60–70 minutes from Malpensa to Novara without touching Milan
Caronte Malpensa–Novara is a direct coach linking Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) with Novara, mainly used by people who live in Novara or nearby towns and want to skip Milan Centrale entirely. The line runs between Malpensa’s terminals and Novara city, so you step off the plane at T1 or T2 and head straight toward home instead of backtracking through Milan.
The bus serves both T1 and T2 at Malpensa, with stops clearly marked as Caronte or "Malpensa–Novara" on the airport bus stands. Typical travel time runs around 60–70 minutes depending on traffic on the A4 and SS32 routes. This is point‑to‑point coach travel, so you’re not changing at a rail station or metro stop on the way.
Tickets usually sit in the roughly €10–€15 range one way, sitting between a regional train and a private taxi in price. You can often buy tickets directly from the driver in euros, then board through the front door and keep your luggage with you or in the underfloor compartments. Compared with a taxi from Malpensa to Novara that can run €80 or more, this bus is the budget move for regulars.
Schedules vary by day, but you’re typically looking at several departures spread across the daytime and evening, with fewer or no runs late at night after about 21:00–22:00. If your flight lands in the small‑hours bank around 23:00 or later, assume you’ll miss the last Caronte bus and need a fallback like an NCC car or taxi. Always check the current timetable a day or two before flying, especially on Sundays or holidays.
You’ll find coach‑style seats and luggage storage under the bus, closer to an intercity coach than a local ATM urban bus. Boarding usually starts just a few minutes before departure, so be at the stand 10–15 minutes early rather than cutting it to the last 2 minutes. The ride is mostly motorway, so once you’re on, you can set a 60‑minute timer and expect to be in Novara soon after it rings.
Practical tip: If you’re arriving into T2 on an easyJet flight, confirm on the Caronte timetable that your chosen departure actually stops at T2; if not, take the free Malpensa shuttle to T1 (about 8–10 minutes) and board there instead.