Lombardy

Milan

Milano Centrale is the most impressive station in Italy and the natural entry point if you are flying in from northern Europe. It is also the jumping-off point for the lakes and for cross-border trains into Switzerland.

Arriving

Stations

Milano Centrale

A cathedral of a station. All Frecce, Intercity, EuroCity to Zurich, and the Malpensa Express.

Milano Porta Garibaldi

Regional and some high-speed services, plus the second Malpensa Express terminus.

Milano Rogoredo

Southbound Frecce stop; useful if you are staying in the south of the city.

From the airport

Malpensa Express to Centrale or Garibaldi, 50 minutes, €13. It is run by Trenord as a premium service and is not covered by a rail pass. Linate is a metro ride on M4.

Onward

Connections

To	Fastest	Operator	Reservation	Frequency
Rome	2h 59m	Frecciarossa	€13	2 per hour
Florence	1h 50m	Frecciarossa	€13	2 per hour
Venice	2h 13m	Frecciarossa	€13	Hourly
Turin	1h 00m	Frecciarossa	€13	2 per hour
Zurich	3h 17m	EuroCity	From €12	6 per day

The Italy Pass covers the Italian half of a EuroCity to Switzerland only as far as the border — Chiasso or Domodossola. Beyond that you need a Swiss ticket or a second pass.

See

Worth your time

The Last Supper
Fifteen-minute timed slots, released months ahead, and they do sell out.
Duomo rooftop
Take the stairs; the view along the flying buttresses is the point.
Pinacoteca di Brera
Serious painting in a calm building, five minutes from the metro.
Navigli at aperitivo hour
Canal-side bars, a drink buys you the buffet.

Eat

What to order

Risotto alla milanese
Saffron and bone marrow. A different cuisine from the south entirely.
Aperitivo
Six to eight, a €10 drink comes with enough food to skip dinner.
Panzerotti near the Duomo
Fried, filled, eaten walking. Queue moves fast.

Day trips