Europe's most magnificent station?
Opened in July 1931, Milan's magnificent Centrale station is an attraction in its own right with vast steel & glass trainsheds and awe-inspiring station building which Benito Mussolini intended to convey the power of the fascist regime. Even if you're only changing trains here, take a moment to look around, it's an experience in itself. For more about the station's history see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milan_Central_railway_station.
Station overview: Location map
Milan Centrale is a terminus with 24 platforms. The platforms & concourse are above ground level, but there is level access between all platforms and concourse, with lifts & escalators down to ground level if you don't want to use the grand staircases down to the station's main entrance on the Piazza Duca d'Aosta. So it's no problem to negotiate the station with luggage or if you have mobility issues.
There's a plan of the station at www.gsretail.it/en/network/milano-centrale.
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Trains arrive in one of these 3 vast arched trainsheds, one level up from street level. The photo shows the circulating area behind all the buffer stops, allowing easy level access between all platforms without any ticket checks or other restrictions.
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Looking the other way, from platform towards buffer stops & circulating area...
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These great archways lead from the platforms & circulating area into the main hall, called the galleria commercial. There is a basic ticket check when entering the platform area from the galleria commercial, you can see the entry & exit channels at the bottom of each archway. It's a cursory check, the main purpose is to keep undesirables out...
The main hall or galleria commerciale, adjacent to (and level with) the platforms, also one level up from ground level. This is the best place to find a cafe, bar or restaurant or just have a sit down.
The travelators in the centre lead down to the main Trenitalia ticket office, Italo ticket office & left luggage plus a few more shops, all located underneath the galleria commerciale at ground level. To the right, you can see a huge doorway from which steps lead down to the vast entrance hall. On the left is the ticket check through to the platform area.
Milan Centrale's main entrance on the Piazza Duca d'Aosta. You can judge the scale of the building by the people in front.
Which platform for your train?
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Finding your train
The station has 24 platforms, numbered left to right as you look towards the trains. The station departure boards shows which platform each train leaves from and there are train departure indicators on every platform. You can easily walk between any two platforms in just 3 minutes (OK, maybe 4 minutes from platforms 1-3 to platforms 23-24), with level access between all platforms, luggage can be pulled on its wheels.
Platforms 1 to 3 are slightly set back, accessed by a short walk down platform 4.
Platforms 4 to 21 are the main platforms, lined up inside the main trainshed. High-speed trains to Florence, Rome & Naples typically use platforms 14-17 in the centre.
Platform 22, 23, 24 are also set back a bit, a short walk along platform 21.
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Ticket check
There is a simple ticket check when entering the platform area from the galleria commerciale, mainly intended to control access for non-travelling undesirables. I generally find that anything vaguely ticket-like waved in their general direction gets you through.
Automatic ticket gates may be installed at some point, as & when these appear you will simply scan your ticket QR code on your phone or printout to access the platforms.
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See the plan of the station & platforms at www.milanocentrale.it - click ENG for English then click Maps.
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Check your departure platform on your phone
Stay one step ahead! If you go to www.viaggiatreno.it/infomobilita/index.jsp on your phone and select Milano Centrale you'll see a list of departures with the planned platform number (Binario previsto) for Trenitalia trains (but not Italo trains) even before the actual platform (Binario reale) is announced on the station departure boards. Just remember that they can sometimes switch platforms on the day.
Alternatively, you can see actual departure platforms for all trains including Italo by selecting Milano Centrale at www.rfi.it/en/stations/station-page/quality-services/Public-information/Live-departures-Arrivals-Monitor.html
Changing trains at Milan Centrale
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Changing trains at Milan Centrale is very straightforward. There is easy level access between all platforms, you can walk between platforms around the back of the buffer stops without having to pass through any ticket check. It only takes a few minutes to change trains, even if you were changing from platform 1 to platform 24. Just make sure you allow for any delay to your first train - if a booking website suggests a connection, it will be a reasonable one.
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When connecting between two Trenitalia trains (for example, a Regionale from Tirano or Como into an onward Frecciarossa high-speed train to Rome or Venice) as long as the scheduled connection is over 15 minutes, you are entitled to later onward travel at no charge if a delay means a missed connection. Online systems will only suggest valid connections. See Trenitalia staff at the help desk if you need reserved seats on a later train. However, that does not apply if you were connecting from a Regionale into a privately-run Italo high-speed train as you'd then be using two different companies.
Free WiFi
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The station has free WiFi. Select the WiFiStation, network and on https://portale.wifistation.it either sign in with a Facebook or Twitter account or enter your mobile number to have a verification text sent to you (this works with international numbers including UK +44 mobiles). The same free WiFi is also available at Milan Porta garibaldi station.
Left luggage, ATMs, safety & security
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Milan Centrale has a left luggage office (deposito bagagli) if you need to leave your bags, for prices & opening times see the left luggage page. It's located underneath the galleria commerciale on the same level as the Trenitalia ticket office (biglietteria) at the platform 21 end. Follow for the signs to the deposito bagagli.
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There are ATMs in various locations around the station.
