cherylbr

We fly into Milanmalpensa airport (Milan) from London and take the train to our small Italian city.
No problem
Seven days later we need to fly back to London at 10:20. The train bringing us from our Italian town arrives at 8:55. We still have to get to the airport from the Milan train station. Will this give us enough time. Can't miss this flight on Continental if we want to go home.
Note we are in the airport that goes to Heathrow. Mialnmalpensa

LoveItaly

Hi cherylbr, just so you know the name of the airport is Malpensa which is considered the international airport for Milan but in fact is outside of Milan..northwest of Milan.

If your train is due to arrive at the train station in Milan at 8:55 and your plane is departing at 10:20 (assume these are morning times) you will miss your plane!!

You must figure on an hour (perhaps a little less if the traffic is lighter) for the Malpensa shuttle bus to get you from the train statation to Malpensa. The shuttle bus runs every 30 minutes.

Or are you saying that the airport you are departing from when leaving Italy is the Linate airport (considered the airport for domestic flights)?

Please repost, your thread is confusing and I would love to help you. Thanks!

LoveItaly

Ok cherylbr, I just reread you post. It appears you have to get back to the Malpensa airport to catch your Continental flight to London.

Don't you have to check in at Malpensa at least one hour before your flight? If so that means you would at least have to be at Malpensa by 9:20.

There is NO WAY that you can arrive at the train station in Milan at 8:55 and be at Malpensa by 9:20. And that is even if the train arrives on time..Italian trains do not always arrive on time btw.

I would strongly encourage you to get to Milan the late afternoon or early evening before your flight. Either get a hotel in Milan or at the airport or one of the places near the airport.

With the itineray you are planning on you will miss your flight cherylbr.

cherylbr

Loveltaly-
You and another confirmed that my simple plan is not so simple. We went through this airport in Milan since we fly on United later that day, out of Heathrow, to go home. I got the London to Milan RT flight through Continental because it was cheaper than any other airlines landing in Heathrow.
Now we get to figure if they will take us through customs in Italy or at Heathrow and will Continental check our bags all the way through to the US. Was fun adding on my own extension to our trip but I didn't think of all this then. I have a lot of worries now. Any wisdom for this new world traveler?

Ronda

Arrive in Milan the night before the flight and stay overnight. Take a taxi to the airport. That's what we did. And they are right about the trains often being late.

rkkwan

Continental doesn't fly LHR-MXP. If you have a ticket with a CO number on it, it's a Alitalia operated flight.

In fact, I'm surprised you can actually get a roundtrip ticket within Europe from Continental, when you're not flying them across the Atlantic.

Anyways, Alitalia should be able to check your bags through to the US, so you don't need to pick them up in London. You do have to go to UA's transfer desk at LHR to pick up your boarding passes.

LoveItaly

Hi cherylbr, I would definetly get into Milan the day before, say late afternoon. In time to go to your hotel and have dinner.

You can take a taxi the next morning to the Malpensa Airport but if you want to keep the cost down you can take the Malpensa Shuttle bus. You catch it at the Central Train Station. Figure an hour on the shuttle bus to get to Malpensa. The cost is 5 € per person. The shuttle bus has luggage storage under the bus.

Here is the website for the shuttlebus: www.malpensashuttle.it

I haven't stayed at a hotel in Milan for quite awhile, the one I loved is no longer in business. Do a search here on Fodor's or go onto Google to find a hotel. I remember some Fodorites have posted about hotels that they liked which are in the vicinity of the Central train station. Hopefully the search box will give you this information.

Cherylbr, this will all work out, don't be upset. Part of travelling is learning new things and there is always something that doesn't automatically fall into place when travelling. You will be fine.

I am glad Rkkwan posted here, our airline "expert".

Best regards..and enjoy beautiful Italy!!

cherylbr

rkkwan,
Nice reading all your know how Thank you.
My ticket # has no CO in it just #'s and the arrival part says LondonHeathrow to Milanmalpensa and back the same. The operator took interest in me having no luck buying a ticket from the US for Lodon to Milan. I don't think the plane will say Continental but it will be one of theirs.
She did it for me when she usually doesn't do ticketing.
My e-mail says Continental and not any other airline.

rkkwan

You must be flying on "some" airline. And you need to confirm that it is Alitalia. Otherwise, how would you know where to check-in, etc? Continental Airlines do not serve LHR, so you will never find their counter or agent at LHR.

cherylbr

rkwan-
You make me laugh. I AM flying on some airline and by your questions I checked further into my reservation and the confirmation ticket lists Milan MXP and says flight 237 on Atlitalia. Don't know why the eticket intineray says the other airport. or... does MXP stand for Malpensa. I hope you think I am funny and not totally dumb.

rkkwan

MXP is Malpensa. [The other airport is LIN, for Linate. Some airlines also call BGY, the airport at Bergamo, "Milan Bergamo".]

I just want you to be 100% clear what airline you're flying.

And I was trying to be a little funny in my last post.