Train Question - Milan to Venice

[kellyccz]

I need some advice from someone who has flown into Italy and taken the train while there.

 

We will be landing in Milan at 6:35 a.m. We will have to go through passport control and customs, then take the train from the airport to downtown Milan train station. Then we will be taking a train to Venice.

 

My question is, we are going to purchase our train tickets online so we have a reserved seat. What would be the earliest train that would be advisable to take. We prefer to be on the Eurostar, but the times are limited - there is one at 8:55 a.m. but I don't know if 2 hours and 20 minutes is ample time. There is a 9:05 Intercity train also. The next Eurostar train though isn't until 11:55 a.m. and we'd rather get to Venice sooner than later.

 

Also, can anyone who has been on the trains tell me if there are any MAJOR differences in the Eurostar and Intercity? I know the basics from the sites about train travel in Italy, but am looking for personal views.

 

I appreciate any advice anyone can offer.

[kellyccz]

Also, one more question - when going to purchase on the Eurostar, it asks you which carriage and seat number you want? How do I see what's available? I clicked on the picture of which side/seats I want out of the configuration shown, but as for carriage and seat numbers, I wouldn't even know what to put in.

[critterchick]

I don't know who you're buying your tickets through, but check out this website: http://www.italiarail.com/tickets/IR/IR.asp?AFF=TRE. DH had our tickets for last fall all queued up to purchase, and this seller was a good 30% less.

 

If you're flying into Malpensa Airport, which is where most international (non- EU) flights go, you will want to take the bus to Milano Centrale station to pick up the Eurostar. The train from the airport takes you to a different train station, and from there you would have to get over to Centrale. The bus is right out front of the terminal and very convenient. It drops you off right in front of the station.

 

As for picking your seats, I would call the ticket seller and pick your seats. You may not be able to specify actual seats, just general preferences. We simply asked for a window/windo combination and ended up on the 4-seat side of the train. Our seatmates were talkers, and talked all the way from Venice to Bologna, where they exited. Live & learn.

 

Intercity trains usually make more stops than the ES trains, so they take longer to arrive. The trains themselves are usually older, but we've also ridden on some nice new ones that were more comfortable than the Eurostar, so it depends on your luck of the draw.

 

Is Milan your first stop in the EU or are you connecting from another EU city? If the latter, you won't need to go through customs, as travel among the EU countries is considered domestic travel (a good thing), so that should save you some time. I personally think that the 8:55 is cutting it too close - your flight could be delayed or traffic can be horrific. It also can take a while for your luggage to arrive off the plane.

 

By the way, the Rick Steves guide to Italy was a godsend to us - not only does he tell you the "must see" places, he tells you how to navigate local transportation. The Eyewitness series are very good, too.

 

Have a wonderful trip!

[kellyccz]

critterchick - Thank you SO much for that wonderful reply. You answered everything I needed to go. I had no idea there was a bus that would take us directly to the appropriate train station - everyone else had told us we had to take the airport train downtown and then take subway or a cab to the other train station. The bus cuts out the middleman, so to speak. Is it hard to get on the bus with luggage and all? I am guessing since it is outside the airport they expect luggage, but is there much room for it?

[KT32]

The Eurostars also usually travel at faster speeds and have fewer stops than the Intercity trains. I found the Eurostar sometimes made me motion sick, especialli if I tried to read - something I didn't experience on slower Intercity trains.

 

Venice is beautiful, but there are also some lovely places in between, like Verona and Vicenza, which are nice to visit too!

[ihhk2]

I am Kelly's companion for the trip.

 

Does it make a difference time-wise if we arrive MXP on EARLY Saturday morning? It would seem to me that the typical congestions might not be present at that day and hour.

 

Also, when Kelly refers to the "train" between MXP and Milano, I believe she is referring to the SUBWAY, not the regular choo choo.

 

From websites, the Eurostar, especially 1st class, which we plan to take, seems far more comfortable than the Intercity trains. Is anyone else out there with experience to share?

 

ALSO: We would be most interested in a seat grouping to ourselves... 2 across. How do we figure out which compartments and side of the train accommodate this?

 

BTW: We will arrive in Milan direct from PHL, so we will have customs to go through upon arrival.

[kellyccz]

My travel companion, who just posted apparently didn't read the entire thread to see that I mentioned how early our flight gets in and that we of course, need to clear passport control and customs.

 

And I have cleared up with her that I was actually referring to a train from MXP to Milano and not a subway.

 

As for the seat grouping, I let her know that you choose that on the website when purchasing your tickets.

 

Can anyone tell us comfort-wise though, if there is much of a difference between Eurostar and Intercity trains?

[critterchick]

My travel companion, who just posted apparently didn't read the entire thread to see that I mentioned how early our flight gets in and that we of course, need to clear passport control and customs.

 

And I have cleared up with her that I was actually referring to a train from MXP to Milano and not a subway.

 

As for the seat grouping, I let her know that you choose that on the website when purchasing your tickets.

 

Can anyone tell us comfort-wise though, if there is much of a difference between Eurostar and Intercity trains?

 

I hope you & your travel companion are still speaking by the time you get there!:D

 

Again, depending on the website, I would CALL to get my seat selection. Otherwise you run the risk of being on the 4-person side of the train. The Eurostar 1st class cars have one side w/2 seats facing each other (one across) and another side with 4 (2 across). On the website I posted, we couldn't select the specific seats, but I imagine if you call they can accomodate you.

 

Another thing to remember is ticket validation. I don't think it's necessary on the Eurostar, but we do it anyway. There are bright yellow validation machines all over the station, and for the IC trains, you have to stick your ticket in there so it's date & time stamped. If you do not and the conductor is checking tickets (they don't always), you'll be fined on the spot, about 150 Euros. (I know I sound like an ad, but get the Rick Steves guidebook - it'll tell you all you need to know!)

 

We have had old IC trains where the seats were hard & torn and you had to open a window to get any air (in 1st class). We've also had brand new ones that we far more comfortable than the Eurostar, but it's all been luck of the draw. The first class EC trains have a divider between the seats that face each other. There's a pullout tray in them. Although it's a nice concept, the result is that crossing your legs is a challenge if you've over 5'5" (I'm 5"6" and had just a bit of a struggle). I would still vote for the EC over the IC for the speed at which you get there. If the line isn't too long, you can check your bags in a secured locker area and then go explore near the station - the Duomo isn't too far away. Then you can grab lunch & board the later EC train.

 

The bus is easy - it's a large Greyhound-style with tons of storage underneath for luggage. You just pay the driver, get your receipts, watch them load your bag underneath and get onboard. The overhead bins are very narrow, so an airline-size carry on bag will NOT fit - it'll have to go underneath. Luggage racks on all the trains are much more spacious.

 

And once you get to Venice (since you asked:rolleyes: ), your options to get to your hotel frpm the train station will include the vaporetto or a private water taxi (or you could walk if it's close by, but that's a pain if you have a large bag). The water taxi is very pricey, about 5o Euros, but the vaporetto is a commuter/tourist boat and is often packed. We did the water taxi instead of taking a gondola ride (80 Euros), and found it to be money well spent.

[kellyccz]

Critterchick - oh we will still be speaking, that's just us :)

 

Thanks for the additional info - it is very helpful. I have already printed this thread out and put it into my folder with my travel info.

[critterchick]

Critterchick - oh we will still be speaking, that's just us :)

 

Thanks for the additional info - it is very helpful. I have already printed this thread out and put it into my folder with my travel info.

 

Glad to hear it, and you're welcome - did I mention that I am green with envy? Enjoy!