Pavia has frequent direct train connections to Milan (around 30 minutes on regional services, more on fast trains) and is also reachable from Genoa via Tortona. The train station is a 10-minute walk from the historic centre.
By car, Pavia is 35 km south of Milan on the A7 autostrada. Driving into the old town is limited by ZTL (restricted traffic zone) regulations; parking is available in lots just outside the historic centre. The Certosa di Pavia is most easily reached by car or taxi (8 km north on the SP35), though local buses run from the train station in summer.