Three airports and one major rail station serve Milan: choose the route that matches your arrival, then use Centrale or the metro to continue into the city.
In a nutshell: Malpensa handles the bulk of international arrivals; shorter-distance visitors also come through Milan Bergamo Airport or Linate, while rail travellers step off at Stazione Centrale. The Malpensa Express takes around 50 minutes to Centrale, Linate's M4 metro takes 20 minutes to the city centre, and buses link both Malpensa and Bergamo with the station. Taxis are straightforward but not interchangeable: each airport has its own fare, and Uber's only available service is the more expensive Uber Black.
Malpensa is the airport used by most international visitors. The Malpensa Express is the quickest way to reach Stazione Centrale: the trip takes around 50 minutes, trains leave every half hour, and the service runs from around 5.30am to 11.30pm.
From Linate, the M4 metro line provides a direct ride into Milan's city centre. Allow 20 minutes, with trains running approximately every six minutes.
For Milan Bergamo Airport, the bus is the most direct public-transport choice for the city centre. Services take 50 to 60 minutes to Stazione Centrale, depending on traffic, and a one-way/return ticket costs €10/18. Several companies operate buses from around 4am to 1am.
Malpensa also has buses running to and from Stazione Centrale. They are less convenient than the train, but they cover longer hours, from 5am to 1am. The one-way/return fare is €10/16.
The fare depends on where you land. A taxi from Malpensa to Milan's city centre costs a fixed €110. From Milan Bergamo Airport to Stazione Centrale, the price is around €130. From Linate to Milan city centre, expect €25 to €30.
Ride-hailing is not the cheaper alternative here: only Uber's premium Uber Black service is available, and it costs more than a taxi.
Milan's monumental Stazione Centrale stands on the north side of town. It receives international and high-speed trains from France, Switzerland, Austria and Germany, as well as serving as a major hub for domestic travel.
For most journeys onward into Milan, the easiest choice is the metro. Lines M2 and M3 can be reached from the station's front entrance. If you prefer a taxi, leave through the main entrance and look for the ranks on the left.