Bologna Transportation

Train

Italian trains are safe, comfortable and efficient enough with an extensive network. Getting to or from Bologna by train is very easy. Bologna Centrale station has been recently extended to cope with the super-fast Freccia trains. The newish Italo train company also serves Bologna Centrale, also with fast trains. Its fares can sometimes be lower than those of Trenitalia, so it’s worth checking.

The station can be hugely busy at times (it certainly was when I used it, most especially during commuter hours) but, like all Italian railway stations, it’s easy enough to navigate.

One point to note: there are good clean toilets (‘Servizi’) in the station but they cost 1 euro to use.

Aerobus

If like us you arrive in Bologna by air then the most cost-effective way to reach the city centre is on the Aerobus. You can buy your ticket from a machine at the bus stop, which is well marked in the arrivals hall. The machine takes debit or credit cards or notes, as well as 1 or 2 euro coins, but nothing smaller. The first bus from the airport is at 5.30 AM and they run till just after midnight at fairly frequent but oddly irregular intervals.

Airport

Bologna’s airport is located in the north of the city. There are connection serving Europe’s main airports – Frankfurt, Paris, London, Lisbon, Barcelona, etc. Although Bologna has its own airport, Forlì (sometimes also called Bologna-Forlì) may be a cheaper alternative. Ryanair uses Bologna/Forlì airport for flights to London/Stansted and Frankfurt/Hahn and Girona/Barcelona. Also, Belle Air from Albania and Windjet (Sicily as well as a some occassionally served European destinations) use this airport.

Editor’s note: The information contained on this page was compiled using real traveler reviews about Bologna transportation.