Hello
Could you please advise as to the best way to travel by air and train to Cinque Terre. Is it better to arrive by air in Milano or Pisa? Does the train go directly to Cinque Terre or do we have to change train in La Spezia. Please provide details as to the most efficient way to get to Monterossa from either the Milan or Pisa airport.
Thank you,
Clare Cecchini
Posted by
4836 posts
Best method is to plug your dates into the trenitalia website.
Genoa would be good if it's an option.
Posted by
381 posts
I think Milano would be cheaper and more accessible by air and the train would take you to La Spezia and the local train takes you to each individual village in Cinque Terre.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Each of the 5 Cinque Terre towns has a station, and you can travel to any of the 5, or between them, by train.
It makes little difference which airport you fly into, Pisa is nearer, but I would choose whichever you can get to easiest from your home airport.
You can look up train times on the Trenitalia website: http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en
You have to use the correct name of each station (not the English translation). For Milan Malpensa airport use "Malpensa Aeroporto". Pisa airport is linked to "Pisa Centrale" station by a people mover. And Monterossa as your destination.
When you lookup times on the Trenitalia site, it will tell you if and where you have to change trains.
Posted by
Italy
3812 posts
The easiest way is the Airport train from Malpensa to Milano Centrale, then a direct Intecity train to Monterosso with reserved seats.
If you are staying in another village you'll have to change in Monterosso. The new winter schedules will be uploaded on trenitalia.com/tcom-en on December 9.
The Cinque Terre is an area, each village has its own station; on trenitalia.com you must write in the TO field the name of the village where you are staying. The site will tell you if and where you'll have to change.
Malpensa station is called "Malpensa Aeroporto". Pisa's airport station is "Pisa fermata aeroporto".
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16409 posts
...and it was probably a slip of the finger but it's Monterosso and not Monterossa, when searching for train schedules.
Posted by
Fort Myers, FL
1849 posts
Cinque Terre is accessible from Pisa, Milan or Genoa. Find your cheapest and least complicated airfare. Pisa is the fastest train trip, then Genoa. Milan is the furthest.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32331 posts
clare,
It would help to know when this trip is taking place? Also, where are you flying from and what time does your flight arrive?
As the others have mentioned, it's very easy to get to the five Cinque Terre towns either from Milan or Pisa. MXP is your best choice for international flights. You will have at least one change of trains, and the easiest route will be from Milano Centrale, as there are several direct trains from there to Monterosso each day. If you're planning to make that trip as soon as you arrive in Italy, it's not a good idea to buy advance tickets for the trip from Milan to Monterosso. The direct train is usually an Intercity which has compulsory seat reservations that are specific to train, date and departure time. If you miss the train because your flight was late or whatever, your pre-purchased ticket is worthless and you'll have to buy another.