals at both terminals
Bus
Coach services, operated by Air Pullman (telephone number: 02 5858 3185, recorded information in English and Italian), depart for Stazione Centrale, Milan Fiera, Milan Lampugnano and Piazza Castello. The shuttle to and from Stazione Centrale is the most frequent and departs every 20 minutes 0520-2100 and then every half an hour until 0015 hts and the journey time is one hour. The tickets cost is €4.50. The same company operates the coach shuttle linking Malpensa with Linate with a journey time of one hour 15 minutes and which costs €8.00. There are 11 services daily.
A shuttle bus service links Malpensa and Linate every 90 minutes and the cost is €8.00. The trip takes approx 75 minutes and buses operate between 0430 hrs and 0025 hrs.
Milano Linate Airport
Milan Linate is located 7km (4 miles) east of the centre of Milan and provides easy access to and from the city.
Transport to the city
Bus
A coach and local bus service operate from the airport into the city centre. The Starfly shuttle service run by STAM (telephone number: 02 717 106) departs every 20 minutes (0540 hrs - 2135 hrs) for Stazione Centrale and takes 15-30 minutes depending on the traffic. Tickets cost €2.60 and can be bought on board.
The cheaper alternative, the local or ATM (telephone number: 02 7252 4360) bus 73, runs to Piazza San Babila every 15 minutes (0535 hrs - 0035 hrs). Tickets cost €1 and can be purchased at the airport bar in the departures terminal.
A shuttle bus service links Malpensa and Linate every 90 minutes at a cost of €8.00. The trip takes about 75 minutes and buses operate between 0430 hrs and 0025 hrs.
Public Transport
For those foot-weary travellers tired of dodging scooters, Milan has a comprehensive transport network which is run by Azienda Trasporti Milanesi or ATM (telephone number: 02 7252 4360 ). Swapping between the metro, bus, tram and trolley bus is easy, thanks to the integrated ticketing system. Services operate daily 0600 hrs - 2400 hrs, with night buses running to approx 0130 hrs. Tickets cost €1 and last 75 minutes, allowing the traveller to use unlimited buses and trams within this time or make one ride on the metro.
The metro has three lines, the red MM1, green MM2 and yellow MM3. The lines converge at Duomo, Centrale FS, Loreto and Cadorna. Tickets must be validated by punching them in the SITAM machines on-board buses or at the metro stations. Single tickets at €1 or carnets of 10 tickets costing €9.20 are available for purchase from newsagents, tobacconists (a capital T for tabacchi distinguishes these outlets), most coffee bars and at automatic vending machines at major metro and at bus stops.
Passes, valid for one or two days, are available for purchase from ATM railway offices at Cadorna, Centrale FS, Duomo, Loreto and Romolo. The one-day abbonamento giornaliero pass costs €3, while the two-day abbonamento bigiornaliero pass costs €5.50. These are good value for individuals on short visits but also for families on Sundays when one ticket is valid for both the parents and children.
Rail
The Italian state railway is Ferrovie dello Stato (telephone number: (147) 888 088 website:www.trenitalia.com), which is reliable and fairly priced, although hefty supplements can be added depending on the type of train (Diretto, Inter-Regionale or InterCity). By law, passengers must validate their train tickets, by stamping them in the yellow machines on the platform before boarding and failure to do so can result in a large fine.
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