How to get from Rome to Milan by train, bus or flight.
The best way to travel from Rome to Milan is by taking a flight because it’s the best combination of price and speed.
Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, flight, and ferry .
Distance | 296 miles (477 km) | |
Available travel modes | Bus | |
Popular travel companies | Itabus |
Take a bus to travel 296 miles (477 km) from Rome to Milan. Itabus is the main travel company operating this route. Travelers can even take a direct bus from Rome to Milan.
Travelers who are hoping to make the journey from Rome to Milan will have a broad range of transportation options available to them every day of the week. The journey of 356 miles (572 km) can be covered by train, bus or plane and, typically, between these three modes there are more than 100 service options scheduled each day. For those who are looking to make the Rome to Milan journey a weekend trip, flights may be the best travel option since flights typically take about 1h 10min. Those who want to enjoy the city for a longer trip can take advantage of buses and trains, which can run roughly around 7h, on average. In Milan, journeyers will want to explore architectural works, like the Duomo di Milano or the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
The most cost-savvy way for travelers to make the trip from Rome to Milan is via bus. Each day of the week there is a consistent schedule of direct bus service options available provided by Itabus and, to a lesser extent, Autoservizi Salemi and Flixbus—typically, services leave Rome from Autostazione Tiburtina or the FCO airport, they then arrive at Milan’s Autostazione Lampugnano or San Donato M3.
On average, these routes can take customers between about 6h 50min and 7h 30min; however, with the rare bus option that does include a single transfer, the trip can take upwards of about 12h. It’s important to note that while the cheapest tickets from Rome to Milan are for buses, the bus journeys are the lengthiest of the three available travel options. To ensure booking from Rome to Milan the cheapest way, prospective passengers will want to book in advance of travel and review their eligibility for potential discounts. The Rome to Milan cost is even less mid-week, so passengers who have flexibility regarding travel dates may want to take advantage of this benefit.
The quickest travel time from Rome to Milan will typically be offered via plane, and this includes consideration of check-in and waiting time at the airport. Between about 10 and 20 flights are on the schedule every day of the week and, typically, a majority of those options are offered by ITA as direct service options; these non-stop options can generally take about 1h 10min. That said, there are some one-stop options that may take much longer. Flights to Milan from Rome will depart from Rome Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport (FCO) and arrive at Milan Linate Airport (LIN).
Tourists checking a map in Rome. Source: Shutterstock
Travelers exploring options for round-trip tickets or one-way tickets for a Rome-Milan trip will likely appreciate the ability to evaluate journey options pulled from a variety of transportation companies and presented for a number of departure times. TheOmio booking platform does this. The platform lets users look at options from Rome to Milan side-by-side, then select the best-suited one. The site also caters to travelers by supporting their ability to search in their preferred language. The parameters of the search dictates the results; results are clearly displayed and can be filtered, which helps users narrow options based on departure time, transportation vehicle and more. Once a ticket is purchased, it’s then made accessible on the user’s mobile device. Travelers are encouraged to visit theOmio magazine Window Seat for travel tips.
Trains offer passengers with the greatest number of weekly departure options. On average, there are nearly 80 daily departures operating the route from Rome to Milan run by either Trenitalia or Italo. Because these routes run on average around 6h 42min—with quicker options running about 2h 59min—they’re a good option for those with schedule flexibility and who are planning to spend significant time in Milan. A vast majority of the options available will operate directly, with a small handful of routes requiring a transfer. Italo services, while less frequent, generally operate a more consistent duration; Trenitalia options run the route with a variety of train types, which makes for a broader discrepancy in duration. Routes leave Rome from Ostiense, Termini and Tiburtina, which are 3.2 miles (5.2 km), .3 miles (550 m) and 2.8 miles (4.6 km) from the city center, respectively. They can be reached via Cotral bus, local train, the ATAC subway, and taxi or rideshare. Upon arrival, trains arrive at either Centrale, Rogoredo or Porta Garibaldi, from which the city center is 1.7 miles (2.8 km), 5.4 miles (8.7 km) and 2.3 miles (3.7 km), respectively. From each station the Milan Trams, subway, and taxis or rideshares are available.
Trenitalia offers the most number of train services for the route. The Trenitalia Rome to Milan journey leaves Rome from one of tree stations: Ostiense, Termini or Tiburtina. The trains arrive in Milan at either Centrale, Rogoredo or Porta Garibaldi. Options run most hours of each day and are serviced by a variety of train types, such as the Frecciabianca and Frecciarossa, which are fast trains, and the Intercity, InterCityNotte and Regionale. Because of this, the journeys can take anywhere from 2h 59min to 9h 49min. The train type variety also means that the cost per ticket can vary dramatically, too. Rides on InterCityNotte trains, for example, are almost priced competitively with bus journeys.
