At Malpensa (as at Fiumicino) intermodality works only during the daytime

Like Fiumicino, maybe even worse. The airport of Milan Malpensa, Italy's second hub after Rome airport, offers a rich variety of connections to be reached from the city center.

But if we are to analyze the so-called train+air intermodality - just as we did recently with the Leonardo da Vinci - then the dream of a journey that unites Rail transportation and direct gate access vanishes before midnight and does not reappear until the first light of dawn.

No overnight trains

Too bad that in those 6-7 hours of "empty" service. Malpensa Express, operated by Trenord, the Milan airport experiences a full-bodied series of aircraft arrivals and departures from all over the world-North America, Asia and Africa.

And all of these passengers, whether departing or arriving in Milan, lack access convenient, direct and fast to the city center. In fact, Malpensa, too, shares with Fiumicino the lack of a metro connection to the relevant city.

In contrast, the smaller but efficient Linate enjoys recently of the connection with the first leg of the new M4 subway line which reaches Dateo and Forlanini train stations, thus integrating into the regional rail transport network.

By the summer, finally, the M4 will connect Linate with the Duomo station bringing customers directly into the heart of the Lombard capital.

How the Malpensa Express works

Returning to the Varese airport, however, the, train connection service is operated by Trenord via the so-called Malpensa Express, which connects stations Cadorna, Milano Centrale and Milano Porta Garibaldi with the double stop Malpensa Terminal 1 and Malpensa Terminal 2 for a journey of about 50 minutes.

Again, like Rome Fiumicino, the Early morning (at 6 a.m.) or late night (from midnight onward) not a few flights depart or land at Malpensa.

In fact, looking at the daily flight operations on the airport's website, you can see that there are aircraft taking off and landing 24 hours a day. Flights that often provide international connections at major European hubs or come from intercontinental destinations.

When the Malpensa Express disappears

If you start from Milan Central, for example, the first useful connection to Malpensa is at 5:25 a.m. with arrival at 6:16 a.m. In the evening, however, the last possibility of reaching the airport by train is 11:25 p.m. with arrival at Malpensa at 00:16 a.m.

But the "night hole" is even more important if you arrive at Malpensa and want to reach the city of Milan. The last Direct train departing from Terminal 1 is scheduled at 9:43 p.m. with arrival at Milano Centrale at 10:37 p.m. After that, another solution must be found, although the Malpensa Express website suggests a later train at 9:56 p.m. with two changes.

After the stop at Milan Bovisa Politecnico you can take the Suburban (S1) to Milano Rogoredo and then the fast regional to Milano Centrale arriving at 11:30 pm. A journey of 1 hour and 34 minutes about to reach the station from the airport-a longer journey than some of the flights that land at Malpensa during those hours.

After this somewhat extreme solution there are no more trains available until 5:43 a.m. with service resuming and arriving at Central for 6:37 a.m.

For the month of August, and in anticipation of peak arrivals and departures, Trenord has made an extra effort. As of Friday, July 29, in fact, it is adding a new night run departing from Malpensa Terminal 1 at 1:30 a.m. towards the station of Milano Cadorna, where arrival is scheduled for 2.15 a.m.

Alternatives to the train

Finally, compared to Rome Fiumicino, Milan Malpensa seems to benefit from more articulated bus services, in addition to classic cabs and car sharing services, which also connect the fairgrounds and the stadium.

In that order, there are the services of Malpensa Bus Express and the Malpensa Shuttle (stops Milano Stazione Centrale - Milano Lotto/San Siro Stadium/ Fieramilanocity - Malpensa Terminal 1); Charon and Terravision (Central Station-Malpensa).