Train from Malpensa to Venice
 

We'll be travelling from Milan's Malpensa Airport to Venice's Sanat Lucia station. Are there direct trains from the airport or do we have to go to Milan's Centrale Station? Is there a train from Malpensa to Centrale, or do we have to take a bus? How complicated is that? Should we buy our tickets upon arrival or before we go here at home? Leaving early April. SH

Hi SH, <BR>You're in luck! I'll be flying into Malpensa in early May, so I've been able to figure out a few things which I'll share with you. Before I begin, though, you should operate under the premise that train operators in Italy go on stike very frequently. So don't be surprised if you get there at such a time. Always have a plan B, in other words. <BR> <BR>Malpensa has two terminals, aptly named 1 and 2. There is a free shuttle that takes you from one to the other every ten minutes. Depending on which Terminal you fly into, you want to get to Terminal 2, which is where your connection to the Centrale is at. From Terminal 2 there is a Malpensa Shuttle that takes you to the Milano Centrale (costs about $6). These shuttles go fairly regularly (hourly) starting at around 10 a.m. till about midnight. The bus trip from the airport to the Centrale takes about one hour. From the train station you can take the train to Venezia. These trains are easier to catch between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. There are a few that go from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. (with two deaparting between 7 and 8 a.m.). So take your pick. The train ride to Venezia is about 2 hours and 50 minutes. I'll be going to Parma from the train station, so I don't have too much info for you on Venezia, except that I have heard alot about it and plan to visit it too. <BR>Good luck! <BR> <BR>-Shahram

Good afternoon, "SH"?? <BR>Unless you purchse your tiekets here <BR>before you leave, you will have to <BR>purchse them at Milano Centrale. Make <BR>sure your destination will be Venice <BR>Santa Lucia, NOT Mestre.... <BR>Richard of Hickory Hills, Il... <BR>

Thanks sooo.. much Shahran and Richard for great info. Between both of your postings, I'm feeling a lot better.SH <BR>

I took that trip about two weeks ago. It's easy (unless the trains are on strike, like they were the day I arrived, but that doesn't happen too often). You buy tickets for the bus inside the terminal at Malpensa. Price is 13,000 Lire. The bus is a big comfortable inter-city type, and unless it's rush hour the trip should take under an hour. They drop you off right in front of Stazione Centrale, and the ticket office is right inside the door. If you have a little time waiting for the train, buy some panini and drinks for the train ride at the supermercato inside the station; big selection of good stuff cheap. Have fun.