FFipzz

Hi Fodorites and Italy travelers.

For mid-morning flight departure, around 10 am - 11 am, on a Tuesday, would you suggest staying in Milan Center hotel or airport hotel? This is for May or June next year. My last destination is Milan before flying home to the US. Not my first trip to Italy, but never flown out of Milan before. I haven't booked my flights yet.

My other question is the reliability of the airport train when workers are on strike, the Malpensa Express from Cardorna to Malpensa. I would prefer this over taxi because train is not affected by traffic on a busy Tuesday morning. 35 minutes only, quick trip while trying to catch a flight home
Is the Malpensa express from Cadarna to Malpensa affected by train strikes?
Thanks.

sandralist

The Malpensa Xpress runs independent of strikes. Stay in the neighborhood. There are lots of good choices within walking distance of Cadorna station, which is a fun neighborhood anyway. Read reviews on TripAdvisor and Booking.com, especially if you are on a budget.

For what it's worth, Italy now has fewer transportation strikes than Spain, Belgium, Germany and France. Besides, when strikes do occur, many essential train and bus lines in Italy continue to run, by law, and strikes are of limited duration. It's an outdated idea that Italy doesn't function because of strikes.

FFipzz

Thanks Sandralist,

I have yet to research hotels. I'm thinking of staying close to city center. My time will be limited in Milan, that's why I'd rather stay in the city if my flight is mid-morning 10 am - 11 am. If the MalpensaXpress is reliable, then I would utilize that. This way I will have 2 nights in Milan Centro, without having to divide them into two stays: Milan and Malpensa airport.

Can I buy the Malpensa Xpress train tickets at Milano Centrale? A few days before my departure? Or can I buy tickets even on the day before or day of departure?

A week or so before going home I will be connecting in Milano Centrale from South Italy to the Lakes. Are there booths or manned counters in Milan Centrale for MalpensaXpress tickets? Thanks again.

lchin

We just returned from Italy, flying out of Milan at 10:30am. We stayed near the Milan Centrale train station, which is quite large and impressive. There are quite a few hotels on the same street, a 5min.walk from the station, and many restaurants. In the morning, we left the hotel at 6:30, walked to the station and took the 6:50am Malpensa Express. It leaves every 30 min., in our case from Track 2 and the ride is 50 min. to Malpensa Airport. There is a row of ticket machines at the station and you can purchase tickets that morning, or ahead of time. The ticket is good for a block of time, so you have to validate before boarding. Validating machines are on the platform.

We had met some other travelers who took the Malpensa Express from Milan Centrale to the airport, then an airport shuttle to the Holiday Inn. In the morning, they took a shuttle back to the airport. I think staying by the train station is easier.

sssteve

I concur with everything Ichin wrote.

We just got back from Milan as well. We stayed near the Cadorna Station. It was very convenient. The train ride to and from Cadorna took about 35 minutes and the train runs every 30 minutes.

What's your hotel budget?

rbciao47

Another option to the train is the Milan Shuttle bus, which leaves from Stazione Centrale. We have used this for years without a traffic problem. In fact, prior to the train service this was a principle transportation method to Malpensa.

The Hotel Berna is about 400 meters from the Stazione Centrale and one of the most popular hotels in Milano. We've stayed there many times and have always been satisfied. It is a 4 star property with a great staff, immaculately clean, and serves the best breakfast in Milano. You can check the client reviews on venere.com or hotel.com. This is the only place we stay when we are in Milano.

Buon viaggio,

sandralist

There are upsides and downsides to staying either near Cadorna or near the central train station. For a multi-night stay, I would prefer to be in the area of Cadorna, for ease of sightseeing and better restaurant choices. For a simple overnight, when the primary reason for staying in Milan is to travel onwards, then staying near the central train station usually makes sense because most people are arriving at the train station to spend their last night in Milan.

