Transport in Milan
[Image:Loghi MSR - Milano.png|thumb|Logos of Milan's transportation system]
Milan has an extensive internal transport network and is also an important transportation node in Italy, being one of the country's biggest hubs for air, rail and road networks.
Internal public transport network includes the Metro, the Suburban Railway, the tram and bus network, as well as taxi, car and bike sharing services.
History
Early public transport service in Milan dates back to 1801, operated with horse-drawn carriages. After the relocation of the capital of the Kingdom of [Italy (Napoleonic)|Italian Kingdom] to Milan in 1805, national and international transport services were inaugurated, all operated with carriages, to Vienna, Marseille and several Italian cities.Transport via the Navigli canals was also an important transport mode in that period.
The first bus line was opened in 1827, connecting Milan to Lodi. The first railway, to Monza, was inaugurated in 1840. It is currently part of the Milan-Chiasso international railway.
Public transportation
Metro
The Milan Metro is a rapid transit system, running mainly underground, serving Milan and other surrounding cities. The network consists of 5 lines, identified by different colors and numbers:| Line | Length | Length | Stations |
| 38 | - | ||
| 35 | - | ||
| 21 | - | ||
| 21 | - | ||
| 19 | - |
Milan Metro has a total length of, serving 135 stations, making it the longest metro network in Italy. The system carries about 1.15 million passengers per day.
Suburban rail
The suburban railway service consists of 13 lines connecting Milan to the greater metropolitan area:| Saronno – Milano (Passante) – Lodi | |
| Milano (Rogoredo) – Milano (Passante) – Mariano Comense | |
| Cadorna railway station|Milano (Cadorna)] – Saronno | |
| Milano (Cadorna) – Camnago | |
| Varese – Milano (Passante) – Treviglio | |
| Novara – Milano (Passante) – Pioltello | |
| Milano (Garibaldi) – Monza – Molteno – Lecco | |
| Milano (Garibaldi) – Monza – Carnate – Lecco | |
| Saronno – Monza – Milano (Lambrate) – Albairate | |
| Rho – Milano (Garibaldi) – Monza – Chiasso | |
| Cormano - Cusano Milanino – Milano (Bovisa) – Melegnano | |
| Garbagnate Milanese – Milano (Passante) – Pavia | |
| Milano Rogoredo – Albairate-Vermezzo |
The system was brought together from existing lines and the construction of the new Passante, an underground railway line passing through the city. The service began operation in 2004 and now comprises 124 stations. Several extensions are planned.
Trams
The Tram network comprises 17 urban lines. The system is more than 170 km long and is the biggest network in Italy.The Milan tram network dates back to 1876, when the first horse driven tram line began operation. In 1878 the first steam powered tram was launched and by 1901 all the lines were electric powered. In 1910 line numbers were first introduced. At that time the network was already consisting of 30 lines. Until 1917 the tram system was operated by several different companies, however, since that year the municipality took control over the whole network.
In the 1920s the famous Class 1500 streetcars were introduced. Many of them, restored, are still in use today.
Beginning from the late 1950s and until the end of the 1970s the tram network was reduced, being replaced in some areas by the new Metro lines or by bus lines.
Buses
There are 65 bus and 4 trolleybus lines in Milan. Most of the routes do not run during the night, however, bus services on demand are available in the weekend at night.Night bus lines during weekends were introduced on 24 September 2011, running from 2 am to 6 am on Fridays and Saturdays. The new network was considered a success, with more than 8,000 people using the lines every weekend.
| List of urban bus lines in Milan |
| 34 Via Toffetti - Quartiere Fatima35 Molino Dorino M1 - Comasina M338 Via Corelli - Susa M439 Loreto M1 M2 - Via Pitteri40 Bonola M1 - Niguarda 41 Quartiere Bovisasca - Niguarda42 Quartiere Bicocca - Centrale FS M2 M343 Piazza Greco - Piazza Firenze44 Cascina Gobba M2 - Quartiere Turro45 Lambrate FS M2 - San Donato M346 Famagosta M2 - Quartiere Cantalupa47 Bisceglie M1 - Romolo M248 Istituto Palazzolo - Lotto M1 M549 San Cristoforo FS M4 - San Carlo Hospital - Lotto M1 M550 Lorenteggio - Cairoli M151 Cimiano M2 - Sesto Marelli M1 - Niguarda Hospital - Zara M3 M552 Bruzzano FN - Greco FS / Bicocca University53 Sesto Marelli M1 - Quartiere Adriano - Lambrate FS M254 Dateo M4 - Lambrate FS M254/ Dateo M4 - Lambrate FS M2 - Cascina Gobba M2 55 Lambrate Cemetery - Quartiere Feltre - Loreto M1 M255/ Segrate - Lambrate Cemetery - Quartiere Feltre - Loreto M1 M2 56 Quartiere Adriano - Loreto M1 M256/ Loreto M1 M2 - Crescenzago M257 Quarto Oggiaro - Cairoli M158 Baggio - Bisceglie M1 - Piazzale Aquileia59 Famagosta M2 - Porta Lodovica60 Zara M3 M5 - Duomo M1 M361 Largo