Piemonte Travel Forum

Hello out there

(1) I need to return a hire car back to Milan (Malpensa Airport), probably from Asti. Can someone please tell me how long the drive will take - preferably a scenic route and would anyone recommend anything specific to see/do en route.

Then I may return to Asti by train or go directly to Genoa to visit Cinque Terre.

(2) Can anyone also advise how long the train takes from La Spezia to Milan (Malpensa Airport... again).

Thanks if you can advise.

Hi,
from Asti to Malpensa Airport are about 150 km and www.viamichelin.com suggests to drive from Asti to Alessandria then to Novara and from here follow direction to Milan / Malpensa Airport. It will take about 1,5 hours, it depends on day and time.

If you prefer to avoid highway and better enjoy the landscape from Asti you could reach Casale Monferrato and from there up to Novara then to Malpensa Airport. Distance is shorter but it will take more time.

About the train to 5 Terre you will need to reach Milan Central Station to catch the train to La Spezia. From Malpensa Airport you could choose the train (Malpensa Express that will arrive at Stazione Nord/Cadorna and from here underground to Central Station) or the bus (Malpensa shuttle that will arrive directly at Central Station). Time and info on http://www.sea-aeroportimilano.it/en/malpensa/index.phtml - select connection.

The train from Milan to La Spezia will take about 3 hours. Most of them will stop only in the major towns (sometimes require a change at Genova) so are quickly but you will need to arrive to La Spezia and return back with a regional train to the 5 Terre (Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, Monterosso), some others will stop directly in all 5 terre villages, so you will not need to change but it will take much more time (more the 4 hours). I suggest first solution!
On www.trenitalia.it is possible to verify the different solutions available.

To return at Malpensa Airport from La Spezia you will need to return back to Milano Central Station and from here choose the bus of the train.

Enjoy Italy and in particular 5 Terre!

Bye
Roberta

Here is the route:
http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/int/dyn/controller/ItiWGPerformPage?ie=utf-8&reinit=1&strStartCityCountry=EUR&strStartAddress=&strStartMerged=asti&strDest

CityCountry=EUR&strDestAddress=&strDestMerged=21010+Aeroporto+di+Milano-Malpensa&image2.x=47&image2.y=7#
it takes 1hr and half for 150 km.
You can stop at Vervelli that is a quite nice town to visit.
If you want from Asti you can take the road 457 to Casale Monferrato, it is a scenic route through the Monferrato county.

If you want a detour: NW of Malpensa airport there are the Maggiore lake and the Orta lake.
It is 136 km (by highway A26) far from Asti.
Then from Orta it takes another 45 km (25km from Arona, Maggiore lake) to the airport.

Let me see for your other request.
keep in touch.
ciao
Marco

Ops... I see now that Roberta has already answered to you.
Need more help yet?

No problem, Marco! It seems we have the same source...;)

Dear Roberta

Thank you so much for your detailed help and comment. This forum is amazing for getting tips and reading of experiences and it certainly helps a great deal in trying to plan one's time abroad.

All the best
eve

Thanks to you also Marco, next stop the atlas and more research... eve