All good things must come to an end, so it’s time to say arrivederci to Italy’s gorgeous city on the lagoon and catch your flight. Find out all you need to know about taking the train from Venice to Milan Malpensa Airport.
Milan’s Malpensa Airport (MXP) is Italy's second busiest airport, after Rome’s Fiumicino, and one of the main departure points for domestic and international flights. If your stay in Venice has come to an end and you are scheduled to fly home or on to your next destination, the best option is to take a train directly from the center of Venice to Milan’s Malpensa Airport.
Malpensa isn’t connected to Italy’s high-speed AV rail network, so you will have to connect in Milan’s central train station to a regional Malpensa Express to get to the airport. The train will be your best option for this route, especially considering that you are coming from Venice, which is a pedestrian-only city. It is much less complicated to travel the 227.4 miles (366 km) by train than by car.
Frequent Trains from Venice to Milan Malpensa Airport
There are more than 30 trains that run from Venice’s Santa Lucia station to Milan Malpensa daily, some of which include direct high-speed AV trains to the Milano Centrale station. Here you change onto the regional Malpensa Express for the final 50 minutes ride to the airport.
The fastest trains run about 3 hours and 45 minutes, and the slower routes, with an additional change at either the Venezia Mestre or the Milano Nord Cadorna station, takes a bit over four hours to make the trip. Tickets for the whole journey begin at $36.
Be aware that weekends and holidays may mean less frequent train departures and longer travel times.
Direct Trains from Venice to Milan Malpensa Airport
There are no direct trains from Venice to Malpensa Airport outside Milan. All routes include a change at the Milano Centrale station to the regional Malpensa Express for the final 50 minutes ride to the airport.
Amenities on Trains from Venice to Milan Malpensa Airport
The AV train offering the most amenities is the Frecciarossa, with air-conditioned cars, monitors listing travel information and news, 3g and 4g internet, power outlets at every seat, and free WIFI. The cars are color-coded by class. Executive class is brown, including a station lounge and meal service. Business class is blue, which includes a choice of newspaper, snack, and a drink. Premium is red, including a choice of newspaper, snack, and a drink. Finally, Standard class is orange, which offers passengers a snack and drink minibar service. These trains also have a café car for all passengers.
Frecciabianca and Eurocity trains are the third-tier AV trains, similar to the Frecciarossa, though not as fast and with fewer amenities. These trains have both 1st-class and 2nd-class cars, which are air conditioned and have individual power outlets. First-class passengers receive a free drink and newspaper, and there is either mini-bar service and/or a café car for all passengers.
Regional trains sometimes have both 1st class and 2nd class cars, but not always. Reservations are not required, so passengers can choose their seat among those available on any car in their ticket class. There is no food service or café car on Regionale trains, and the air conditioning and power sockets may not always work.
The Malpensa Express trains are simple regional shuttle trains, with no real amenities to offer passengers.
Venice and Milan Malpensa Airport Train Stations
Venice has two train stations. Mestre station is on the mainland, and Venezia Santa Lucia (sometimes abbreviated as S.Lucia) is on the island, making it the closest for departing travelers. There is a vaporetto (water bus) stop outside the station on the Grand Canal. Some trains stop at both Venice stations, while others stop at only Santa Lucia.
The train station at Malpensa Airport is located in Terminal 1. To transfer from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2, there is a free shuttle 24 hours a day.