We are scheduled to arrive into Milan Malpensa Airport at 10:40am on a Tuesday this summer. We would like to schedule tickets to see The Last Supper before taking a train to Rome.
What would be a safe time to get tickets? I don't have a good feel for how long it will take to go through customs, get Express train into Milan, and then get over to The Last Supper.
What should be the earliest I should try to get a train out of Milan to Rome?
Thanks for any suggestions!
My experience with Milan is that passport control/customs goes rather quickly, but you should never count on it. The big variable is will you plane be on time.
The Malpensa express takes about an hour to get into Milano Centrale and runs every 30 minutes approximately.
I think you are best waiting to buy your ticket to Rome until you arrive and know what time you can catch the train. It will be more expensive, but you will be safe.
Thanks. We do not plan to check any luggage so hopefully that part will go smoothly without having to wait at baggage claim. I really don't want to wait to buy tickets because ewe have 5 tickets to buy and it can be a huge price difference for our family. Anyone else have an opinion?
We arrived in Milan in Sept. with just carry ons and personal bags. Customs went fast, and our plane was on time, but you really can't count on that . We have arrived as much as 7 hours late in the past. I waited to purchase the train tickets for our day of arrival after we arrived in Milan. I did buy some tickets for a different day online and was able to save quite a bit of money(ICE train).
We had a flight into MXP last May and it was on time. As previously posted, passport control and customs went rather quickly. I do not remember the exact times. Other items to consider would be: do you need time to find an ATM; the wait time for the Malpensa Express; time to check luggage at the hold luggage at Milano Centrale; the time to get to the Last Supper (at least 1/2 hour).
I would work this backwards. What is the latest time you feel comfortable with in arriving in Rome? Find the latest train that meets your criteria. Then give yourself about an hour to get from the Last Supper to your train (remember you will have to pick up your luggage). Now what time would you have to be at the Last Supper. If I remember correctly you have to be there 30 minutes early. How much time do you now have from your flight arrival time. Myself, I would want at least 3 hours especially if you have not been to Milan before. Getting around a strange city always slows things down. Then the trick is to get Last Supper tickets in the available time window. They are hard to get (do a search, there are many threads on this subject) and for 5 people will not be easy. Oh, somewhere in there I am sure you are going to want to stop for a quick lunch, another 1/2 hour or more.
Also, remember you will be doing all of this in a jet lagged state of mind and body.
If you really want to see the Last Supper I would plan to stay in Milan at least one night and buy tickets to the Last Supper for the next morning. You might have to split your group. It sure would reduce the stress.
You're likely going to be facing a brutal travel experience with this plan. Arriving at MXP after a long international flight (assuming you're travelling from North America), getting through Passport control and out of the airport, taking the Malpensa Express to the chaos of Milano Centrale (about an hour), getting to The Last Supper and then back to the station, waiting for train departure and finally the trip to Rome (about 3.5 hours) will be an exhausting ordeal.
Also keep in mind that if you pre-purchase tickets for the train from Milan to Rome, they will be on the Freccia high speed trains which have compulsory seat reservations that are specific to train, date and departure time. Your tickets will be good for ONE train only and if you miss that train for ANY reason, the tickets are worthless and you'll have to buy more at full price. If you board any train other than the one specified on your ticket (even by mistake), you'll face hefty fines (€50-60 PP) which will be collected on the spot!
In this situation, it would be preferable to either spend one night in Milan and head for Rome the next day OR skip The Last Supper and head directly to Rome.
Seahunt,
I agree with Ken-- you will be exhausted when you arrive to Milan.
I would also recommend spending one night in Milan then going to Rome the following
morning after checking out 'The Last Supper'.
If you are returning to Milan (to fly back home), you can see The Last Supper plus other sights the day before your flight.
Arriving at 10:40 doesn't leave you much time. The Last Supper can only be seen by about 25 people at a time, for about 20 minutes or so. If you can get your group in at the last appointment time, you might be able to do it.
I would suggest spending the first night in Milano near the station (I don't find the station chaotic, but it is busy).
See some of Milano that first day, take the metro, relax after your flight. You can go to the Castello Sforzesco and walk through the gardens as well as visit the museum if you like, visit the Duomo. See the Last Supper as early as possible the next day and take a late morning train to Rome. You can get super-economy tickets up to 120 days in advance, and you know you'll make the train. You can retrieve your luggage from the hotel on your way to the station.
