Bologna Train Station Guide

Bologna Train Station Guide

A major city for rail connections, Bologna features more than just its famous food. Its full-service station services some 160,000 passengers per day.

Bologna Train Station

Bologna Centrale is Italy’s fifth busiest train station with regard to passenger traffic, with 160,000 people each day passing through. The station itself is located on the northern outskirts of central Bologna not far from the city’s ring road. The front of the station opens onto Piazza delle Medaglie d’Oro.

Bologna’s location in central Italy means it has long been an important train transportation hub, and Bologna Centrale was one of the original stations when the high-speed Alta Velocità (AV) train network was built in 2008. There are 27 platforms in the station, including the newer part of the station built specifically for the AV trains. Italo trains also serve Bologna.

There are some 800 trains passing through Bologna Centrale each day traveling to or from major cities all over the country. In addition, there are connections to neighboring countries, with service to and from Austria, Germany, France, and even the United Kingdom.

Most of the services at Bologna Centrale are located on the ground floor, including the Freccia Club, for anyone traveling with a Gold or Platinum CARTAFRECCIA card or an Executive or AV Salottino ticket. The ground floor also houses the Sala Blu, which is an office of assistance for travelers with disabilities, a pharmacy, the luggage storage office, an internet point, and a facility from which to rent bicycles. There are bars/cafes, fast-food restaurants, and sundries shops on the ground floor as well. Restrooms are on the central underpass.

Several bus lines stop in the piazza just outside the station, including a few that will get you to the main points in the city center within a few minutes.

Part of the station was destroyed in 1980 by a bomb. That part of the structure was rebuilt, but some reminders of the attack remain in tribute to the victims. You can still see a large crack in one wall caused by the blast, and the station’s clock is frozen at the time the bomb went off.

Hotels in Bologna

See Hotels from nearby Venice

Ca’ Sagredo Hotel

Ca’ Sagredo Hotel

Live like royalty when you stay at the elegant and refined Ca’ Sagredo hotel; every part of the hotel evokes opulence. Don't miss the splendid terrace overlooking the Grand Canal and the Rialto markets.

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Corte di Gabriela Hotel

Corte di Gabriela Hotel

Tucked away off of a small street close to Campo Sant’Angelo, this boutique hotel is conveniently situated for easy access to the Rialto, Piazza San Marco and La Fenice Opera House.

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Things To Do in Bologna

Book tours and activities from nearby Venice

Best of Venice: Walking tour with Gondola ride, St. Mark's Basilica and Doge’s Palace

Best of Venice: Walking tour with Gondola ride, St. Mark's Basilica and Doge’s Palace

Experience the best of Venice in just one day with a local insider, including a walking tour of the heart of the historic center, a Gondola ride, entry to St. Mark’s Basilica AND the magnificent Doge’s Palace!

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Murano and Burano Islands Boat Tour

Murano and Burano Islands Boat Tour

No trip to Venice is complete without visiting Murano & Burano! Discover the traditional glass factory and the colorful houses with their unique history and personality during a full day boat tour with a local guide!

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Types of Trains in Italy

From Trenitalia's high-speed Frecciarossa trains to old-world scenic rail cars, learn about the different kinds of trains in Italy.

Frecciarossa
Frecciarossa

Frecciarossa high-speed trains, operated by Trenitalia, reach speeds of 300 kilometers per hour and offer maximum comfort, making trips between Italian cities as smooth and short as possible. Read More >>

Frecciargento Train
Frecciargento

Frecciargento trains run through both the traditional and high-speed lines with connections between Rome and other major cities of the North-East and South sides of Italy. Read More >>

Frecciabianca Train
Frecciabianca

Frecciabianca trains are part of the Frecce high-speed long-distance rail service between Italy's main cities. The trains, operated by Trenitalia, travel at a speed of up to 200 kilometers per hour.  Read More >>

Intercity Trains
Intercity

Inter-City trains connect major and minor cities in Italy to meet the different mobility requirements of medium to long distances. Read More >>