On a sunny day you can see the lake!

Milano / Milan / Mailand to Padova / Padua by train

How to travel from Milan to Padua/Padova by train

Now that the first stage of the Milano to Venezia high speed line has opened to Brescia, the rail service between Milan/Milano and Padua/Padova is provided by

  1. high speed 'Frecce' trains operated by the national rail company, Trenitalia
  2. high speed Italo trains
  3. EuroCity (EC) trains which have travelled from Switzerland (these trains don't use the high speed line).
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Routes

Option 1: taking the Frecce and EC trains

Travel Information

Final Destination: Venezia S.L or Trieste or Udine

All trains also call at: Verona and Vicenza

In addition to these Frecce trains which depart from Milano Centrale, there are other Frecce trains which depart from Milano Porta Garibaldi station daily at 16:13 and 18:13.

There are also 2 x EC trains per day from Milano Centrale to Padova/Padua that are usually scheduled to depart daily from Milano Centrale at 10:05 and 12:05 .
They're around 10 mins slower than these Frecce trains because they don't use the high-speed line between Milano and Brescia.

Monday to Friday 10 x Frecce trains per day
Saturday 8 x Frecce trains
Sunday 10 x Frecce trains

Daily: 2 x EC trains per day

Tickets

Online bookings usually open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date; though the booking period will be typically be shorter when looking up journeys for travel after the second Sunday in December.

The train service between MIlano and Padova/Padua is provided by:

(1) these Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia and
(2) alternative Italo trains

Trains departing at different times can be cheaper than others leaving on the same day, so you may need to look through the day's departures to find the cheapest fares.

Tickets for the Trenitalia Frecce trains are placed on sale up to 6 months in advance, but the Italo train tickets are typically made available around 3 to 4 months ahead.
Trenitalia does not sell tickets for the Italo trains - and Italo does not sell tickets for the Trenitalia trains.

So, if you're booking no more than 4 months ahead and have no particular preference for the train that you will be taking, the price and departure times of the Frecce and Italo trains cas can be directly compared on with Trainline or Omio, though look out for the fact that both of these services will charge a booking fee.

Rail Pass Users:

If you will be travelling with a valid Eurail or InterRail pass, you will need to reserve prior to boarding these trains, either at the station (using a Trenitalia ticket machine or ticket desk) OR by booking them online.

How to book the rail pass reservations online is included on our guide to using rail passes in Italy.

Note that rail passes are not valid on the alternative Italo trains.

If you want to avoid paying rail reservations at all on this route from Milano to Padova/Padua, then the only option is to take a Regionale train from Milano to Verona - and then another Regionale train on from Verona to Padova.

Where to book
Ticket Provider Approximate Cost
Italia rail from €15 approx

Italia rail Guide

Italiarail lives up to its name by selling tickets for rail journeys within Italy and the core feature of its service is that it is primarily designed to be used by international visitors to Italy.
So the English translations of place names are used when looking up journeys and the terms and conditions for using each type of ticket are clearly explained.
It also clearly points out the additional costs of upgrading to other classes and types of tickets while spelling out the additional benefits of doing so.
Though Italiarail will charge a booking fee, typically of around €3.

The Early Bird service

Italiarail has launched an 'early bird' pre-booking service for journeys by Frecce trains.
Tickets can be booked up to a year ahead of travel at a flat-rate price per route, before the tickets have been released for sale by Trenitalia.
If when they are placed on sale, the price is cheaper than what you have already paid to Italiarail, it will automatically refund the price difference.
Conversely, if the price is more expensive, you won't be charged the price difference.
You can also have the peace of mind of securing your seat(s) on the Frecce train(s) when you are first planning a trip.
If before the tickets are placed on sale, you decide to change your plans, you can request a refund; but once the tickets are released for sale, you will then be bound by the terms and conditions of the ticket(s) you have booked.

