Are you planning your dream Italian getaway and intend on visiting the gorgeous cities of Milan and Venice? Then my detailed guide down below on how to get from Milan to Venice, to help you take care of the nitty-gritty logistics!
Let’s be honest, Italy is one of the most popular bucket list destinations in the world and no doubt, if you haven’t visited yet, you’d love to!
Most travellers, whether visiting for the first time ever or on a repeat tour of Italy, may plan to travel to both Venice and Milan, two beautiful must-see places up north.
As such, I’ve decided to compile this comprehensive guide that outlines all the possible ways to travel from Milan to Venice and vice versa. Hopefully helping you make the most of your time on your Italian odyssey!
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Milan to Venice Train
Journey Duration: High-speed train journey starting at 2h15 mins
Probably the most popular and best way to connect from Venice to Milan and vice versa would be to do so by train. This is in large part due to the two city’s close proximity to each other (the distance from Milan to Venice is roughly 270 kilometres / 168 miles).
Thanks to regular and reputable highspeed train services in operation in Italy, this means you can quickly and easily travel from Milan to Venice in under 3 hours. Perfect if you’re planning to visit Venice for a day!
Milan to Venice by Train: Services
As I’ve already alluded to, the highspeed trains, that are operated by either Trenitalia or Italo, are the fastest and most direct routes to take. These train journeys last anywhere between 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes making it one of the quickest ways to get to Venice from Milan.
Alternatively, you may also opt to travel via regional trains. But, it’s very important to note that these regional trains do not offer direct services and would require that you change over in another city, usually Verona.
On average, these non-direct trains take approximately 3 hours 25 minutes in journey time.
On both the highspeed as well as the regional rail services you can expect many daily departures that run from early morning, right through to the evening.
Be sure to consult the online schedules ahead of time to help you plan your itinerary and travel times.
Train from Milan to Venice: Fares & Buying Tickets
If you’re rushed for time and prefer to travel on the faster highspeed services, it’s imperative that you pre-book your tickets online and ahead of time. These trains do require a reservation and prices also do fluctuate according to availability.
At the time of publishing this post, the highspeed rail tickets sell for just over €30 for a one-way ticket, depending on the class of service book. Tickets can be purchased directly on the rail provider’s website (Trenitalia or Italo) or through other trustworthy aggregator sites such as Omio or Trainline.
If you don’t mind the slightly longer journey time and don’t want to pre-plan your journey ahead of time, then the regional rail service is your best bet. These tickets can be purchased online or directly at the train station too.
The great news is that these fares remain the same no matter when you book them and will currently set you back around €21 for a one-way ticket in standard class.
Train Stations:
When travelling on the Milan Venice train, you would most likely depart from Milano Centrale train station. Do double check this information when booking. Some trains do depart from other Milan train stations such as Porta Garibaldi or Rogoredo.
Likewise, on the return Venice Milan train service, you will usually depart from the Venice Santa Lucia train station. Once again, do verify this ahead of time as some trains may depart from Venice Mestre or from another lesser-known Venice train station.
Milan to Venice Bus
Journey Duration: Starting from 3 hours 40 minutes
Travelling from Milan to Venice by bus is certainly possible to do, although given that the journey time by rail is far shorter, travel by bus isn’t the most popular choice.
Currently, Flixbus offer several daily departures throughout the day. Travel times on this bus services range from around 3 hours 40 minutes on the quickest bus through to just under 5 hours on the longest journey.
It is also worth checking out the departure times, some buses depart late at night (after 12 p.m.) and then arrive early morning into Venice. This may be ideal for travellers on a budget who may want to save on a night’s accommodation and book this overnight bus instead.
Tickets vary in price and start from as low as €14 and upward in price. It’s a good idea to book these in advance in order to take advantage of discounted fares.
Bus Stations
When travelling on the Milan Venice bus they tend to depart mostly from the Autostazione Lampugnano station in Milan and arrives into either Mestre or Tronchetto stations in Venice.
Do note that Lampugnano station in Milan is huge and can be very overwhelming. Make sure to arrive early in order to give yourself enough time to find your bus departure point.
Driving from Milan to Venice by Car
Journey Duration: Quickest direct route – roughly 3 hours
Given the distance from Venice to Milan is around 270 kilometres, travelling by car is another option to consider, especially if you’re planning an extensive Italian road trip! This journey should take you roughly 3 hours if travelling via the A4 highway from Milan to Venice, or vice versa.
I have to be honest though, I’m not a fan of this option simply because parking in Venice can be an issue. Since most of Venice is off-limits to cars, you would have to park in one of the car parks (Mestre, Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto). This is not only a real hassle but will also work out costly to do.
Either way, if you are intent on driving, then make sure to pre-book your car rental ahead of time. I’ve personally used Rentalcars.com in the past for car hire and found them both convenient to use and the rates fairly competitive.
Flights from Milan to Venice
Journey Duration: No direct flights
Thanks to the introduction of highspeed rail travel between Milan and Venice, more and more travellers started travelling by train which was not only cheaper but also more convenient to do. This has led to Alitalia, Italy’s national carrier, cutting their direct flight route from Venice to Milan.
As a result, air travel simply isn’t a great choice as you’d have to travel via Rome at a far higher cost. Not to mention the headache and inconvenience of having to transit through three different airports when you can simply catch a direct train in a shorter amount of time and at a better price too.
Where to stay in Venice
Do you still need to book your perfect Venice hotel stay? Look no further, here are a few well-rated favourites you may want to consider booking:
- Affordable – Piccolo Tiepolo
- Mid-range – CàPatron
- Luxury – The Gritti Palace
Alternatively, click here to browse a full range of accommodation options available for your stay in Venice!
What to do in Venice
Venice has gained somewhat of a reputation for being the ideal couple’s getaway, what with all the amazing and romantic things to see and do. But there is so much more to this explore and discover in this exquisite city.
If like me, you like to book a couple of unique experiences and tours when heading to a new destination, then why not consider doing the same for your trip to Venice.
Click here to view a full range of Venice tours & excursions that you can book to make your trip all the more memorable!
