Anyone organising a group arrival in Milan first needs to know which airport people are landing at. Malpensa, Linate and Orio al Serio are three different airports, run under different rules and at very different distances from the city. A Malpensa shuttle planned for 50 congress delegates is not organised like a pick-up of ten guests at Linate.
Since September 2025 we have been working from our operational base in Lainate, north-west of Milan, with our own vehicles, all Euro 6. Below we set out what you need to know about group transfers from the three airports. From the same base we run coach and bus hire in Milan for all our other services in the city.
Three airports, three different approaches
Malpensa is about 50 km from Milan. In the morning it takes an hour or more, and at the wrong times it can take an hour and a half. That is the figure to start from when setting the time of an event: if the flight lands at 09:00, a group is unlikely to be in the centre for a 10:00 meeting.
Linate is the airport closest to the city, but that does not mean the transfer is always short: it depends on the time and the destination area. Orio al Serio is in the province of Bergamo, and for a group heading to Milan you have to allow for the motorway journey, which we estimate in the quote based on the actual time of your arrival.
From our Lainate base we reach Malpensa without crossing Milan, a real advantage for early morning pick-ups and for transfers to Lake Maggiore, where many residences are about an hour from the airport.
Malpensa shuttle: Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 have different rules
Traffic at Malpensa is governed by a 2025 ENAC order (ENAC is the Italian civil aviation authority) that treats the two terminals differently. At Terminal 1 Departures, the open-access lane is also for shuttles, minivans and group transport vehicles, with a permitted stop of fifteen minutes. At Terminal 1 Arrivals the reserved lane is open only to authorised vehicles, and there are dedicated parking areas for NCC vehicles (noleggio con conducente, private hire with driver).
At Terminal 2, on the north side of Arrivals, the reserved lanes hold the bays where coach passengers board. The free waiting area between the two terminals, on the other hand, is off limits to professional passenger transport. In practice the coach cannot park in front of the exit waiting for the group: it pulls into the bay when the group leader confirms that the luggage has been collected.
That is why, before the service, we agree with you the terminal, the exit and a phone number for the group leader that will be reachable on landing. It is a detail that avoids the most common scene: the group out on the pavement, the vehicle circling the terminal.
Linate and Orio al Serio: reserved areas and vehicle registration
At Linate, ENAC order no. 4/2025 provides parking areas in the Arrivals zone reserved for Gran Turismo coaches and NCC vehicles. NCC vehicles with up to 9 seats reach them from the open-access lane, through a barrier; coaches and NCC vehicles with more than 9 seats use the reserved lane if authorised by the Comune di Milano (the City Council). Coaches may only stop for as long as loading and unloading take.
At Orio al Serio, tour coaches enter from the priority lane and stop in their own bays in the Arrivals zone. The transit has to be registered at the P1 car park pay desk, recording the vehicle’s number plate. For NCC cars with up to 9 seats there are loading areas in car parks P1 and P2. These are administrative steps we handle as the operator: all you need to sort out is the meeting point.
Delayed flights and groups split across several arrivals
We monitor flight times, so if a flight is delayed the vehicle waits without you needing to tell us. The more complex case is a group arriving in waves: twenty people on a flight from Rome to Linate at 09:00, another thirty at Malpensa on an intercontinental flight in the early afternoon.
Here a single coach makes no sense. We usually suggest two vehicles, one per airport, sized to the actual number of people on each flight. When the arrivals are at the same airport a few hours apart, we decide together whether to have the first group wait or run two trips. Waiting hours have an hourly rate set in the quote, so you can compare the two options.
For congresses and events with more than 100 participants we prepare a logistics plan with gathering points, times and an operations contact who can be reached on the day. It is the method we use for bus hire for events in Milan.
For events at Allianz MiCo we also run congress shuttles for participants.
Where the group goes after landing
Not every transfer ends at a hotel in the centre. On trade fair days many groups go straight from Malpensa to Rho, with a coach transfer to Fiera Milano that skips the stop at the hotel.
Other groups carry on to the lakes, to Franciacorta or to the Ligurian ports, with a transfer to Genoa and Savona to board their cruise.
For groups of up to 8 people a car or minivan from our chauffeur service in Milan is often enough. Between 16 and 27 people the most practical vehicle is a minibus, while from 30 people upwards, with travel luggage, a bus or a Gran Turismo with a luggage hold is the better choice.
How to request a quote for a transfer from Malpensa, Linate or Orio
Write to us with the airport and terminal, the flight numbers and times, the number of passengers, the amount of luggage, the arrival address and any stops. If a return is also needed, add the departure flight. We reply within a few hours during office hours.
The quote is in writing and includes the driver, fuel, passenger insurance and maintenance; tolls are shown separately. The indicative rates for a coach in Milan are calculated per day. Bear in mind that prices can rise during the weeks of the big trade fairs.
Arrivals in Rome are handled from our via Ugo Forti base, with the transfer from Fiumicino and Ciampino.
Phone: +39 06 4882027 (also for emergencies). Email: info@toddebus.it (subject line: “Milan”), so your message reaches our local contact.
Frequently asked questions
Can the coach wait for the group in front of Malpensa Arrivals?
No, the airport rules only allow coaches to stop in the designated bays while passengers board. That is why the vehicle pulls up once the group has collected its luggage and the group leader has confirmed it.
How early do you need to leave Milan for a flight from Malpensa?
Malpensa is about 50 km away: in the morning it takes an hour or more, up to an hour and a half at busy times. On top of that you need to allow for group check-in, which takes longer with a lot of luggage than it does for a single passenger.
Do you also run transfers from Orio al Serio?
Yes, we also pick up groups at Orio al Serio. The coach uses the bays reserved for tour coaches in the Arrivals zone, and we coordinate the access details with the airport.
What happens if the flight is cancelled?
If the group is rebooked onto another flight, we reorganise the service around the new time based on the vehicles available. Call us as soon as you know: +39 06 4882027 also works for emergencies, 7 days a week.
Can the same shuttle cover Malpensa and then the trade fair?
Yes, the vehicle can take the group from the airport straight to Fiera Milano Rho or to a nearby hotel. In the quote we show the full route and any waiting hours.
