The ''Malpensa Express'' is an airport rail service linking the city of
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
with
Malpensa Airport
Milan Malpensa Airport is the largest international airport in northern Italy, serving Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria, as well as the Swiss Canton of Ticino. The airport is northwest of Milan, next to the Ticino river dividing Lombardy and Pie ...
, in the
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics ( physical geography), human impact characteristics ( human geography), and the interaction of humanity an ...
of
Lombardy,
Northern Italy.
Trenord
Trenord is a railway company which is responsible for the operation of regional passenger trains in Lombardy. The company was established by the two main railway companies in Lombardy, Trenitalia and Ferrovie Nord Milano (FNM), to manage train ope ...
operates ''Malpensa Express'' services between
Malpensa Airport
Milan Malpensa Airport is the largest international airport in northern Italy, serving Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria, as well as the Swiss Canton of Ticino. The airport is northwest of Milan, next to the Ticino river dividing Lombardy and Pie ...
and both
Milan Cadorna and
Milan Central stations.
History
Launched on 30 May 1999, the ''Malpensa Express'' originally ran between
Malpensa Aeroporto and
Milan Cadorna stations only. It was operated initially by
Ferrovie Nord Milano
450px, Map of the main branch of the FNM lines. FNM operates also the Brescia-Edolo railway in eastern Lombardy">Edolo.html" ;"title="Brescia-Edolo">Brescia-Edolo railway in eastern Lombardy, not shown in map.
Ferrovie Nord Milano (FNM S.p.A.) is ...
and later by
Trenitalia
Trenitalia is the primary train operator in Italy. A subsidiary of Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, itself owned by the Italian government, the company was established in 2000 following a European Union directive on the deregulation of rail tra ...
subsidiary
LeNORD.
[Malpensa Express to open next month]
'' Railway Gazette International'' April 1999
In late 2010, airport rail services to and from Malpensa were reorganised. ''Malpensa Express'' services to and from Milan Cadorna, operated by
Trenord
Trenord is a railway company which is responsible for the operation of regional passenger trains in Lombardy. The company was established by the two main railway companies in Lombardy, Trenitalia and Ferrovie Nord Milano (FNM), to manage train ope ...
, continued to link the airport with the city. To coincide with the timetable change on 10 December 2010, however, new services to Milano Centrale were introduced.
In December 2016 a 3.4 kilometre extension of the line from Terminal 1 to
Terminal 2 opened. The new Malpensa Terminal 2 railway station is 200 metres north of the T2 arrivals hall, that is accessed by an outdoor covered walkway.
Train service
The ''Malpensa Express'' runs:
* between 04:27 and 23:27 from Milano Cadorna, and between 05:20 and 01:21 from Malpensa.
[
* between 05:25 and 23:25 from Milano Centrale, and between 05:37 and 01:21 from Malpensa.]
Milano Cadorna–Malpensa
There are stopping services (Milano Bovisa, Saronno and Busto Arsizio Nord) linking Milano Cadorna station to Malpensa Airport, named ''"MXP"'' and usually is first class only. The running times of the services ("Milan Cadorna" to "Malpensa Airport Terminal 2") is about 43 minutes.
From Milano Cadorna, the ''Malpensa Express'' runs along the Milan–Saronno railway to its first stop at Milano Bovisa, where there is interchange with trains to Erba and Asso and the suburban service to Camnago-Lentate.
The ''Malpensa Express'' then continues to (roughly halfway between Cadorna and Malpensa), which offers interchange with the lines for the cities of Varese
Varese ( , , or ; lmo, label= Varesino, Varés ; la, Baretium; archaic german: Väris) is a city and ''comune'' in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy, north-west of Milan. The population of Varese in 2018 has reached 80,559.
It is the c ...
-Laveno
Laveno-Mombello is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Varese in the Italian region Lombardy, located about northwest of Milan and about northwest of Varese. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 8,991 and an area of .All dem ...
, or Como
Como (, ; lmo, Còmm, label= Comasco , or ; lat, Novum Comum; rm, Com; french: Côme) is a city and ''comune'' in Lombardy, Italy. It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como.
Its proximity to Lake Como and to the Alps h ...
, or Seregno
Seregno (; lmo, label= Brianzoeu, Seregn ) is a town and ''comune'' of the new Province of Monza and Brianza in the Italian region of Lombardy. Seregno received the honorary title of city with a presidential decree on 26 January 1979.
It is se ...
.
