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How to travel from Bologna to Bari by train along the lovely Adriatic Coast
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Bologna to Bari by train
There is a choice of two express services when taking a train from Bologna to Bari:
1 - The more frequent Frecce services are also faster, despite the lack of a high speed line; but that speed tends to come at a higher price.
2 - There also InterCity services, which are slower because they make more station calls.
Routes you can take to go from Bologna to Bari (for ferries to Patras, on to Athens)
When travelling between most cities by train there is only one logical option, though on other journeys there is a choice between different trains or alternative routes. If different options are available you can use the info to decide which is best for you.
Choose one of the following options:
Looking for connections?
Route Information
Option 1: taking the faster Frecce trains
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
5hr 28min - 5hr 58min
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
10 x trains per day
Purchase Tickets
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Trainline ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option for: Comparing different train services; Booking international journeys with connections; Travelling between the UK to destinations beyond Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris - and for international travellers who don't reside in western Europe.
Trainline Guide
Omio Guide
Omio is an online ticket agency which offers tickets for rail journeys in France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain.
The three key advantages of using Omio are
- it offers prices in multiple currencies
- it usually offers price comparison with other modes of travel including flights and buses
- when visiting Europe, you can book journeys in multiple countries in one transaction.
The disadvantage of booking with Omio is that it often adds a booking fee to the final price; therefore when it does so without offering a price advantage, SMTJ doesn't tend to offer Omio as a booking option.
Other Ticket Providers
Italia Rail Guide
Italiarail lives up to its name by selling tickets for rail journeys within Italy and the core feature of its service is that it is primarily designed to be used by international visitors to Italy.
So the English translations of place names are used when looking up journeys and the terms and conditions for using each type of ticket are clearly explained.
It also clearly points out the additional costs of upgrading to other classes and types of tickets while spelling out the additional benefits of doing so.
Though Italiarail will charge a booking fee, typically of around €3.
The Early Bird service
Italiarail has launched an 'early bird' pre-booking service for journeys by Frecce trains.
Tickets can be booked up to a year ahead of travel at a flat-rate price per route, before the tickets have been released for sale by Trenitalia.
If when they are placed on sale, the price is cheaper than what you have already paid to Italiarail, it will automatically refund the price difference.
Conversely, if the price is more expensive, you won't be charged the price difference.
You can also have the peace of mind of securing your seat(s) on the Frecce train(s) when you are first planning a trip.
If before the tickets are placed on sale, you decide to change your plans, you can request a refund; but once the tickets are released for sale, you will then be bound by the terms and conditions of the ticket(s) you have booked.
Trenitalia Guide
Trenitlalia is the national rail operator in Italy and in addition to its cheaper types of ticket; it also typically offers other discounts available to non-Italians, which include:
- Group Offers, provides for a discount of up to 50% when 3-5 Adults travel together.
- Family Offer for when groups of 2 - 5 people are travelling together and at least one of the party is a aged 11 and under.
- The Children Free Offer is available for journeys by Frecce trains, when groups of 2 - 5 people are travelling together and at least one of the party is a aged 15 and under.
Those aged 15 and under travel for free, but the Adults will need to purchase full price 'Base' tickets.
Save A Train Guide
Travel Information
These trains don't depart from the AV station at Bologna Centrale, instead they depart from the main part of station in the open air.
Final Destination: Lecce (or Taranto or Bari)
The trains also call at: Ancona and Pescara
There is no high speed line between Bologna and Bari but these Frecce trains are faster than the alternative Intercity trains for Bologna to Bari journeys, because they make fewer station calls.
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
The first departure of the day is around 30 mins slower than the norm as it takes a different, partially high-speed route, via Roma - it also departs from the AV station.
If your reserved seat is on the left the train (when facing the direction of travel) you'll be able to fully appreciate the highlights of the journey - which kick in after the train has departed from Rimini.
(If your seat isn't on the left, temporarily move over to one which is).
Once the train has travelled around 20 mins south of Rimini, you'll be able to revel in one of the best coastal train journeys in all of Europe.
For much of this part of the trip, the beach is all that separates The Adriatic from the train - a particular highlight is the part of the journey to the north of Ancona.
The sea views then continue, with the train travelling by the coast for around an hour in total either side of Pescara.
Tickets
Save by booking in advance: Yes, for more details on how to obtain the cheapest prices for Frecce trains see the guide to Italian rail tickets.
Online bookings usually open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date; though the booking period will be typically be shorter when looking up journeys for travel after the second Sunday in December.
The faster (AV) train services between and The AV train service between Bologna and Bari is provided by:
(1) these Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia and
(2) alternative Italo trains
Tickets for the Trenitalia Frecce trains are placed up to 6 months in advance, but the Italo train tickets are typically made available around 3 to 4 months ahead.
Trenitalia does not sell tickets for the Italo trains - and Italo does not sell tickets for the Trenitalia trains.
Trains departing at different times can be cheaper than others leaving on the same day, so you may need to look through the day's departures to find the cheapest fares.
If you're booking no more than 4 months ahead and have no particular preference for the train that you will be taking, the price and departure times of the Frecce and Italo trains can be directly compared with Trainline or Omio, though look out for the fact that both of these services will charge a booking fee.
Rail Pass Users:
If you will be travelling with a valid Eurail or InterRail pass, you will need to reserve prior to boarding these trains, either at the station (using a Trenitalia ticket machine or ticket desk) OR by booking them online.
How to book the rail pass reservations online is included on our guide to using rail passes in Italy.
If you will be travelling with a rail pass, it's worth targeting the faster trains, as the reservation fees are the same regardless of which Frecce service you travel by.
