Navigating Milan: Insider's Guide to Public Transport, Walking Tours & Day Trips

Milan's metro system represents a fascinating example of post-war urban development, with its first line (the red M1) inaugurated in 1964—relatively late compared to other European capitals. This delayed development actually worked in Milan's favor, allowing city planners to learn from earlier systems and implement more efficient designs.

The network consists of four color-coded lines (red M1, green M2, yellow M3, and lilac M5) with a fifth (blue M4) partially operational as of my last visit. The system forms a logical web connecting major landmarks, commercial centers, and transportation hubs. Unlike the labyrinthine metro systems of London or Paris, Milan's underground presents itself with refreshing clarity—stations are well-marked, maps are intuitive, and trains run with remarkable punctuality (a stereotype about Italian timekeeping that doesn't apply in the industrious north).

Purchasing tickets requires navigating the ATM (Azienda Trasporti Milanesi) system. A single urban ticket costs €2.20 and remains valid for 90 minutes, allowing transfers between metro, bus, and tram. For visitors staying multiple days, I highly recommend investing in a contactless travel card, which eliminates the need for paper tickets and streamlines your transit experience considerably.

What fascinates me most about Milan's metro is how archaeological discoveries during excavations have been incorporated into station design. At Duomo station, for example, remnants of the ancient Roman forum are displayed behind glass panels—a perfect example of how Milan layers its modernity atop its ancient foundations rather than erasing them.

While the metro forms Milan's transportation backbone, the city's historical tram network offers something equally valuable to visitors: context. These iconic orange and yellow vehicles—some dating back to the 1920s—provide not merely transportation but a moving vantage point from which to observe Milan's architectural evolution and social rhythms.

Tram route 1 deserves special mention as an unofficial sightseeing tour. Circling the historic center, it passes numerous landmarks including the Castello Sforzesco, Parco Sempione, and skirts the edges of the fashion district. For approximately €2.20, you'll experience a journey more authentic and comprehensive than many commercial tours costing twenty times as much.

The bus network complements these systems, reaching areas untouched by rail. Particularly useful are the circular lines 94 and 90/91 which orbit the city center and operate 24 hours. For those staying in peripheral neighborhoods or visiting outlying attractions like the Fondazione Prada, these routes prove invaluable.

A practical consideration: Milan's surface transportation can be subject to delays during rush hours (roughly 8-9 AM and 6-7 PM). During these periods, the metro often provides more reliable timekeeping. I learned this lesson while rushing to an early meeting at the Politecnico di Milano—what should have been a simple 15-minute tram ride stretched to nearly 40 minutes in morning traffic.

During my extended stay, I found the digital transit pass indispensable. This contactless card not only covered all public transportation but included discounted museum entries—a substantial value considering Milan's cultural wealth. For families or groups, consider the daily carnet options which provide multiple tickets at reduced rates.¹

Milan reveals itself most intimately to those who explore on foot. The city's relatively compact historic center makes walking not only feasible but preferable for understanding the urban fabric's evolution from Roman grid to medieval warren to Renaissance showcase.

For first-time visitors, I recommend beginning with what I call the "Essential Milan Circuit"—a 3-4 hour walk connecting Castello Sforzesco, Parco Sempione, the Brera district, Teatro alla Scala, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the Duomo, and ending at the Roman columns of San Lorenzo. This route traces Milan's development chronologically while hitting major landmarks.

Those interested in design and architecture should consider my "Modernist Milan" route: starting at Porta Nuova with its contemporary skyscrapers (including the vertical forest of Bosco Verticale), continuing to Repubblica, exploring the rationalist architecture around Milano Centrale station, and finishing at the Villa Necchi Campiglio—a perfect example of 1930s Italian modernism.

For industrial heritage enthusiasts, the Navigli district offers fascinating insights into Milan's historical canal system that once connected the city to lakes and rivers across northern Italy. The evening passeggiata (stroll) along these canals provides both historical context and excellent aperitivo options.

Milan's summer heat can be challenging for extended walks. I've found my collapsible water bottle invaluable—it packs small when empty but holds enough water for several hours of exploration. Milan has excellent public drinking fountains called draghi (dragons) or more colloquially, vedovelle (little widows), offering clean, cold water throughout the city.

