Milan to Palermo train

Trains from Milan to Palermo

Taking the train from Milan to Palermo can be a long journey, with itineraries lasting from between about 15h and nearly 24h, but the trip south to the island of Sicily’s beautiful capital city is surely worth the experience! Booking a train to Palermo is easy, with several trains departing from Milan each day of the week, most with a connection or two in such major cities as Bologna, Rome, or even Naples, although a direct route is also available for those who do not wish to stop along their journey.

Milan to Palermo Train Time: Daily Departures

Trains departing Milan for the journey south to Palermo leave every day of the week, with the earliest train leaving the station around 8:10 a.m. each morning. Generally, two trains will leave in the morning, about one per hour, typically followed by four trains which will leave in the evening and travel overnight. The latest train will leave Milan around 11:20 p.m. While most trains to Palermo leave from Milano Centrale, some also depart from Milano Rogoredo or Milano Porta Garibaldi.

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

Your total travel time by train Milan to Palermo, from any of Milan’s three departure stations to Palermo’s Centrale rail station will vary considerably, with the duration based largely on connections in other cities and also on the route your train takes. For example, the shortest travel time available is around 15h, this being a trip with one connection at Naples Centrale. The longest itinerary is nearly 24h, this time including a connection at Naples Centrale in addition to a brief stop at Villa San Giovani.

What is the departure and arrival stations for trains from Milan to Palermo?

Departure train station: Milan Porta Garibaldi is the second-largest station in the city, located only a 20min walk from the city center on the Piazza Sigmund Freud. Here you can find restaurants, a market, shops, a pharmacy, and even a commercial area. This station is famous for its iconic sky lights which illuminate the entire station. From here you can connect to Milan Centrale by taking the M2 Metro line. Milan Centrale, the main rail station in the city, lies on the northern edge of the city center, in the Piazza Duca d’Aosta. Both ATMtrams and the Metro serve this station, making it easy to access from anywhere in the city. Milan Centrale features a lost luggage office, a few ATM machines, and the usual shops and dining options, in addition to a supermarket. Milan Rogoredo, on the Via Giovanni Battista Cassinis, sits to the south of the city center. You can use Subway Line 3 to connect to Milan Centrale in the city center from here, a journey of about 10min.

Arrival train station: Palermo Centrale is the main rail station in Sicily’s capital city, built in the Piazza Giuilo Cesare. Services here are limited to a few restaurants and newsstands, but a left luggage office is also located in the station. You can reach the taxi lane from the platforms by exiting onto the Via Balsomo. Here taxis will be waiting to take you anywhere in the city. City buses 101, 102, and 124 can also take you to the Piazza Pretoria (city center) just north of Palermo Centrale. If weather permits, you can also walk to the city center in about 20min.

Which train companies travel from Milan to Palermo?

The only train company which currently offers rail service between Milan’s three stations and Palermo Centrale in Sicily is the state-owned Italian inter-city railway Trenitalia. This being said, Trenitalia does work daily in combination with FrecciaRossa on its shortest morning route from Milano Centrale (connecting at Naples Centrale). Most of the Trenitalia itineraries offered from Milan to Palermo include at least one connection along the way, although there is one nonstop train to Palermo offered in the early evening each day. The FrecciaRossa service, when offered, generally includes more passenger options in class seating and services available (such as complimentary newspapers, etc.).

Trenitalia trains from Milan to Palermo

When you book a train to Palermo from Milan with Trenitalia, you can anticipate either first or second-class seating. These classes are very similar on the Trenitalia routes from Milan, with cloth armchair seats and bistro dining options available. Trenitalia also describes its seats as including "plenty" of storage space. Fares come in either Economy or Base. Economy fares are non-refundable and can be changed only once before departure, so long as the ticket remains for the same type of train. Base fares, however, are semi refundable, with changes permitted free of charge at any time before departure.

Train Milan to Palermo: Services on Board

Trenitalia offers its passenger to Palermo both first and second-class services such as bistro dining and cloth armchair seating. Passenger luggage is permitted without restriction as long as it does not block the aisles. This also applies to bicycles, which may be folded and placed in seating areas or disassembled and kept in a travel bad in the luggage areas. Passengers with reduced mobility can receive special assistance boarding the trains in Milan and will appreciate the "no-step" platforms once they arrive in Palermo. Trenitalia trains featuring FrecciaRossa service on the Milan to Palermo route can expect the same class options as before, but with the added choice of purchasing Super Economy fares. These fares may not be changed or refunded for any reason but cost less than other options.

How to find cheap train tickets from Milan to Palermo?

Every traveler from Milan to Palermo will want to know they found the cheapest ticket available for their trip. You can help yourself by following these guidelines when booking your next journey. To begin, always book ahead. Booking early saves you money on popular routes and gives you time to make changes or cancellations when needed. Another tip is to consider multiple days and hours for departure. Tickets can vary in price depending on when you leave, so remember to stay flexible! Lastly, experienced travelers know that the slower trains and those with connections are often the cheaper ones. Keep these trains in mind while booking and see how much you can save!