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NM4 night busorATM bus 973?

The short answer

These do not go to the same place, so price is not the comparison. The NM4 night bus reaches San Babila and the Duomo, where the M4 arrives; Milano Centrale is one change away; the ATM bus 973 does not. It ends at Piazza Cinque Giornate, east of the center, not San Babila or the Duomo, and takes longer than the metro takes to get further. Good only for Porta Vittoria, Corso XXII Marzo and the Tribunale, or if you would rather not go underground.

The NM4 night bus is quicker: 19 min against 20 min. The ATM bus 973 varies between 14 and 23 minutes.

NM4 night bus: 00:40–05:10. ATM bus 973: 06:34–23:59.

Priced against each other

Whole-party totals · adult fares
What each costs for the whole party, in EUR. The cheaper of the two is marked on every row.
TravelersNM4 night busATM bus 973Difference
1€2.20€2.20same
2€4.40€4.40same
3€6.60€6.60same
4€8.80€8.80same
5€11€11same
6€13.20€13.20same
7€15.40€15.40same
8€17.60€17.60same

Side by side

Where each one leaves you
bus · ATMNM4 night bus
From
The "Linate Aeroporto M4" bus stop outside the terminal
To
Corso Europa at Piazza San Babila (the "Europa" stop) in 19 scheduled minutes; then, on the current diversion, Crocetta and Porta Romana (M3) and Porta Genova (M2) before rejoining the M4 stations from Coni Zugna to San Cristoforo and Lorenteggio
Luggage
A city bus under ATM's ordinary rules: carried free, nothing over 90 cm on a side.
Runs
00:40–05:10
Journey
19 min

This is what runs at 03:00, and it costs EUR 2.20. As of 31 August to 13 September 2026: 19 minutes to Corso Europa, 14 to Dateo.

It is currently diverted: after San Babila it runs via Viale Regina Margherita, Crocetta and Porta Romana to Porta Genova, skipping Via Visconti di Modrone, Largo Augusto and Sforza-Policlinico. Check ATM's sheet before relying on a stop west of San Babila.

Every 30 minutes, so a bus may have just left: the first after the last train is at 00:40, fourteen minutes later.

At the other end of the night there is a 30-minute hole between the last bus at 05:10 and the first train at 05:40 on weekdays; on Sundays the bus runs to 05:40 and the train starts at 06:00.

NM4 night bus: price for every party size →

See ATM's M4 and NM4 page
bus · ATMATM bus 973
From
The bus stop at Arrivals, Gate 8 of the terminal
To
Stazione Forlanini M4, Viale Corsica, Corso XXII Marzo and Piazza Cinque Giornate
Luggage
A city bus under ATM's ordinary rules: carried free, nothing over 90 cm on a side.
Runs
06:34–23:59
Journey
14–23 min

This is what is left of bus 73. The 73 ran to San Babila and the Duomo until the M4 reached San Babila in July 2023; the 973 was extended from Linate to Cinque Giornate at the end of 2025.

It shares the M4's stop at Stazione Forlanini, so it is also the way to the S lines without going into the metro.

The other direction runs out to San Felicino in Peschiera Borromeo; check the destination on the front before boarding.

ATM bus 973: price for every party size →

See ATM's tickets

This compares two of 5 options. See all of them ranked for your party size →

The other comparisons at Linate