Quick answer
The fastest and cheapest way from Linate to Milan is the blue M4 metro: it leaves from the terminal and reaches San Babila, near the Duomo, in about 12 minutes for €2.20, and you can pay by tapping a contactless card. For Milano Centrale, a direct bus takes about 25 minutes and costs €5 to €10. Taxis are metered, with a €16 minimum.
Fares, timetables and taxi rules below were checked on 5 October 2026 on the websites of Linate Airport, ATM (Milan’s transit company) and the bus companies.
Linate to Milan at a glance
Linate is Milan’s city airport, a single terminal on the eastern edge of town. It handles flights within Europe only, so if you fly from the US you arrive here after a connection.
| Option | Price | Time | Goes to | Hours from Linate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M4 metro | €2.20 | About 12 min to the center | San Babila, Sant’Ambrogio, San Cristoforo | 5:40am (6am Sundays) to 12:26am |
| Airport Bus Express (Autostradale) | €5 online | About 25 min | Milano Centrale | 8:30am to 10:30pm |
| Linate Shuttle (Air Pullman) | €10 | About 25 min | Milano Centrale | Check the timetable |
| Taxi | Metered, €16 minimum | Depends on traffic | Door to door | From the rank |
| NM4 night bus | €2.20 | Longer than the metro | M4 route | When the M4 is closed |
For most hotels in the center, take the metro. If you are catching a train at Centrale, the bus saves you two changes.
M4 metro from Linate to the city center
The M4 (the blue line) starts at Linate Aeroporto station, at the terminal. From the arrivals hall, follow the M4 signs to the station entrance.
The covered walkway from the Linate terminal to the M4 metro station, signposted Metro M4.
You do not need to buy a ticket. Tap a contactless credit or debit card, phone or watch on the reader to open the gate, and tap again with the same card when you leave the metro. ATM charges the €2.20 fare, valid for 90 minutes, with no airport supplement and no fee. Each traveler needs their own card or ticket. The ticket machines in M4 stations take cards only, so you cannot pay cash here.
The ticket gates in the Linate Aeroporto M4 station.
The driverless trains run every 1 to 3 minutes on weekday daytimes and every 4 to 6 minutes on Sundays. First trains leave Linate at 5:40am from Monday to Saturday and at 6am on Sundays and holidays; the last one leaves at 12:26am every day. All M4 stations have lifts and escalators, which helps with suitcases.
Where to get off:
- San Babila (seventh stop, about 12 minutes): for the Duomo, the fashion district and hotels in the center. Change to the red M1 here; Duomo is the next stop.
- Sant’Ambrogio: for the basilica area and the green M2. Ride the M2 to Porta Genova for the Navigli, or toward Cadorna and Lanza for the Last Supper, Sforza Castle and Brera.
- San Cristoforo, the end of the line, about 30 minutes from Linate.
A single €2.20 ticket covers the change to another metro line within 90 minutes. If you will ride the metro all day, the contactless system stops charging after the €7.60 day fare. Our Milan metro guide explains the lines, the tap-out rule and the stops for the sights.
Linate to Milano Centrale
Two companies run direct buses between Linate and Milano Centrale. Both take about 25 minutes, include luggage and stop on Piazza Luigi di Savoia, at the side of the station.
| Bus | One way | Return | Children | Stop at Linate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airport Bus Express (Autostradale) | €5 online | €10 online | €2.50 (ages 2 to 12) | Stop 1, in front of Arrivals |
| Linate Shuttle (Air Pullman) | €10 | €16 | €5 (ages 2 to 12) | At the terminal |
The Autostradale bus runs 28 times a day, from Linate between 8:30am and 10:30pm, and from Centrale between 6:45am and 9pm. Its fares are cheaper online than on board, and one checked bag plus one small bag are included. Book on autostradale.it.
The Linate Shuttle publishes its timetable on linateshuttle.it, where you also buy tickets. Children under 2 ride free on a lap, and the drivers do not wait for late passengers.