There are a handful of night train options run by Trenitalia. Typically, these evening options will depart from Rome roughly around 7:50 p.m. or just around midnight, then arrive in Milan either around 12:35 a.m., or the following morning around 6:55 a.m. or close to 10:00 a.m. As with most train routes on the schedule, these journey durations vary, running between about 4h 45min and 9h 39min. With night trains, passengers can get in a full day at either end of their journey. Additionally, they may depart from any one of the three Rome train stations, then arrive in Milan at either Centrale or Porta Garibaldi.
There is a consistent bus schedule operating from Rome to Milan each day. Typically, there are around 185 weekly routes, with roughly 24 daily options Tuesdays through Sundays and about 41 options on Mondays. Service operates between about 6:00 a.m. and 11:45 p.m., with one route leaving Rome around 1:45 a.m. Almost all options each week run directly, with Itabus providing a majority of the services. Buses will depart Rome from either Autostazione Tiburtina or Ciampino, which are 2.1 miles (3.4 km) and 9.5 miles (15.3 km) from the city center respectively. In Milan, buses will arrive at either Autostazione Lampugnano or San Donato M3, from which the city center is 4.3 miles (7 km) or 5.5 miles (8.9 km), respectively. In Rome, there are taxis, rideshares, Cotral buses, local trains and the ATAC subway available; Milan has taxis, rideshares, and the Milan Trams subway and buses.
The Itabus Rome to Milan routes operate every single day of the week. Typically, buses will leave Rome from either Autostazione Tiburtina or Ciampino. The Rome to Milan price per ticket is consistently low throughout the week and is the most affordable route option for any transportation vehicle. Each week, there are around 140 Itabus options, with about 20 daily routes departing Mondays through Sundays. Operation is between 7:15 a.m. 11:45 p.m. The affordability of these travel options means journeyers can invest their budget upon arrival in Milan.
There are anywhere between 10 and 20 flights departing Rome for Milan each week, with a majority of each day’s routes running directly. Flights are typically run by either ITA or Air France; however, those operated by Air France are usually just on weekends and often include a single layover in Paris, which results in a lengthier trip. Flights typically take off from Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport (FCO), then arrive at Milan Linate Airport (LIN). From Rome’s city center to the airport is about 18 miles (29 km), which is easily reached by taxi, rideshare, Leonardo Express train or TerraVision IT bus. From the airport in Milan to the city center is about 4.8 miles (7.7 km), which is reachable via rideshare, taxi or Milan tram.
A majority of the flights that fly from Rome to Milan will be operated by ITA. The air carrier operates a consistent schedule that provides travelers with passage all seven days of the week. What’s more, a majority of the services on the schedule are direct; direct service typically runs about 1h 10min, a pace that gives travelers ample time at their destination. ITA’s Rome to Milan flights will take off from Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport (FCO) and arrive at Milan Linate Airport (LIN).
Journeyers may want to choose the cheapest way to get from Rome to Milan, so that they can use their travel budget upon arrival, since the city of Milan offers a wealth of exciting activities to visitors. For a bit of culture, journeyers will want to check out the Duomo di Milano, known as one of the largest cathedrals in all of Italy. The Catholic church begun work on the building in the late 14th century and, over the years, it has evolved and been expanded—it’s considered to have been completed in the mid-20th century. For those who are lucky enough to visit Milan during opera season, the Teatro Alla Scala should top their list. The gilded theater was constructed in 1778 and, here, opera-goers can enjoy the classic works from composers like Verdi and Puccini. For a more self-driven adventure, travelers may want to check out I Navigli, a canal-side walk that offers intriguing vistas. At night, the path boasts access to restaurants and a number of thriving nightclubs.
The Cathedral in Milan. Source: Shutterstock
While the city of Milan is renowned for its business, culture and history, it is also chockful of options for the style-incline traveler. The city is the fashion capital of Italy and, as such, boasts a number of shopping areas worth a visit, including:
Travelers in Italy journey between Rome and Milan frequently for both business and leisure. It is convenient to travel from Rome to Milan by plane, train or bus with direct routes departing multiple times per day. Key departure points in Rome include Rome Termini bus station, Rome Tiburtina train station, and Rome Fiumicino airport.