Murani - Duomo M1 M362 Piazza Sire Raul - Porta Romana M363 Muggiano - Quartiere degli Olmi - De Angeli M164 Bonola M1 - Lorenteggio65 Abbiategrasso M2 - Porta Romana M367 Baggio - Bande Nere M1 - Piazzale Baracca67/ Baggio - Bisceglie M1 68 Bonola M1 - Via Solari69 Molino Dorino M1 - Gallaratese/San Leonardo M1 - Piazza Firenze70 Bruzzano Cemetery - Monumentale M571 Romolo M2 - Famagosta M2 - Porta Lodovica74 Famagosta M2 - Piazzale Cantore76 Bisceglie M1 - Quinto Romano77 Poasco - Chiaravalle Cemetery - Corvetto M3 - San Donato M378 Via Govone - Lotto M1 M5 - Bisceglie M179 Gratosoglio - Porta Lodovica80 Molino Dorino M1 - Quinto Romano - De Angeli M181 Sesto Marelli M1 - Lambrate FS M282 Quartiere Bovisasca - Zara M3 M584 Porta Volta - Corvetto M385 Cadorna FN M1 M2 - Piazza Napoli86 Ca' Granda M5 - Crescenzago M287 Centrale FS M2 M3 - Villa San Giovanni M187/ Centrale FS - Bicocca University 88 Rogoredo FS M3 - Viale Ungheria - Peschiera Borromeo88/ Rogoredo FS M3 - Viale Ungheria - Viale dell’Aviazione96 Porta Volta - Largo Augusto - Cadorna FN M1 M297 Porta Volta - Largo Augusto - Cadorna FN M1 M295 Rogoredo FS M3 - Famagosta M2 - San Cristoforo FS M498 Lotto M1 M5 - Famagosta M299 Noverasco - Vigentino171 Inside Maggiore Cemetery172 Bruzzano Cemetery - Bicocca M5174 Quartiere Turro - Greco Cemetery - Loreto M1 M2175 Lambrate Cemetery - Ponte Lambro176 Inside Bruzzano Cemetery180 Lampugnano M1 - San Siro Stadium M5183 Linate Airport M4 - Idroscalo |
| List of interurban bus lines in Milan operated by ATM Milan |
| 66 Via Cadore - Peschiera Borromeo 83 Comasina M3 - Cormano - Bresso - Niguarda - Niguarda Hospital83/ Comasina M3 - Cormano - Bresso - Niguarda 89 Affori FN M3 - Novate Milanese 121 San Donato M3 - San Giuliano Milanese FS130 San Donato M3 - San Donato Milanese - San Giuliano Milanese 132 San Donato M3 - San Donato Milanese - San Donato 140 Rogoredo FS M3 - Poasco - Sesto Ulteriano - San Donato Milanese 165 Comasina M3 - Limbiate 166 Zara M3 M5 - Niguarda - Desio 201 Rozzano - Rozzano 220 Rozzano - Locate Triulzi 222 Vigentino - Pieve Emanuele FS230 Abbiategrasso M2 - Basiglio321 Bisceglie M1 - Buccinasco - Assago Forum M2322 Bisceglie M1 - Cesano Boscone 323 Bisceglie M1 - Cesano Boscone FS 324 Romolo M2 - Corsico 325 Romolo M2 - Buccinasco 326 San Cristoforo FS M4 - Corsico 327 Bisceglie M1 - Trezzano sul Naviglio - Cusago 328 Pieve Emanuele FS - Assago Forum M2351 Piazzale Negrelli - Buccinasco 352 Buccinasco - Assago Forum M2353 Assago Nord M2 - Assago 423 San Siro Stadium M5 - Settimo Milanese 424 Molino Dorino M1 - Bareggio 431 Bareggio - Rho 433 Bisceglie M1 - Rho 528 Maggiore Cemetery - Rho 542 Rho Fiera FS M1 - Rho 560 Qt8 M1 - Arese 561 Rho Fiera FS M1 - Arese 566 Roserio - Paderno Dugnano FN700 Sesto I Maggio FS M1 - Sesto San Giovanni 701 Sesto Rondò M1 - Cologno Sud M2702 Cologno Nord M2 - Sesto I Maggio FS M1 - Cinisello Balsamo 705 Cormano - Comasina M3 707 Cologno Nord M2 - Cologno Monzese 708 Sesto Rondò M1 - Niguarda 709 Cologno Sud M2 - Cologno Monzese 712 Cinisello Balsamo - Sesto I Maggio FS M1713 Bignami M5 - Sesto San Giovanni 727 Sesto I Maggio FS M1 - Cinisello Balsamo - Cormano Cusano FN728 Cusano Milanino - Cinisello Balsamo - Bignami M5729 Sesto I Maggio FS M1 - Cusano Milanino - Comasina M3783 Bresso - Bicocca M5 901 San Donato M3 - Peschiera Borromeo - San Felice - Linate Airport M4 902 San Donato M3 - Peschiera Borromeo 903 San Donato M3 - Peschiera Borromeo - San Felice - Linate Airport M4 923 Cascina Gobba M2 - Linate Airport M4 923s Segrate - Segrate 924 Lambrate FS M2 - Segrate - Cascina Burrona M2925 Cascina Gobba M2 - Segrate - Udine M2926 Peschiera Borromeo - Segrate FS928 Cascina Gobba M2 - Segrate 965 Loreto M1 M2 - Pioltello 973 Piazza Cinque Giornate - Linate Airport M4 - Peschiera Borromeo |
| List of interurban bus lines in Milan operated by Autoguidovie |
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| List of interurban bus lines in Milan operated by LINE Lodi |
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| List of interurban bus lines in Milan operated by PMT Pavia Milano Trasporti |
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| List of interurban and seasonal long-distance bus lines in Milan operated by Autostradale |
Airport Services:
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| List of interurban bus lines in Milan operated by STAR and STIE Lodi |
Services by STAR Lodi:
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| List of airport bus routes in Milan operated by Locatelli - Orioshuttle |
| List of interurban bus routes in Milan operated by Nord Est Trasporti |
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Public transport statistics
The average amount of time people spend commuting with public transit in Milan on a weekday is 64 min.14% of public transit riders ride for more than 2 hours every day.
