Getting around · Milan · Italy
Getting around Milan
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Thomas Kowalski, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Milan has an efficient public transport network run by ATM, with five metro lines, trams and buses on one ticket. The centre is compact and walkable, and suburban and regional trains reach the airports and lakes. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Metro
- Airports
- MXP, LIN, BGY
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- ATM day tickets
Ways to get around
Metro
Five metro lines (M1–M5) cover the city; Duomo, Cadorna, Centrale and Garibaldi are the main interchanges. Line M4 links Linate Airport with the centre.
Tap a contactless bank card at the gates; fares are capped at the daily ticket price when you use the same card.
Tram
Trams cover the centre densely, including vintage 1920s cars still in service on several routes, and are a scenic way to cross the city.
Walking
The Duomo, Galleria, La Scala, Brera and the Sforza Castle are within 15 minutes' walk of each other.
Cycling
The BikeMi bike-share and app-based e-bikes and scooters are widely available; cycle lanes are improving but traffic can be heavy.
Taxi
Official white taxis wait at ranks and can be booked by app or phone; hailing in the street is not usual.
Train
Suburban and regional trains run from Centrale, Garibaldi and Cadorna to Malpensa, Como, Bergamo and the lakes.
Tickets and passes
ATM day tickets
24-hour and 72-hour tickets give unlimited travel on metro, trams and buses within the city zones.
Contactless pay-as-you-go
Tapping a bank card or phone at metro gates and on surface transport charges single fares up to a daily cap.
From the airport
Malpensa (MXP), about 50 km northwest, is linked to Cadorna and Centrale by the Malpensa Express train in about 35–50 minutes, and by coaches from Centrale. Linate (LIN), about 7 km east, is connected to the centre by metro line M4 in about 15 minutes. Bergamo Orio al Serio (BGY), about 50 km northeast, is served by coaches from Centrale taking roughly an hour.
Do you need a car?
No. Public transport is excellent and the centre has a congestion-charge zone (Area C). A car is useful only for touring the lakes and countryside; even Lake Como is easy by train.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Como | About 40 minutes to 1 hour by train | Train to Como or Varenna, then ferries |
| Bergamo | About 50 minutes by train | Regional train from Centrale or Garibaldi, then funicular |
| Lake Maggiore and the Borromean Islands | About 1 hour by train to Stresa | Train to Stresa, then boat to the islands |
| Verona | About 1 hour 15 minutes by high-speed train | Frecciarossa or Italo from Centrale |
| Turin | About 1 hour by high-speed train | Frecciarossa or Italo from Centrale |
| Pavia and the Certosa di Pavia | About 30 minutes by train | Regional train from Centrale or Rogoredo |
| Sirmione on Lake Garda | About 1 hour 15 minutes by train and bus | Train to Desenzano del Garda, then bus or boat |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Milan?
No. Public transport is excellent and the centre has a congestion-charge zone (Area C). A car is useful only for touring the lakes and countryside; even Lake Como is easy by train.
+How do you get from the airport to Milan?
Malpensa (MXP), about 50 km northwest, is linked to Cadorna and Centrale by the Malpensa Express train in about 35–50 minutes, and by coaches from Centrale. Linate (LIN), about 7 km east, is connected to the centre by metro line M4 in about 15 minutes. Bergamo Orio al Serio (BGY), about 50 km northeast, is served by coaches from Centrale taking roughly an hour.
+What is the best way to get around Milan?
Metro: Five metro lines (M1–M5) cover the city; Duomo, Cadorna, Centrale and Garibaldi are the main interchanges. Line M4 links Linate Airport with the centre.