I've seen both ways. Which is faster, easier, more reliable?
We arrive at 8:30am and though we'd love to get the 10:30 train to Vernazza from Milano Centrale, I realize this probably won't happen and will need to take the 12:30ish train.
Just wondering which is easier or better - the bus or train.
Thanks-
Theresa
Theresa,
The train does not have to deal with traffic issues, so I think it's a better option.
If you are planning on buying your train tickets for day of arrival, although not recommended due to unforeseen delays, ( flight delay, customs & immigration, baggage claim at airport) you need to give yourself a BIG time cushion ( several hours).
Enjoy your trip!
The train, because after the bus picks you up, it takes a circuitous route to the other terminal and picks up more passengers, then on to Milan with associated traffic delays. It also drops of on the side of the station. The train makes a few stops along the way, but (generally) stays on schedule, 45 to 55 minutes, and brings you inside the station. Of course, if you get there during a train strike, which has happened to me, the bus is the way to go.
Try to get the train schedule in advance, then see how it goes. It seemed like a 10-minute walk from the bus kiosk to the train station and I just missed a train, had to wait over an hour for the next train. Since I didn't know the bus schedule either and didn't fancy a long walk back with my luggage I just plopped down at the very basic cafe next to the ticket office and waited it out. Be careful to get the train to Centrale as many go to Cardona. You can only buy tickets at MXP using the machines, which take only credit cards, and mine didn't work.
In hindsight, I would have stopped at the bus kiosk to find out when the next one was leaving before shlepping to the train. And I may have made a better decision if I'd had the train schedule with me.
I have bought train tickets at MXP from a staffed ticket office last May, have they closed it?
It was open in December, but I did buy from the kiosk with a P&C credit card. If your credit card works, there is a Trenitalia kiosk next to it where you can buy tickets to Vernazza. The trains run twice an hour, but not exactly 30 minutes apart, as the trains to Centrale have a slightly different schedule of stops, so they are timed to arrive at Centrale in exactly half hour intervals.
It seems that the train runs twice an hour http://www.malpensaexpress.it/en/malpensa-express/timetable.aspx
Zoe,
We were at MXP last October & the staffed ticket office was open.
Thanks for the confirmation, I thought it was still a staffed office. So you can use a magnetic strip credit card if you don't have a chip & pin card.
