Getting Around Bologna: An Overview
Bologna is a compact, walkable city in northern Italy and a major transport hub, which makes it easy to reach and easy to explore once you arrive. The historic centre is well preserved, and much of what a visitor wants to see can be covered on foot. For longer hops, the city has a public transport network run by TPER, plus taxis, rental bikes, and a dedicated rail link from the airport.
Arriving by Air: Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport
Bologna's airport, Guglielmo Marconi International Airport (BLQ), sits just outside the city to the northwest and offers international connections to a wide range of European cities, including Amsterdam, Brussels, Copenhagen, Dublin, Edinburgh, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Manchester, Paris, Prague, Vienna, and Zagreb (seasonal).
On arrival, the airport has a few useful services:
- Free Wi-Fi (registration required).
- Left luggage on the first floor of the main terminal, open 24/7.
- A Bologna Welcome tourist information office on the ground floor in the Arrivals area.
Airport to City Centre
There are three main ways to get from the airport into Bologna:
- Marconi Express monorail: Connects the airport directly to Bologna Centrale railway station in about seven minutes. This is the fastest and most straightforward option. You can pay by contactless card at the gate without buying a ticket in advance, but note that each passenger needs a separate card, and Google/Apple Pay cards are not accepted — only physical cards. Waiting times for the train can sometimes be long, so if you can pay by contactless at the gate, it's worth doing so rather than queueing at the ticket machines.
- Local buses: Bus #54 heads toward the western suburbs and connects to other routes. Alternatively, buses #81 and #91 stop at Birra, roughly a ten-minute walk from the airport on the other side of the elevated motorway. Both terminate at Bologna Centrale. Bus tickets are valid for 75 minutes and can be bought at no extra cost from the Carrefour supermarket checkout inside the airport. Frequencies are roughly every 15 minutes on weekdays, 30 minutes on Saturdays, and 60 minutes on Sundays and at night.
- Taxi: A taxi into the city centre costs approximately €15.
There are also direct bus connections from the airport to other destinations in the region, including Ravenna, Cervia, Ferrara, Florence, Modena, Rimini, and the Marche region.
Arriving by Train
Bologna Centrale is the city's main railway station, located just north of the historic centre — a moderate walk or a short bus ride away. It's one of the busiest stations in Italy and a major hub for northern Italy, with high-speed rail connections to Florence, Milan, Rome, Venice, and Ferrara, as well as international services from Munich and overnight Nightjet services from Munich and Vienna.
One practical tip: when departing, pay close attention to your platform, as platforms with similar names (such as 3, 3-West, and 3-East) are in separate areas of the station.
Arriving by Bus or Car
Intercity buses arrive at the Autostazione di Bologna on Piazza XX Settembre, at the beginning of Via Indipendenza near Porta Galliera. The main operators are Flixbus, Baltour, and Marino.
By car, Bologna is at the junction of the A1, A14, and A13 motorways, making it accessible from across Italy. The A1 connects Milan, Florence, Rome, and Naples; the A13 serves Ferrara, Padua, and Venice; and the A14 serves the Adriatic coast. Be aware that the Tangenziale ring road can be extremely congested at peak times, especially on busy summer weekends at the beginning and end of August.
Getting Around the City
On Foot
Bologna is an excellent city to explore on foot. The streets are well marked, and walking is a great way to discover hidden corners frequented by locals. One caution: the city centre has many scooters and small motorcycles, which ride everywhere, so take care when crossing roads. Cars are banned in the centre during the day.
By Bus
TPER manages public transport in Bologna. Information and ticket centres, as well as vending machines, are available at central locations including Bologna Centrale and the Autostazione. Bus maps are available there and on the TPER website.
Single tickets and other ticket types can also be purchased from many resellers around the city, such as newspaper sellers, tobacconists, and cafés. The "Roger" app (which replaced Muver) is available for Apple and Android devices and allows you to buy discounted multi-trip tickets, though it has poor ratings.
On board, there are two types of ticket machines, usually painted red and green: red machines sell plain tickets (coins only), while green machines are used to validate pre-purchased tickets or to pay by contactless credit card. Single-journey tickets may be purchased before boarding or on board.
For visitors planning multiple trips, the Mi Muovo integrated public transport pass covers the region. Short-stay visitors might find the "Mi Muovo Multibus" — a multi-trip bus ticket — useful.
By Taxi
Taxis are available in Bologna, and a journey from the airport to the city centre costs approximately €15. They are a convenient option for direct trips, especially with luggage or late at night.
By Bicycle
Bikes are popular among Bologna residents. They can be rented from various locations around the city, including ExDynamo, a bicycle parking station near the train station. You can ride on the many bike trails and along the side of the road. Be sure to lock your bike securely with a good lock, as bike theft is common, especially around the University.
RideMovi bikes are also available for hire through the "App RideMovi" app. This is a Bologna council scheme with cheap hire rates, approximately €1 per 15 minutes for standard bikes or €2 per 15 minutes for electric-assisted bikes.
Practical Tips for Visitors
- Stay in or near the historic centre if you plan to walk everywhere — it's compact and well connected.
- Buy bus tickets before boarding when possible, or use the green on-board machines for contactless payment.
- For the airport, the Marconi Express monorail is the quickest link to Bologna Centrale, but contactless payment at the gate requires a physical card per passenger.
- If you're on a budget, the #81 or #91 bus from the Birra stop is a cheaper alternative to the monorail, though it takes longer.
- Watch out for scooters when walking in the centre, and lock rental bikes carefully.