I am meeting some friends in Malpensa airport, then heading to Stresa. Just looking for some detail from those that have been to that airport.

1) Where is the best place to meet them? Baggage claim? Is it easy to see where incoming flights will collect their baggage? Or is the gate a better place?

2) I've seen a bus schedule to Stresa and this appears to be the easiest way to get to Stresa (please correct me if I'm wrong!) Any detail about where to go from baggage claim to get to the bus terminal and get tickets, etc?

Thank you in advance!

you cannot go to the gate in europe.

baggage claim is good but there are two terminals at malpensa,and if i recall they are not near each other.

1) Find out at which terminal they arrive (T1 or T2).

2) Follow the signs "Arrivals" (on the ground floor). Meet them at the exit of the baggage claim.

3) Sorry, I cannot say something about public transportation. Always rented a car.

4) http://www.sea-aeroportimilano.it/en...sa/index.phtml
(I admit there are better airport webpages)

Thank you both of you.

Traveller - that URL is helpful as well thank you.

Now all I need is some help with the buses. Anyone?

See this link on Trip Advisor, discussing MXP to Stresa >>>

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic..._Piedmont.html

I've taken the Malpensa-Como bus and i assume all buses leave from the same area

it was out back of the station at the far eastern end - a bus station of sorts outside

but it was not hard to find as this area around the arrivals place is not sprawling like say at CDG-2 in Paris

You cannot meet them at baggage - they have to go through customs and exit into the public part of the airport. You will see everyone coming out of the same doors. But they need to tell you which terminal.

Buses, haven;t a clue - we always drive.

Click inside that Malpensa website to connection to locate the bus transportation info to Lago Maggiore (Stresa). The bus leaves from terminal 1, you exit out exit 4 at stop (space)22. You need to know the stop number, because the buses to Stresa and other cities park in the closet parking lot, and the stop numbers are written on the ground and on little signs at the spaces. Buses leave at 7:30am, 10:30am, 2:30pm, 5:30pm, and 8:30pm. For Stresa, you can get tickets on the bus, BUT you need to reserve the bus one day in advance (phone number on that Malpensa website). My hotel did that for me, and told me it was necessary, as does the website.These buses are in a different spot from the Malpensa buses that take you to Milano Centrale parked right at the curb. Just ask someone and they will point you to the location of the other buses.

Thank you very much everyone for taking the time to respond.