Malpensa (MXP) to Milano Centrale by Train
Part of the full Milan in One Day: Duomo and the Castle
Milan Malpensa’s airport train, the Malpensa Express, reaches Milan’s Cadorna station in about 40 minutes and Centrale, the main station, in about 50 for 15 euros, and Volandia, a museum of flight in the old Caproni aircraft works, is a 10 to 15 minute walk from Terminal 1.
The airport train reaches Milan’s Cadorna and Centrale stations in 40 to 50 minutes
The Malpensa Express leaves from the station on Terminal 1’s underground floor, and from Terminal 2, on two routes into Milan: one to Milano Cadorna in about 40 minutes, the other to Milano Centrale in about 50, with every train calling at Porta Garibaldi on the way. Each runs every 30 minutes, and the fare is 15 euros one way to any Milan station; a Malpensa Express ticket can be bought before you reach the platform.
Which one to take depends on where the time goes. Cadorna is a short walk from Castello Sforzesco and Brera, and the main Milan guide walks from the castle to the Duomo; Centrale is the bigger station, on the metro to the Duomo; Porta Garibaldi opens onto the towers of Piazza Gae Aulenti.
Aircraft you can board at Volandia
Volandia, the museum of flight in the old Caproni aircraft works at Somma Lombardo, sits beside Malpensa’s Terminal 1: from the departures floor, take exit 17, follow the pavement to the outdoor walkway and cross the footbridge, 10 to 15 minutes on foot. Inside the brick sheds are more than two kilometres of exhibits, from early flying machines to a space pavilion, and outside you can climb aboard an MD-80, a DC-9 and a Chinook helicopter; the ticket also covers the planetarium show and the flight simulators, from age 12. It’s 15 euros, closed on Mondays, and opens from 10am to 6pm on weekdays and 6:30pm at weekends, with hours that change through the winter.
Luggage storage at Malpensa Airport
Malpensa’s Terminal 1 has a staffed left-luggage counter on the arrivals floor, open roughly 7am to 9pm, at around 6 to 10 euros a bag per day depending on size, and Terminal 2’s arrivals area has one open around the clock; hours have varied between sources, so check before counting on a late pickup. The walk to Volandia runs outdoors along a pavement and over a footbridge, and a luggage storage point near Cadorna or Centrale is the alternative for a stop spent in the city.
Collect the bag on the way back to the platform, and leave at least 2 hours before an international departure to cover the train, check-in and security.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do during a layover near Milan Malpensa Airport?
With two to three hours, walk 10 to 15 minutes from Terminal 1 to Volandia, the museum of flight in the old Caproni aircraft works, where you can climb aboard two airliners, an MD-80 and a DC-9, and a Chinook helicopter. With five or more, take the Malpensa Express into Milan, about 40 minutes to Cadorna for Castello Sforzesco or about 50 to Centrale, and walk to the Duomo from there. The train ticket can be bought ahead; Volandia sells tickets at its own door.
How do I get from Malpensa to Milano Centrale?
The Malpensa Express runs from the station under Terminal 1, and from Terminal 2, to Milano Centrale in about 50 minutes, with every train calling at Porta Garibaldi on the way; a separate route goes to Milano Cadorna in about 40. Each route runs every 30 minutes, and the fare is 15 euros one way to any Milan station.
Can I get from Malpensa to Lake Como on a layover?
It's a stretch. The fastest public route is the Malpensa Express to the town of Saronno, about 20 minutes, then a regional train to Como Nord Lago station on the lakefront, about 40, with a wait between them: roughly an hour and a half each way, so three hours of train time before any lake. It works on a long layover with an early start; on anything shorter, Volandia or central Milan is a better use of the time.
Is there luggage storage at Malpensa Airport?
Yes. Terminal 1 has a staffed left-luggage counter on the arrivals floor, open roughly 7am to 9pm, at around 6 to 10 euros a bag per day depending on size, and Terminal 2's arrivals area has one open around the clock. Hours have varied between sources, so check before counting on a late pickup.