Milan Malpensa to St. Moritz.
About three and a quarter hours from the arrivals hall at Malpensa to St. Moritz, along Lake Como, through Chiavenna and over the Maloja Pass.
From Malpensa to the Engadin, by the lakes.
Malpensa takes most long-haul flights into Northern Italy, so for many travellers it is the airport for St. Moritz: a winter season in the Engadin, a few days of White Turf or the Snow Polo World Cup, a summer week of walking above Sils and Silvaplana. If an assistant or a company books for you, the passenger, the person booking and the payer can all be different.
By rail the same trip means the Malpensa Express into Milan, a regional train to Tirano and the Bernina line up to St. Moritz: three trains, and your bags on and off each one. With a chauffeur they are loaded once, in the car park in front of the terminal, and unloaded at your hotel entrance or at the door of a chalet in Suvretta.
The drive takes about three and a quarter hours and has two halves. The first runs across Lombardy and along the eastern shore of Lake Como to Chiavenna. The second crosses into Switzerland at Castasegna, climbs Val Bregaglia and the Maloja, then runs almost flat past the lakes of Sils and Silvaplana.
Going home, the driver collects you at the hotel and takes you to Terminal 1 or Terminal 2, whichever your airline uses.
Through Chiavenna and over the Maloja.
From the airport the driver heads across Lombardy towards Lecco and takes the SS36 along the eastern shore of Lake Como to Colico, then the valley road to Chiavenna. About ten kilometres further on, at Castasegna, you cross into Switzerland. The last forty kilometres climb Val Bregaglia and the hairpins of the Maloja Pass, at 1,815 metres, which is open all year. On the Engadin side there is hardly any descent: the road runs past the lakes of Sils and Silvaplana to St. Moritz.
For the border, each passenger carries the documents required for their nationality. Allow more time on winter weekends and after fresh snow on the Maloja. If the road through Val Bregaglia is closed, the way round is longer, via Lugano, the San Bernardino tunnel and the Julier Pass.
- Distance
- about 190 km
- Driving time
- about 3 hours 15 minutes
- Via
- Lake Como, Chiavenna, Maloja Pass
- Border
- Italian-Swiss, at Castasegna
- Pick-up
- Terminal 1 or 2 arrivals hall
Vehicles and capacity for this route.
All vehiclesA long-haul arrival usually comes with more luggage than a weekend, and the Maloja in winter asks for grip. The SUV covers both: a Range Rover, Mercedes GLS or BMW X7 with all-wheel drive, for five passengers and five bags. With more people or several ski bags, book a van. The Van Standard takes seven with seven bags; the Van First Class takes six, with lounge seating, four seats facing each other and a table, handy for working or talking on the way.
One or two travellers with light luggage ride well in Standard Class, or in First Class, a Mercedes S-Class, BMW 7 Series or Audi A8 with rear screens and tinted windows, for three passengers and three bags. Groups travel in the 12-seat van or the 14-seat minibus, larger groups on two vehicles.
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Standard Class
Mercedes E-Class or similar
3 passengers · 3 bags
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First Class
Mercedes S-Class or similar
3 passengers · 3 bags
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SUV
Range Rover, GLS, X7 or similar
5 passengers · 5 bags
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Van First Class
Mercedes V-Class or similar
6 passengers · 6 bags
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Van Standard
Ford Tourneo, Vito or similar
7 passengers · 7 bags
What the transfer includes.
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From Malpensa arrivals to your door
The driver waits after customs with a tablet showing your name or your company's logo, and the car is in the short-stay car park in front of the terminal. The driver's details reach you before you land. On the way back, the car is at your hotel at least fifteen minutes early.
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Your flight, followed by the office
The flight number tells the office when you land, so it can move the pick-up if you arrive early or late and send the driver to the right terminal. Terminal 1 serves most airlines, Terminal 2 the low-cost carriers.
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60 minutes at the airport, 15 at the hotel
At airports, ports and train stations, drivers wait up to 60 minutes in case of delays beyond the scheduled arrival time, at no extra charge. At hotels, offices and private addresses, 15 minutes of waiting are included. For extended delays, our team will assist you in finding the most suitable solution.
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Skis, golf bags and long-haul luggage
Declare skis, snowboards, golf bags and oversized cases in the booking, and the office assigns a vehicle with the right boot, an SUV or a van.
Malpensa to St. Moritz, the questions we hear.
How long is the drive from Malpensa to St. Moritz?
About three and a quarter hours in normal traffic, for about 190 km. Allow more on winter weekends and after snowfall on the Maloja.
Is the Maloja Pass open in winter?
Yes, it is open all year and it is the usual road from Italy into the Upper Engadin in every season. After heavy snow the climb from Val Bregaglia is slower, and the driver plans the time with that in mind.
Do I need my passport?
Bring the documents required for your nationality: the route leaves Italy and enters Switzerland at Castasegna, about ten kilometres after Chiavenna. Switzerland is in the Schengen area, and customs checks at the border are still possible.
What time should I leave St. Moritz for a flight from Malpensa?
Count about three and a quarter hours of driving, more on winter weekends, plus the time your airline asks for before departure. The driver is at the hotel at least fifteen minutes before the pick-up time, and you can ask for the return in the same quote as the outward trip.
We travel with skis. Which vehicle should we book?
Up to five people with skis and normal luggage fit in the SUV. A family with skis, boots and suitcases for a long stay is better off in the Van Standard, for seven, or the Van First Class, for six.
Can you pick us up in Milan instead?
Yes: a hotel, an office or a private address in Milan, or Linate Airport. The quote is calculated from the real pick-up address, so you see the price for that start before you pay.
Can we stop on the way, in Chiavenna for example?
Yes. Tell the office when you book: lunch in Chiavenna, a coffee on Lake Como, a photo at the top of the Maloja. A stop that changes the route or adds time can change the price.
Are child seats available?
Yes, free of charge, added in the second step of the booking. Write the child's age and weight in the notes.
More routes from Milan Malpensa.
Malpensa to St. Moritz, priced up front.
Enter your flight, the hotel and your luggage: the fixed price appears before you pay, with tolls and airport parking in it. Cancelling is free up to 24 hours before the pick-up.