Getting from a Milan airport to the city center depends on which of the three airports you land at. Linate is about 9 km (6 mi) from the centre, roughly 17 minutes by car on a clear road, with a metro line to San Babila. Malpensa, where flights from North America land, is about 47 km (29 mi) away, roughly 51 minutes, with a dedicated airport train. Bergamo is about 55 km (34 mi) away, roughly 53 minutes, served by coaches.
A fixed Elly8.net car to central Milan costs from US$110 per vehicle from Linate, US$230 from Malpensa and US$250 from Bergamo, in a Business Sedan. This guide compares every way in from each airport with verified fares, and tells you plainly when the train or metro is the better choice.
How do I get from a Milan airport to the city center?
From Malpensa, take the Malpensa Express train (€15 per adult), a €114 fixed taxi or a car from US$230. From Linate, take the M4 metro (€2.20, about 12 minutes), a metered taxi or a car from US$110. From Bergamo, take a coach to Milano Centrale, a €128 fixed taxi or a car from US$250.
Every Elly8.net fare is per vehicle, fixed and all-in: it includes the chauffeur, taxes, standard gratuity and meet and greet inside arrivals. Tolls and parking are billed at cost. The same fare applies in the other direction, from your hotel to the airport.
Rides in Milan are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk.
The three airports at a glance
| Airport | Distance to centre | Clear-road drive | Public option | Taxi | Elly8.net, per vehicle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malpensa (MXP) | 47 km / 29 mi | about 51 min | Malpensa Express, €15 adult | €114 fixed | US$230 to US$600 |
| Linate (LIN) | 9 km / 6 mi | about 17 min | M4 metro, €2.20 | Meter, €16 minimum | US$110 to US$290 |
| Bergamo (BGY) | 55 km / 34 mi | about 53 min | Coach to Milano Centrale | €128 fixed | US$250 to US$650 |
Our reference point for the centre is the Quadrilatero della Moda, between the Duomo, Brera and Porta Nuova. The taxi figures are from the Comune di Milano tariff; the €16 is the minimum for any taxi ride starting at one of the three airports.
Malpensa to the city center
Malpensa is the intercontinental airport, north-west of Milan, with two terminals linked by a free shuttle. Nonstop flights from the United States and Canada land here.
By train. The Malpensa Express serves both terminals and Milan's Cadorna, Centrale, Porta Garibaldi and Bovisa stations. An adult one-way ticket is €15, a child aged 4 to 13 pays €7.50, and the Malpensa Family ticket for two adults and two children aged 4 to 17 costs €36 (Malpensa Express tickets). The journey to Centrale takes about 51 minutes without changes. You still need to get from the station to your hotel.
By taxi. A fixed €114 per ride to any Milan address, tolls and supplements included, for a direct trip without stops.
By car with driver. From US$230 in a Business Sedan, US$300 in a Business SUV, US$370 in a First Class SUV, US$405 in a First Class Sedan and US$600 in an Executive Sprinter. The drive follows the SS336 and the A8 motorway, and the chauffeur meets you inside arrivals with a name board. District-by-district times are in our guide to Malpensa to Milan by car.
Verdict. One traveller with light bags near Centrale or Cadorna: the train. A couple: the train or the €114 taxi. A family with car seats, a group, or anyone with four or more large cases: a pre-booked SUV or Sprinter.
Linate to the city center
Linate is Milan's city airport, east of the centre, used for domestic and European flights, including many connections from European hubs.
By metro. The M4 line runs from the airport to San Babila, on the edge of the Quadrilatero, in about 12 minutes on a €2.20 ticket, every day (YesMilano, M4 from Linate). San Babila connects with the rest of the metro network.
By taxi. Metered, with a €16 minimum for rides starting at the airport. On distance alone, the trip to the centre lands close to that minimum; traffic time adds to it.
By car with driver. From US$110 in a Business Sedan, US$145 in a Business SUV, US$180 in a First Class SUV, US$195 in a First Class Sedan and US$290 in an Executive Sprinter. Milano Centrale is about 9 km (5 mi) from the terminal, a routed estimate of 17 minutes.
