From Milan Malpensa to Como by Train
From Milan Malpensa to Como, Lake Como by Train
Planning a journey from Milan Malpensa to Como by train? Excellent! You are in the right place. I have you covered in this ultimate guide on the best ways you can reach Como from Malpensa Airport by train.
I recently returned from my trip to the Lombardy region in Italy and undertook a train journey from Malpensa Airport to Como. In this article, I impart my knowledge, tried and tested tips to guide your planning in adopting the best way to travel from Milan Malpensa to Como by train. Here is all you need to know about getting to Como from Milan Malpensa Airport.
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1 | Milan Malpensa Airport, Italy
Firstly, let’s take a look at Milan Malpensa Airport.
Milan Malpensa Airport (IATA: MXP) is one of three airports serving northern Italy and it is also the largest international airport for the northern region. MXP serves the regions of Lombardy, Piedmont & Liguria and Swiss Canton of Ticino.
Terminal 1 in Malpensa Airport handles all Schengen and non-Schengen flights except Easy Jet flights. Terminal 2 in Malpensa Airport is exclusively used by Easy Jet. Therefore, you shall arrive at either of these two terminals depending on where you are travelling from and the airline you are with.
1.1 | About the Train Stations at Milan Malpensa Airport
There is one train station at Milan Malpensa Airport and it is located in Terminal 1 at Level -1;
If you land at Terminal 2, you can access the train station via a footbridge or take the free shuttle service that runs every 20 minutes between the two Terminals.
1.2 | About the Trains at Milan Malpensa Airport
The Malpensa Express train is the one you need and the service offers two routes. The trains depart from either Platform 1 or Platform 2 and head to either Milan Centrale Station or Milan Cadorna Station. Both trains stop at suburban train stations along the way.
Malpensa Express trains are managed by Trenord and the train is fast, safe and comfortable. There is plenty of space to store your luggage but the trains do not have WiFi.
The journey from Milan Malpensa to Milan Centrale takes approximately 52 minutes and covers 50 km (31 miles). The train makes brief stops at Busto Arsizio Nord, Castellanza, Saronno, Milan Nord Bovisa, Milan Porta Garibaldi and finally arrives at Milan Centrale Station.
Malpensa Express trains headed to Milano Cadorna is a journey of 32 minutes. The service offers stops at Busto Arsizio Nord, Saronno, Milano Nord Bovisa and the final stop is Milano Cadorna.
2 | A little about Como, Italian Lakes
Como is a charming little city that sits in the northern Italian region of Lombardy, about 72 kilometres (45 miles) north of Milan. The city is situated close to the Swiss border and was founded by the most famous emperor, Julius Caesar in 49 BC. The Roman layout of the city is still preserved within its walls and is the most important city in the northern Italian lakes.
What makes Como unique is its location on the shores of its lake. Lake Como is one of the most beautiful landscapes in Europe. The deep blue waters of the lake are framed by a crown of steep green mountains and picturesque villages nestled along the coastline, with snow-capped Alps forming a dramatic backdrop. The mild climate and the stunningly picturesque scenery fascinates visitors from all over the world. Lake Como is famous for its wealthy neighbours and you may find one or two Ferraris weaving through the narrow cobble streets of the lakeside city during your visit.
Como is the best base for exploring other lakeside towns in Lake Como. Picturesque towns such as Bellagio, Varenna, Argegno and Tremezzina are easily reached by a fast boat from Como.
2.1 | Train Stations in Como
The city of Como has four railway stations: Como Nord Borghi, Como Nord Camerlata, Como Nord Lago and Como San Giovanni.
The two main railway stations, are Como San Giovanni and Como Nord Lago. These stations are served by two railway lines, Trenitalia and Trenord respectively.
Como San Giovanni is at the end of Lecco-Como line and is situated between Chiasso, a Swiss town and Milan, the Italian city. This is the busier of the train stations in Como as it sees the arrival of trains from Milan Centrale and Milan Porta Garibaldi.
*The direct train from Milan Centrale Station to Como San Giovanni takes 36 minutes. Trains between the two cities run daily between 05:25 and 22:52 and are managed by Trenitalia. Both standard and first class tickets are available to purchase.
Como Nord Lago is served by regional trains and is connected to Saronno.
There are two other stations in Como, Como Nord Borghi and Como Nord Camerlata — both served by regional trains.
3 | From Milan Malpensa Airport to Como by Train
There are no direct trains to Como from Milan Malpensa Airport. The best way to get to Como from Milan Malpensa Airport by train will involve one change, at Saronno or Milan Centrale.
If you want to change at Saronno, take either of the Malpensa Express trains departing Platform 1 or Platform 2 from Milan Malpensa and change at Saronno. The train journey from Milan Malpensa to Saronno is approximately 20 minutes and is 28 km. It is 25 km from Saronno to Como and takes less than an hour. The ticket price for both legs of the journey is less than €12.00 (2022).
Alternatively, take the Malpensa Express to Milan Centrale and change for a train to Como San Giovanni.
NB: The connection from Saronno to Como may not be immediate. We waited for 1 hour and 15 minutes for the regional train to Como.
3.1 | Where to buy train tickets for your journey at the airport
Tickets for your journey from Milan Malpensa Airport to Como can be conveniently purchased from the official Trenord website online or at the railway stations. There are Trenord ticket points located inside Malpensa Airport Terminal 1.
Timeless Travel Steps tips:
We purchased our tickets at the train station in Malpensa and it was easy and convenient. There were no queues as such.
Always remember to validate your tickets before each journey. Look for the validation machine that looks like this (above) near the ticket office or the platforms. Insert, get it stamped to validate the ticket.
Ticket inspectors do check during your journey to ensure you have a valid ticket. Your ticket must cover the entire journey. You can purchase the tickets for the Malpensa Express (from Malpensa to Saronno) online but the regional train journey tickets must be purchased at the ticket counters. At Malpensa, you can purchase tickets for both legs of the journey to Como at the ticket counter.
If you do not have a valid ticket for yuor entire journey, you could purchase one from the ticket inspector but you will be charged a fee in addition to a fine.
If you forget to validate your ticket, you can inform the ticket inspector. You will be charged a fine for non-validation.
4 | Other ways to reach Como from Milan Malpensa Airport
You could reach Como from Milan Malpensa by bus, taxi, private transfer or car.
Journey by bus is easy and direct but they do not run daily. Check FlixBus for more info.
Taxi ranks are at Arrivals, ground levels of both terminals:
– Terminal 1: Exit gate 6.
– Terminal 2: Exit gate 4.
Book your private transfer and check availability:
If you are picking up your pre-booked car for self-drive, these are located on Arrivals as well.
My sincere wish is that this post is helpful to you in planning your journey from Milan Malpensa Airport to Como. The journey is doable and inexpensive. The downside is the wait time at Saronno for the connection to Como. While our train journey to Como via Saronno was enjoyable and a worthwhile experience, we opted to take a taxi for our return journey.
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