NYCFoodSnob

Airport hotels are what they are. I feel absolutely no need to defend or promote them. If you're a poor planner, or a traveler with no imagination, or beholden to FF mile itineraries, or a business traveler, or the worried and desperate type, airport hotels are there to calm your nerves and help you make your flight. As I said on another thread, they are an option. They're just not an option for me.

The train from Centrale to MXP requires stairs, and when you arrive at MXP, you have to find your way to the check-in counters, which is a bit of a walk. For people with luggage, the easiest way to get to MXP from Centrale is the Malpensa Shuttle. You simply walk towards Piazza Luigi di Savoia. Exiting the train from Venice, walk to the front of the train. Turn left, which will take you to the east side entrance at Piazza Luigi Savoia via the new escalators down to the ground floor. The Malpensa Shuttle is usually the first or second bus parked across from the Agenzia 365 ticket store nearest the east side exit at Piazza Luigi Savoia. You simply hop on. There are men there to help place your luggage underneath. You can purchase your ticket online and hand the driver your printout.

The buses start very early. If you're on a bus that departs at 8 AM, sis and aunt will be dropped at Terminal 1 by 9 AM. Singapore Airlines check-in is not that far from the shuttle bus drop stop. You can see TV screens as you enter the airport indicating the check-in counter numbers for the various airlines. It's not difficult. From that point, there are plenty of airline personnel to guide sis and aunt.

Milan in October can be lovely. The Duomo at dusk is magical. There are plenty of things to see and do, and there is wonderful food there, especially ethnic food. I would make a day and evening of it, after I showed aunt and sis where the bus is, and get them situated in a hotel on the east side of the train station. There are plenty of affordable options that are just a few metro stops from the Duomo. Or you can walk.

If you're young enough, you can sleep on the floor of their double and see them off in the morning, and then hop a train to your next destination. Young people can do all kinds of crazy things in the name of adventure.

socaltraveler

Just curious, Food Snob, is it possible for you to simply offer positive advice without pissing all over everyone else?

". If you're a poor planner, or a traveler with no imagination, or beholden to FF mile itineraries, or a business traveler, or the worried and desperate type, airport hotels are there to calm your nerves and help you make your flight. As I said on another thread, they are an option. They're just not an option for me."

Was anyone asking about you?

NYCFoodSnob

socaltraveler, do you eat with that mouth?

socaltraveler

Seriously? You are the one making remarks about other people ( read above), and I know it is not just me you condescend to, and you have the cajones to imply I have, what? You are ridiculous. Sorry, OP, carry on with your plans, hope it works out for your family plans.

nytraveler

Well we don;t know your aunt or sister. If they ar very naive, timid and untraveled you may feel it necessary to escort them.

But if I thought someone else felt they were "responsible" for me - I would be really pissed. I'm a grown woman of more than average intelligence and capable of dealing with any travel dilemna short of a volcano or revolution. (Now, don;t ask me to change a car tire - although I actually could but won't - or change the oil - really can't do that - since I choose not to learn to.)

I don't want to tell you what to do and you know your family - but I think it's insulting that 2 grown women have to be "taken care of".

socaltraveler

I think ellenm has given the OP a really reasonable and well thought out plan. But I also agree this all reads as very chauvinistic, but then again, not my family, not my customs.

nooriskandar

Wow, I rose from sleep to such fiery responses.

Apologies all I didn't mean to make anything chauvinistic, maybe our culture in Asia is a bit different.

Aside from that, I was overthinking and overworrying last night that I cannot think decent.

Thanks to all of you I have made a final sensible plan. Following most of ellenm's suggestion

1)Take morning train to Milan Centrale Station
2) Book/prebook first shuttle malpensa express for tomorrow morning
2)Check in at Hotel New York (300m away from station) All three of us.
3)Go to the city to see Duomo and whatnots till late night
4)Next day, I can even help them with luggages into the bus and see them leave before I set out my next plan, which I believe is me going back to Venice (to have my train to Austria there) since the Station is just there! I can even take my time, maybe have breakfast at hotel before I depart etc.


PERFECT


Thank you all for such beneficial help. Cheers!

maxima

Will you be spending extra time in Venice after your aunt and sister depart? If not, you can take a train from Milan to Salzburg, rather than go back to Venice.

From your hotel in Milan, you can get the subway/metro at the Central Station, and can do some sightseeing. If you want to see the Last Supper check online at the official website to see if there are any tickets available for the afternoon of your arrival. You can visit the Cathedral (Duomo) and purchase a ticket that allows you to walk on the roof along the pathways.. pay the extra amount and take the elevator. For the Duomo the stop on the metro is the Duomo and you would take the metro back to the Central Station when you are ready to return to the hotel, so that is relatively simple.
Metro tickets are sold in the metro and you can purchase what you need for the day.

There are two bus companies that go from Milan Central Station to Malpensa Airport.FROM MILAN CENTRAL STATION

Milan Central Station – Malpensa Terminal 1 and Terminal 2
STIE Autostradale www.stie.it
Departure every 20 minutes
On-board ticketing

Milan Central Station - Malpensa Terminal 1 and Terminal 2
Air Pullman www.malpensashuttle.com
Departure every 20 minutes
On-board ticketing

the bus to the airport takes about an hour and from your hotel it is nearly door to door, so no need to worry. once your family members get on the bus they will get off at the airport.

NYCFoodSnob

<i><font color=#555555>"Apologies all I didn't mean to make anything chauvinistic"</font></i>

Apologizing to the mentally deficient? You are a gentleman. Most people on this board have never been to Asia.

There is a chasm of difference between chauvinism and chivalry. You're on the internet, and this board has its share of wackos and small-brained thinkers. I won't even mention the passive-aggressive types, because that behavior should be obvious.

It sounds to me like you've come up with a plan that everyone might enjoy. Congratulations!

socaltraveler

Speaking of wackos, small brained thinkers and the passive-aggressive. . .or wait, referring to others here as mentally deficient is a nice way of speaking? Shaking my head, what a sense if humor it takes to read this drivel. Oh wait again, I forgot, I have the bad manners and the rude words.

Good luck OP, your new plan makes a lot of sense.

dwdvagamundo

good plan!

nooriskandar

hello all,
sorry to revive this thread.


I need your knowledgeable advice. I will be travelling from Lucerne to Venice on October 21st.
We have booked the Lucerne-Milano Centrale leg. It arrives in Milan at 12.50 according to the schedule.

The nearest connecting train from Milan to Venice St Lucia is at 1.05 the same afternoon. Would it be crazy to just buy that sector? Or we can never make it on time? Any input on the feasibility of this? The next train would be at 3pm and that would be a 2 hour wait. Maybe we can drop our luggage and head out to the city or something, you reckon?

Or just get the earlier ticket and should we miss, just purchase the next ticket? It would be expensive , no to buy the tickets on the spot though?

Thanks in advance.

Isk

NYCFoodSnob

IMO, planning for a 15-minute layover is too stressful and risky. For the sale fare, much better to rely on the 3PM train. 2 hrs goes by very quickly at Centrale. They have plenty of shops, things to see, places to catch a drink/snack, the time will fly. Or you can walk over to Corso Buenos Aires and do some window shopping and pick up a slice of pizza and scoop of gelato along the easy walk. There's no need to plan every minute unless you're the type who can't sit still and chill.

janisj

If I was on my own -- I'd probably book the short-ish connection. But you'll be herding your aunt and sister - are they both able to handle their bags and move quickly? (Do you want to get the blame if you miss the train )

nooriskandar

Dear all, thank you for all the help. My trip went amazing!