Milan - the capital of northern Italy, which is the second largest city in the country, has a well-developed transport system. BlogoItaliano already talked about public transport in Milan, now we will dwell in more detail on the fastest and most convenient way to get around the city - the Milan metro. In this article you will learn about the features of the subway, opening hours, ticket prices and you can download the route map. But we will begin with a few words about the history of this type of transport.
History and features of the subway
The metro in Milan has been operating since 1964, but the first project of the Milan Metro was developed in the middle of the 19th century, when, due to the intensive growth in the number of vehicles, the city residents were faced with the problem of traffic jams.
The second project, which was also not destined to be implemented, dates from the year 1925 - according to this plan metro scheme in Milan It should consist of seven lines: four in Duomo, two in Castello Square and one roundabout.
Due to the insufficient number of potential passengers at that time, this grandiose project was considered unreasonably expensive.
Milan Metro is open from 6.15 a.m. to 00.15 a.m.
The modern metro was built in Milan on the basis of a project created in 1955. The construction of the first line was started in 1957, and seven years later - on November 1, 1964 - the first train departed from the Sesto Marelli station to Lotto. The second line was launched five years later - in 1969, the third - much later, in 1990.
More recently, in February 2013, a new line appeared metro in Milan - the fourth in a row, but the fifth in name: the first automatic trains in the city that do not require the presence of drivers are launched along the M5 line.
New trains are half as long as those moving along the old lines; such a train can simultaneously carry more than 500 passengers. The metro system also includes a line of the so-called "light" metro, consisting of one section connecting the Cascina Gobba station with the San Raffaele medical center.
Milan metro stations are rather modestly decorated - no works of art, mosaics, panels, sculptures - ordinary walls, decorated only with advertising banners and metro schemes. Each station has a display showing the time remaining until the next train arrives.
Tickets and prices for Milan metro
Metro tickets can be purchased at ticket offices and vending machines located at stations, as well as at newspaper and tobacco kiosks on the city streets. Milan tickets are universal - except for the metro, they give the right to travel in any public transport: bus, tram and even electric train, but only within the city limits.
The fare on the Milan metro is 1.5 euros
The cost of the metro ride is 1.5 euros per trip (2018), from the time of composting the ticket is valid for 90 minutes. During this time, you can change the routes of land transport as much as you like, but the metro can be used only 1 time.
Compost tickets are a must. At stations, this is done when passing through the turnstile. An unplanned ticket can be the basis for a fine, the amount of which is quite large - 100 euros, to which the cost of the ticket will certainly be added.
Milan metro stations are modestly decorated
The ticket must be kept until the end of the trip, as at many stations it will be needed again to reach the surface.
In order to save money, you can buy a ticket for 10 trips - it costs 10 euros, a daily ticket worth 4.5 euros or a ticket for 48 hours - for 8.25 euros.
There are longer journeys, but they are designed for local residents who use the metro regularly from month to month.
Prices for transport in Milan on the board of a ticket vending machine
The cost of the metro ride for students is slightly lower, but this applies only to students of Italian universities, the discount does not apply to Russian students.
Helpful advice: To save money and see all the most important things in the city, set yourself the Milan audio guide for iPhone. In the full version of the application, there is a ready-made audio tour of the center of Milan, a map and GPS navigation that work even without the Internet.
There are 5 excursion points available in the free version of the application, but 60 in the full version! Despite the fact that the full version of the audio guide costs only € 5. You can download a trial version to see how it works on this page.
Working hours
The Milan Metro starts at 5:40 a.m. and ends at 00:30 a.m. On Sundays and some holidays, the metro may work slightly longer than usual.
The interval between trains is from 5 to 15 minutes, depending on the time of day and day of the week. Two days a year - May 1 and December 25 - Milan subway, like the rest of the city transport, it works in abbreviated mode - from 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Milan metro map and line features
It’s easy to understand the metro scheme of Milan - the metro network consists of four lines, each of which is painted in its own color. The color of the line is repeated in the design of the stations; cars are also painted in the color of the line along which the train runs. To understand the intricacies of lines will help metro map of Milanwhich can be downloaded here.
Milan metro map is available at each station
- Red line metro M1 It stretches for 27 kilometers, 37 stations are located on it. The line goes from the north-east of the city to the center, then branching to the west and north-west. The M1 line is very popular with tourists - with its help you can get to all the main attractions of Milan.
- Green line metro M2 runs from the south of Milan to the east, its length is almost 40 kilometers, the number of stations is 35.
- Yellow metro line M3 connects the northern part of the city with the southeast, its length is about 17 kilometers, the number of stations is 21.
- Purple line M5 connected the northeast of the city with the San Siro Stadium. Its length is 13 km and it has 19 stations.
You probably noticed that the number of stations metro in Milan is approximately one station per kilometer? Small stretches between them are a distinctive feature of the Milan metro, making it easy to get to anywhere in the city.
Useful links
- Map of the center of Milan + public transport
- How to get from Malpensa Airport to the city center
- Bergamo airport and how to get to Milan
Potos by: mulaohu, Daniel Vázquez, JasonParis, waxorian.
