The main departure hall at Milan's main station that sits behind the concourse

Venezia / Venice / Venedig to Milano / Milan / Mailand by train

How to take a rail journey from Venice/Venezia to Milan/Milano

Now that the first stage of the Venezia to Milano high speed line has opened west of Brescia, the rail service between Venice/Venezia and Milan/Milano 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 be travelling on to 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: Milano Centrale or Genova or Geneve or Zurich

All trains also call at: Venezia Mestre and Verona and Brescia

Some trains also call at: Peschiera del Garda and or Desenzano del Garda

The service of high speed (AV) trains between Milano and Venezia/Venice is split between these 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia and other, less frequent departures, by Italo trains.
See the 'Ticket Information' below for details of how you can compare these services, when looking up this journey on the ticket agents.

In addition to these Frecce trains which are heading to Milano Centrale, there are two morning Frecce trains which call at Milano Porta Garibaldi station on route to Torino/Turin.

These trains

Virtually all of the Frecce services on this route to Milano Centrale are now provided by the new type of Frecciargento E700 train.

There are also 2 x EC trains per day from Milano Centrale to Venezia. S Lucia that are usually scheduled to depart daily at 13:18 and 16:18.
They're around 10 mins slower than these Frecce trains because they don't use the high-speed line between Milano and Brescia,

Frecce trains:
Mon-Fri 11 x trains per day
Saturday: 12 x trains
Sunday: 12 x trains

EC trains:
2 x trains per day

Tickets

If you're heading from the historic heart of Venice/Venezia, then take care to select Venezia S. Lucia as the the Departure station.
If you will be using an agent check that they are making a booking from Venezia S. Lucia and NOT from Venezia Mestre station.

*Save by booking in advance: Yes, for more details on how to obtain the cheapest prices for Frecce trains see the guide to Italian rail 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 Venezia/Venice and Milano Centrale is provided by:

(1) these Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia and the EC trains, which have travelled from Switzerland
(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 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.

Rail pass users can avoid the €10 rail pass reservation fees on these Frecce trains, by taking

(1) An RGV train from Venice to Verona, and then (2) a train on from Verona to Milan.

There are now no direct Regionale Veloce trains from Venice to Milan.

Where to book
Ticket Provider Approximate Cost
Italia Rail from €19.90

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 €19.90

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.
Trainline from €19.90

Trainline Guide

Omio from €19.90

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.

Save A Train from €19.90

Save A Train Guide

OBB from €19.90

OBB Guide

OBB is the national rail operator and its booking service offers journeys by express trains within Austria, as well as international journeys which don't involve making a connection outside of Austria.

It pays off to book online, as the discounted 'Sparscheine' tickets are only ever made available on the website, and when making international journeys to and from Austria, these Sparscheine tickets tend to be cheaper.
OBB can offer particularly good value for money when travelling with children on international rail journeys, but something to watch out for when travelling between Austria and Germany on daytime trains, is that reservations are an optional extra; but if you book 1st class tickets with the Germany railways website DB, the reservations are complimentary.

OBB often takes a unique approach to its booking path, but a key thing to keep in mind is that the first price you will see for any journey is that of a Second Class seat.
The costs of upgrading to first class, a reservation, or a sleeping cabin etc, is then added to this price.

On this journey

Journey Features

Scenic - NoHigh Speed (partial journey)
The view from the right hand side of the train as it heads over the lagoon The view from the right hand side of the train as it heads over the lagoon
Leaving the Venetian lagoon behind and travelling on to the mainland Leaving the Venetian lagoon behind and travelling on to the mainland
Trust us, on on clear day, you can see Lake Garda Trust us, on on clear day, you can see Lake Garda

Like all departures from Venice one of the highlights of the journey comes at the very beginning of the trip, as the train heads out over the lagoon to the mainland - with the best of the views on the right.
This video was taken from a train arriving in Venice S. Lucia.

Then after Padova, also on the right of the train, on a clear day, there are distant views of the Alps.

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

Option 2: taking the Italo trains

Travel Information

Final Destination: Milano Centrale

All trains also call at: Venezia Mestre and Verona and Peschiera del Garda and Desenzano del Garda and Brescia

The service of high speed (AV) trains between Venezia/Venice and Milano is split between 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia and these Italo trains.
See the 'Ticket Information' below for details of how you can compare these services, when looking up this journey on the ticket agents

6 x trains per day

Tickets

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings open:: around 3 months ahead of the travel date

The train service between Venezia/Venice and Milano is provided by:

(1) more frequent Frecce/EC trains
(2) THESE 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 around 6 months in advance, but these Italo train tickets are 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.

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.

Rail passes are not valid on the Italo trains.

Where to book
Ticket Provider Approximate Cost
Italo from €9.90

Italo Guide

Omio from €10

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.

Trainline from €9.90

Trainline Guide

Happy rail from €9.90

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.

On this journey

Journey Features

Scenic - NoHigh Speed (partial journey)
Crossing over the Venetian lagoon minutes after departure from Santa Lucia station Crossing over the Venetian lagoon minutes after departure from Santa Lucia station
Nearing the end of the bridge as the train approaches the mainland Nearing the end of the bridge as the train approaches the mainland

These trains take the same route as the Frecce and EC trains.

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