The Mendrisio FoxTown Factory stores is an outlet in the very south of Switzerland, between Lugano and Milan.
Foxtown might not look as impressive from outside as some other outlets, but you will be surprised by the many shops you find inside.
There are about 160 outlet stores so do not miss out on this especially if you are in the Mendrisio area anyway!
The FoxTown Factory stores has about 160 stores covering 250 brands, most of them are focused on fashion (e.g. Armani, 2x Burberry, Ferragamo, Dior, Dolce&Gabbana, Escada, Gucci, Prada, Versace and YSL). There are also some houseware (Villeroy & Boch, Le Creuset) and watches (Swatch) outlets and they even have a Ferrari Store in the Foxtown outlet!
Inside view of the Foxtown outlet.
While the variety of brands is very nice do not expect a huge discount, especially for the high fashion brands mentioned above. The prices are lower compared to the normal high street brand stores but do not expect the discounts found in some of the US outlets. If possible try to time your visit to Mendrisio with some of the special sales like around August 1st to get even better prices. The quality of the clothes is nice though, in case you do not mind items from previous season.
One good thing about the Foxtown outlet is that everything is close together. Compared to the ohter nearby Malls (e.g. Seravalle) the stores are all aranged in a building so you do not need to walk long distances. The downside of course is that you cannot enjoy a nice walk outside while you go shopping.
How to get to to the Foxtown Outlet
Foxtown outlet location on map; Maps: Google
The best way to go to the Foxtown outlet is by car taking highway 2 (E35) exit Mendrisio, the address is
FoxTown, Via A. Maspoli 18
CH-6850 Mendrisio, Switzerland
From Milan you have to take the A9 to Chiasso (Switzerland) which will become highway 2 in Switzerland. In case you are just visiting please make sure you follow the rules especially in Switzerland. There are many speeding traps and the fines are very expensive. The money is better spent at the Foxtown outlet!
In terms of fines, please remember that you have to pay toll fees for highways in Switzerland, the vignette currently costs 40 Swiss francs. If you come from Italy (Milano) you can avoid the 40 francs by taking the A9 to exit Como and from Como take the “normal” road to Chiasso and from there to Lugano. You will have to spend 5 to 10 minutes more but if you only want to go to Switzerland for Fowtown it makes sense to save the 40 francs.
There is a shuttle bus service offered by the Foxtown outlet every 30 minutes from the station, as it is less than 2 kilometers from the Mendrisio train station so you can either take a taxi (around 25 francs oneway) or the Bus #513 direction Chiasso, Stazione (2 stations).
Foxtown outlet tips from our side
The easieest way to get there without a car is to take the shuttle bus!
Normal shopping hours are Mon – Sun: 11am-7pm, if you plan to go there check out the different sales on the homepage. If you want to save even more check out the homepage for special sales in January and August! Also if you plan to see all the shops go there with comfy shoes and arrive early as it tends to be quite crowded especially on weekends. Please be aware that the Foxtown Outlet is closed on the 1st of January, on Easter Sunday, August 1st and Christmas / Boxing Day.
The food court is typical for an outlet mall, as a tip try the pizza place at the end, very reasonable prices and your guaranteed to not leave hungry.
The Foxtown Outlet has one of the few Ferragamo outlets in Europe.
For our non EU readers who want to get their VAT back remember that you have to get your forms stamped at the Swiss border! On some days the tax office might be closed so if you want to go shopping on a Sunday best to check the ahead if you plan to cross the border on the same day. The global Blue tax refund office is on level one in front of the Casino Admiral.
There is also a play area for children on the first floor of the outlet, it is located next to the Desigual store when you come from P1.
As with all shopping trips to outlets in case you do not have a car it is a good idea to bring a trolley or another type of wheeled suitcase to the foxtown outlets. This way you can carry around your purchase without having to deal with lots of different paper bags.
Cannot accompany you for shopping..
Please be aware that dogs or any other animals are not allowed in the outlet.
Last but not least in case you go to the Foxtown outlet with a car try and leave before the outlet closes. Some of the parking spots can only be reached through a single road so it takes up to half an hour to leave the area if you are unlucky! In case you want to stay to the very end (and trust us, usually you never have enough time!) spend some time in a cafe and only leave after the rush…
Let us know if you shopped there! How did you like it?
Hello
Wanted to know if I took a metro .does it go to Foxtown..where should I get off from Milan ..Also can I use Milan card?
Hello Maria,
unfortunately the Foxtown outlet cannot be reached via the Milan public transport alone. What you can do from Milan is to take the S11 all the way to Chiasso. In Chiasso switch to the S10 to Castione and exit in Mendrisio. From the train station the outlet is about half a mile or a short taxi ride.
Enjoy your shopping!
Hi,
How can i get to foxtown from zurich? Preferably using public transportation. And how long does the trip take? I will be travelling to zurich in June.
Tq.
Hi, sorry for the late reply. Just try google maps, they know the latest update on the current traffic! https://www.google.com/maps/preview
Best,
Verena
How to reach fox town factory outlet from Geneva ,switzerland as I am reaching Geneva on 6th June . Train is convenient for us . Please let us know .
Thanks ,
Rahul
Hello Rahul,
the easiest way from Geneva to Foxtown by train should be through Milan. You can take an EuroCity to Milan and from there a regional train to Mendrisio. Once you are in Milan you have many other outlets available to shop.
Let us know how it worked out!
Hi there,
Wanted to know when does the summer sale start and end this year?
Thanks.
Hello Dina,
the summer sale in Foxtown is usually at the end of July.
The Prada store is amazing!
Yes it is… In case you are in the area you can also try our dedicated guide for Prada: https://www.styled247.com/prada-outlet/. North Italy is a very nice place in case you like Prada!
The Prada store is amazing! We got bags for more than half off USA prices, and the shoes are even a greater discount.
Hello Leah,
nice to hear that. We usually leave Foxtown with a car full of bags as well!
how to reach from milan and how much time does it take
Hello Sidharth,
via car from Milan take the A9 to Chiasso (Switzerland) and stay on the road. In Switzerland the A9 will become the A2 and you need to get a toll vignette at the border. Once you are in Switzerland exit at Mendriso and you will see the signs to the outlet.
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Hello there. May i know how much would it be cost if taking a train from milan centrale and do i need to use swiss franc while in foxtown outlet?
Hello Fendi,
the train ride should be about 20$.
The outlet accepts credit card everywhere so no need to use swiss francs. It does not matter what currency your card account is in, your bank will take care about the conversion!