Malpensa has two separate passenger terminals, and you cannot simply walk from one to the other. The easiest way across is the free Malpensa Airport shuttle bus, which runs 24 hours a day and takes about 10 minutes. The train is another option and takes only a few minutes between the two stations, but a special T1-T2 ticket is required unless your existing rail ticket already covers Malpensa Airport.
The practical difference between the two is straightforward: Terminal 2 is normally dedicated to easyJet, while Terminal 1 handles everyone else and is the larger of the two, with the long-haul gates, most of the shopping and the lounges. Always check the one printed on your boarding pass before leaving Milan or moving across on arrival, since operational changes can happen. One more thing to know before you land: since September 2026 the signs outside read Milano Malpensa Silvio Berlusconi, the new official name, covered further down.
- Which one does your departure use?
- T1 vs T2 at a glance
- The free shuttle
- The train between T1 and T2
- Can you walk?
- Changing for a connection
- Wrong building?
- Late night and early morning
- Luggage, strollers and reduced mobility
- The new name
- Questions travelers ask
Which Malpensa terminal does your flight use?
Under the normal operating arrangement, easyJet uses Terminal 2. T1 handles everyone else, including full-service, long-haul, and most other low-cost carriers. SEA, the operator, describes T2 as dedicated entirely to easyJet.
Do not assume that every budget airline uses Terminal 2. Ryanair, Wizz Air, and the other budget names normally operate from T1 at Malpensa. The useful rule is therefore not that low-cost equals T2. It is that easyJet usually equals Terminal 2.
If your boarding pass, airline app, or the departure board shows something different, follow the live board rather than the general rule.
T1 vs T2 at a glance
| Feature | T1 | T2 |
|---|---|---|
| Airlines | Everyone except easyJet: ITA, Lufthansa, Emirates, Ryanair, Wizz Air and the long-haul carriers | easyJet only |
| Size | The larger of the two, three satellites (A, B, C), gates for both EU and non-EU departures | Compact single building |
| Rail station | Malpensa Aeroporto T1, underneath, next to the Sheraton | Malpensa Aeroporto T2, opened in 2016, a short covered walk from the building |
| Shopping and lounges | Wide shopping area, several lounges including the SEA business lounges | A few shops and cafés, one lounge |
| Services | Left luggage, pharmacy, banks, more restaurants, car hire desks, all the airport services you would expect | Basic services, car hire, fewer restaurants |
| Located | Southern end of the Malpensa site, nearer the motorway exit | Northern end of the site, about 3 km away by road, roughly 10 minutes on the shuttle |
| Best for | Connections, long-haul, anyone who wants amenities while waiting | A quick easyJet departure with hand luggage |
The easiest way across: the free Malpensa Airport shuttle
The Green Airport Bus provides the free landside connection between T1 and T2. It operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and also serves the parking areas along its route. The published frequencies are very good for a shuttle: from 04:00 until 02:00, buses on the main P6-P1 route generally run every 12 minutes, and from 02:00 until 04:00 the interval is about 15 minutes. Those are scheduled frequencies, not a promise that a bus will appear the instant you reach the curb. Build waiting time into any connection, whatever your travel plans.
Where to catch the shuttle at Terminal 1
At Terminal 1, the shuttle stops in front of the Sheraton hotel. The Sheraton is attached to the T1 railway-station area, so signs for Treni / Train or the Sheraton are useful landmarks.
If you are standing outside the main Arrivals roadway among taxis and coaches to Milan, do not assume every bus there goes to T2, and do not let a coach driver sell you a ticket into the city when T2 is where you need to travel. Follow the signs toward the shuttle and look for the Green Airport Bus rather than boarding a coach marked for the city.
Where to catch it at Terminal 2
At Terminal 2, the Green Airport Bus stop is on the sidewalk outside the Arrivals area. After baggage reclaim, follow Uscita / Exit and signs for buses or the T1 connection. Check the destination displayed on the bus or stop before boarding. The shuttle network also serves parking and Cargo City, so seeing a shuttle does not automatically mean it is the bus you want.
Taking the train between the terminals
Both terminals have their own railway stations, located at the far end of each building. The Malpensa Express runs through Malpensa Aeroporto Terminal 1 and Malpensa Aeroporto Terminal 2, with the rail journey between them taking only a few minutes.
This can be the better option if a train is about to leave, particularly with luggage, because you avoid waiting beside the road. Check the departure screens or the current timetable rather than relying on a memorized departure time.
If you are traveling only between T1 and T2 and do not already hold a qualifying rail ticket, Trenord sells the dedicated MXP Transfer T1-T2 fare. The Malpensa tariff in force in 2026 is €2 for adults and €1 for children in the applicable reduced-fare category. For physical or reloadable T1-T2 tickets, validation is required before boarding. Digital ticket rules are shown with the ticket you purchase, so check them rather than treating every Trenord ticket the same way.
If you are arriving from Milan by train
This is where many unnecessary changes begin. Trains from Milan stop at both stations. If your departure is from Terminal 2, do not automatically get off when you first see Malpensa Airport at Terminal 1. Stay aboard for Terminal 2, a few minutes further on.