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I've been to Milan Centrale many times over the years and not only do I feel perfectly safe there even late at night, it's one of my favourite European stations. It has so many good shops, bars & cafes it is a destination in its own right and I like spending time there - how do you think I got all the photos? But just to dot my 'i's and cross my 't's It should go without saying that you should be aware of pickpockets in any busy public place - although I've never had or even seen any problem at Milan Centrale myself. Politely but firmly decline if anyone offers to 'help' you use a self-service ticket machine. Just use normal common sense, and even if you're only changing trains you'll experience one of Milan's most celebrated landmarks and one of Europe's most impressive stations.
Ticket office & ticket machines
The main Trenitalia ticket office (Biglietteria) is directly below the galleria commercial (main hall) at ground level, open from early until late. You'll also find the Casa Italo (for Italo tickets) at this level. However, it's often quicker to use the Trenitalia self-service ticket machines dotted around the station which can sell high-speed & mainline tickets with reservations and regional tickets. They have a touch screen with English language facility.
Executive & Club class lounges
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Trenitalia has a lounge for Executive class & Business Salottino passengers on its Frecciarossa trains, located near platform 21.
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Italo has a lounge for Club class passengers on its Italo trains, located near platform 16. You can use it from 3 hours before your train departs. In Smart & Prima classes, you may be able to add lounge access when you buy your ticket for an extra €7-€10.
The Italo lounge for club class passengers, on the 1st floor overlooking the circulating area behind the platforms near platform 16.
Somewhere to eat
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For a coffee, try the Moka cafe. It's on the first floor with a balcony overlooking the trains, accessed up steps up from the galleria commerciale level with platform 8. There's also a Segafredo cafe on the ground floor of the Galleria Commerciale and various other cafes.
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For a meal, the Bistrot Milano Centrale, www.autogrill.com/en/brands/bistrot-milano-centrale. It's on the Galleria Commerciale level with platform 17. This is open until 21:00 and gets good reports. You'll also find a McDonalds and a Burger King at the platform 21 end of the Galleria Commerciale and a Roadhouse Grill at the other end.
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My personal recommendation: Noblesse Oblige is an excellent, inexpensive & typically Italian restaurant that gets great reviews just 5 minutes walk from the station, see www.ristorantenoblesseoblige.com. It's open until 23:00. See map showing walking route.
Supermarket
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If you need to stock up for your journey, there is a Sapori & Dintorni supermarket inside the station. It's below ground level, accessed down escalators from the entrance hall just inside the station's main entrance.
Hotels near Milan Centrale
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There are lots of hotels near Milan Centrale station if you need to stay overnight between trains.
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Affordable hotels & guesthouses with good or great reviews just outside Milan Centrale include the Hotel Bristol, Hotel Bernina, 43 Station Hotel, B&B Hotel Milano Central Station, Guesthouse Teodora.
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Pricier more upmarket hotels include HD8 Hotel, Glam Hotel, Made to Measure Business, Starhotel Echo or Starhotel Anderson.
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At the top end, the 5-star Excelsior Hotel Gallia is just across the road.
Local transport: Walking, metro, taxis
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Walking: It's a 2.8 km 35-minute walk from Milan Centrale to Milan cathedral and the beautiful 19th century shopping mall, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
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Taxis: There are two taxi ranks, one on the eastern (platform 21) side of the station, another on the western (platform 4) side of the station. There will be plenty of taxis waiting on either rank. For a taxi fare calculator see www.taxifarefinder.com/main.php?city=Milan-Italy&lang=en.
A taxi to Milan Porta Garibaldi takes around 8 minutes and costs around €8.50.
Tip: When heading for Milan Porta Garibaldi, take a taxi from the western taxi rank on the platform 4 side of Milan Centrale as this saves the taxi having to negotiate the main square in front of the station before heading west.
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Buses, trams, Milan urban transport: See www.atm.it.
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Transfer to/from Porta Garibaldi station: See the advice here.
More information
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There's more information at www.milanocentrale.it.
Platform 21 & the Shoah Memorial
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On the east side of the station on the via Ferrante Aporti is a holocaust memorial to all those deported from Milan Centrale's platform 21 during WW2, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memoriale_della_Shoah.
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You can visit the memorial 10:00-16:00 on any day of the week except Fridays, check opening times at www.memorialeshoah.it.
The entrance to the Shoah Memorial, alongside platform 21 on the east side of the station. Courtesy of Noam auf Gleis 13.
Can you spot Mussolini?
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There are many murals around the station, and one famously features a young Mussolini himself, greeting the King of Italy on horseback in front of a statue representing Italy. Mussolini's his eyes are defaced, possibly part of a general post-war removal of fascist imagery, but according to one story, Mussolini's image was shot at by a partisan in September 1943, and the bullet hole repaired with cement.
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The mural is on platform 21 on the far eastern side of the station. Walk along platform 21 from the concourse towards platforms 22-24. The mural is above one of the doorways to the former royal waiting room, on your right before you reach the buffer stops for platforms 22-24.
The mural featuring Mussolini, Milan Centrale platform 21. Courtesy of David Torrance.