Last year Val and I traveled to Milan and Monza to watch the Italian Grand Prix. When visiting we stayed in Milan and travels via a system of trains and busses to get to Monza and the Grand Prix Circuit. I was surprised at how well this process worked. The process was somewhat straightforward, from the Milan Central Station you take a train to Monza Central. From there you take a bus to the circuit.
Bottom Line: Getting from Milan to the Monza for the Italian Grand Prix is pretty easy on the train. I wouldn’t say it was super fast, but it was decently efficient and well managed.
Train and Bus Tickets for Monza GP
During the Italian Grand Prix, there is special service between Milan and Monza. These tickets are easy to buy online at the Trenord website. The combined ticket from Milan to the Circuit is 10euro. There are no assigned seats or even specific train departures times.
Milan Station Departure
There are several departures from Milan to Monza. On race day they ran 2-3 trains per hour but they weren’t evenly spaced, There would be 2 trains within 10 minutes of each other, then not another for 30 minutes. Check the time table.
Boarding was crowded but not hectic. There were plenty of workers on the platform keeping everyone moving and directing people to the empty cars.
We ended up all the way down the platform. This turned out to be a little slower as once we got to Monza, the exit was on the other side of the platform.
We arrived at the Monza Station about 15 minutes later. The train is nice and air conditioned, we didn’t have a problem finding a seat.
Bus From Monza Central Station to Monza Circuit
Outside of the Monza Station there was a queue line. At the beginning of the line there was a ticket checker who issued wrist bands for the bus ride. I was worried as the line was very long, but busses came so often you couldn’t keep track of them. They would load 3 at a time too so the line moved at a walking pace.
Within 10 minutes we were on a bus heading to the circuit. The buses are the Linia Nera(Black Line). But at this point you cannot get lost, it’s impossible, there’s just too many people to follow all going the same direction. The bus ride to the circuit is about 15 minutes
Just because the bus drops you off at the circuit, doesn’t mean you won’t need to walk. Depending on where your tickets are, you’ll be walking several Kms or Miles. Race tracks are big, a Formula 1 car goes around it in 2 minutes, walking to your seat will likely take 45 minutes for you, bring a water bottle, there are filling stations along the way.
Enjoy the Race!
We had a great time at the Italian Grand Prix. This is our 5th F1 race we’ve attended and one of our favorite events. It doesn’t hurt that Ferrari and Charles Leclerc won. Nothing like a Ferrari win in Italy.
Getting to Milan After the Race
After the race the process is just the opposite. You take the bus back to the Monza Station and then onto the train to Milan.
We found the process pretty easy getting back to Milan. The crowds were a little lighter in this direction, probably because people were hanging out and partying all night at the track after the Ferrari win. There were plenty of queues involved, but again, the line moved quickly.
Milan To Monza GP Train Final Thoughts
At first I was a little worried the process for getting to the Monza GP from Milan would be a little bit of a shit show. Turns out it was pretty painless. Take the train to the bus then walk to your seats. So while there’s lots of people, it’s very well organized, like surprisingly well run. You’re still going to do a good bit of walking, but it’s no more than at any other Grand Prix.
Unless you want to take a helicopter or camp at the race track, I think taking the bus/train combo is likely the easiest option.