For those interested in guided experiences, I recommend bypassing large commercial tours in favor of specialized walks led by local experts. The Politecnico di Milano occasionally offers architectural tours led by faculty members, while organizations like FAI (Fondo Ambiente Italiano) provide access to buildings normally closed to the public during their seasonal open days.

Milan's position at the heart of northern Italy's transportation network makes it an ideal base for exploring the region's remarkable diversity. During my research fellowship, I made it a point to take weekly day trips, each revealing another facet of Lombardy's cultural and geographical richness.

Lake Como, perhaps the most famous excursion from Milan, lies just 30-40 minutes away by train. Rather than following the crowds to Bellagio or Varenna, consider visiting Lecco on the lake's eastern branch. This less touristed town offers equally stunning views but provides greater insight into the lake's industrial heritage alongside its natural beauty. Trains depart regularly from Milano Centrale and Milano Porta Garibaldi, with tickets costing approximately €5-7 each way.

Bergamo, with its perfectly preserved medieval upper town (Città Alta), offers another compelling day trip. The journey takes about an hour by train, but the experience of walking through a virtually intact medieval city—complete with Venetian walls, Renaissance palaces, and Romanesque churches—feels like traversing centuries in minutes. The funicular connecting the lower and upper towns adds both convenience and charm to the visit.

For those interested in industrial archaeology, Crespi d'Adda represents a fascinating UNESCO World Heritage site. This perfectly preserved company town, built for textile workers in the late 19th century, offers remarkable insights into northern Italy's industrial revolution. While reaching it requires more planning (train to Treviglio followed by infrequent buses), the site rewards visitors with an unparalleled glimpse into working-class life during Italy's industrialization.

When planning day trips, I rely heavily on my digital train planner which provides real-time updates on train schedules and platform changes. For regional trains, purchasing tickets through the app eliminates the need to validate paper tickets at station machines—a common source of confusion for visitors.

A practical note regarding day trips: many smaller destinations observe extended midday closures, with shops, museums, and even restaurants shutting between approximately 12:30 and 3:00 PM. Plan your arrivals accordingly, either reaching your destination early or timing your arrival for mid-afternoon when establishments reopen.

Milan presents certain navigational challenges that warrant special attention, particularly for visitors with mobility considerations, those planning late-night activities, or anyone caught in the occasional transportation strike.

Regarding accessibility, Milan offers a mixed picture. The newer metro lines (M5 and partially opened M4) provide full accessibility with elevators and level boarding. However, older lines have variable accessibility—some stations have been retrofitted with elevators while others remain challenging for wheelchair users or those with mobility impairments. The ATM website provides a comprehensive accessibility map, but in my experience, it's worth calling stations directly to confirm elevator functionality, as maintenance issues aren't always promptly updated online.

Buses generally offer better accessibility than trams, with most equipped with low floors and ramps. When planning itineraries for colleagues with mobility considerations, I've found the accessibility guide particularly useful for its practical, no-nonsense assessments of terrain and transportation challenges.

Night transportation requires advance planning. The metro closes around midnight on weekdays (1:30 AM on weekends), after which the night bus network (identified by the letter N before route numbers) takes over. These buses generally follow major arteries but run at reduced frequencies—typically every 30 minutes. For safety and convenience, I recommend ride-sharing services for late-night returns to accommodations in peripheral areas.

Transportation strikes (scioperi) represent a distinctly Italian challenge. These are typically announced several days in advance and follow certain patterns: they generally exclude morning and evening rush hours (by law, services must run from 6-9 AM and 6-9 PM), and essential routes maintain limited service. The ATM website and app provide strike notifications, as does the English-language section of major Italian newspapers like Corriere della Sera.

During my research year, I experienced several transportation strikes. Rather than fighting the situation, I learned to embrace these disruptions as opportunities to explore neighborhoods on foot or discover local businesses I might otherwise have passed by. Some of my most memorable Milan experiences—an impromptu conversation with an artisan bookbinder in Brera, discovering a hidden Renaissance courtyard near Porta Romana—came during these forced detours from my planned itineraries.