4 Jul 2014

More Travel Planning for Italy

by | posted in: Italy Photo, Italy Travel, Italy Travel Planning | 20
Milan Duomo
Milan Duomo

With every passing day, I am closer to returning to Bella Italia and am firming up some travel plans. In less than three months I will be on my way and I am starting to get excited. Of course I have the peace of mind that travel insurance provides. After last year’s experience of having to change airline and hotel reservations, I now automatically buy travel insurance for extended flights and trips.

FrecciarossaI have all my accommodations booked and now am deciding whether it makes more sense to take a train or fly, specifically from Milano to Napoli. My original plan was to book one of the low-cost flights from Malpensa Airport to Naples Airport, since the flight time is only an hour and a half, compared with a four-and-a-half-hour train ride. And the price is not that different. A flight is as low as $43 on the no-frills carrier EasyJet and the fare on a Frecciarossa fast train from Milano Centrale to Napoli Centrale is just under $40.

Milano Centrale
Milan’s main train station

After careful consideration I decide to the train and here is the reason: Since I will be in the city center of Milan, the train station is easily accessible. The same goes for the train station in Napoli. Its location is a short taxi ride away from my reserved B&B.

To fly rather than travel by train requires a train ride to Malpensa Airport via the Malpensa Express for $16 or the Malpensa Shuttle bus for $13.50. The bus takes an hour – I know from previous experience, and to fly requires early check-in at the airport plus weight restrictions of checked baggage and carry-on. Then once arriving at Naples Airport, also known as Capodichino Airport, I would have to board a bus to the city center and then take a taxi to my accommodation. So flying would cost more, but more importantly, it would cut into my time in Milano. Thus the train it is!

Now I know that I can look forward to a leisurely ride where I can relax, enjoy the scenery, and catch up on writing.

I enjoy making these travel arrangements and especially when I realize that they are to my best advantage. Italy – here I come!!!

20 Responses

  2. margieinitaly
    | Reply

    One of the simplest ways to obtain travel insurance is when you book your flight. At the end of the reservation you have an option to buy travel insurance and the cost is not that bad.

  3. Jen Leslie
    | Reply

    I was in the Milan train station long enough to run from one train to my connection – it was wild! I would love more details about travel insurance!

  4. stephanie710
    | Reply

    You’re going to have a blast, Margie. If anyone knows how to plan a trip to Italy, it’s you. 🙂 I think I can hear you counting the days. Looking forward to following you on the next big adventure.

  6. imarancher
    | Reply

    Before I read your blog I had no idea how important advance planning was let alone how much money you saved doing it. In re the decision to fly vs training makes sense to me. I used to beat my friends to Orlando from Miami in a car. By the time you fool with an hour preboarding and the taxi or shuttle to and from the airports and so on plus the cost of parking your vehicle (and finding it still there when you get back to it) and renting one for several days is absurd. Funny I never applied those lessons to international flight arrangements.

  8. Paula
    | Reply

    Yes it is great to have such cheap travel options in Italy. We are trying the new Italo trains this September and even first class is very affordable! Getting excited now.

      • Debra Kolkka
        | Reply

        That’s amazing. I did the Florence/Rome trip last week for €43. I have tried without much success to join the Frecia club. I should be able to, but like many Italian websites, it is not user friendly.

  10. hometoitaly
    | Reply

    you mentioned: train ride to Malpensa Airport via the Malpensa Express for $16
    i stopped flying to Milan because of the dreaded BUS. But I didnt know there was a train connection from the airport……
    or is this the train that does NOT stop at the central station?

    always GREAT to find tips from other travelers.
    and you will enjoy the new trains they have on this leg. I took one from como to florence and again florence to naples…. I saw others use the internet on board but i read very little Italian and could not translate the ‘term’.

    enjoy

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