Train from Milan Malpensa Airport to Venice

The drive from Milan Malpensa Airport to Venice takes about three hours. It is important to note that all vehicles must be parked on the mainland; there is no driving or parking in Venice itself. That is why there’s no better option than Trenitalia’s AV trains to Venice once you land at Malpensa.

Frequent Trains from Milan Malpensa Aeroporto to Venezia Santa Lucia

Getting from the Malpensa Aeroporto railway station to Milano Centrale in the city center is as easy as taking the regional Malpensa Express. It takes about 50 minutes and runs twice an hour through most of the day. From Milano Centrale there are 82 high-speed Alta Velocità (AV) trains leaving Milano Centrale for Venezia Santa Lucia every day.

The 167-mile (268-km) trip takes 2 hours and 35 minutes, with the first train leaving Milan at 7:05am and the last at 8:35pm. Ticket prices on this route range from $23-45.

Italo trains serve both Milan and Venice, but not directly. Taking Italo requires changing trains in Bologna. It takes roughly an hour to travel from Milan to Bologna, and then another hour and fifteen to an hour and thirty minutes to travel from Bologna to Venice. You will also have to take into account the time waiting in Bologna for the next train. If you’re set on taking Italo from Milano Centrale to Venice, it is certainly an option, but if you’re focused more on efficiency, Trenitalia’s AV trains are the way to go.

Note that weekends and holidays typically mean less frequent service and sometimes longer travel times.

Direct Trains from Milan Malpensa Airport to Venice

There are no direct trains from Milan's Malpensa Airport to Venice.

Amenities on the Trains from Milan Malpensa Airport to Venice

The Malpensa Express trains are similar to subways or commuter trains, therefore they do not offer any amenities on board.

The top of the line AV trains are Frecciarossa, and these train cars 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. A cafe car is available to all passengers.

On the Frecciabianca trains, there are also both 1st class and 2nd class cars. As with Frecciarossa trains, 1st class passengers get a free drink and a newspaper. Frecciabianca trains sometimes have a cafe car which all passengers can use, and power outlets are in both class cars at each seat.

Milan and Venice Train Stations

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.

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.

Venice has two stations, Mestre and Santa Lucia. Mestre station is on the mainland, while Santa Lucia (sometimes shortened to S. Lucia) is on the island. If you are going to Santa Lucia,  pay attention so that you don't get off too early at Mestre accidentally. Some trains stop at both Venice stations, while others stop at only Santa Lucia. Once at Santa Lucia, there's a vaporetto stop right outside the station on the Grand Canal.