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London to Milano / Milan / Mailand by train
How to take a rail journey from London to Milano
Despite the reduced Eurostar timetable in response to the pandemic, it is still not only possible, but entirely feasible to make a journey by train during the day from London to Milan.
The timings allow plenty of time to cross Paris (if you book separate tickets per train), so you won't be rushing from the onward connection against the clock.
Though something to look out for is that the train from Paris will arrive at Porta Garibaldi station in Milano and not at the city's main station, Milano Centrale.
The train will also arrive in Milano after the night trains south to Lecce via Bari and to Sicily will have departed.
Though the train from Paris will call in Turin/Torino, where a connection is available into a night train on to Roma and Napoli.
What isn't now an option is taking the Eurostar to Paris and then the overnight train to Milano, as the night train between Paris and Italy has now been withdrawn.
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Routes
From London St Pancras International to Milano Porta Garibaldi
Journey Summary
10hr 26min
Daily
Travel Information
The Eurostar will arrive in Paris at the Gare Du Nord, but the TGV train on to Milano will depart from the Gare De Lyon.
This guide explains how to make the transfer between the two stations by RER train.
Though when booking end-2-end tickets for this journey, which are only an option when departing London at 10:24, you will only have around an hour to make the 14:40 train on from the Gare de Lyon, which is currently the final departure of the day on to Milano.
Making that transfer across Paris by RER train won't usually take more than 30 mins and you won't have to 'check-in' for the Milano train, but a delay of up to 25 mins to the Eurostar will make this a rave against time, and a delay of more than 30mins will leave you stranded in Paris.
So on Mondays to Saturdays (not Sundays) and option is to leave London earlier at 08:01 and arrive in Paris at 11:17.
You will then have more than three hours to make the transfer, time enough for a lunch in the fabulous Le Train Bleu restaurant within the Gare De Lyon, or in brasserie by the station.
1 x connection per day
Changing trains in: Paris
Tickets
Book Early And Save: Yes
Online bookings open: 3 months ahead
The Trainline sells tickets for the end-to-end journey daytime train journey from Paris to Milano, which involves taking a Eurostar and a TGV train - AND it doesn't charge a booking fee on this route.
However, departing London at 10:24 allows around an hour, between the scheduled arrival of the Eurostar at the Gare Du Nord and the departure of the train on to Milano from the Gare De Lyon.
An option is to split the booking into London to Paris and Paris to Milano journeys, so that you have more than three hours to make a leisurely transfer across Paris - though doing so will likely be more expensive.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Trainline | from €79 approx |
Train 1
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
As a consequence of the Covid-19 crisis Eurostar will be operating a particularly limited timetable for the time being - further information is available on Eurostar.com
Note that London is in a different time zone to mainland Europe, it is one hour behind - so when looking at a timetable the journey will look as though it's an hour longer.
When the usual timetable is operating;
The majority of trains have a journey time of 2hr 16mins and these trains are non-stop between London and Paris.
All departures from London after 14:30 are non-stop to Paris.
Depart from London before 14:30 some trains will call at either Ebbsfleet or Ashford International stations.
However as the trains only call at these stations to pick up passengers - these station calls are not included on the departure boards at St Pancras International or usually announced on the train.
At St Pancras International:
Eurostar requests that holders of Standard Class And Standard Premier tickets check-in a minimum of 30mins BEFORE departure, though this increased to 45mins on weekends and holidays.
If you have a Business Premier ticket, Eurostar recommends that you only have to check-in 10 mins before departure.
Our guide to taking a Eurostar from London is here.
It's not a scenic journey, but it is a journey with SIX distinct phases and highlights:
1: For most of the first 8 mins of the journey the trains use tunnels to exit London (Stratford International station is located between the tunnels).
2: Then from the right of the train, there are views of the River Thames marshes and of the Queen Elizabeth II road bridge.
3: The third tunnel that the train will pass through is the tunnel under the River Thames.
4: Shortly after Ebbsfleet International station (can only be seen from the right of the train) is the scenic highlight of the journey - the crossing of the River Medway.
5: The train will slow down as it approaches The Channel Tunnel.
Announcements are no longer made that the train is about to enter the tunnel.
The journey through the tunnel will take around 22 mins.
6: There is little of note to be seen from the high speed lines in France.
Train 2
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
Note that these trains depart from the Gare De Lyon in Paris.
These TGV trains are now the only direct trains from Paris to Milan, the overnight service, which had been provided by Thello, has now been permanently withdrawn.
Final Destination: Milano
All trains also call at: Torino Porta Susa and Novara
The TGV heading to Milano will often be joined to another TGV heading to a different destination on departure from Paris.
So don't be surprised, when looking at the departure displays at Paris Gare De Lyon, if you see a train departing at the same time and from the same voie/track/platform as the train heading to Milano.
This other train will also have a different Train number.
You won't have to worry about boarding the wrong part of the train - your seat will have been assigned in the train heading to Milano.
The TGVs making the journeys to Italy also spell out where they will be heading to on the exterior of the coaches.
When boarding in Paris the train heading to Milano will be the front train, so you'll have to walk some way along the voie (platform/track).
Arriving in Milano:
Milano Centrale is the main station in Milano used by long distance trains, but the TGVs from Paris arrive at the city's main rail commuter hub, Milano Porta Garibaldi.
This station has rail links across the greater Milano area, as well as Metro links to the city centre and Milano Centrale station.
This is, in our humble opinion, one of the most exciting journeys you can take on European express trains.
We love the mix of high speed travel and stunning Alpine scenery
Aside from the wow factor of the speed, most high speed train journeys aren't scenically interesting, when high speed lines pass through hills and mountains, they tend to dive into tunnels.
The journey becomes a lot more scenic once the train leaves the high speed line behind - and that's what makes this journey so exceptional the alpine views from a TGV train don't get better than this!
The Paris to Milan train journey has three distinct parts.
(1) First is the high speed line out of Paris.
(2) Then comes a passage through the western Alps with great views, particularly from the left of the train (when facing the direction of travel).
(3) Finally there comes the journey between Torino and Milano, on which these trains do not take the high speed line between the two cities.
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