Milan - Parking vs Taxi - Costs

Can you drop off car at Linate which is nearby, take Malpensa Express to MXP next day?

The car we have rented is pick up and drop off at MXP.

We navigated in downtown Milan a couple of years ago near the Duomo. Dreadful parking and traffic. I would consider dropping your rental car when you return from Lake Como, take Malpensa Express to Milan Cadorna station and they take a taxi to your hotel. Reverse in the morning. Also, no chance of getting caught in restricted lanes, ZTL, etc. which can result in huge fines that you won't know about until months later. Two weeks or two months, you don't want to be hauling large pieces of luggage.

Do the 30 € include the "Area C" congestion charge?

A taxi from MXP to central Milan costs 95 € (per car) one way. A train 13 € per person, less if you purchase same-day return tickets online.

Nobody drives around the lake as the view is ten times better from ferries, so I wonder why you renting are a car to go where you could get easier by train. It seems a pointless complication, but maybe you are going to visit remote areas not served by trains/ferries. If so, please note that also these remote villages most probably will have a ZTL area.

Thanks for your suggestion. Found that the taxi fare appears to be about 80 euros one way. That pretty well makes it more feasible to park near our hotel rather than take the taxi back and forth. Willing to put up with any traffic and luggage woes.

Posted and then saw more responses. Thanks for the suggestions. Once we get to Lake Como, were thinking of heading up to St. Moritz as well. We usually rent cars in Europe, but not in largely populated areas (Rome, Paris). Quite used to traffic in Los Angeles and Montreal. Of course, there seems to more to consider than just the traffic. Will certainly have to mull this over given the info provided.

Will certainly have to mull this over given the info provided.

Definitely re-exam where you are going and the transportation alternatives.

Try Rome2rio.com to see a 'menu' of alternatives

I had to drop a car in Milan, and the experience of getting to the drop point ( about a mile from Milano Centrale) was all of driving in Milan I need in this lifetime.

Will certainly have to mull this over given the info provided.

Definitely re-exam where you are going and the transportation alternatives.

Try Rome2rio.com to see a 'menu' of alternatives

I had to drop a car in Milan, and the experience of getting to the drop point ( about a mile from Milano Centrale) was all of driving in Milan I need in this lifetime.

Lots to think about . . . prior to heading to Lake Como, staying near MXP a couple of nights to get over jet lag in a more cost effective hotel, then to Lake Como. Had planned on our return to Milan to spend one night near the Duomo to specifically do a half day tour that would encompass The Last Supper. That's the reasoning behind staying in the thick of things.

As you contemplate driving around Lake Como it is good to know that you never see the lake from the car bar a couple of momentary glances. Parking on the street in Varenna is not possible - you park on the road to the south of town. There is an expensive multi story parking facility next to the church but my observation is that it can fill up and is quite expensive. The spaces are quite small. Varenna has a ZTL

For parking in Milano you are looking at the ZTLs, the bus lanes and traffic light cameras, and then the very expensive congestion charge.

I would return the car at the MILANO CENTRALE station, which is away from the Milan ZTL (Area C, Navigli, Paolo Sarpi). Then from there take a taxi to your hotel. The next day, take a MALPENSA EXPRESS train to MXP from the Cadorna station.

There are no car drop off fees in Italy, if you return at a different location within the country. Just call them to tell them you changed your mind. I do it all the time, never been charged a fee.

Our plans for Lake Como does have preference for visiting the various towns on the lake via their ferry system. I did read about avoiding Pedemontana toll roads, but didn't know about so many of the ZTL's in Italy. As well, have heard about road stops checking for International Drivers Licence and fines for not having one so had planned on getting that as well. Also travelling to Croatia and renting a car there.

I very much appreciate everyone's input.

OK, based on all this valuable info, please advise how I'd do the following:

Have a hotel out by MXP.

1) From there to Lake Como, how should I travel by train or ?.
2) Will do ferries around the Lake and do have the website for that mode of transportation.
3) Lake Como to downtown Milan, near Duomo.
4) Downtown to MXP via train or ?

Would really appreciate your input. Thanks.

Hotel out by MXP - I don't have a suggestion because I never have done that. The train from the two stations Cadorna and Milano Centrale works very well and is not too expensive.

Number 1 - Don't know how to get directly from MXP to the villages and towns on Lake Como but I do know that from Milano Centrale there is an easy train to Varenna on the eastern side of the middle of the lake. In my opinion th centre is the most attractive and reasonably compact area. From there you can take a boat to Bellagio and Menaggio. From Milano Centrale there is also a train to the town of Como on the south end of the lake, and from there you can go up towards the middle of the lake, and down to Lecco by boat. All are scenic, but I personally don't care for the town of Como - too big and too busy, and too many bat docks to have to navigate, as they have different boats to everywhere and at different speeds and they each have a different dock, or so it seems.

number 3:- Train to Milano Centrale then tram or metro.

number 4:- Malpensa Express from either Cadorna or Milan Centrale, whichever you are closer to.

Have a hotel out by MXP.

1) From there to Lake Como, how should I travel by train or ?>.
2) Will do ferries around the Lake and do have the website for that mode of transportation.
3) Lake Como to downtown Milan, near Duomo.
4) Downtown to MXP via train or ?

Depending when you arrive at MXP, you might be able to go to Varenna that day.

From MXP there is rail or bus service to Milano Centrale; from there is about a 66 minute train ride to Varenna

You take the same train back from Varenna to Milano Centrale and then the metro to the Duomo area.

To MXP from Milan can be done from Milano Centrale or Milano Cadorna , ( http://www.trenord.it/en/home.aspx )depending which is closer to where you are

I also think you can go straight to lake Como upon landing if you take the train. No need to stay overnight near MXP unless you land very late in the evening.

I agree that for your trip a car is not necessary at all, actually it’s a hassle.

The train from MXP to Milan is a regular Regional train, not a light rail. It’s called Malpensa express. If you go to Varenna make sure you take the Malpensa Express goin to Milano Centrale, not to Cadorna. From Milano Centrale you can take the train to Varenna.

To return from Varenna to Milan, you can take the trip above in reverse. However I suggest you also consider taking the fast boat from Varenna down to Como. It’s a beautiful ferry ride through the most beautiful branch of the lake. Once you disembark at Como, walk the short distance to the COMO LAGO station and from there take a train to MILANO CADORNA.

If you stay overnight near the Duomo, then to go to the MXP airport in the morning of your flight back, it is faster to use the Cadorna station also and take the Malpensa Express to the airport from there. The Cadorna station is practically walking distance to the Duomo and the train journey is faster too.

We're flying from the West Coast of Canada and getting in late in the evening. By the time we clear customs etc., it'll be almost midnight. Therefore, we have booked a hotel near MXP. Our accommodations are in Como itself. Really appreciate your comments and knowledge. Thanks.

getting in late in the evening. By the time we clear customs etc., it'll be almost midnight. Therefore, we have booked a hotel near MXP. Our accommodations are in Como itself.

This info would have been helpful to have to give suggestion on how to reach your destination from Milan. I think others made the same assumption as I that your "travel to Lake Como", meant Varenna/Bellagio, not the town of Como.

Be sure to sift through the earlier posts sending you to Varenna as Como is a whole different destination.

From Malpensa Aeroporto (MXP) to the city of Como, in most sircumstances, the most convenient way is to take the train from MXP to Saronno, then the Regionale train from Saronno to Como Lago station.

www.trenitalia.com
Use the station names in bold above.