Spanning over 100 kilometers, Milan’s metro network is now the seventh largest in the European Union, transporting an average of 420 million passengers annually. It consists of five lines, with the newest being the M4, which will accommodate up to 24,000 passengers per hour in each direction.
In addition to being named after streets or squares like Piazza del Duomo, or historical figures such as Wagner and Pasteur, some Milan’s metro stations captivate travelers with their names, which can even be a bit mysterious at times. So, let’s uncover their meanings.
Milano Dateo
The M4 station is named after the priest who founded Milan’s first orphanage in 787, located near the Duomo.
Porto di Mare
Contrary to what one might think, there are no rivers or sea access here. Ponte di Mare, one of Milan’s metro stations on the M3 line, takes its name from a 20th-century project that envisioned creating a river port connecting Milan to the Po River and, ultimately, the sea. The project never materialized, but the name remained.
Molino Dorino
This stop on Milan’s metro stations, specifically the M1 line, derives its name from Milan’s last watermill, dating back to the 17th century. Although surrounded by modern buildings, the mill can still be seen today.
QT8
An acronym for “Quartiere Triennale 8”, this M1 station in Milan’s metro system refers to an experimental housing project designed for the eighth Milan Triennale in 1947. The neighborhood was envisioned as a testing ground for innovative ideas in urban planning and residential construction.
Lodi TIBB
One of the M3 line stations, its name refers to Tecnomasio Italiano Brown Boveri, a company specializing in electrical and mechanical engineering, which had its headquarters and workshop in Piazzale Lodi.
Tre Torri
This M5 station is named after the three futuristic skyscrapers in the CityLife district: Allianz Tower by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, Generali Tower by Zaha Hadid, and PwC Tower by American-Polish architect Daniel Libeskind.
