How to get to Milan in 2025 – your transport guide in Italy

Please note that some of the links on the website might be affiliate links, which means that at absolutely no extra cost for you our website will earn a small commission. Thank you for supporting this project! Our Disclaimer

Table of Contents:

Why to go to Milan

When to travel to Milan

How to get to Milan

How to get to Milan from Malpensa Airport

How to get to Milan from Bergamo Airport

Public transport in Milan

Car rental in Milan

Where to stay in Milan

What to see in Milan

Why to go to Milan

Milan is the largest city in Northern Italy and can compete in popularity with the Italian capital of Rome. For tourists, Milan is both a destination with many attractions, events and outlets, and a starting point for a trip around Northern Italy.

I would like to recommend travellers booking almost everything for visiting Milan in advance! I mean plane tickets, hotels, transfer or car rental services, tickets for attractions, etc. This city gets packed with travellers. Some of them are staying in the city, some of them travelled around the region, but anyway the last thing you need is to waste time waiting in a queue for hours!

Milan is considered to be more of a business center and one of the world’s fashion and shopping centers than a tourist destination. However, the city has its own unique attractions, which it would be a mistake to miss. In addition to the world-famous Milan Duomo (Cathedral) and La Scala Theatre, Milan has several other significant tourist attractions. In addition, Milan is a “gateway” to Northern Italy attractions such as the Dolomites mountains, Lakes Garda, Como, Maggiore and other equally interesting places.

When to travel to Milan

The climate of Milan is relatively mild, but it has its own characteristics, for example, high humidity and frequent fog. All four seasons take place in Milan. Late autumn and winter can be quite rainy. Snowfalls are not uncommon in Milan during the winter months. Summer in Milan is quite hot and humid, especially in July and August. Milanese often take vacations during these months and go to neighboring lakes as it is the best time for swimming and relaxing on the beaches.

Based on my research, in terms of weather, the best months to visit the city are April-June and September-October, when it is already quite warm, but not yet hot or too cold. In general, regardless of the weather, tourists willingly visit Milan throughout the year.

How to get to Milan

How to get to Milan from Malpensa Airport

Malpensa Airport is located 45 km from Milan and has 2 terminals. Flights of non-European companies land at Terminal #1, Section B (non-Schengen destinations). If you fly to Milan with any European Airline, you will also arrive at Terminal No. 1, but in section A (Schengen destinations).

Despite the fact that the airport is located at a considerable distance from the center of Milan, getting there is not difficult. You can use express trains, regular buses, and taxis running between the airport and the city center.

♦Express trains (also called Malpensa Express) operate from the train station located at Arrivals Terminal No. 1. The route of these trains passes through the city center; the journey takes about 40 minutes. These trains can also take you to Milano Centrale Train Station, if needed. Trains start running at 6 am and end at 00.30 am. Express trains do not operate on the route at night.

♦Shuttles from both arrival terminals run to Milan Central Station with stops along the route. Buses run from 5 am to 1.20 am. The travel time greatly depends on traffic congestion.

♦You can also get to the city center or Milan railway station by taxi; this option is especially relevant if you arrive at night, when public transport does not operate, or if you take a large amount of luggage. You can order a taxi at the information desk in the arrival terminal, or in advance via international transfer services such as Kiwitaxi, Intui.Travel and others. The travel time takes you about 45 minutes. According to my research, both transfer services have a lot of positive reviews.

How to get to Milan from Bergamo Airport

The airport in Bergamo is called Orio al Serio. The distance from Bergamo airport to Milan is about 60 km, i.e. not much more than from Malpensa airport. You can get to the center of Milan from Bergamo Airport by buses, trains and taxis.

♦This direction is served by 3 bus companies at once, but they have one thing in common – the final station for all bus routes is the central railway station of Milan. The travel time is about 1 hour. You can purchase tickets at the airport or directly from the bus driver.

♦To get to Milan or other Italian cities from Bergamo airport by train, you first need to get from the airport to the central railway station of Bergamo; this can be done with a regular bus that runs from the arrival terminal every half an hour. Next, at the Bergamo railway station you can purchase train tickets in the direction you are interested in, including Milan. You can check the current train timetable and purchase tickets in advance at the Raileurope booking service.

♦A taxi or transfer car from Bergamo Airport to Milan usually takes approximately 50 minutes on the route. You can order a taxi at the arrival terminal or in advance via various transfer services, for example, via Kiwitaxi or Intui.Travel or other similar ones. I can recommend both online services as they have a lot of positive reviews.

Public transport in Milan

Milan is a fairly large city with a well-developed public transport system. The Milan transport network is owned by ATM Company. The convenience of using public transport in Milan is that tickets are valid for all types of transport.

