How does one travel from the CT to Malpensa airport in Milan (preferably by train) and how long does it take to get there? Also, any suggestions of places to stay in Vernazza are most welcome.
You take the train to Milan Centrale station and change to the train to the airport. Fairly simple. And you can obtain travel time by going to either bahn.de or time and fares at trenitalian.com
Maria, Train is absolutely the best way to get from the CT to Milan / MXP. The travel time is ~4.5 to 5 hours (using Vernazza as the departure point), with 2 - 3 changes. Trains depart every two or three hours. For example, there's a current departure listed at 07:32, arriving MXP at 12:17 (time 4H:45M, changes in Sestri Levante, Genova Piazza Principe and Milano Centrale - reservations compulsory for most legs of the trip). Some of the other trips on that route have changes at Levanto and Milano Centrale (the change in Milan is almost certain, regardless of which train you choose). The difficult part is often finding a train that arrives at the airport at the right time to coincide with your flight departure. Regarding accommodations in Vernazza, the best idea would be to have a look at the Italy Guidebook, as that provides good descriptions along with prices and website info. I was recently researching rooms in Vernazza, and one that stood out was Pensione Sorriso. Although I haven't yet stayed there, it looks great. Happy travels!