How to Get From Bergamo Airport to Milan | The Four Options
Whether you’re looking for the budget option or the most convenient, this simple guide explains how to get from Bergamo Airport to Milan.
For those flying into the northern Italian city of Milan, there are three potential airports to consider: Linate (7km from the city centre), Malpensa (45km away), and Bergamo Orio al Serio (50km).
Malpensa and Linate airports are served by both short-haul and long-haul airlines, whilst the much smaller Bergamo is a major hub for Ryanair (the third largest after Dublin and London Stansted).
Due to this, Bergamo usually has the cheapest flights available and is a super popular airport for those visiting on a short European city break.
Unfortunately, despite its popularity as an entry point for Milan, there is no direct train connection to the city, so you'll have to opt for either one of the regular shuttle buses to Milano Centrale train station, a pre-arranged transfer, or a pricey taxi.
In this ‘routes’ guide, we’ve shared everything you need to know to decide the best way to make your way from Bergamo Airport to Milan for your budget and travel style.
The Essentials
/ If you’re flying Ryanair, you’ll fly into Bergamo Airport
/ Distance from Milan is 50km, taking 50-60 minutes
/ There is no train from Bergamo Airport to Milan
/ The most popular option to reach Milan is a regular bus for €10-12 per person
/ Four bus companies operate the route
/ Buses start at 5.20am, running frequently until 1.30am - buy tickets with 24 hour cancellation here
/ For a more comfortable or convenient ride, consider booking this private transfer or a taxi on arrival
Bus From Bergamo to Milan
By far the most popular way of reaching Milan from Bergamo Airport is with one of shuttle buses that depart regularly from outside of arrivals.
There are four companies running the route - Terravision, Autostradale, Flibco, and Orio - with each operating a regular service with frequent departures throughout the day.
Journey time is around 50 minutes to an hour, depending upon the traffic.
Irrespective of which company you choose, the final destination will be Milano Centrale (the city's grand train station - find it here on Google Maps).
Tickets can be bought online, either in advance of your arrival or when you land: we’ll explain the where to buy the tickets below.
Once you've collected your baggage and passed through customs, simply turn left and you'll find the ticket kiosks for each bus company, before the car rental desks.
Some will have a timetable visible, but if not, simply ask when the next departure is. Note that at the time of our visit, most had a sign stating 'next departure in five minutes' which appeared to be more of a ploy than a guarantee, so don’t feel the need to rush to them.
Buying Bus Tickets
You can either buy your ticket from the person on the kiosk in the arrivals hall, or just use the QR code on their window to buy from the individual company's website.
You can also buy on their websites in advance of your arrival in Bergamo.
Tickets cost around €10 one-way if you buy your ticket online (even if 'in advance' is just a few minutes before the planned departure), but you'll pay up to €12 for a single ticket if buying in-person from the kiosk. We opted for the second option as it was simpler and meant we could head out quicker to catch the next bus rather than faff on a phone.
Alternatively, if you want to cut out the middleman and just board the bus that’s leaving next, you can just exit the arrivals hall and you'll immediately see all the buses for Milan lined up opposite. They usually all have guys by the bus checking and selling tickets, with cash and card payments accepted.
One point to be aware of: some of the companies had guys trying to drum up business from rushing or passing passengers, but they are not always honest on how soon their bus is leaving…
There are four companies that operate this route, and below we've included their costs and how to buy tickets in advance:
Terravision | The first bus is at 5.40am, with regular departures every 30 minutes until 3.40am. If buying online, single tickets cost €10 or you can buy a return for €18. If you choose to buy a ticket in-person from the kiosk, it costs €12 one-way. Tickets can be bought on the official website, but do be aware that these are non-refundable - if you’d like the option to cancel up to 24 hours before departure, we recommend booking here instead (for the same price).
Autostradale | The first bus is at 5.20am, with regular departures every 30 minutes until 12.50am. If buying online, single tickets cost €10 or you can buy a return for €18. If you choose to buy a ticket in-person from the kiosk, it costs €12 one-way. Tickets can be bought on the official website, but as with above, these are non-refundable - for free cancellation we recommend booking here instead (for the same price).
Flibco | The first bus is at 7.15am with regular departures every 30 minutes until 11.45pm. If buying online, single tickets cost €10 or you can buy a return for €18. If you choose to buy a ticket in-person from the kiosk, it costs €12 one-way. Tickets can be bought on the official website, or you can also buy them for the same price via GetYourGuide.
Orio | The first bus is at 3.50am, then 5.30am with regular departures every 30 minutes until 1.30am. Tickets cost €10 each way online or €12 in person at the airport, and there is no discount for purchasing a return ticket. You can purchase your tickets via the official website.
An important point to note for anyone reluctant to buy a ticket in advance in case of flight delays is that whilst tickets bought are for a specific time, if you miss your bus, they’ll usually transfer you to the next available service for free.
Also, be aware that not all buses will depart at the stated time. Some, such as the Autostradales we’ve taken, certainly try and wait for a bit longer to get the bus as full up as possible before leaving. Flibco seem very punctual though.
All of the buses have large luggage storage underneath, and each requires passengers to validate their ticket with the driver or his assistant before boarding.
Travel Tip // Flying home from Bergamo Airport? Simply head back to where you got dropped off at the station and you’ll see the same bus companies lined up. If you didn’t buy a return ticket, you’ll be able to purchase a single ticket from the drivers or their assistants before boarding the bus.
Private Transfers & Taxis to Milan
If you don't fancy spending an hour on a bus, are travelling with a group, want to be dropped off at your accommodation rather than the train station, or just prefer a little more comfort, consider booking a private transfer or taking a taxi on arrival.
Private Transfer | Picking a company that will wait and meet you is a particularly good option if arriving in the middle of the day when there could be a long queue for taxis, or conversely, arriving late at night and concerned about flight delays.
There are a few options, but the following have good reviews:
· Private Transfer With Luxury Van
Taxi | Taxis can be found outside arrivals - just follow the signs. Taxi drivers use a meter rather than quoting a rate, and you should expect to pay between €90 and €100 to Milan city centre. It is however a good idea to ask the driver for an approximate fare before getting in.
Train From Bergamo City Train Station
Whilst there is no direct train from Bergamo Airport to Milan, it is possible to catch a train from the nearby city of Bergamo - but we don’t recommend it.
The route requires you to catch the regular ATB bus from the airport (departures every 30 minutes) to Bergamo and then transfer on to a train to Milan.
As the buses are less frequent and the quickest train takes 50 minutes, this route makes absolutely no sense and we would advise against it as an option; the only exception to this is perhaps if you were on a very strict budget as the cost is marginally cheaper than the direct shuttle bus option (€7.50 for the bus plus train option versus €10 or €12).
You can find timetables and buy tickets the official Trenitalia / Freciarossa website
For more advice, check our quick guide to train travel in Italy.