Trains from Rome to Milan | Buses from Rome to Milan | Flights from Rome to Milan
Average Price |
Travel Time |
Cheapest Time to Book |
|
---|---|---|---|
€16 |
6:45 h |
2 Months Ahead |
|
€48 |
2:50 h |
2 Weeks Ahead |
|
€78 |
1:05 h |
1 Month Ahead |
Taking the bus is the cheapest way to travel from Rome to Milan. Buses traveling from Rome to Milan depart from Rome's Tiburtina bus station and take at least 6:45 h to arrive at either Milan's Autostazione Lampugnano or Rogoredo bus station. Over 20 buses travel from Rome to Milan every day, with the first bus departing Rome at 5:25 a.m. Bus companies that travel from Rome to Milan include Flixbus, Baltour, and BusCenter.
Taking a flight is technically the fastest way to travel from Rome to Milan; however, when travel time to and from Milan and Rome's airports is taken into consideration, taking a high-speed train is actually the fastest way to travel from Rome to Milan. Flights traveling from Rome to Milan depart from Rome's Fiumicino airport and arrive at Milan's Linate or Malpensa airport after 1:05 h of flight time. Between 25-30 flights travel from Rome to Milan every day, with the first departing at 5:20 a.m. Alitalia travels from Rome to Milan numerous times throughout the day, while EasyJet offers one flight per day.
Taking the train is the most popular way to travel from Rome to Milan. Taking a train is approximately 4 hours faster than traveling from Rome to Milan by bus while only costing €32 more on average. Similarly, trains from Rome to Milan are an hour faster than taking a flight when traveling to and from Rome and Milan's airports is taken into consideration while also being €30 cheaper on average. Trains traveling from Rome to Milan depart from either Rome's Ostiense, Termini, or Tiburtina train station and take 2:50 h to arrive at either Milan's Porta Garibaldi or Centrale train station. Approximately 90 trains travel from Rome to Milan every day, with the first departing Rome at 5:45 a.m. Both Trenitalia and Italo travel frequently from Rome to Milan every day.
Milan is Italy's main industrial, commercial and financial center, which attracts over 8 million visitors per year. Some of Milan's attractions include the Milan Cathedral, Santa Maria delle Grazie and Milan Fashion Week, as well as A.C. Milan and F.C. Internazionale Milano football clubs.
You can travel by train, bus or flight for as low as $11 (€10). When you search for schedules and tickets, Omio will show you the best route.
Trenitalia is Italy’s national railroad company providing services across the whole country, giving you ample opportunity to discover the beauty and culture of Italy. Trenitalia’s fleet of travel include its high-speed travel Frecciarossa, Frecciargento and Frecciabianca as well as intercity, regional and night travel. Bathrooms and WiFi access are standard services on long-distance routes, and, in most cases, there is barrier-free access on Trenitalia travel.
Taking a travel with Trenitalia is a great way to travel from Rome to Milan, and Omio can show you the best times and tickets available for the 296 miles (477 km) long travel route. Trenitalia offers different fares for the Rome to Milan journey with ticket options like Base, Economy, Super Economy and Ordinaria. You can even apply Trenitalia discount cards on Omio at the time of purchasing tickets. Simply check the current Trenitalia travel schedule, compare the cheapest, fastest, or earliest routes between Rome and Milan, and buy your cheap Trenitalia travel ticket on Omio easily and securely today.
FlixBus is one of the most popular low-cost travel companies in Europe. Founded in Germany, FlixBus has expanded its services throughout Europe and even to the United States, giving travelers in both continents the option to take a long-distance travel at an affordable price. FlixBus also operates overnight travel on select routes throughout Europe. FlixBus offers only the Standard ticket for all its routes, which allows you to bring one carry-on bag and one checked bag per person. Additional fees apply for bringing extra luggage and making specific seat reservations, such as if you want to book an Extra Seat, Table Seat or the Panorama Seat. Standard amenities onboard include free Wi-Fi, power outlets to charge your phone, tablet or laptop during long travel journeys, extra legroom, luggage space and toilets.
Eurowings is Germany's leading low-cost airline and offers a choice of Smart, Best and BIZclass fares for your next travel between Rome and Milan.
Travel Rome to Milan by bus.
Going by flight is the quickest way from Rome to Milan with an average travel time of 1 h 10 min.
The distance from Rome to Milan is approximately 296 miles (477 km).
The average frequency per day from Rome to Milan is:
However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your route to Milan from Rome as scheduled services by bus can vary by season or day of the week.
These are the most popular departure and arrival points when traveling from Rome to Milan:
The following travel company offer services from Rome to Milan:
Yes, there is a direct service from Rome to Milan:
Direct services to Milan tend to save you time and add more convenience as you won't need to transfer at another stop in between, so it's worth paying attention to before booking tickets for your journey.
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