Trenitalia from €15 approx

Trenitalia Guide

Trenitlalia is the national rail operator in Italy and in addition to its cheaper types of ticket; it also typically offers other discounts available to non-Italians, which include:

  • Group Offers, provides for a discount of up to 50% when 3-5 Adults travel together.
  • Family Offer for when groups of 2 - 5 people are travelling together and at least one of the party is a aged 11 and under.
  • The Children Free Offer is available for journeys by Frecce trains, when groups of 2 - 5 people are travelling together and at least one of the party is a aged 15 and under.
    Those aged 15 and under travel for free, but the Adults will need to purchase full price 'Base' tickets.
Save A Train from €15 approx

Save A Train Guide

Omio from €15 approx

Omio Guide

Omio is an online ticket agency which offers tickets for rail journeys in France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain.

The three key advantages of using Omio are

  • it offers prices in multiple currencies
  • it usually offers price comparison with other modes of travel including flights and buses
  • when visiting Europe, you can book journeys in multiple countries in one transaction.

The disadvantage of booking with Omio is that it often adds a booking fee to the final price; therefore when it does so without offering a price advantage, SMTJ doesn't tend to offer Omio as a booking option.

On this journey

Journey Features

Scenic - NoHigh Speed (partial journey)

Good to Know

Padova/Padova is on the railway route between Milan and Venice/Venezia typically popular with tourists, so as a consequence of the global pandemic, the train service has been (temporarily) reduced on this route, particularly in the late afternoon and evening.

On a sunny day you can see the lake! On a sunny day you can see the lake!

The only section of this route that uses a high speed line, is the part of the journey between Milano and Brescia - so the train only travels at more than 250 km/h for around 20 minutes.

If you're on the left of the train (when facing the direction of travel) keep a look out before Desenzano for a fleeting, but incredible view of Lake Garda.

Option 2: taking the Italo trains

Travel Information

Final Destination: Venezia S.L

All trains also call at: Verona and Vicenza

The service of high speed* (AV) trains between Milano and Vicenza is split between Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia and these 'Italo' trains.
*Though the only section of this route that uses a high speed line, is the part of the journey between Milano and Brescia;so the train travels at more than 250 km/h for around 20 minutes.

6 x trains per day

Tickets

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings open: 5 months ahead of the travel date

The train service between Milano and Padova/Padua is provided by:
(1) these Italo trains
(2) more frequent Frecce/EC trains

Tickets for the Trenitalia Frecce trains are placed on sale around 4 months in advance, but these Italo train tickets are made available around 5 months ahead.
Trenitalia does not sell tickets for the Italo trains - and Italo does not sell tickets for the Trenitalia trains.

If you're booking no more than 4 months ahead and have no particular preference for the train that you will be taking, the price and departure times of the Frecce and Italo trains can be directly compared on with Trainline or Omio, though look out for the fact that both of these services will charge a booking fee.

Trains departing at different times can be cheaper than others leaving on the same day, so you may need to look through the day's departures to find the cheapest fares.

Where to book
Ticket Provider Approximate Cost
Italo from €9 approx

Italo Guide

Trainline from €9 approx

Trainline Guide

Happy rail from €9 approx

Happy rail Guide

Happy Rail is a Netherlands rail ticket agency which sells tickets for both national and international journeys within a range of countries including Belgium France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland.

HappyRail doesn't charge booking fees in the conventional sense, but if you're not Dutch you can expect to pay additional transaction fees, which will be added to the total cost.
That's because the most common form of online payment used in The Netherlands is 'iDEAL' and HappyRail doesn't charge a transaction fee for 'iDEAL' payments, but only Dutch residents can sign up to 'iDEAL'.
Other forms of payment include Visa debit cards will incur a fee.

Omio from €9 approx

Omio Guide

Omio is an online ticket agency which offers tickets for rail journeys in France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain.

The three key advantages of using Omio are

  • it offers prices in multiple currencies
  • it usually offers price comparison with other modes of travel including flights and buses
  • when visiting Europe, you can book journeys in multiple countries in one transaction.

The disadvantage of booking with Omio is that it often adds a booking fee to the final price; therefore when it does so without offering a price advantage, SMTJ doesn't tend to offer Omio as a booking option.

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