In Milan you can get around by metro, trams and buses. There are also commuter trains, which, among other things, can be used to get to the airport. According to my research, there are several types of tickets for public transport in Milan:

• Single-use tickets (valid for 90 minutes after composting); their cost starts from 2 euros;
• tickets for 4 trips of 90 minutes; the cost is from 6 euros;
• tickets for 10 trips of 90 minutes; the cost is from 18 euros;
• one-day ticket; the cost is from 7 euros;
• three-day ticket; the cost is from 12 euros.

In the metro, tickets are applied to the turnstile, in buses and trams – to special reading devices. You can buy tickets from vending machines, kiosks or a mobile application.

Car rental in Milan

Car rental in Milan is a very popular option. It is relevant, first of all, for those tourists who are going to visit not only Milan, but also its surroundings. You can rent a car both in the city offices and at the airport. You can find rental offices at both Malpensa airport and Bergamo airport.

In order to rent a car in Milan, you must have a passport, a driver’s license and a bank card to pay for services and to block a deposit. The registration procedure usually takes no more than 20 minutes. At Malpensa Airport there are 23 + more offices of various rental companies, and at Bergamo Airport there are 15+ more rental points.

If you plan to drive around Milan, there are some features, that I discovered:

• To enter the historical center of the city you need to pay an environmental fee and stick a special sticker on the windshield.
• To leave a car in Milan you mainly need to use underground parking lots, because there are not many places available for parking in the city.
• When traveling out of Milan, you need to know that some highways, especially expressways, are toll roads.
• Having driven along them, you need to purchase a ticket at the ticket office or the automatic machine.
• You can avoid toll roads if you use duplicated free roads. The speed of driving on them is slightly lower than on highways.

You can book a car for renting in advance. It helps you to choose the best affordable option and save your time on the spot. You can use various online services to book a car in advance, for instance:

Discover Cars is a service for searching, comparing and booking cars for renting;

Economybookings is a search service for cheap car rentals around the globe.

Based on my experience, both services mentioned above have a very convenient search. I would recommend comparing both of them to find out the best available car rental option. The best directions to travel from Milan are traditionally Lake Garda towns, Lake Como resorts, Stresa town on Lake Maggiore, Verona, Venice, Brescia, Turin, the Dolomites region, and even the Ligurian shore with its brilliant UNESCO park called Cinque Terre.

Where to stay in Milan

Hotels in Milan are characterized by great variety; here you can find accommodation options such as hotels of all-star categories, B&B`s, guest houses, apartments and even villa rentals. When booking accommodation, you should first of all pay attention to the area where one or another option is located, since Milan is a fairly large city with many districts, and not all of them are convenient for getting to the city center or to the central railway station.

Hotel Berna 4* belongs to the area of the central station. There is not only a train station nearby, but also a metro station, which makes visiting other areas of the city accessible and convenient. The hotel provides luggage storage, laundry, transfer to/from the airport, and free Wi-Fi. Paid public parking is available nearby (reservation required);

Bianca Maria Palace Hotel City Center 4* belongs to the area of the city center. As online booking services provide tourists reviews, I found out that the hotel offers its guests a fitness center, free Wi-Fi, a restaurant, dry cleaning and laundry services, airport transfer, currency exchange and luggage storage;

Hotel Teco 3* is located next to the railway station and two metro stations. Milan Cathedral is a 15-minute walk. The hotel provides its guests with free Wi-Fi and luggage storage services. Dry cleaning, laundry and ironing services are available. Transfer services are provided at an additional cost;

Hotel Milano Navigli 3* – belongs to the area of the city center. You can go by tram to all the main attractions of Milan; the tram stop is located next to the hotel. The hotel has free Wi-Fi, luggage storage, and an elevator. Paid private parking is available nearby upon reservation.

What to see in Milan

Milan is full of architectural attractions, be it the Milan Cathedral or the Sforza Castle, numerous museums and churches, or modern galleries and arcades. Most of attractions in Milan are concentrated in its historical center. To go to other places, you can use a wide net of public transport, which is well developed in Milan; tourists can choose from the metro, buses or trams.

Milan Cathedral

The Milan Duomo is a classic of flaming Gothic. It has an impressive size, and its interior decoration is no less magnificent than its exterior one. The Milan Cathedral is located in the historical center of the city on the Cathedral Square. The cathedral is definitely worth a visit; here you can see stained glass windows that are 500 years old, sculptures, engravings and other elegant decorations. To complete your visit to the cathedral, go upstairs to its observation deck. Among the pointed spiers of the building, you will be able to see the Cathedral Square and the medieval streets of Milan at a glance. I did some research to collect practical information for visiting and here it is:

• Duomo is open from 10 am to 7 pm every day;
• You can purchase different types of tickets, for example, Duomo + observation deck (by lift) by 22 euros or Duomo + observation deck (by stairs) by 16 euro;
• Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office, on the Duomo official website or via the various ticket services, for example, via Tiqets booking service.

