Related Content
Content
London to Milano / Milan / Mailand by train
How to take a rail journey from London to Milano
It is entirely feasible to make a journey by train during the day from London to Milan.
The timings allow plenty of time to cross Paris, so you won't be rushing from the onward connection against the clock.
Also the Italian rail operator is now operating its top-tier Frecciarossa 1000 trains on the Paris to Milano route, which has not only increased the number of journey options, this train also arrives in Milano Centrale station, the main railway terminal in the city.
What isn't now an option is taking the Eurostar to Paris and then the overnight train to Milano, as the night train between Paris and Italy were withdrawn a few years ago.
Share
Routes
Option 1: connecting into a TGV from Paris and arriving in Milano Porta Garibaldi
Journey Summary
10hr 26min
Daily
Travel Information
The Eurostar will arrive in Paris at the Gare Du Nord, but the TGV train on to Milano will depart from the Gare De Lyon.
This guide explains how to make the transfer between the two stations by RER train.
Though when booking end-2-end tickets for this journey to Milano Porta Garibaldi, the timetable will allow more than 1hr 15mins to cross Paris from one station to the other.
Making that transfer across Paris by RER train won't usually take more than 30 mins and you won't have to 'check-in' for the Milano train.
Daily = 1 x connection per day
An additional journey option is available on
Changing trains in: Paris
Tickets
Book Early And Save: Yes
Online bookings open: 4 months ahead
The Trainline and RailEurope sell tickets for the end-to-end journey daytime train journey from Paris to Milano, which involves taking a Eurostar and a TGV train.
Or an option is to split the booking into London to Paris and Paris to Milano journeys, so that you have more than three hours to make a leisurely transfer across Paris - though doing so will likely be more expensive.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Trainline | * | |
| Rail Europe | * |
Train 1
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
Departing London at 10:22 or 10:26 daily and on most Mondays to Fridays at 08:01
Note that London is in a different time zone to mainland Europe, it is one hour behind - so when looking at a timetable the journey will look as though it's an hour longer.
At St Pancras International:
Eurostar requests that holders of Standard Class And Standard Premier tickets check-in a minimum of 30mins BEFORE departure, though this increased to 45mins on weekends and holidays.
If you have a Business Premier ticket, Eurostar recommends that you only have to check-in 10 mins before departure.
Our guide to taking a Eurostar from London is here.
It's not a scenic journey, but it is a journey with SIX distinct phases and highlights:
1: For most of the first 8 mins of the journey the trains use tunnels to exit London (Stratford International station is located between the tunnels).
2: Then from the right of the train, there are views of the River Thames marshes and of the Queen Elizabeth II road bridge.
3: The third tunnel that the train will pass through is the tunnel under the River Thames.
4: Shortly after Ebbsfleet International station (can only be seen from the right of the train) is the scenic highlight of the journey - the crossing of the River Medway.
5: The train will slow down as it approaches The Channel Tunnel.
Announcements are no longer made that the train is about to enter the tunnel.
The journey through the tunnel will take around 22 mins.
6: There is little of note to be seen from the high speed lines in France.
Please support ShowMeTheJourney
This second version of ShowMeTheJourney is exciting and new, so we are genuinely thrilled that you are here and reading this, but we also need your help.
We’re striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements.
Instead of advertising or paywalls, your financial support will make a positive difference to delivering an enhanced service, as there’s a lot of ideas which we want to make happen.
So if you have found the info provided here to be useful, please go here to say thank you.
Train 2
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
Note that these trains depart from the Gare De Lyon in Paris.
Final Destination: Milano P. Garibaldi
All trains also call at: Modane, Bardonecchia, Oulx-Cesana-Claviere-Sestriere
The TGV heading to Torino and on to Milano will often be joined to another TGV heading to a different destination on departure from Paris.
So don't be surprised, when looking at the departure displays at Paris Gare De Lyon, if you see a train departing at the same time and from the same voie (track/platform) as the train heading to Milano.
This other train will also have a different train number.
You won't have to worry about boarding the wrong part of the train; your seat will have been assigned in the train heading to Torino.
The TGVs making the journeys to Italy also spell out where they will be heading to on the exterior of the coaches.
Journey Description
This is, in our humble opinion, one of the most exciting journeys you can take on European express trains.
We love the mix of high speed travel and stunning Alpine scenery
Aside from the wow factor of the speed, most high speed train journeys aren't scenically interesting, when high speed lines pass through hills and mountains, they tend to dive into tunnels.
The journey becomes a lot more scenic once the train leaves the high speed line behind - and that's what makes this journey so exceptional the alpine views from a TGV train don't get better than this!
The Paris to Milan train journey has three distinct parts.
