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The company was founded as Società Anonima Ferrovie Milano-Saronno e Milano-Erba with the goal of building the sections of the same name, on the initiative of Belgian financier Albert Vaucamps and engineers Ambrogio Campiglio and Emilio Bianchi.

The construction of the two railway sections for which the company had been founded the previous year, between Milan and Saronno and between Milan and Erba, is authorised by Royal Decree on 7 March.

22 March

Inauguration of the Milan-Saronno line

31 MarchInauguration of the Milan-Erba line

The company changes its name to “Società Anonima per le Ferrovie Nord Milano”.

Società delle Ferrovie del Ticino (SFT) agrees to transfer the Saronno-Malnate and Como-Varese-Laveno railroad concessions, opened to traffic on 5 July 1886.

Società Anonima per la Ferrovia Novara-Seregno entrusts the operation of its railway line (inaugurated in 1887) to Ferrovie Nord Milano.

1 June: the Grandate-Saronno section is inaugurated, speeding up railway connections between Como and Milan and replacing the existing Como-Fino Mornasco-Saronno steam-powered tram.

Ferrovie Nord takes over operation of the Castellanza-Valmorea line, opened to the public the previous year, from Società Anonima per la Ferrovia Novara-Seregno. A company is set up to build the Swiss section, up to Mendrisio.

The passenger terminal in Milan, in Piazza Castello (now Piazzale Cadorna), is raised with an additional level.

The extension of the Milano-Erba line to Asso begins operation on 16 July.

On 27 June the Swiss section of the Valmorea railway is opened, ending in Mendrisio.

By order of the Fascist government, operation of the Castellanza-Mendrisio railway line is limited to Valmorea, closing the border between Italy and Switzerland.

The new Milano Bullona station is built to serve Corso Sempione and the exhibition grounds.

Electrification of the Milano-Saronno and Milano-Meda lines begins, with a 3000 Volt direct current power supply (approved with Royal Decree no.1577 on 22 August 1925).

Passenger service on the Castellanza-Valmorea line is limited, ending in Cairate, while goods continue as far as Malnate.

Merger by incorporation of Società Anonima per la Ferrovia Novara–Seregno, in which FNM already owns shares, into Società Anonima per le Ferrovie Nord Milano, which becomes Ferrovie Nord Milano S.p.A. 
Società Ausiliare Lombarda Autotrasporti (ALA) is also incorporated, along with its package of public road transport concessions.

Allied bombs devastate much of the city of Milan in August. The passenger terminal suffers significant damage.

Bombing of the bridge over the Ticino interrupts the Saronno-Novara railway line, which can only run as far as Turbigo. It will not be rebuilt until 1955.

On 31 July the Como-Varese line is closed to passenger traffic.

Regione Lombardia resolves to purchase the majority share in Ferrovie Nord Milano S.p.A. from MITTEL, Società Industriale Mediterranea.

Ferrovie Nord Milano Esercizio S.p.A. (FNME) is established and appointed to operate Ferrovie Nord Milano S.p.A.’railroad and automobile concessions. FNM Autoservizi S.p.A. is established in December of the same year.

Ferrovie Nord Milano takes over Società Nazionale Ferrovie e Tramvie (SNFT), incorporating both its rail service and its vehicle transportation service, from which it inherits operation of the Brescia-Iseo-Edolo line.

Ferrovie Nord becomes the first company to operate rail transport on the newly inaugurated Passante Ferroviario di Milano, the railway line crossing the city of Milan between (Certosa) Bovisa Nord and Milano Porta Venezia stations.

In May the Malpensa Express airport link begins operation, from Milano Cadorna railway station to Malpensa airport; in 2016 a new route connecting terminals 1 and 2 is added.

In compliance with European regulations, operation of the rail network is separated from operation of transportation services, resulting in the birth of FERROVIENORD and FERROVIENORD MILANO TRASPORTI.

The knot is untied: work is completed on quadruplication of the railway lines between Saronno and Cadorna with completion of the last section, between Milano Bovisa and Cadorna.

The company TRENORD, owned by FNM and Trenitalia, is established as exclusive operator of regional rail transportation.