We have to be at Malpensa airport at 5:30 a.m. The day before we will be in Venice. The last train shown on the trenitalia schedule to Milan gets in at around 11 p.m. We were thinking of taking that and going to the airport instead of spending an expensive night in one of those miserable airport hotels. I can't find out whether there is a shuttle that late from the station to the airport. Does anyone know, or know how I can find out. I need to know in advance so I know whether to book the hotel room.

try this site. they have a lot on transportation with phone numbers: www.allhotelsitaly.com/milan/transports.html

Thanks! I checked the site, and if I am reading the timetable correctly, the last train to Malpensa leaves at 11.30. Now I have to figure out how to stay awake for 5 hours at the airport.

Please check this site http://www.airwise.com/airports/europe/MXP/
It looks like the connections don't exist at 2300.

This is entirely up to you, but if you're going to get on a plane and travel back home to the US, it might be a good idea to get a good nights sleep before. If you're in economy, good luck trying to recoup the hours. I believe you can easily find a decent hotel that's inexpensive. And I think a night in the airport with nothing open and nothing to do would be worse than "one of those miserable airport hotels." Just my opinion though.
You might also want to look at the MalpensaExpress.it site. Just in case.
Ciao, Melissa

Be aware that the train/bus service to Malpensa leaves from the Milano Nord Cadorna station and not from Centrale where your train from Venice will probably arrive.
I agree with Meliss1 that a better idea would be to arrive in Milan earlier and go to the airport and get a hotel (I think you may be incorrectly assuming they are "miserable"..whatever that means to you...getting a decent night's sleep hardly qualifies in my opinion and ask yourself how much is THAT worth?). Good luck.

mdotsie,

You want to take a shuttle bus from Milano Centrale station to Malpensa, not the Malpensa Express train which leaves from Cadorna station.

There are 2 services on this route. Here are their schedules:

http://www.malpensashuttle.it/mxp-mil.htm

and

http://www.ferrovienord.it/fnma/Orar...ocmalpensa.htm

As you can see, the last buses leave at 10.30 p.m., so you need to take an earlier train.

Are you sure you need to be at the airport at 5:30 a.m.?? When does your flight leave and what is your destination? At that hour you certainly don't need to be there 2 hours before if you're flying shorthaul and I'm not aware of any longhaul flights leaving that early in the morning.

In any event, I also think that spending the night at the airport is a terrible way for you to end your vacation (also the terminal might close overnight, not sure about that). I would spend the night in downtown Milan either near Centrale or Cadorna station if this is possible timewise.

Hope this helps,
Andre

Well, now I have to think. I have flown out of Malpensa before and stayed at the Villa Malpensa. Talk about a downer for a last night in Italy. That place is horrible. The bed was a lumpy rock, the air conditioning didn't work, it was out in the middle of nowhere so we had to eat at their awful restaurant, and it was expensive. Does anyone know of a hotel near the airport that would be a better choice? I checked the Jet and the rooms are $160. That seems like a lot just to spend the night in a place we are going to just for the airport.

Save yourself more grief and check into the Hotel Cervo, which is 3 minutes by courtesy van from Malpensa Terminal 1 (the new airport terminal). The hotel is quite good, although modest, and rates are very affordable (they include a buffet breakfast, which in your case won't apply). There is an elevator and air conditioning, and the rooms are NOT small. You can take the Malpensa airporter bus from Milano Centrale, and then call the van for pickup at the arrivals level of the terminal building (they charge 3 Euros per person for pickup service). If you arrive too late at night, you'll have to take a taxi to the hotel from the terminal building (you absolutely CANNOT walk to the hotel, even though it's only 1 kilometer away).

Again, are you really sure that you need to be at the airport that early? The first shuttle bus leaves Centrale station at 5:00 and gets to Malpensa at 5:50. There is also a bus from Milano Cadorna with the exact same schedule.

I would spend my last evening/night in Milan itself if at all possible.

Should you absolutely need to stay near Malpensa, Hotel Cervo gets mentioned a lot on this board as cheap and adequate.

Hope this helps,
Andre