A direct connection between central Milan and Malpensa Terminal 2

Despite a few surprises along the way (unexploded ordnance was unearthed during site clearance work along with tombs containing vases and utensils from the local Golasecca culture dating back to 3000 BC), the Malpensa Express which runs eight times an hour between central Milan and the city’s intercontinental airport now extends as far as Terminal 2. Eighteen months since it was opened, the high level of passenger approval is reflected in the steady increase in numbers of people using the service, which offers a convenient alternative to the shuttle bus from Terminal 1. However, the T1-T2 connection is just the first step in a project to expand the railway line to the north of Malpensa (a section running as far as Gallarate and connecting with the national railway network is currently at the study stage). The T2 station project was carried out as a partnership between SEA Group, the company that manages Milan’s two airports, and Ferrovienord, the regional railway infrastructure operator. The work was divided into two stages. In the first stage, which involved an investment of 38 million euros, SEA oversaw the executive planning and construction of the new T2 railway station. In the second stage (77 million euros), FERROVIENORD built the new line between the T1 and T2 stations, including railway infrastructure along the entire route and inside the T2 station, while at the same time adapting the systems in the T1 station. To minimise environmental impact, the 3.6 km length of double track (967 metres in cut-and-cover tunnel and the rest in open trenches, including 1,600 metres of exposed piles) runs along the edge of the Ticino Park at a depth of between 8 and 10 metres below the average level of the ground. This solution also avoided intersections with roads. With its sleek, contemporary architecture, the new T2 station is accessed via a large glazed entrance and extends over a length of 500 metres and a width of 45 metres on three levels. The platforms are located 12 metres below ground level and have already been equipped with double tracks (the station is currently a terminus but will become a through-station when the connection to the Sempione line becomes operational). On the intermediate level, two enormous skylights allow natural light to flood into the communal spaces, while the top level is devoted to parking. Three separate porcelain tile collections from Ceramiche Caesar were used throughout the T2 station and make a major contribution to the overall image of the station. Space Smoke collection tiles in a 60×60 cm size and a non-slip finish were chosen for the external pedestrian walkway between the station and the airport (in a 20 mm extra-thick version to guarantee high strength and durability). Slabs from the Classique Milk collection in a 60×60 cm size were used throughout the interiors with the exception of the bathrooms, where the 30×60 cm Milk and Noisette versions were considered more appropriate, including on the walls. And Maison Blanc slabs in a 30×60 cm size integrated into a high-performance multilayer dry-mounted cladding system were chosen for the building’s ventilated façades. The station’s artificial lighting is controlled by an efficient centralised system that takes account of the different characteristics of the three main areas: the external pedestrian walkway, the central atrium and the underground tracks. A combination of light sensors and presence detectors determine the needs of the three spaces in real time and transmit the data to the system for instantaneous differentiated lighting control.