La Scala Opera House

The La Scala Opera House is a rather iconic building, but the theater gained its fame due to the world-known opera singers who performed within its walls. All the most interesting things in the theater are hidden behind its walls. The huge hall is a mixture of red velvet and gilded decoration. If you are a big fan of musical performances, then you can get acquainted with the theater’s upcoming repertoire on its official website, where you can also purchase tickets in advance online. You can also visit the Opera House during the day as a part of a guided tour. I found out detailed information for visiting the Opera House:

• The tour takes place at 09.30 in English; 10.30 in French or English; 13.00 in Italian, English or French; 16.00 in English.
• Duration of the tour is 1 hour.
• The ticket price is 30 euros per person.

Vittorio Emanuele Gallery

The Vittorio Emanuele shopping arcade is a covered link between the Cathedral Square and the Opera Square. Despite the fact that the passage is not a medieval monument, it is still worth mentioning as a landmark, and not because the top mono-brand boutiques of Milan are gathered under its roof, but because the building itself is an architectural monument. The construction of the gallery dates back to the mid-19th century; it was built in the shape of a Latin Cross, and decorated with mosaics, frescoes, sculptures and stucco. In addition to boutiques, the passage contains numerous bars, cafes, restaurants and even a seven-star hotel.

Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo Da Vinci

Despite the fact that the museum is located in the building of a former monastery, its exhibition is more modern. On the territory of the museum, you can find 9 different sections, such as “materials”, “transport”, “energy”, “communications”, “space”, “Leonardo’s inventions”, “biotechnology” and others. The good thing about the museum is that each section has an experimental laboratory where you can take part in various experiments that will be of interest to both adults and children. After some research, I discovered the following practical information for visiting:

• The museum is open daily, except Mondays, from 9.30 to 17.00 on weekdays and until 18.30 on weekends;
• The full price for visiting is 10 euros;
• Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office, on the museum official website or via the various ticket services, for example, via Tiqets booking service.

Brera Gallery and Gardens

The Brera Art Gallery, or as it is also called here, the Pinacoteca, is an art museum that has collected under its roof unique and rare works by Italian (and not only) artists. Rubens, Picasso, Caravaggio, Raphael and many other immortal names can be found under the paintings of the Brera Gallery’s exhibition rooms. The museum is located in a historical building that was once a monastery, and next to it you can find a luxurious botanical garden. Here you can admire both green plants and flower beds. The Brera Botanical Garden is a great place for strolling around and relaxing; admission is free. I found out detailed information for visiting the museum:

• The museum is open to the public every day, except Mondays, from 8.30 to 19.15;
• The full price is 16 euros.

Sforza Castle

The Sforza Castle is both a one-of-a-kind architectural monument and a museum that houses various collections of paintings, household items, and sculpture. The castle was built back in the 15th century, and since then has retained its authentic appearance. The highlight of the castle architecture is its tower with its unusual crown-form roof. Within its walls you can find a hall dedicated to the works of Leonardo Da Vinci, the latest sculpture by Michelangelo, a collection of musical instruments, utensils, furniture, clocks dating back to the 15th century. I did some research to collect practical information for visiting and here it is:

• The castle museum is open daily, except Mondays, from 9.00 to 17.30;
• The full price is 5 euros. Audio guides are available.

Royal Palace

The Royal Palace of Milan dates back to the 18th century and it has a long history, as are the collections housed within its walls. During the Second World War, the walls of the palace were severely damaged and restored only in 2000. Exhibitions at the Royal Palace are open to the public.

• The palace operates from 10 am to 7.30 pm every day, except Mondays. The closing time on Thursday extends to 10.30 pm;
• The full price for visiting is 15 euros.

Churches of Milan

In Milan, many churches have been preserved in their original form:

• The Church of Santa Maria Grazia, where Leonardo Da Vinci paintings are kept; the church is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List;
• The Basilica of St. Ambrose, which is considered to be the second most important cathedral in Milan after the Duomo;
• The Basilica of San Lorenzo Maggiore, dating back to the 5th century and miraculously surviving through history.

In addition to the listed attractions of Milan, which are included in the TOP tourist guides, the Pirelli skyscraper, the San Siro stadium, the Navigli district with its canals, the Monza circuit, the Gallery of Modern Art, the Roman Gate, and even the Central Railway Station, since its building can also be considered as an architectural monument, are available for visiting. I would definitely recommend paying attention to them.

Photo above the article: thinkrorbot