Route Information
Option 2: taking the generally cheaper InterCity trains
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
6hr 52min - 7hr11min
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
Sunday to Friday = 5 x trains per day
Saturday = 6 x trains
Purchase Tickets
Trenitalia Guide
Trenitlalia is the national rail operator in Italy and in addition to its cheaper types of ticket; it also typically offers other discounts available to non-Italians, which include:
- Group Offers, provides for a discount of up to 50% when 3-5 Adults travel together.
- Family Offer for when groups of 2 - 5 people are travelling together and at least one of the party is a aged 11 and under.
- The Children Free Offer is available for journeys by Frecce trains, when groups of 2 - 5 people are travelling together and at least one of the party is a aged 15 and under.
Those aged 15 and under travel for free, but the Adults will need to purchase full price 'Base' tickets.
Italia Rail Guide
Italiarail lives up to its name by selling tickets for rail journeys within Italy and the core feature of its service is that it is primarily designed to be used by international visitors to Italy.
So the English translations of place names are used when looking up journeys and the terms and conditions for using each type of ticket are clearly explained.
It also clearly points out the additional costs of upgrading to other classes and types of tickets while spelling out the additional benefits of doing so.
Though Italiarail will charge a booking fee, typically of around €3.
The Early Bird service
Italiarail has launched an 'early bird' pre-booking service for journeys by Frecce trains.
Tickets can be booked up to a year ahead of travel at a flat-rate price per route, before the tickets have been released for sale by Trenitalia.
If when they are placed on sale, the price is cheaper than what you have already paid to Italiarail, it will automatically refund the price difference.
Conversely, if the price is more expensive, you won't be charged the price difference.
You can also have the peace of mind of securing your seat(s) on the Frecce train(s) when you are first planning a trip.
If before the tickets are placed on sale, you decide to change your plans, you can request a refund; but once the tickets are released for sale, you will then be bound by the terms and conditions of the ticket(s) you have booked.
Travel Information
Final Destination: Taranto or Bari
The trains also call at: Ancona and Pescara
These Intercity train are slower, but generally cheaper than the alternative faster Frecce trains.
They can be much cheaper when the most heavily discounted 'Super Economy' tickets on those Frecce trains have sold out.
Rail pass users should take these IC trains, do so and you will save €10, as the mandatory rail pass reservation fee is only €3.
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
These trains DON'T depart from the AV station at Bologna Centrale - instead they depart from the main station.
These trains take the same route as the Frecce trains.
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 3 months* ahead of the travel date
*Not all departures may be available when looking 3 months ahead, but all trains should be visiible around 11 weeks ahead.
Take care when choosing departures on this Bologna to Bari train journey, these Intercity trains are nearly always cheaper than the alternative Frecce trains.
Rail Pass Users:
If the timings of the alternative Intercity trains suit, then target these trains and not the alternative Frecce trains.
Target these IC trains if you want to save €10 on rail pass reservation fees.
Though in the summer and at weekends, if you'll want the peace of mind of being able to remain in the same seat for the entire journey, paying the optional €3 reservation fee is virtually essential.
Route Information
Option 3: taking the Italo trains
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
7hr 15min (approx)
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
2 x trains per day
Purchase Tickets
Omio Guide
Omio is an online ticket agency which offers tickets for rail journeys in France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain.
The three key advantages of using Omio are
- it offers prices in multiple currencies
- it usually offers price comparison with other modes of travel including flights and buses
- when visiting Europe, you can book journeys in multiple countries in one transaction.
The disadvantage of booking with Omio is that it often adds a booking fee to the final price; therefore when it does so without offering a price advantage, SMTJ doesn't tend to offer Omio as a booking option.
Other Ticket Providers
Italo Guide
Italo trains compete with the Frecce services, provided by the national rail operator, Trenitalia, on the high speed routes which link major cities in Italy.
The Italo booking site only sells tickets for journeys by its trains.
Trenitalia Guide
Trenitlalia is the national rail operator in Italy and in addition to its cheaper types of ticket; it also typically offers other discounts available to non-Italians, which include:
- Group Offers, provides for a discount of up to 50% when 3-5 Adults travel together.
- Family Offer for when groups of 2 - 5 people are travelling together and at least one of the party is a aged 11 and under.
- The Children Free Offer is available for journeys by Frecce trains, when groups of 2 - 5 people are travelling together and at least one of the party is a aged 15 and under.
Those aged 15 and under travel for free, but the Adults will need to purchase full price 'Base' tickets.
Travel Information
Final Destination: Bari
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
These trains take a different route to most of the Frecce services operated by Trenitalia
This trains travel on the high speed speed to the outskirts of Roma.
After reversing direction in Roma Termini station they then travel on another high speed line until Caserta, with the final 3hr 30mins on a conventional railway
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open:: around 3 months ahead of the travel date
The high speed (AV) train service between Bologna and Napoli is provided by:
(1) these Italo trains
(2) alternative Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia
Tickets for the Trenitalia Frecce trains are placed on sale around 6 months in advance, but the Italo train tickets are made available around 3 to 4 months ahead.
However, Trenitalia does not sell tickets for the Italo trains - and Italo does not sell tickets for the Trenitalia trains.
If you're booking no more than 4 months ahead and have no particular preference for the train that you will be taking, the price and departure times of the Frecce and Italo trains can be directly compared on with Trainline or Omio, though look out for the fact that both of these services will charge a booking fee.
Trains departing at different times can be cheaper than others leaving on the same day, so you may need to look through the day's departures to find the cheapest fares.
Eurail and InterRail passes can't be used on Italo trains.
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