Malpensa Airport to Vernazza question

You will take the Malpensa Express to Milano Centrale from the airport.. You can buy those tickets at a booth or at a machine. Just follow the signs for the train when you get off your plane and have your luggage. Once at Milano Centrale you will buy your tickets for Vernazza. Again you can wait in a long line at a booth or a much shorter, or no, line at a ticket machine. My suggestion is that you take a look at trenitalia,com to get an idea of you choices so you will be familiar with them when you go use the machine. Also, there are many videos on youtube on how to use the italian ticket machines as well as on Rick's site and on roninrome.com.

Do not buy your tickets in advance for the day you land as you cannot be certain of potential delays.

Buon Viaggio.

There is a Trenitalia ticket machine by the ticket booth at the Malpensa train station.

Theresa,

The line to buy tickets at Milano Centrale may be very long (you'll need to take a # then wait for quite some time), so it's best to buy your tickets from the self-service machines.

This website explains how to buy tickets from self-service machines:http://www.seat61.com/Italy-trains.htm#Self-service_ticket_machines.

EDIT: you can buy train tickets at ticket counter or self-service kiosks with your credit card or cash (Euros)
If you will be using a self-service machine, just make sure it takes cash-- there is a sign on top right showing coins & euro bill in red.

I paid cash to buy most of my train tickets but I also used my credit card (with chip- without PIN) without any problems.

Theresa,

A few additional points to add.....

As the others have mentioned, you'll use the Malpensa Express from MXP to Milano Centrale. You can buy tickets for your total journey at the airport rail station, either at the ticket office (which may be busy) or from a Kiosk. Note that the M.E. has two routes, one going to Centrale and the other to Milano Cadorna. BE SURE you board the correct train! The trip will be ~52 minutes. One other important point to mention is that the M.E. is a *Regionale so you MUST validate your tickets prior to boarding the train or risk hefty fines, which will be collected on the spot!*

Regarding your trip from Milan to Vernazza, have a look at the Trenitalia website for the solutions on that route. There's a departure at 10:35 with two changes, but it's doubtful whether you'll be able to connect with that one. Your best bet is probably a departure at 12:10, arriving at 15:26 (time 3H:16M, one change at Sestri Levante). The 12:10 departure actually arrives four minutes before the 10:35 departure.

The first train on the 12:10 departure is an InterCity train, so has compulsory reservations which will be provided with the ticket. Note that reservations are compulsory on all the fast trains, and these are specific to train, date and departure time and can ONLY be used on the one train listed on the ticket. If you board any other train, you'll be subject to hefty fines. The second leg from Sestri Levante to Vernazza is a Regionale, so again you MUST validate the ticket prior to boarding the train, or risk fines.

Hope you have a wonderful time in the Cinque Terre!

I just searched on Trenitalia, but don't see an option for a train from Milano Centrale to Vernazza........ Any idea what I'm doing wrong?
Thanks!

Teresa, what dates are you using? It's possible that trains are not showing because your trip is not for some months yet.

Nope - next week! I was using 14 May..... :/

REgional trains usually only show up 7 days in advance. The timetable for the weekdays in usually the same every day. Choose an earlier date.