Trains run under the city of Milan.
They go on many lines.
Most tracks are deep underground.
These trains help people get around fast.
It is a very big system.
Do you like riding trains?
Many trains run under the city of Milan.
There are five different lines. Most of the tracks are deep underground. Some parts of the lines stay above the ground.
Some trains do not have a driver. These special trains can run very often. They help many people travel each day.
Every station has bright screens. These screens show when the next train is coming. A voice also tells you where the train is going.
You can use a card to pay for your trip. This makes it easy to get on the train. It is a very big and busy system.
The Milan Metro is a big train system in Italy.
It has five lines that help people move through the city. Most of the tracks are deep underground. About 1.4 million people ride these trains on weekdays. This makes it the largest rapid transit system in Italy.
Line 1 opened in 1964. This was the first line to serve the city. Line 2 opened five years later in 1969. Line 3 opened in 1990. The system also has two driverless lines. These are Line 5 and Line 4. Driverless means the trains do not need a person to drive them. These trains can run as often as every ninety seconds.
Every station has LED screens. These screens show the name of the next train. A recorded voice also tells you which way the train is going. You can pay for your trip with a paper ticket or a smartcard. You can even tap a bank card on the orange gates. This makes it fast to start your trip.
The Milan Metro is a huge train system in Milan, Italy.
It helps millions of people travel through the city every day. On weekdays, about 1.4 million people use the metro. This makes it the largest rapid transit system in all of Italy. It is also the fifth longest system in the European Union. Most of the tracks run deep underground beneath the streets.
The system works using different ways to provide electricity to the trains. Lines 2 and 3 use overhead lines to give power. These lines use 1500 V DC of electricity. Line 1 uses a fourth rail system with 750 V DC. Lines 4 and 5 use a third rail system.
All stations help passengers know where to go. They have LED screens that show the destination and waiting time. A recorded voice also announces the name of each station. This helps everyone stay on the right path.
Planning for the metro began a long time ago. People first drew up plans in 1914 and 1925. These ideas came from looking at cities like London and Paris. A big project for seven lines was planned in 1938. However, World War II and a lack of money stopped the work.
Finally, the city voted for the metro project in 1952. A new company called Metropolitana Milanese was made in 1955 to build it. The city used 500 million lire to help pay for the work.
The first part of the metro opened on November 1, 1964.
This was Line 1, running from Lotto to Sesto Marelli. It had 21 stations and took seven years to build. Two trains with Italian flags arrived at the end of the line at 11:15 a.m. People celebrated with the national anthem and music from the opera Aida. Line 2 opened five years later in 1969. Line 3 opened in 1990 just before the World Cup. Line 5 opened in 2013, and Line 4 opened in 2022.
Traveling on the metro is very easy for passengers.
You can use a paper ticket for a trip. A standard ticket costs 2.20 euros and lasts for 90 minutes. You can also use a smartcard like the Itinero card. Some people even tap a bank card on the orange gates. This is a fast way to pay for a ride. The metro also connects to many other trains and buses. This makes it simple to reach many different places.
The Milan Metro is a massive rapid transit system located in Milan, Italy.
It serves as the primary way for people to move quickly through the city and its surrounding areas. Operated by Azienda Trasporti Milanesi, the network is a vital part of the region's infrastructure. It is currently the largest rapid transit system in Italy. This status is based on its total length, its number of stations, and its high ridership. The system is also quite large on a continental scale. It ranks as the fifth longest metro system in the European Union and the eighth in Europe. On typical weekdays, the metro carries approximately 1.4 million passengers.
The network is composed of five distinct lines. Most of these lines run deep underground beneath the streets of Milan. However, some parts of the system are above ground. For example, the northern section of Line 2 and the Assago branch of Line 2 are surface lines. The system includes a total of 125 stations, with two more currently under construction. To help passengers navigate, the system uses nine interchange stations where two lines meet. These include major hubs like Loreto, Cadorna, Centrale, and Duomo. These junctions allow travelers to switch between different parts of the city easily.
The metro uses several different methods to provide electricity to its trains. This is necessary because different lines were built at different times using different technologies. Lines 2 and 3 rely on overhead lines to supply 1500 V DC of electric current. Line 1 is slightly different. It primarily uses a fourth rail system with 750 V DC. Interestingly, Line 1 also supports overhead lines in certain stretches and depots. This allows Line 2 and 3 trains to use Line 1 tracks when traveling to a depot. Lines 4 and 5 use a third rail system, which also operates at 750 V DC.
This variety of power systems shows how the network has grown over many decades.
The history of the Milan Metro began much earlier than the first train ride. Designers first drew up plans for subway lines in 1914 and 1925. They looked at existing underground networks in cities like London and Paris for inspiration. In 1938, a plan for seven different lines was created. However, this project stopped because of World War II and a lack of money. It was not until July 3, 1952, that the city administration officially voted for a metro project. In 1955, a new company called Metropolitana Milanese was formed to manage the construction. The city provided 500 million lire in funding, and the rest was covered by a loan.
Construction on the first line began in May 1957 at viale Monte Rosa. This first line, known as Line 1, finally opened on November 1, 1964. The initial section ran from Lotto to Sesto Marelli and included 21 stations. The opening was a major event for the city. At 10:41 a.m., two trains decorated with Italian flags departed. They arrived at the Sesto Marelli terminus at 11:15 a.m. The arrival was celebrated with the national anthem and music from Giuseppe Verdi's opera, "Aida." Following this success, Line 2 opened in 1969. Line 3 followed in 1990, just before the World Cup. The more modern, driverless Line 5 opened in 2013, and Line 4 opened in 2022.
Modern technology makes traveling on the metro very efficient. All stations are equipped with LED screens that show destinations and waiting times.
A recorded voice also announces the station names and train directions. For payment, a standard ticket costs €2.20 and is valid for 90 minutes. This ticket works on the metro, trams, buses, and suburban lines within Milan and 21 neighboring municipalities. Passengers can also use smartcards like the Itinero or RicaricaMi cards. Recently, the system added the ability to pay by tapping a contactless bank card on orange gates. This makes the process of entering a station much faster for commuters.
The metro is more than just a city service; it is a massive interconnected system. It serves 13 neighboring municipalities, including Assago, Rho, and Sesto San Giovanni. The metro also links directly to the suburban railway network through 14 different interchange stations. This connectivity allows people to travel from the heart of Milan to the wider Lombardy region. The system's scale is impressive, with Line 1 covering 26.7 kilometers and Line 2 covering 39.9 kilometers. Even the newer lines are significant, such as the 15-kilometer Line 4. As the city grows, the metro continues to expand through new extensions and planned projects.
Where will your curiosity go next?
🖼️ Images & Media (11)
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
🔬 Go deeper
More advanced topics to explore
🪜 Step back
Simpler topics to build understanding
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.