From Saronno, the ''Malpensa Express'' proceeds along the Saronno–Novara railway, to the junction at Sacconago, located just beyond Busto Arsizio
Busto Arsizio (; lmo, label= Bustocco, Büsti Grandi) is an Italian city and ''comune'' in the south-easternmost part of the Province of Varese, in the region of Lombardy, in Northern Italy, north of Milan. The economy of Busto Arsizio is main ...
, which is the final stop before Malpensa Airport. It then heads to the airport along a rail link branching off to the right from the line to Novara
Novara (, Novarese: ) is the capital city of the province of Novara in the Piedmont region in northwest Italy, to the west of Milan. With 101,916 inhabitants (on 1 January 2021), it is the second most populous city in Piedmont after Turin. It i ...
.
The ''Malpense Express'' stops at Terminal 1 of the airport and continues then to Terminal 2.
Milano Centrale–Malpensa
There are two kind of train services linking Milano Centrale
Milano Centrale ( it, Stazione Milano Centrale) is the main railway station of the city of Milan, Italy, and is the largest railway station in Europe by volume. The station is a terminus and located at the northern end of central Milan. It was o ...
to Malpensa Airport. One service (''"MXP"'') calls at Milano Porta Garibaldi
Milano Porta Garibaldi is a major railway station in the Italian city of Milan, located just to the north of the neighbourhood known as ''Porta Garibaldi''. ''Porta Garibaldi'' is the city's main station for commuter traffic with 25 million passe ...
(a station more often used than Centrale by commuters around the city), Milano Bovisa, Saronno and Busto Arsizio Nord; the other service ( ''"R"'' ) call at Milano Porta Garibaldi, Milano Bovisa, Saronno, Rescaldina, Castellanza, Busto Arsizio Nord and Ferno-Lonate Pozzolo. The running times of both services ("Milan Central" to "Malpensa Airport Terminal 2") is about 57 minutes; they both have 2' class.
At Milano Centrale station, the Malpensa Express departs usually from tracks 1 or 2, and heads along the new railway section nicknamed the ''Umbrella Handle''; the Malpensa Express then passes through Mirabello junction to join the line from Greco Pirelli to Milano Porta Garibaldi station (west of Milano Centrale station).
At Porta Garibaldi station, the Malpensa Express uses the new route (to the north of the old one), which crosses Farini yard. It reaches PM Ghisolfa and leaves the RFI network to enter tracks 1 and 2 at Milano Bovisa station. The rest of the ''Malpensa Express'' route from Bovisa-Politenico station to Malpensa is the same as for its counterparts from Cadorna.
Tickets
The use of above trains for journeys starting or ending in Malpensa Airport Stations is allowed with a special price ticket, but is also possible a limited use with other kind of tickets usually valid for trains in Lombardia
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, ...
region. Even the other rail service to Malpensa (TILO S50) has a similar ticket limitation scheme for journeys starting or ending in Malpensa.
Rolling stock
The original ''Malpensa Express'' trains were Treno ad alta frequentazione
ALe 426/506 TAF (acronym of Treno ad Alta Frequentazione) is an Italian Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) used mainly on commuter regional trains. Concept design has been made by Italian designer Pininfarina.
Two different companies employ them: Tre ...
(English: ''High frequency trains'') (TAF trains).[ Their livery is a combination of the colours burgundy, dark green and cream and sometimes sponsored coaches.
Since February 2010, a new class of trains, the Convoglio Servizio Aeroportuale (English: ''Airport Service Convoy'') (CSA trains), has been gradually introduced. The CSA trains are designed specifically for the ''Malpensa Express'' services.
Both classes of train are push-pull ]articulated
An articulated vehicle is a vehicle which has a permanent or semi-permanent pivot joint in its construction, allowing it to turn more sharply. There are many kinds, from heavy equipment to buses, trams and trains. Steam locomotives were sometim ...
electric multiple units, with a powered section at each end, and unpowered sections in between. The TAF trains have two unpowered sections; the CSA trains have three.
See also
* Transport in Milan
*Rail transport in Italy
The Italian railway system is one of the most important parts of the infrastructure of Italy, with a total length of of which active lines are 16,723 km. The network has recently grown with the construction of the new high-speed rail netw ...
References
External links
*
Orari Malpensa Express
{{Clear
Passenger rail transport in Italy
Transport in Milan
Milan Malpensa
Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane
Named passenger trains of Italy
Railway services introduced in 1999
1999 establishments in Italy