Travelling from Milan International airport to La Spezia

You'll need to go to Milan Central station to catch a train to La Spezia. Trains from Milan to La Spezia generally don't require a change. If your ultimate destination is one of the Cinque Terre towns, also look into changing to the local train in either Monterosso or Genoa. There are about-hourly local trains from Genoa that stop in all the Cinque Terre towns, and that option may save you some time. That option worked best for me last time I flew into Milan and went straight to Vernazza.

You definitely will change trains in Milan. No other choice here. Then, you could change trains again in Genoa depending on the run you select. The trip takes 4.0hrs-4.5hrs depending on the run.

You can take the shuttle bus from the airport to the Central train station first -- about an hour. Just recently train service between the airport and the Central train station was opened but don't know the schedule or time.

Thanks for the information. We have been to Manarola last year but were there for a very short visit and we loved it so much we want to see more of the area. Last time we took the train from Lucca to La Spezia and then back to Rome but our friends took the train from La Spezia back to Milan. They are in Australia and I haven't been able to speak to them. The bus might be good but I expect the train into Milan would be quicker. We shall be flying in from London Heathrow and hopefully meeting up with friends flying in from LAX . I am wondering how warm or wet it might be around 20th April. Does anyone know?

Jeff, Treniitalia has recently inititated train service from Malpensa to the Milan Centrale train station. This now competes with the bus service. You do have to use caution in looking at the train runs on the Trenitalia website as some do go to Cardona and some go to Milano Centrale.

Be aware that the train from the airport does not go to the central train station and if you take it you will have to transfer to the metro to get there. The bus may be a better option. There is infomation on both here:
http://www.airportmalpensa.com/

There is now train service between Malpensa airport and the Milan central train station. To see schedules using the www.trenitalia.it website, use Malpensa and Milano Centrale as your departure and arrival points. If you just put in Milano, you also get schedules for the Malpensa Express train to Cadorna station. The website shows that the train trip to the central station takes 45-52 minutes and costs 7 euro. Airport buses take about the same amount of time in good traffic, but can take a half hour or more longer if you're traveling during morning rush hour.

Thanks so much, this is so helpful to us. We will arrive at the airport at 11.40 am as long as the flight is on time and I have now booked a train from Central station that leaves at 2.12 pm . Do you think I have left enough time to get to the Central station.?