Verdict. Linate is the one Milan airport where the metro is hard to beat for a solo traveller or a couple with carry-ons. A car earns its place with heavy luggage, children, a late flight, or a hotel far from the M4.
Bergamo to the city center
Bergamo Il Caravaggio, at Orio al Serio, is about 55 km (34 mi) east of central Milan and handles mainly European flights. The airport markets itself as Milan Bergamo, so check the code on your ticket.
By coach. Several coach services run from the airport to Milano Centrale, and a short bus links the airport with Bergamo's railway station, from where trains run to Milan (Milan Bergamo Airport, bus).
By taxi. A fixed €128 per ride between the airport and any Milan address. Taxis wait at the designated area at the arrivals exit, door 1.
By car with driver. From US$250 in a Business Sedan, US$325 in a Business SUV, US$400 in a First Class SUV, US$440 in a First Class Sedan and US$650 in an Executive Sprinter. The route runs along the A4 motorway and the eastern ring road; Milano Centrale is about 49 km (31 mi) from the terminal, a routed estimate of 45 minutes on a clear road.
Verdict. For one traveller, the coach to Centrale is the cheapest. For two people, the €128 taxi is clear and simple. For families, groups and anyone who wants to start with Bergamo's upper town, about 7.5 km (5 mi) from the terminal by our routed estimate, a car with driver is the flexible option.
Which airport suits your hotel
If you have a choice of flights, the airport can save real time on the ground.
- East side, Porta Venezia, Città Studi, the centre. Linate is closest. A short car ride or the M4.
- Fiera Milano in Rho, CityLife, the north-west. Malpensa is better placed than its distance suggests, because the motorway arrives on that side. The fixed taxi fare from Malpensa to Rho is €94; from Linate to Rho it is €68, for a routed distance of about 19 km (12 mi).
- Centrale and Porta Nuova. All three work. The Malpensa Express and the Bergamo coaches both reach Centrale directly.
- Lake Como. Malpensa or Linate. Malpensa to Bellagio and the lake towns is from US$320 per vehicle, Linate from US$315; see the Lake Como car service.
- Bergamo and Franciacorta. Bergamo airport, obviously.
Changing airports: Malpensa to Linate
Some itineraries land at one Milan airport and leave from another. Malpensa to Linate is about 57 km (36 mi), a routed estimate of 59 minutes on a clear road, crossing the whole city. The fixed taxi fare between the two airports is €128. A car with driver is quoted for the exact pair of terminals in the web booker. Leave a generous connection; this is not a transfer to attempt with an hour to spare.
Going back: the airport run
The departure trip deserves its own thought, because it has a deadline. Linate is close enough that a modest margin works, though Milan's evening traffic still slows the eastern avenues. Malpensa and Bergamo both sit about 50 minutes away on a clear road and much more at peak times, so set the pickup from your airline's recommended arrival time backwards, then add the drive and a generous allowance for traffic. Send the desk your flight and we suggest a pickup time; the fare stays the same fixed price as the arrival.
Taxi, train or a pre-booked car: the honest summary
| Traveller | Malpensa | Linate | Bergamo |
|---|---|---|---|
| One person, carry-on | Malpensa Express | M4 metro | Coach to Centrale |
| Couple, two cases | Train or €114 taxi | Taxi or M4 | €128 taxi |
| Family with car seats | Business SUV from US$300 | Business SUV from US$145 | Business SUV from US$325 |
| Group of 8 to 12 | Sprinter from US$600 | Sprinter from US$290 | Sprinter from US$650 |
| Late arrival, fixed budget | Pre-booked car | Pre-booked car | Pre-booked car |
A pre-booked car wins in the cases public transport handles worst: children and car seats, groups that want one vehicle, heavy transatlantic luggage, arrivals after the last train, onward drives to the lakes, and corporate travellers who want one invoice. Vehicle capacities are on the fleet page: three passengers and two large bags in a sedan, six and six in an SUV, twelve and twelve in a Sprinter.
