Malpensa Express
Malpensa Express at Milano Cadorna
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| Overview | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service type | Airport rail connection | ||||
| Status | Operating | ||||
| Locale | Lombardy | ||||
| First service | 28 May 1999 | ||||
| Current operator(s) | Trenord | ||||
| Former operator(s) | LeNORD | ||||
| Route | |||||
| Start | Milano Cadorna or Milano Centrale |
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| Stops | Up to nine | ||||
| End | Malpensa Airport | ||||
| Average journey time | Cadorna–Malpensa: 29 mins (express); 36 mins (with 5 stops) Centrale–Malpensa: around 50 mins |
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| Service frequency | Cadorna–Malpensa: 2 per hour Centrale–Malpensa: 1-2 per hour |
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| Technical | |||||
| Rolling stock | Treno ad alta frequentazione Convoglio Servizio Aeroportuale |
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| Track gauge | Standard gauge | ||||
| Electrification | 3 kV DC | ||||
| Track owner(s) | Ferrovie Nord Milano Ferrovie dello Stato |
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The Malpensa Express is an airport rail service linking the city of Milan with Malpensa Airport, in the region of Lombardy, northern Italy.
Trenord, a railway company established by Trenitalia and Ferrovie Nord Milano, operates Malpensa Express services between the Malpensa Airport and both Milan Cadorna station and Milan Central station.
Contents
History
First operated in 1999, the Malpensa Express originally ran between Malpensa Aeroporto and Milan Cadorna station only. It was operated initially by member companies of the Ferrovie Nord Milano group and then by Trenitalia LeNORD.
In late 2010, airport rail services to and from Malpensa were reorganised. Malpensa Express services to and from Milan Cadorna, operated by Trenord, continued to link the airport with the city. To coincide with the timetable change on 10 December 2010, however, new services to Milano Centrale were introduced.
In 2014 a contract was awarded for extension of the railway line from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2, with it expected to open in December 2016.[1]
Train service
The Malpensa Express train run:
- between 5:07 and 23:58 from Milano Cadorna, and between 5:26 and 00:26 from Malpensa.
- between 5:25 and 23:25 from Milano Centrale, and between 5:46 and 22:47 from Malpensa.
Malpensa Express train tickets are also valid on the shuttle bus service connecting Terminal 1 and Terminal 2,[citation needed] which does not have direct pedestrian connection to Terminal 1 or the train station. An extension of the existing railway is currently under construction to reach Terminal 2.
In addition to the Malpensa Expresses, there are other direct high-speed rail services connecting Malpensa Airport with Florence, Bologna, Rome and Naples. These trains are operated by Trenitalia.
Milano Cadorna–Malpensa
There are non-stop and stopping services (Milano Bovisa, Saronno and Busto Arsizio Nord) linking Milano Cadorna station to Malpensa Airport. The opening of the new Castellanza rail tunnel, on 30 January 2010, has reduced the running times of the non stop services between Cadorna and Malpensa to 29 minutes, and the running times of the services with intermediate stops to 36 minutes.
From Milano Cadorna, the Malpensa Express runs along the Milan–Saronno railway to its first stop at Milano Bovisa-Politecnico, where there is interchange with trains to Erba and Asso and the suburban service to Camnago-Lentate.
The Malpensa Express then continues to Saronno, which offers interchange with the lines for Varese and Laveno, and Como towards Switzerland. Saronno is also roughly halfway between Cadorna and Malpensa.
From Saronno, the Malpensa Express proceeds along the Saronno–Novara railway, to the junction at Sacconago, located just beyond Busto Arsizio, which is the final stop before Malpensa Airport. It then heads to the airport along a rail link branching off to the right from the line to Novara.
Milano Centrale–Malpensa
There are semi-fast and stopping services linking Milano Centrale to Malpensa Airport. Semi-fast services call at Milano Porta Garibaldi (a station more often used than Centrale by commuters around the city), Milano Bovisa, Saronno and Busto Arsizio Nord. Journey times vary from 46 minutes to 1 hour 12 minutes.
At Milano Centrale station, the Malpensa Express departs from low level tracks (1-2) (Route 1) and heads along the new railway section nicknamed the Umbrella Handle. This section was opened on 31 July 2010, but did not become fully operational until 13 September 2010. The first high-speed train services to Malpensa Airport also operate on this new section.
The Malpensa Express then passes through Mirabello junction to join the line for Greco Pirelli (which continues to Monza, Chiasso and Lecco) via Milano Porta Garibaldi station (west of Milano Centrale station), where it uses tracks 19 or 20.
At Porta Garibaldi station, the Malpensa Express leaves the Chiasso line and uses the new route (to the north of the old one), which crosses Farini yard. It reaches PM Ghisolfa and leaves the RFI network to enter tracks 1 and 2 at Milano Bovisa-Politecnico station. The rest of the Malpensa Express's route from Bovisa-Politenico station to Malpensa is the same as for its counterparts from Cadorna.
Rolling stock
The original Malpensa Express trains are Treno ad alta frequentazione (English: High frequency trains) (TAF trains). Their livery is a combination of the colours burgundy, dark green and cream and sometimes sponsored coaches.
Since February 2010, a new class of trains, the Convoglio Servizio Aeroportuale[2] (English: Airport Service Convoy) (CSA trains), has been gradually introduced. The new CSA trains are designed specifically for the Malpensa Express services.
Both classes of train are "push-pull" articulated electric multiple units, with a powered section at each end, and unpowered sections in between. The TAF trains have two unpowered sections; the CSA trains have three.
See also
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ it:Convoglio Servizio Aeroportuale
