A few days in Milan, then the Frecciarossa high-speed train to Paris. What worked, what didn't, and honest tips from a November trip.
By Steve · November 11, 2026 · 10 min read
I flew Manchester to Milan Malpensa with Ryanair, took the Malpensa Express into Milano Centrale (no ticket queue: tap in and out with your phone), spent a few days in Milan, then rode the Frecciarossa high-speed train to Paris Gare de Lyon. Allow plenty of time at Malpensa: as a non-EU visitor the EES queue took me about three hours. In Milan the metro takes contactless cards but not phones.
A few days in Milan, then a high-speed train across the Alps to Paris. This guide follows the trip in the order I travelled it, from the flight into Malpensa to the Frecciarossa into Gare de Lyon, with the places I would go back to and the things I would do differently.
These are my personal picks from a trip in early November 2026. I stayed at both hotels featured here and every photo in this guide was taken by me. The text has been AI polished for clarity, but the experiences are my own.
I flew from Manchester to Milan Malpensa with Ryanair. The flight itself was uneventful, and the approach was the highlight: some amazing views of the Alps on the way in. This route has a reputation for turbulence, though, so don't be surprised if it's a bumpy ride.
At Malpensa you walk from the aircraft straight into the terminal, and that is where the trip stumbled. The EES (Entry/Exit System) lived up to its reputation and it took about three hours to be admitted. There are too few immigration officers, and the non-EU queue is the lowest priority for them. It was a really poor arrival experience. Malpensa is notorious for these delays, so don't plan anything important for the first few hours after you land.
From Malpensa to Milano Centrale, take the Malpensa Express. Pro tip: there's no need to queue for a ticket, because you can touch in and out with your phone. Do remember to touch out. The reader is easy to miss when you get off the train.
Centrale is a massive and very busy station. It was completed during Mussolini's fascist regime and the styling lends itself to that. It's quite a building, but sadly it has been hacked about, and the shops and cafés added over the years haven't been done with much consideration. Look up at the iron-and-glass train shed, then at the stone reliefs and mosaics in the main halls.
At Centrale itself there is a memorial to the Jews and other Italians who were transported from here to the death camps during the Second World War. It is a sobering experience. The original platforms are intact, and you are standing on the same floor they did.
It is well worth making time for. Check the memorial's website for opening times and any booking requirements before you go.
One hotel in each city: The Rosa in Milan and the Novotel by Gare de Lyon in Paris.
Milan · Central Hotel — A really warm welcome, a perfect location and spotless rooms. For us it was a perfect experience. The rooms have warm tones and wooden floors, and the bathroom is finished in marble.
Paris · By the Train Station — Our base in Paris, handy for the Frecciarossa, which arrives at Gare de Lyon. A modern room with a large bed, a desk and a TV, plus a bathroom with a glass-walled shower.
The Milan transit system is simple to use. You can touch in and out with your contactless card, but not with your phone, which is different from the Malpensa Express. There's no need to buy a transit pass in advance: sort it out when you're there. The readers say 'Always touch-out', so don't forget at the end of your journey.
Look up and around you. There is some amazing architecture all over the place, and you will almost certainly see a fashion shoot taking place. These are the places I visited:
These are places I didn't get to on this trip, but they come up again and again in Milan recommendations:
• Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II: the grand arcade right next to the Duomo.
• The Last Supper: Leonardo's mural needs booking weeks or even months ahead.
• Sforza Castle and Parco Sempione: a castle and park to wander through.
• The Navigli canals: lively in the evening.
• La Scala: the opera house, with a museum.
Aperitivo is the Milanese tradition, and our favourite venue was Ravizza 1871. When we visited it was €15 for a drink and a quick trip to a delicious table of appetisers. A really nice experience, but it gets busy, so book ahead or arrive early. Most places do live music or a DJ on Wednesdays too. Italians eat late, so aperitivo makes a nice stop-gap before dinner.
Milan is a fashion capital and it feels like it, but it is also a busy, working city. A few things worth knowing before you go:
From Milan we took the Frecciarossa, Trenitalia's high-speed train, to Paris. I travelled Business class (Business Allegro), which cost €135. The train left Milano Centrale at 06:25 and reached Paris Gare de Lyon at 13:22.
There is a business lounge at Centrale, but it hadn't opened by that hour, so I simply boarded the train. Catering was a box of snacks, plus freshly made espresso from the trolley, which has a proper espresso machine. The team on board gave great service. There is also a class above Business with even bigger seats and more luxury, if you want to treat yourself.
The carriage was comfortable, and the scenery turned to autumn forest as the train climbed through the mountains. In Paris, Gare de Lyon was busy but we had no problems, and the Novotel is right next to the station.
I kept Paris simple: one night by Gare de Lyon. We had supper at Bistro de la Gare and then a walk around the local area, which is an easy way to see a bit of the city without a plan.
The next morning I picked up some delicious pastries for breakfast from Mon Père Était Boulanger, then took an Uber to Charles de Gaulle airport. One thing to know: there is no executive lounge in the non-Schengen area of Terminal 2D, so if you rely on lounge access, plan around that.
No. There's no need to queue for a ticket, because you can touch in and out with your phone. Remember to touch out when you get off the train, as the reader is easy to miss.
In my experience the metro takes contactless cards, but not phones. You can touch in and out with your card and there's no need to buy a transit pass in advance.
About three hours for me as a non-EU visitor. Malpensa is notorious for these delays, with too few immigration officers and the non-EU queue the lowest priority, so allow plenty of time.
Yes, I found the views lovely, but it's very busy on the roof terrace and inside the cathedral. The walk down is long, on a spiral staircase in semi-darkness, so it's not for the faint-hearted.
It gets busy, so book ahead or arrive early. When I visited it was €15 for a drink and a trip to the appetiser table.
It's the Shoah Memorial, a monument to the Jews and other Italians deported to the death camps during the Second World War. The original platforms are intact.
Route: Manchester to Milan Malpensa (Ryanair), Milan to Paris (Frecciarossa)
When I went: Early November 2026
Currency: Euro (€)
Milan to Paris train: Frecciarossa Business (Allegro), €135, 06:25 Milano Centrale to 13:22 Paris Gare de Lyon
Malpensa to Centrale: Malpensa Express, touch in and out with your phone or card
Milan metro: Contactless card only (not phone), touch in and out
Aperitivo: About €15 for a drink plus appetisers at Ravizza 1871 (November 2026)
Entry: Non-EU visitors face EES queues at Malpensa: allow plenty of time
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