train Milan to Vernazza, cinque terre

chris, As you're landing at MXP (probably Terminal 1), you have a couple of choices. You can take the Malpensa Shuttle (Bus), which travels from the airport to Milano Centrale in about 50 minutes (subject to traffic). Fare is ~€7.50. The other alternative is to travel by train to Milano Centrale, as there's a station right at Terminal 1. The travel time is not appreciably different. Depending on your arrival time at the airport and which trains you're able to connect with, the trip from Milano Centrale to Vernazza will be about 3H:15M, often with one or two changes in Monterosso, Genova or La Spezia (reservations often compulsory on the first leg). AFAIK, there are no direct trains from Milano Centrale to Vernazza. If you travel by train from the airport, you'll be able to buy your tickets for the entire trip. You might find it helpful to have a look at the Trenitalia website for specific departure times and other details. Happy travels!

Merci beaucoup, very helpful Ken. I was secretly hoping for train direct from Malpensa to Genoa or Monterosso but this is all fantastic info.

The fare for the Malpensa Shuttle Bus is now €10.00. Buses run every 20 minutes.

@Tim, Thanks for the uppdate. That's a bit of a steep increase!

chris, Prego, Signore! There are direct trains from Malpensa to some larger cities, but they are somewhat "infrequent". For all others it's necessary to connect via Milano Centrale, so it won't matter whether you get to the central station by train or Bus. Note that if you're arriving at MXP Terminal 2, the Malpensa Shuttle (Bus) is a better option (IMHO) as there's no rail station. Terminal 2 is used mostly by the budget airlines such as EasyJet. Train might be a better option if you're arriving at Terminal 1, as you should be able to buy your tickets to Vernazza from the staffed office or Kiosks at the airport. If you wait until you get to Milano Centrale to buy tickets, the process will take longer. Your best bet for tickets at Milano Centrale is to use one of the Kiosks, as the staffed office is usually a "zoo", with huge queues! The ticket office is located two floors below track level, accessible via a moving sidewalk. There are Kiosks beside the ticket office, and they're usually more accessible than the ones at track level (fewer people). Should you happen to need the WC at Milano Centrale, note that it's a "pay-per-use" facility, located one floor below track level. Make sure you have some Euro coins at hand. If you need a snack while waiting for your train, there are some food outlets close to the ticket office. Be sure to watch your baggage closely there, as there will be "scammers" about! Cheers!

If your arrival at Malpensa is early on any day but Sunday, the bus may get caught in heavy rush hour traffic. My last early weekday arrival, the bus trip took over 90 minutes. Haven't tried the train to Milan Centrale yet, but it might be faster during morning rush hour.

Wow - fantastic info. Thanks for taking the trouble to reply guys.