Trenord’s current conditions state that rail tickets with Malpensa Airport as their origin or destination can be used for either Terminal 1 or Terminal 2. In other words, a normal ticket to the airport does not force you to get off at T1 and buy another ticket for the final stop.
If you are still deciding how to reach the airport from the city, the Italy on Foot guide to Milan’s airports and city transfers compares the main train, bus, and taxi options for travel into Milan, and our note on Centrale versus Cadorna explains which city station to use.
Can you walk between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2?
Do not plan to walk. The two terminals sit in different parts of the Malpensa complex, separated by service roads, parking areas, and operational infrastructure, and the distance is around 3 km by road. This is not like changing concourses inside a single building. Use the free shuttle or train even if a map makes the distance appear manageable. Dragging suitcases along the approach roads is not a useful shortcut.
Changing between T1 and T2 for a connecting flight
A Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 connection, or the reverse, is more complicated than an ordinary shuttle ride because there is no airside passenger link between T1 and T2. SEA’s regulations specifically describe the change as landside. That means a typical cross-building connection can involve:
- Leaving the arrivals area of your first building.
- Collecting checked luggage if it is not moved automatically by your airline.
- Completing immigration or customs formalities where applicable.
- Taking the shuttle or train across.
- Checking or dropping luggage again if required.
- Passing through security again.
- Passing passport control if your onward departure requires it.
- Walking to the departure gate.
Do not calculate the connection as six minutes by train, therefore 30 minutes is enough. The ride across is the smallest part of the process.
How much connection time should you allow at Malpensa?
For separate tickets or a self-connection requiring a change of building, around three hours or more is a much safer planning target than a tight two-hour connection. Add more time when you have checked luggage, are arriving from outside the EU passport zone, are traveling with children, or cannot afford to miss the onward departure.
If both legs were sold as a protected connection by one airline or booking service, follow the connection instructions and minimum time specified with that booking. A protected connection and two unrelated tickets are not the same thing. With separate tickets, the second airline generally has no obligation to accommodate you because the first plane was late. You can use the Italy on Foot trip planner to organize the rest of your route once you know which building and Milan connection you need.
What to do if you arrive at the wrong Malpensa terminal
Finding yourself at Terminal 1 with an easyJet departure from Terminal 2 is inconvenient, but it is normally easy to fix. Check your boarding pass again before moving, and make sure you really do need the other building. If you have plenty of time, follow signs to the free shuttle. If a train is departing sooner, consider the T1-T2 rail ticket instead. Once you reach the correct one, go directly to check-in, bag drop, or security according to your status.
If boarding is already close, tell airline or ground staff rather than spending several minutes comparing options. They can tell you whether reaching the gate is still realistic.
Late-night and early-morning travel between them
The free shuttle is the dependable default outside normal rail hours because it operates around the clock. Between approximately 02:00 and 04:00 the published shuttle frequency drops slightly, so an overnight change should include extra waiting time.
Rail timetables can also change for engineering work or temporary service alterations. If your move depends on one of the first or last trains of the day, check the live departures shortly before traveling, and see our note on getting to Milano Centrale after landing for the late-night options into the city.
Luggage, strollers and reduced mobility at Milan Malpensa Airport
For ordinary suitcases, both the shuttle and train are workable travel options. The shuttle avoids buying another ticket, while the train can be more convenient when the departure is imminent and you are already near the railway station.
The Green Airport Bus operator states that its shuttle vehicles include facilities for passengers with disabilities. Travelers who have requested PRM assistance should nevertheless tell their airline or assistance staff that the itinerary involves a change of building, especially when connecting. Families with strollers should resist the temptation to walk. The shuttle is free, and both terminals have lifts and wayfinding designed around passenger transport rather than roadside walking.
The new name: Milano Malpensa Silvio Berlusconi airport
Milan Malpensa has a new official name. Italy’s civil aviation authority, ENAC, approved the change in July 2024, and on 25 September 2026 the airport formally became the Aeroporto Internazionale Milano Malpensa Silvio Berlusconi, with a new sign unveiled at Malpensa Airport. For anyone who has to travel through it, nothing practical changes: the code is still MXP, carriers, booking sites and the train still call it Malpensa or Milan Malpensa Airport, and T1 and T2 keep their numbers. You may see the full name on signage, on the operator’s website and in some announcements, and the shorter Milano Malpensa still appears everywhere else.
Malpensa questions travelers ask
Can you walk from T1 to T2?
No. The two Malpensa terminals are about 3 km apart by road with no pedestrian route, so take the free shuttle or the train.
Which is better, T1 or T2?
T1 is the larger, better-equipped one, with more shopping, restaurants, lounges and the long-haul gates. T2 is smaller and quicker to get through, which suits a short easyJet hop with hand luggage. You do not get to choose, though: your airline decides which Malpensa terminal you use.
How do I get from T1 to T2, or the other way?
Take the free Green Airport Bus from outside the Sheraton at T1, or from the Arrivals sidewalk at T2, running every 12 to 15 minutes around the clock. Or take the train one stop with the €2 T1-T2 ticket, or with any rail ticket that names the airport.
Does the Milan train stop at both?
Yes. Trains from Milan Cadorna and Centrale call at T1 first and then Terminal 2 a few minutes later, and a ticket to Malpensa Airport is valid to either.