How easy is it to get from this town in Cinque Terre to the ariport at Milan Malpensa? Concerned about travel between train stations and timing to get a flight leaving Milan. Thanks.

Not easy. Probably 2 train changes and 6 hours counting the bus from Milano Centrale to Malpensa.

blackbird,

check trenitalia.com for schedules and times. I dont know the day or time of your departure, but i saw in the internet that there are various train's schedules from manarola to Milan. For example, there is a train that leave around 7 AM( manarola), you must change in Genova, and arrive in milano around 10:50 AM..
Anyway check the webb for more informations.
Ciao,
kismet

I take this route 5 or 6 times a year, as I stay with family friends in the Cinque Terre. There are no direct trains to Milano. For my 11:30 am or 12 noon flight out of Milano, I usually take a 6:50 am train out of the CT up to Genova (it stops in Sestri Levanti), then another to Milano Centrale train station (arriving approx 9:45 am). Once at the station, I take the Malpensa Express shuttle (4 euros) outside the front entrance to Milano's Malpensa airport (leaves every hour), making it to the airport in 50 minutes and just in time for my flight. I have not found the departure lines leaving Italia to be long -- the "get there 2 hour before an intl flight" rule seems to apply only in the States. I usually have 1 hour to spare before my flight leaves.

Thanks for the most helpful information!

As an addendum I suggest that if you are going to take the train (and perhaps be white-knuckled all the way)you skip the Malpensa bus from Centrale...give yourself a break and take a taxi!

There is a direct bus from Genoa to Malpensa. You might try the Malpensa website for schedules.