From Milan airports to Venice

Milan has two main airports, Malpensa and Linate. Here is some information that you might find useful, if you are arriving to one of those airport and going directly to Venice.

Malpensa Airport

Malpensa airport (Milan Malpensa, IATA: MXP) is located outside the city and has two terminals. Major carriers are served in terminal 1 while terminal 2 serves low cost airlines and mainly Easyjet. A shuttle bus connects the two terminals and is free.

If you are arriving to Malpensa and you are going to Venice, most probably you will want to take the train. The airport itself is not directly connected to Venice, so you need to reach the Central train station in Milan, Milano Centrale.

There are two options for this:

• Malpensa express train: It takes you from Terminal 1 to Milan Cadorna train station in around 40 minutes. The tickets cost: single trip €11 (€13.50on the train), round trip (single day) €14 (€17 on the train). You can consult the train's website, here. From Cadorna, you have to take the metro to Milano Centrale.
• Bus: Alternatively, you can take a bus from the aiport directly to the train station. It takes 45 minutes or more if there is heavy traffic. More information at the Malpensa Shuttle website.

We feel that taking the bus is cheaper and more convenient, especially if you are arriving at Terminal 2 or not in rush hour. The bus will conveniently get you directly to the train station without having to carry luggage in trains and the metro and you will pay much cheaper. However, if you are arriving at terminal 1 and at times when you expect to meet heavy traffic on the way to Milan, taking the train might be the best option.

Detailed information on public transport in Milan, at the official website, here.

Linate airport

Linate airport (IATA: LIN) is closer to the city center and it is easier to reach the central station.

Here are some options:

• The Malpensa Shuttle connects the aiport to Malpensa and the central railway station
• "Starfly" buses connect the airport to the central station costing 5 euros. 

The airport maintains an excellent website with all available connections, here. 

At the train station

Once you are in Milano Centrale, you can take the train to Venice. Trains run hourly or sometimes more often. You can purchase a ticket at the ticket office or at the automatic machines. There are two types of machines, one for regional tickets (regionale) and one for other destinations. The second is of your interest. Machines accept Euro banknotes and coins and credit cards. It is not necessary to prebook a ticket since trains run so often. In fact, if you are not taking the train to Milan from the aiport, prebooking is not adviced since traffic may make you lose your train.

Please note that all trains pass through Venezia Mestre, which is a city located on the mainland opposite Venice and stop at Venezia Santa Lucia. You should see where you are staying so as to get off at the right station. The station for Venice is Venezia Santa Lucia and Venezia Mestre is for Mestre. Mestre is ten minutes by train from Venice and is quite charmless compared to Venice.

You can also see our guide for arriving directly in one of the airports close to Venice.