My teenage son will vacation in Italy for two weeks with his father and will be meeting me in Paris July 10. He will be coming from Como. The train and airport schedules are very confusing. I'd like him to take a flight, but I'm not sure about transport to the airport and what airport in Milan has the easiest access with a train coming from Como. Is private transport the only way?
Posted by
Charleston, SC, USA
922 posts
One option is to take the train from Como to Milan Airpot (MXP) and fly from there to Paris. If you look at trenitalia.com, search for trains from Como to Malpensa Aeroporto. There are 4 train stations listed for Como. Three of them (NOT ComoS. Giovanni) have a train listed to go to Malpensa with a change of train in Saronno. It will take an hour to an hour and a half for the trip including a change of trains. You should be able to find a cheap flight to either Charles de Gaulle or Orly airports in Paris. Try Skyscanner.net for flights.
Posted by
OP
7 posts
Thanks--their hotel is near the Giovanni train station and I was looking at him going to Milan Centrale and then the express train to Malpensa? Or would it be better to leave from the other train station in Como?
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16893 posts
It's not hard to connect at Milano Centrale to the Malpensa Express, so I'd consider the departure from Como S. Giovanni station to be an equally good option.
Or walking between Como S. Giovanni and Como Nord Lago stations takes about 20 minutes (per Google Maps, and I've done it without luggage).
Posted by
4 posts
Why not get a train to Basel and then train to Paris?
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Como S. Giovanni is on the main line from Milan to Switzerland (Zürich and Basel).
Como Nord Lago and Como Nord Borghi are on the totally separate Trenord line from Milan. Como Nord Lago is the end of this line.
If you are considering the train option, go to www.sbb.ch and look up Como S. Giovanni to Paris
There are trains departing 09:03, arrive Paris Gare de Lyon 17:37, and 11:03 arrive 19:37. In both cases with one change at Zürich. Journey time 8 hours 34.
Otherwise as above, train to Milan (~1 hour), train to Malpensa airport (~1 hour), cheap budget flight to Paris (check-in 2 hours + flight 1 hour) and RER train into Paris (~1 hour). Flying might be quicker (~6 hours) but it is more complicated.