The average amount of time people wait at a stop or station for public transit is 11 min, while 12% of riders wait for over 20 minutes on average every day.
The average distance people usually ride in a single trip with public transit is 7.7 km, while 14% travel for over 12 km in a single direction.
National and international rail
Milan is one of the most important hubs for the national and international rail network in Italy. Milan Central station is the second station in Italy both for size and passengers after Rome. It is also the main node for high-speed rail lines in northern Italy. Milano Cadorna and Milano Porta Garibaldi stations are respectively the seventh and the eleventh busiest stations in Italy. Because of its position, Milan is also the main gateway for international passenger traffic to Europe. Daily international destinations include Bern, Lugano, Geneva, Zürich, Paris, Nice, Marseille, Vienna, Barcelona and Munich.Milan is also the core of Lombardy's regional train network. Regional trains were operated on two different systems by LeNord and Trenitalia. Beginning in 2011, a new company, Trenord, operates both Trenitalia and LeNord regional trains in Lombardy.
Roads
Milan is a key node for the Italian road network, being the junction between the east-west A4 highway to Turin and Venice and the north-south A1 highway to Rome and Naples. Other important highways, such as the A7 to Genova and the A8-A9 to Switzerland, also serve the city. Highways reaching Milan are linked together by a ring road formed by the 3 tangenziali and part of the A4 highway, with a total length of over 100 km around the city.Milan road system is characterized by a high rate of traffic congestion, due to a high level of cars per capita and a high number of commuters in the metropolitan area. Congested traffic is also responsible for the high pollution rate in the Milan area. Counter measures included the partial ban of private cars inside the Milan urban area for some period, usually during Sundays.
In 2008, a traffic pollution charge for vehicles entering the city, Ecopass, was introduced.
The program resulted in a lower proportion of highly polluting vehicles on the roads in the city. However, the program progressively lost effectiveness as the city's vehicle fleet got greener.
Since 16 January 2012 a new program, Area C, was introduced as a congestion charge, thus targeting any private vehicle entering Milan city center.
Although high by European standards, Milan is one of the big cities with the lowest number of motor vehicles per capita in Italy, with 543 per 1000 people in 2011, reduced to around 495 per 1000 as of 2021.
Car sharing
Several car-sharing systems are active in the city. GuidaMi, the first scheme, is managed by ATM and comprises 132 vehicles and about 5,500 registered users. Car2go was activated in August 2013 and has a fleet of 700 cars and more than 50,000 registered users.Other services include E-vai from Trenord, DriveNow from BMW, Twist and Enjoy from Eni.
In 2015 the Chinese automaker ZD introduced its Sharen'go electric car-sharing service to Milan, making it the first city outside the company's native China where the service was available.
Car sharing in Milan serves about 0.5% of the total mobility of the city, and with 323,000 users, as of June 2016 it is the Italian city with the largest number of car sharing customers.
Cycling
The city's mostly flat topography favors cycling. The cycle routes network is still limited, but is being constantly expanded. Milan was also one of the first Italian cities to activate a bike sharing system.Airports
Milan's airport system is the busiest in Italy, surpassing that of Rome. The city is served by three major airports: Malpensa Airport, the biggest in northern Italy; Linate Airport, located near the city centre and mainly used for domestic traffic; and Bergamo Airport, located in the neighbouring city of Bergamo, used mainly by low-cost airlines. Combined, these three airports transported a total of 56.9 million passengers in 2024. Milano Bresso, operated by Aero Club Milano, is a minor general aviation airport.The three major airports are connected by bus to the city center. In addition, Malpensa has a direct rail connection to central railway stations in Milan via the Malpensa Express service. Thanks to Metro line 4, Linate airport also gained a fixed rail connection to Milan city center and will reach the city's south-western districts once the line is finished. Bergamo airport will instead be connected to the nearby city of Bergamo via a railway line that is projected to be finished by 2026; from Bergamo main station, trains will be able to reach the stations of Milano Centrale in less than an hour and Milano Porta Garibaldi.