Transit info.

Sounds reasonable, but since there is a fast train to Venice just about every hour, why not just take the first available train when you get to Milano Centrale. Once you are through immigration and have your luggage and made your way to the MXP train station, you can buy your Malpensa Express ticket to Centrale, and also buy your Trenitalia ticket to Venice at the Trenitalia kiosk at the MXP station.

Thanks for your quick reply. We have already purchased Rail Europe train passes. I don't think they include the faster train.

Then just go to Milano Centrale and take what you get when you arrive. Looks like there is a Regionale train to Verona at 25 past every hour. Trenitalia schedule is such that you will have to wait there one hour for the Regionale to Venice, so it will take nearly 4 1/2 hours. On the other hand, you could open your wallet and buy a reservation on the fast train that takes 2 1/2 hours direct. The Malpensa Express train is not included in the railpass, so you will need to buy that one as well at 12 EUR.

This is why passes aren't always what they're cracked up to be. Italian trains are generally reasonably priced to begin with, and if you just buy point-to-point (some great deals can be had by buying in advance), you can avoid some of the issues with passes.

If I was coming off a transatlantic flight, I wouldn't want to spend 4.5 hours messing around with regionale trains when a fast one would get me there - direct - in about 1/2 the time. Yes, it'll cost you some extra $ but weigh that against jet lag and time you'll be missing in Venice itself. The tall and short of it: don't tie yourself to the pass on arrival day if it's going to make things more tiring than alternatives available for a bit more?

Kathy, thank you for your input. It makes perfect sense!

Thanks Sam for the added info.

Double check, but your pass should be usable on faster trains from Milan to Venice, if you buy a reservation. The reservations are ten euros each, but they are specific to a particular train departure. So, just make sure you buy the one for the train you're actually taking.

Note that when you buy a regular ticket for a fast train in Italy, any required reservation is included in the price of the ticket. You only need to buy a separate reservation when you're using a pass.

Even with the fast train, I don't think 3 hours is reasonable. If the fast train takes 2 1/2 hours from Milano Centrale, and the train from MXP to Milano Centrale takes 40-50 minutes, that's more than 3 hours just on the train. Factor in the time to get through customs, picking up your bags, and transfers, you probably can't even do it in 4 hours. I agree with a previous post - you want to get to Venice as fast as possible, it's such a wonderful place to spend as much time as possible.

I took the OP to mean 3 hours from arriving at the gate at MXP to being in Milano Centrale. But may that is not what they meant.

Double check, but your pass should be usable on faster trains from
Milan to Venice, if you buy a reservation. The reservations are ten
euros each, but they are specific to a particular train departure. So,
just make sure you buy the one for the train you're actually taking.

Good advice from Harold, Maryjane. I was wondering myself if paying a reservation fee for the faster trains (in addition to your pass) might be possible but I wasn't sure enough to bring it up.

Regionale trains are great for shorter jaunts: cheap and plenty comfortable. They just aren't the best choices for longer routes and/or when you'd rather spend more time sightseeing and less of that gazing out the window. :O)

For travel between major cities and some other routes they service, the faster, more direct trains with fewer stops are almost always the better choice.

Your pass definitely covers all Frecce fast trains, with a €10 seat reservation that you can buy from a ticket machine or at the same time that you get the pass activated. Unless you've already done it in another country, allow time for activation, at either a ticket window or probably with a shorter line at the travel agency within Milano Centrale station. Passes don't cover the Malpensa Express train or private Italo brand trains (but Italo also doesn't serve this route).

Thank you Laura, and all who responded to my question. Your answers have been most valuable!!