Train wins by 25 min door to door. Fastest train 3h17 (Zürich HB → Milano Centrale (via Gotthard)), ~13 direct trains/day. Checked 2026-11-01.
The comparison
| Fastest train | 3h17Zürich HB → Milano Centrale (via Gotthard) |
|---|---|
| Trains | ~13 direct trains/day (pickthetrain open-data average)SBB / Trenitalia EuroCity |
| Flight | ~1h00 ZRH-MXP (pickthetrain typical-for-distance; SWISS and Ethiopian fly nonstop). Airports add travel, check-in and security time. |
| Door to door | Train wins by 25 min door to door |
pickthetrain.com door-to-door model (its own assumptions: 1h30 airport check-in/security, 20 min to exit, typical-for-distance flight time, public-transport access estimates): train wins by 25 min (3h32 vs 3h57; Malpensa is ~55 min from central Milan in that model). European Sleeper Brussels-Milan passes Zürich area at night (stops Aarau/Arth-Goldau), not a Zurich-Milan sleeper.
Questions
Is the train faster than flying from Zurich to Milan?
Train wins by 25 min door to door. The fastest train takes 3h17 city centre to city centre; the flight is ~1h00 ZRH-MXP (pickthetrain typical-for-distance; SWISS and Ethiopian fly nonstop). Airports add travel, check-in and security time..
How often do trains run from Zurich to Milan?
~13 direct trains/day (pickthetrain open-data average)
Sources: pickthetrain.com, europeansleeper.eu
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