Other upsides/downside:

Bus to the airport from Milan Centrale is cheaper than the Malpensa Xpress from Cadorna -- but the bus takes longer and there is always the possibility of some delays because of traffic (but it's rare).

Dukey1

Took a taxi out of Milan on an early weekday morning in August. Most traffic was inbound at that time. We got from our hotel to the correct terminal (make certain you know which one your flight leaves from and if you will have to use an airport shuttle after getting off the train) in about 30 minutes. Worth every penny to us but your experience and needs may vary.

FFipzz

Thank you. All your travel experiences are very informative. My concern is getting stuck in Milan traffic for 2 hours and missing my mid-morning 10 am - 11 am flight. The MalpensaExpress train seems to be the only way to avoid it.

Good to know that early morning taxi 6am - 7am will be a great option too. No traffic yet.

I was trying to book the Westin or Hotel Excelsior Gaillia, but both are block booked for that last week of May. I did test booking on other hotels. Result: €500-1000/night range. No wonder, that's the Champions League Finals. So I decided to not be in Milan that night to avoid the crush of soccer hyper fans.

I prefer boutique hotels over big chains. But my go-to brand for convenience are the Starwood properties. Thanks for the Hotel Berna tip.

sandralist

A taxi will cost you 90+euros, and if you are worried about getting stuck in traffic, August is about the ONLY time of the year the roads around Milan are empty. The Malpensa Xpress takes 35 minutes and goes to the terminals, and unless you cannot handle your own luggage due to age or other problems, you are really throwing money out the window to take a taxi -- plus you risk missing your flight.

If you like boutique hotels, check out Antica Locando Leonardo, but there are lots of nice choices near Cadorna. Booking.com is a good resource, since you can use a map view to see the hotels around Cadorna that would be avaialble for your date.

If you want to stay by Centrale Station you can also take a train from there to the airport -- but it is a bit more complicated than taking the bus. (The buses use dedicated travel lanes, so unless there is a major accident, they run on schedule).

Take a look at the Madison Hotel if you want to take the train from Centrale to the airport instead of the bus. It's easier to find the airport-train platforms if you are staying at the Madison (or on that side of the train station).

If you want to take the bus, the Berna is a good location for that.

FFipzz

Grazie, Sandralist and everyone for sharing your information.

I would prefer a hotel closer to Cadorna due to MalpensaExpress from there is only 35 minutes to ariport for my flight to the US.

Did some reading on Milan. For a hotel, I picked a rectangular area bordered by Cadorna Station on the west, Brera on the east, Doumo on the south, Sforzesco Castle on the north.

I've read that Brera area has lots of restaurant choices. Leaning toward a hotel walkeable to Brera dining. Yet a few minutes taxi to Cadorna.

Thanks for suggesting Antica Locando Leonardo. Will have to read some more about what this area is like. May be a little bit out of Centro? I prefer an area that has some restaurant choices for my two dinners that are not too far from hotel.

sandralist

Antica Locanda Leonardo is no more out of the centro than Cadorna itself is, and the hotel is about a 10 minute walk to the station. It's about next door to the church of the last supper, and a few steps from the science museum. Milan is all about restaurants, so you will have plenty of choices wherever you stay in Milan, including around Antica Locanda Leonardo. The Corso Magenta is one of the more famous bar/cafe and eatery quarters in Milano, so you are surrounded by eating choices in all budget categories, and many different kinds of cuisines, including classic Milanese, but also Japanese, vegetarian, French, etc.

You should pick a hotel you like that suits your needs and budget and don't worry about not finding enough restaurants within walking distance. There will be plenty.

FFipzz

Thanks. Good to know.

sssteve

We stayed at the UNA Cusani. I don't know if it fits your budget, but it is perfectly located. It is about 500 meters from Cadorna, and even closer to the edge of the Brera neighborhood, which is, in my opinion the most interesting area in Milan. And...it really is filled with restaurants.

http://www.unahotels.it/en/una_hotel...lano_duomo.htm