The Dolomites are further from Milan than many visitors expect. Cortina d'Ampezzo, Val Gardena and Alta Badia are all between four and five hours by road, and each valley is reached in a different way.
Val Gardena
The simplest of the three: the A4 to Verona, the Brenner motorway north to the Chiusa exit, then the valley road up to Ortisei, Santa Cristina and Selva. Google Maps gives about 4 hours from central Milan and 4 hours 20 minutes from Malpensa on a weekday morning.
Alta Badia
Continue on the Brenner motorway to Bressanone, then turn into the Val Badia for La Villa, Corvara and San Cassiano. It is the longest of the three: about 4 hours 50 minutes from central Milan and a little over 5 hours from Malpensa.
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina is about 400 km from central Milan, close to five hours by car. There is no direct train; rail journeys need a change and finish by bus, so with luggage a car from door to door is the simplest option.
Which airport
For all three valleys Linate and Bergamo are closer than Malpensa, and Venice or Verona can be closer still. If your flights are not booked yet, it is worth comparing; if you land at Malpensa anyway, plan for the extra time.
Winter weekends and race days
Saturday traffic on the Brenner motorway is heavy in winter, and in December the World Cup races in Val Gardena and Alta Badia bring extra traffic into the valleys. We set departure times with both in mind.
Cars and luggage
A Mercedes V-Class for families with skis, the Sprinter Luxury VIP for groups of up to eight, an S-Class for two. Send us the hotel or chalet address and your flight, and you receive a fixed written price.