By metro, Centrale is two changes away: M4 to San Babila, M1 one stop to Duomo, then the yellow M3 four stops to Centrale, all on one €2.20 ticket. With luggage the bus is easier. Our Milano Centrale guide covers the platforms, ticket gates and luggage storage. If you are heading on by train, Trainline sells Trenitalia and Italo tickets in one search, or see our guides to the trains to Venice, Florence and Rome.
Taxi from Linate to Milan
Taxis from Linate use the meter, and there is no flat fare to the city. Rides that start at the airport have a €16 minimum, which replaces a lower amount on the meter. The regional tariff starts at €4.10 on weekdays from 6am to 9pm, €6.60 on Sundays and holidays and €7.90 at night, plus €1.32 per km.
The Linate Aeroporto M4 entrance on the Kiss and Ride side of the airport, where cars drop off and pick up.
The airport publishes two fixed fares from Linate:
| Route | Fixed fare |
|---|---|
| Linate to Malpensa (or the reverse) | €128 |
| Linate to Fiera Milano in Rho (or the reverse) | €68 |
Take a licensed taxi from the official rank outside arrivals. Some drivers overcharge tourists, so check that the meter is running and starts at the right fare, or book through an app: I use FREENOW, which used to be called mytaxi, and the radio taxi apps work the same way. To book by phone, call the city’s single taxi number, +39 02 7777, or use the MiT (Milano in Taxi) app. Wheelchair-accessible taxis can be booked through +39 02 4040 or +39 02 8585.
Private transfers from Linate
A pre-booked car makes sense with a group, small children or a lot of luggage, or if you land late. GetYourGuide lists private and shared transfers from Linate, priced per booking.
Arriving late or leaving early
The last M4 train leaves Linate at 12:26am and the last Autostradale bus to Centrale at 10:30pm. After the metro closes, the NM4 night bus runs between Linate and San Cristoforo along the M4 route, on a normal ATM ticket, and taxis wait at the rank.
For an early flight, the M4 starts at about 5:40am (6am on Sundays and holidays), so check the first train from your station in the ATM app. The first Autostradale bus leaves Centrale at 6:45am. Before that, take a taxi.
Linate, Malpensa or Bergamo
If you are still choosing flights, Linate is the easiest airport to get into the city from, but it has no flights to the US. Nonstops from the US land at Malpensa, about 40 km away: see Malpensa to Milan for the train and buses, and Milan’s airports for how the three compare. Once you are in town, our guides to where to stay in Milan and the best hotels in Milan list the nearest metro stop for each area.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from Linate Airport to Milan city center?
Take the blue M4 metro from Linate Aeroporto station, at the terminal. It reaches San Babila, near the Duomo, in about 12 minutes, and a ticket costs €2.20. You can tap a contactless card at the gate instead of buying one.
How do I get from Linate to Milano Centrale?
The direct buses are the simplest option. Autostradale's Airport Bus Express costs €5 online and Air Pullman's Linate Shuttle €10, and both take about 25 minutes. By metro you need two changes, at San Babila and Duomo, on a single €2.20 ticket.
How much is a taxi from Linate to Milan?
There is no fixed fare to the city: the taxi is metered, with a €16 minimum for rides that start at Linate. The only fixed fares from Linate are €68 to Fiera Milano in Rho and €128 to Malpensa.
What time does the M4 run from Linate?
The first train leaves Linate at 5:40am, or 6am on Sundays and holidays, and the last at 12:26am. At night the NM4 night bus covers the same route.
Is there a train from Linate Airport?
No. Linate has no railway station. Stazione Forlanini, two stops away on the M4, has suburban S5, S6 and S9 trains.
Does bus 73 still run from Linate to San Babila?
No. When the M4 opened, the 73 was cut back from the city center and renamed 973. The M4 now covers the San Babila route.
Can I fly to Linate from the US?
Not nonstop. Linate only handles short and medium-haul flights within Europe, so from the US you land at Linate after connecting in another European airport.