Novara and Malpensa to receive direct rail connection by 2027

A new direct rail service will connect Novara to Milan Malpensa Airport, Varese, and the Swiss Canton of Ticino. The project, announced through a memorandum of understanding between the Piedmont and Lombardy regions, aims to provide a competitive alternative to car travel by offering direct access to Malpensa Terminal 1 in under 30 minutes and Terminal 2 in approximately 34 minutes.

The service will involve extending the existing S50 cross-border line to Novara, with trains scheduled to run hourly toward Lugano and Bellinzona. The activation of this link is expected by March 1, 2027. The initiative seeks to resolve long-standing mobility issues in Eastern Piedmont, where travelers currently face lengthy detours to reach the airport by train.

Representatives from Trenord and TILO, along with regional transport officials and the Mayor of Novara, participated in the presentation of the plan. The project is viewed as a strategic move to strengthen transborder mobility and regional connectivity between Italy and Switzerland.