On our 2017/18 New Year trip to Turin, my sister offered to take the kids for a day, and Dumitru and I did something we hadn’t done since becoming parents: a day trip, just the two of us. We took the fast train to Milan and walked all day. The boys, meanwhile, spent the day at an indoor play centre full of ball pits with my sister and didn’t miss us at all.
This is the route we walked, what the train costs, and, because this is a family blog, what I’d change to do it with kids.
Quick answers
- Turin to Milan by train: 45–50 minutes on the fast trains (Frecciarossa or Italo), or about 1h40 on a regional train. Over 100 trains a day, from about €9 when booked ahead.
- Our route: Centrale → Porta Venezia → the Montanelli Gardens → the Duomo → the Galleria → Parco Sempione → Arco della Pace, all on foot.
- The Duomo: the queue to go inside was so long we skipped it. Book a timed ticket online.
- With kids: the Montanelli Gardens and Parco Sempione are the places to let them run.
Turin to Milan by train
We booked a few days ahead and caught a promotion: €9.90 each way on the fast train. We left Turin at 9:25, were in Milan by 10:30, and came back on the 20:28. Today, fast trains take 45–50 minutes, and there are more than 100 trains a day between the two cities. Regional trains take about 1h40 and are cheaper. (When we checked in 2017, the slow option was close to 3 hours for €12.50.) Fast trains run between Turin Porta Nuova or Porta Susa and Milano Centrale.
Our walking route through Milan
Milano Centrale: Christmas trees and a map
It was the Christmas season, and the station was full of beautiful Christmas trees, which we couldn’t stop photographing. We hadn’t planned the day at all, so the first job was finding a map.
Via Vittor Pisani to Porta Venezia and the Montanelli Gardens
We walked down Via Vittor Pisani and through smaller streets to Porta Venezia, then into the Giardini Pubblici Indro Montanelli. It’s a beautiful park, and it’s the first moment of the day I thought of the boys: there’s a lot here for families with kids.
The Duomo
The main reason we came. You see it from far away, and up close it leaves you speechless: around six centuries to build, about 3,500 statues and 135 spires. We admired the façade, but didn’t go inside, because the queue was so long we didn’t want to spend our one day in it. The square was so crowded it was hard even to take a photo. My advice is to book a timed entry online in advance, and to look at the rooftop terraces among the spires, which are the part kids would love.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Right next to the Duomo is the 19th-century shopping arcade with its glass dome. We walked through it looking at the mosaic floors, then took a break in Piazza del Duomo.
Parco Sempione, the castle and the Arco della Pace
Our last stretch was Milan’s answer to Central Park. In front of it there’s a beautiful fountain where we sat for a while listening to music. Behind it, the Castello Sforzesco and its square, and on the far side of the park, the Arco della Pace. People walk, jog, picnic and meet friends here, and it’s the place I’d bring kids.
Milan tips we learnt that day
- Bike sharing: BikeMi day passes were €4.50 when we went, and they still are in 2026. We chose to walk.
- Bar or table: coffee is cheaper standing at the bar. One café wouldn’t let us sit down because we weren’t having lunch.
- Cover charge: with our pizza margherita we paid a €2-per-person service charge. It’s normal in Italy, so budget for it.
Doing a Milan day trip from Turin with kids
- Take the fast train. Under an hour each way makes it a realistic day with children.
- Book the Duomo ahead. The queues are the day’s biggest time-killer.
- Build the day around the parks: the Montanelli Gardens in the morning and Parco Sempione in the afternoon.
- Walk less than we did. Centrale to the Duomo is a long walk for small legs, so use the metro for that stretch.
Where to stay in Turin with kids: our top 3
Best Western Hotel Genio – next to Porta Nuova station, where the airport bus stops. Walkable to Piazza San Carlo and the Egyptian Museum.
NH Torino Lingotto Congress – inside the old Fiat factory at Lingotto, next to Eataly and the metro. More space for less than the centre.
Principi di Piemonte | UNA Esperienze – Turin’s grand hotel, a few minutes’ walk from Via Roma and Porta Nuova.
We stay with family in Turin, so we haven’t slept in these hotels. I picked them the way I picked hotels in 14 years of working in hotel distribution: location first.
More from our Turin winters: Turin with kids, Lake Maggiore day trip and Bardonecchia.
Milan day trip from Turin: FAQ
How long is the train from Turin to Milan?
About 45–50 minutes on the fast Frecciarossa or Italo trains, and about 1 hour 40 minutes on a regional train. There are more than 100 trains a day.
How much is the train from Turin to Milan?
From about €9 when booked ahead. We paid €9.90 each way on a fast-train promotion.
Is Milan worth a day trip from Turin?
Yes. In one day you can walk from Milano Centrale to the Duomo, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and Parco Sempione, as we did.
Can you visit Milan with kids in one day?
Yes. Take the fast train, book the Duomo in advance, use the metro for the longer stretches, and build the day around the Montanelli Gardens and Parco Sempione.
Beautifully presented and it’s very informative. The photos are compliments to the blog. Great read and good tips. Keep up the good work. And happy travelling.
Author
Thanks a lot, it is a real compliment. Everytime trying to give as much information as we can, to fulfill the interest of readers.
What a beautiful city, never even knew it existed myself. And the fast train what a deal at Christmas time it looks. And the cathedral, that sounds and looks like a must visit.
Author
Thank you for stopping by. The city is lovely indeed, we advice you to visit it as well.
I’ve never been to Italy, though it is certainly on my list. But after seeing this post it’s definitely bumped up a few spots closer to my “next destination”.
Author
Thank you for stopping by. Really happy that we motivated you to go to visit Milan.