Arriving Milan MXP on a friday about 0840. How much time to allot for catching train to Milan than onto Florence? have never flown into MXP.

Makes a huge difference if you can say where you are flying in from. And what class you are travelling in.

Newark economy

Between 06.00 and 09.00 13 long-distance flights arrive at MXP which involve passport control and subsequent customs clearance. The bottleneck is usually at passport control especially for those not having European Union (or Swiss) passports. It is possible that passport control could take up to an hour but much will depend upon actual arrival time rather than scheduled arrival time - i.e. how many flights actually disembark when your flight actually arrives.

Whilst getting through customs is generally very quick again the same timing applies regarding awaiting for your luggage unless of course you are travelling light.

If you have luggage in the hold estimate a maximum of 1 1/2 hours from landing to exiting customs. Maybe quicker but work on this basis. The Malpensa Express train to Milano Porta Garibaldi or Milano Centrale is always the same price but by booking in advance you can get fantastic fares on either Frecciarossa or Italo. If speed is your objective do not book your seat on the Frecciarossa or Italo until you arrive in MXP. If you want to save money build in a time cushion and go for a lower fare. With extra time at Milano Centrale you could have something to eat at the Panino Giusto outlet at ground floor. Panino Giusto offers probably the best panini you will ever taste.

So many things, large and small, can affect the arrival process that you/we could only guess when you could board a train from MXP to Centrale. You could start by checking your flight's on-time performance record to see your chances of arriving as scheduled. flightstats.com

I assume you want to buy discounted train tickets. To each, his/her own. But I prefer to wait until I'm there to buy tickets rather than think I might have to hit the ground running, literally. Not the way I like to start a trip.

We've had pretty good luck at MXP over the years, but you just never know. One time, a woman fainted during deplaning, and we were told to sit in the nearest seats and wait until the medical team got on board. They were quick, but we waited at least 10 minutes.

Jean - what really matters is not your flight on-time performance but how many flights arrive at the same time.

"... what really matters is not your flight on-time performance..."

If I'm correct about the OP's flight, it arrives on time only 63% of the time, is "excessively late" 19% of the time and is, on average, 52 minutes late DAILY. That would definitely factor into my calculations of how soon I think I'd be able to board a train at Milano Centrale.

https://www.flightstats.com/v2/fligh...ting/UA/19/EWR

IMO, it isn't just one thing or another. If you're unlucky, it's a series of relatively minor things that cause delays. Even if everything goes swimmingly, just missing the train pulling out of Malpensa means waiting another 30 minutes for the next one.

I'd say get the cheapest flexible train ticket you can get. Or buy a promo ticket but allow for at least 3 hours between arrival and train just to be on the safe side.

Yes about train tickets - discounted tickets can be much cheaper than full fare ones but are train-specific and non-changeable - not sure there are discounted flexible tickets but full-fare tickets should be always available when you reach Milan Centrale (or buy at airport train station when you know you can conveniently make a train. I'd do the cheapest ticket and leave plenty of time between plane and train - check Acquista il biglietto con le nostre offerte - Trenitalia and www.italotreno.it/en - two competing rail systems using same tracks and stations - get whatever is cheapest. Worst case scenario plane is really delayed bite the bullet - discounted tickets can be as cheap as 9 euros folks here say. Check www.seat61.com for lots on booking online yourself discounted (or full-fare) tickets - general Italian train info - BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com. But if full fare ticket suggest you do not buy online as those tickets come with automatic seat reservation and though can be changed I am not sure if that has to be done before the train leaves - hard to do maybe on a late plane - and again full-fare tickets always available once there and you know when you can get a train comfortably. Italotreno may have cheap tickets on day of travel too it seems.

Thank you all for all of your advice. Looks like the 1213 from Terminal 1 might be a reasonable train schedule although there is another train one hour before and after.
Fares on Italiarail at $58 for nonrefundable business might be our best bet as opposed to $98 refundable. Trentalia 77 Euros for business for above 60 and below 30 if I am reading the tables correctly. Am I correct to assume the train from MXP terminal one to Milan Central is just one class and the connecting train to Florence is the one with multiple classes?

You have the classes in the two trains correct.

FWIW, I wouldn't pay business class fare for such a short train ride (1:39 hours). I'd go premium class. And I'd shop on Trenitalia.com. I picked two random Fridays in June and compared fares offered on Italiarail.com to Trenitalia.com. Fares were lower on Trenitalia.

Booked. Spent a lot of time on Seat61 and on Trentalia and Italiarail. Booked Trentalia as it seemed easy to book seats (one seat facing the other across a table) in car 2 plus for an extra 20 Euro changed from Super economy to economy which appears to allow one to change train times but no refund. Cost 141Euro for two.

appears to allow one to change train times but no refund.>

even after the train has departed? fully flexible?

As I understand it, I can change day and hour of the same train route anytime before departure but I have to pay the difference between my fare and the base fare. No refunds. Since I have allowed 3 and 1/2 hour after scheduled arrival I am hopeful that this works out ok.

Thanks for responding. Was curious.

How do you cange trains if waiting in long line at Immigration or for bags - by phone? If not it is basically non-changeable - I'm sure 3.5 hours should be fine though the Malpensa air train takes about 45 minutes to Centrale station and has gaps in between trains - good luck! Lots of places to eat and sit at Centrale and watch out for two trains on same track - one at front may not be yours IME at this station (though several years ago so don't know if they do that due to overcrowding as then -but check signs on sides of cars as to where that train is going.)

You can apparently change the reservation once online before departure time so need access to internet. So need cell data/service. Have to look for a SIM for Italy before departure. 15 min connection in Milan

15 min should be fine but it is a huge station so don't dally and airport trains could be late. but good you can change with phone.