Get straight from the airport into the heart of the Renaissance. Find out about taking the train from Florence to Milan Malpensa Airport.
Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) isn’t connected to Italy’s high-speed rail network, but it does have a train station that connects it to Milano Centrale, the main train station in the city. If you're heading home from Florence, you can take the train that connections the airport via Milano Centrale, which can eliminate almost an hour off the drive time over the 220 miles (355 km), and you won't have to worry about missing your flight because of traffic.
Frequent Trains from Florence Santa Maria Novella to Milan Malpensa Airport
The high-speed train will take you from Firenze Santa Maria Novella to Milano Centrale in about 1 hour and 40 minutes. Your next step would be going from Milano Centrale to the Malpensa Airport. That involves taking the regional Malpensa Express, which is a 50-minute journey and runs twice an hour through most of the day. With the connection at Milano Centrale, the earliest you can get to Milan Malpensa Airport is 9:46 am. Tickets for the whole trip cost $44-67.
Your other option for the ride from Firenze Santa Maria Novella to Milano Centrale is to take an Italo train. That trip typically takes 1 hour and 50 minutes. Note that weekends and holidays typically mean less frequent service and sometimes longer travel times.
Direct Trains from Florence to Milan Malpensa Airport
There are no direct trains from Malpensa Airport, located outside of Milan, to Florence.
Amenities on Trains from Florence to Milan Malpensa Airport
The top of the line AV trains are called Frecciarossa, which are all equipped with air conditioning and power outlets in your seat for your convenience. There are both 1st class and 2nd class cars. First class passengers get a free drink and a choice of newspaper. There is a cafe car that's available to all passengers.
The Malpensa Express trains are similar to subways or commuter trains, and therefore have no real amenities.
Florence and Milan Malpensa Airport Train Stations
Florence's Santa Maria Novella station is close to the historic center, and is a major hub for city and regional buses, making it easy to get to and from the station if you're traveling light.
Centrale train station
Milan's main station, Centrale, is also a local transportation hub with buses and trams stopping outside and a Metro (subway) stop in a lower level of the station itself. Porta Garibaldi station is a smaller station, though it also has a Metro stop and several bus lines stopping nearby.
The train station at Malpensa Airport is located in Terminal 1 of the airport. Tickets can be purchased either at the kiosk during regular hours, or from automated machines. Be sure to validate your ticket before you walk down onto the platform, as there are no validation machines on the platform or on the trains.