(1) First is the high speed line out of Paris.
(2) Then comes a passage through the western Alps with great views, particularly from the left of the train (when facing the direction of travel).
(3) Finally there comes the journey between Torino and Milano, on which these trains do not take the high speed line between the two cities.
Please support ShowMeTheJourney
This second version of ShowMeTheJourney is exciting and new, so we are genuinely thrilled that you are here and reading this, but we also need your help.
We’re striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements.
Instead of advertising or paywalls, your financial support will make a positive difference to delivering an enhanced service, as there’s a lot of ideas which we want to make happen.
So if you have found the info provided here to be useful, please go here to say thank you.
Option 2: connecting into a Frecce train from Paris and arriving in Milano Centrale
Journey Summary
10hr 41min
Daily
Travel Information
The Eurostar typically scheduled to depart at 10:22 or 10:26 will arrive in Paris at the Gare Du Nord, but the Frecce train on to Milano will depart from the Gare De Lyon.
This guide explains how to make the transfer between the two stations by RER train.
Making that transfer across Paris by RER train won't usually take more than 30 mins and you won't have to 'check-in' for the Milano train.
1 x connection per day
Tickets
Book Early And Save: Yes
Online bookings open: 4 months ahead
RailEurope sell tickets for the end-to-end journey daytime train journey from Paris to Milano, which involves taking a Eurostar and a Frecce train.
An option is to split the booking into London to Paris and Paris to Milano journeys, so that you have more than three hours to make a leisurely transfer across Paris - though doing so will likely be more expensive.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Rail Europe | * | |
| Rail Europe (UK) | * |
Train 1
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
Departing London at 10:22 or 10:26 daily
Note that London is in a different time zone to mainland Europe, it is one hour behind - so when looking at a timetable the journey will look as though it's an hour longer.
Also all stations calls at Ebbsfleet International and Ashford International have been suspended until further notice.
At St Pancras International:
Eurostar requests that holders of Standard Class And Standard Premier tickets check-in a minimum of 30mins BEFORE departure, though this increased to 45mins on weekends and holidays.
If you have a Business Premier ticket, Eurostar recommends that you only have to check-in 10 mins before departure.
Our guide to taking a Eurostar from London is here.
It's not a scenic journey, but it is a journey with SIX distinct phases and highlights:
1: For most of the first 8 mins of the journey the trains use tunnels to exit London (Stratford International station is located between the tunnels).
2: Then from the right of the train, there are views of the River Thames marshes and of the Queen Elizabeth II road bridge.
3: The third tunnel that the train will pass through is the tunnel under the River Thames.
4: Shortly after Ebbsfleet International station (can only be seen from the right of the train) is the scenic highlight of the journey - the crossing of the River Medway.
5: The train will slow down as it approaches The Channel Tunnel.
Announcements are no longer made that the train is about to enter the tunnel.
The journey through the tunnel will take around 22 mins.
6: There is little of note to be seen from the high speed lines in France.
Please support ShowMeTheJourney
This second version of ShowMeTheJourney is exciting and new, so we are genuinely thrilled that you are here and reading this, but we also need your help.
We’re striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements.
Instead of advertising or paywalls, your financial support will make a positive difference to delivering an enhanced service, as there’s a lot of ideas which we want to make happen.
So if you have found the info provided here to be useful, please go here to say thank you.
Train 2
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
Final Destination: Milano Centrale.
This Frecce train, which is typically schedule to depart from Paris at 15:12 and arrive at the main station in Milano (and not at Porta Garibaldi station) at 22:07.
Too late in the day for connections to be available into any long-distance express and night trains, but in time for transfers to be available for Regionale trains on to Brescia, Desenzano del Garda, Lecco, Monza, Peschiera del Garda and Verona.
Also Milano Centrale is on Line 1 of the Milano Metro, which serves Duomo station in the heart of the city; and transfers to this line are not available at Porta Garibaldi.
These Frecce trains take the same route as the TGV trains, except for;
- they leave the Paris to Lyon high speed line slightly earlier so that they can travel through Lyon
- they travel on the high speed line between Torino and Milano.
This second version of ShowMeTheJourney is exciting and new, so we are genuinely thrilled that you are here and reading this, but we also need your help.
We’re striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements.
Instead of advertising or paywalls, your financial support will make a positive difference to delivering an enhanced service, as there’s a lot of ideas which we want to make happen.
So if you have found the info provided here to be useful, please consider saying thank you.
See if there’s a unique journey guide for your trip, featuring info on the trains, tickets & stations.
This is one of more than 100 train travel guides available on ShowMeTheJourney, which will make it easier to take the train journeys you want or need to make. As always, all images were captured on trips taken by ShowMeTheJourney.