Rideshare apps are also available in Milan, through licensed premium cars and app-requested taxis, priced by demand; our guide to Uber in Milan explains what to expect. For a broader view of the trade-offs, see chauffeur vs taxi and chauffeur vs airport shuttle.
Travelling with children
Families compare the options differently, and each airport changes the answer.
From Malpensa, the train is genuinely family-friendly on price: the Malpensa Family ticket covers two adults and two children for €36. The catch is the rest of the journey. After about 51 minutes on the train, you are at Centrale or Cadorna with the bags, still needing a taxi or the metro to the hotel. With two large cases per adult and a stroller, that last leg is where most families wish they had booked a car.
From Linate, the M4 ride is short, but a family with four large cases, a stroller and tired children fills a metro carriage door. A Business SUV from US$145 takes six passengers, six bags and the seats.
From Bergamo, the coach is cheap, but with small children the coach journey plus the onward trip from Centrale adds up. The €128 fixed taxi is a car, so check that the seats and cases fit before you get in.
In every case, the pre-booked car's advantage is the same: child seats fitted before you land, when you give the ages, and one vehicle for everyone.
Late at night
Late arrivals change the picture at all three airports. Trains and coaches run to a timetable, so check the last departure of the day before you rely on one. After that, the taxi rank and the apps are what remain, and a quiet airport can mean a wait.
A pre-booked car is waiting whatever the hour, at the fare on your confirmation, and the chauffeur follows a delayed flight in real time. For a flight scheduled to land late in the evening, that certainty is often worth more than the price difference.
Arriving for business, a fair or fashion week
The airport you choose matters most in Milan's busiest weeks. Milano Fashion Week in late February and September, the Salone del Mobile at Fiera Milano in April and the Italian Grand Prix in early September fill hotels and cars across the city. Book the airport transfer with the flight.
For arrival days that go straight into meetings, add a car by the hour from US$90 in a Business Sedan, 3-hour minimum. Companies use corporate car service with monthly invoicing across all three airports.
How to book
- Pickup and drop-off. Enter the airport with your flight number and the Milan address.
- Vehicle. Choose from the Milan car service price list.
- Reserve. Pay by card in US$, or use the web booker for another address. Confirmation arrives by email.
Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup, 10% at 72 hours or less, 50% at 48 hours or less, and 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show. For the booking details that make sure the car is waiting, read Arriving in Milan: booking an airport transfer. The service is described on airport transfers.
Frequently asked questions
Which Milan airport is closest to the city center?
Linate, about 9 km (6 mi) from the centre, roughly 17 minutes by car on a clear road, or about 12 minutes by the M4 metro to San Babila. Malpensa is about 47 km (29 mi) away and Bergamo about 55 km (34 mi).
What is the cheapest way from Malpensa to the city center?
The Malpensa Express train, at €15 for an adult and €7.50 for a child aged 4 to 13, or €36 for the Malpensa Family ticket for two adults and two children. A fixed taxi costs €114 per ride, and an Elly8.net Business Sedan US$230 per vehicle.
How much is a taxi from Bergamo airport to Milan?
A fixed €128 per ride between Bergamo Orio al Serio and any Milan address, tolls and supplements included, for a direct trip. An Elly8.net Business Sedan costs US$250 per vehicle and a Business SUV US$325, with meet and greet inside arrivals.
Is there a fixed taxi fare from Linate?
No. Linate is close, so taxis run on the meter, with a €16 minimum for rides starting at the airport. A fixed Elly8.net car from Linate to the centre costs from US$110 per vehicle. For one traveller with light bags, the M4 metro to San Babila is cheaper.
Which airport should I choose for Fiera Milano?
Either Malpensa or Linate. The fixed taxi fare from Malpensa to Fiera Milano in Rho is €94 and from Linate €68. With a chauffeur, book the transfer to the fair and a car by the hour for show days. Book early in Salone week.
Are the fares the same to the airport?
Yes. Every Elly8.net airport fare on the Milan price list is the same fixed price in either direction, so the hotel-to-airport departure costs the same as the arrival. Book both legs together and send the desk your departure flight so we can suggest a pickup time.
