Milan to Naples train

Trains from Milan to Naples

The average travel time for trains from Milan to Naples is between around 4h 30min and just over 5h. They travel throughout the day, leaving every 10_15min during peak times, and at 20min to 2_hourly intervals at other times of the day. During peak times you’ll also be able to catch more trains, as the providers offer more trips to accommodate commuters. The longest journeys take between about 9h and 11h 20min.

Milan to Naples Train Time: Daily Departures

You’ll find just over 50 trains from Milan to Naples every day, making for around 250 during the week and a bit fewer on weekends. The first trains of the morning depart at around 05:40, with the last ones on the day’s schedule leaving Milan at about 19:25. After than there are a few trains that leave between about 22:15 and around 22:30.

How long is the journey by train from Milan to Naples?

The most common, or median, travel time for trains from Milan to Naples is from about 4h 33min to about 4h 38min. There are also many trains that take just over 5h. This covers the vast majority of trips between the two cities. From there on the trains take between about 8h 40min and about 9h 10min, with the odd long trip of around 11h 20min. The late trains take around 10h 30min.

Abbaye d'Abbeville. Source: Shutterstock

="Royal Palace of Naples. Italian Baroque, Neo_Classical architecture.">

What are the departure and arrival stations for trains from Milan to Naples?

Departure train station: Trains to Naples from Milan usually depart from Milan Centrale Railway Station. It has a large array of travellers’ amenities. The Salu Blu limited mobility assistance is very comprehensive, and the station has cafés and restaurants, left luggage facilities and cash machines. To get to central Milan, take the Line 3 subway train in about 12min, or a Line 43 bus that takes about 18min. Night trains leave from Milan Porta Garibaldi Station (3min away on the Line 2 subway), Milano Lambrate Station (13min on the Line 2), and Milan Rogoredo Station (about 12min on the Line 3 subway).

Arrival train station: Regardless of their departure station, all trains between Milan and Naples arrive at Naples Centrale Station. It opens out onto Piazza Garibaldi, which is a major local transport hub. From here it will only take you about 3min to get to the centre of Naples, on an Azienda Napoletana Mobilita bus. The station has plenty of restaurants and shops, a left luggage area and very good limited mobility assistance provided by Sala Blu.

Which train companies travel from Milan to Naples?

Trains on this route are almost equally split between Trenitalia and Italo high_speed rail services. The fastest Trenitalia trains just beat out Italo when it comes to travel time,

Abbaye d'Abbeville. Source: Shutterstock

hough only by a few minutes. These trains are from the Frecciarosso fleet, which is Trenitalia’s fastest type of train. Both companies operate trains throughout the day, giving you this high_speed option from early in the morning to around mid_evening. There are also a few slower Trenitalia trains of the Regionale type, as well as the night trains where the company uses its Intercity Notte fleet, which take a little longer, but are still classed as high_speed trains.

Trenitalia trains from Milan to Naples

Trenitalia’s Frecciarosso trains are the company’s flagship models, capable of the highest speeds. The majority of them on this route will get you to Naples in about 4h 30min, give or take a few each way. They all make direct trips, so you won’t have to make any train changes on the way. There are also a few Trenitalia Intercity buses during the day which take between 8h 30min and 9h to make the journey. At night trains are of the Intercity Notte type, some of which make one change at Parma, while others travel direct. Travel time is between 10h 20min and 10h 35 min, so the change doesn’t affect it much.

Italo trains from Milan to Naples

Italo is the other train operator on this route, offering exclusively high_speed trains too. There isn’t much time variation between its train times, as they all take between about 4h 40min and just over 5h. They run at roughly hourly intervals between about 05:40 (the first train of the day), and around 18:40. Italo doesn’t offer any trains that run at night. All these trains travel directly from Milan to Naples, without any intervening stops or train changes.

Train Milan to Naples: Services on Board

Italo offers limited snacks and drinks on board, with four different Ambience classes: Smart, Comfort, Prima and Club Executive. You can think of Comfort and Prima as the equivalents of Second and First class. You’re allowed two hold luggage items, subject to certain dimension restrictions, and a disassembled bicycle in an appropriately sized travel bag. A pet weighing up to about 11 lb (5kg) can travel with you, as long as the container doesn’t obstruct the aisle. For limited mobility assistance you’ll need to contact the carrier in advance, and there is wheelchair accommodation in the front of the bus. Trenitalia has trained limited mobility assistance staff on board, and offers snacks and drinks from a car carriage or a meal carriage on longer trips. There is no luggage limit, but you’re advised to keep it to two hold items plus a carry_on bag. You can bring a small pet in a container, and either a foldable bicycle or a disassembled one. You can book either a First or Second class ticket.

Night trains Milan

You’ll find a few night trains running from Milan to Naples. These leave between around 22:15 and about 22:30. They all travel to Naples Centrale Station overnight, taking from about 10h 30min on average. One is a direct trip, while the other two make an intervening stop for a train change in Parma.

Travelling by train: Sustainable journey

Both of the train operators on the Milan_Naples train route have thorough sustainability policies and programmes in place. Italo builds about 90% of its buses from recycled materials, with the result that once everything has been factored in, you can save up to five times more energy on its trains than if you were to drive. Trenitalia uses KERS energy harvesting from its brakes to extrace 15% of the energy expended on the trip and feed it back to the grid.

How to find cheap train tickets from Milan to Naples?

There are two deliberate strategies you can use to find cheap train tickets from Milan to Naples. The first will suit you if you’re not on any particular schedule. Stay flexible with when you travel and wait until you see discounted tickets appearing at the last_minute due to cancellations. This also means that you need to be ready to travel at any time of the day or night. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you can book your tickets a few months in advance, when special early_bird deals are sometimes on offer. It can also be more cost_effective to book trips that take longer, or that require more train changes en route, as these are typically cheaper too.

Abbaye d'Abbeville. Source: Shutterstock

="Capodimonte art museum in Palace of Capodimonte in Naples.">

To Naples by train—travel tips

Naples is a coastal city in the southern region of Italy, and one of country’s most modern and exciting cities. It includes the region of Pompeii, and you can get great views of Mount Vesuvius from the city. To get the best view of the volcano go right to the waterfront at the Lungomare promenade. While you’re there you can visit Castel Ovo, inside which is the Naples Ethno_Prehistory Museum. When it comes to city landmarks, Capodimonte Royal Palace and Museum is one of the most prominent – previously home to a succession of monarchs. It now houses a superb National Gallery of art, showcasing works from some of Italy’s most famous artists, including Caravaggio, Bellini, Titian and El Greco. Another more ancient site worth seeing is the Catacombs of San Gennaro, carved out of the rock underneath the city in the 2nd_century. It also has an underground basilica dating back to the 5th century. For more ideas on things to do in Naples, have a read of the Omio online travel magazine, The Window Seat.

• Castel Nuovo
• Teatro di San Carlo, a premier European opera house
• Palazzo Reale (the Royal Palace)
• Street market shopping on Via San Gregorio Armeno
• Cappella Sansevero with its Anatomical Machines
• San Martino Monastery and Museum