The direct train(s) from Munich to Bologna, which provide a highly useful connection when travelling from southern Germany to northern Italy, also happen to take a beautiful route through the Alps and Dolomites.
Bologna is the main hub of the Italian rail network, so connect there for a swathe of fabulous destinations, which have no direct trains from Germany, including Ravenna, Modena, Parma, Naples and Lecce
(In the summer months this train has its journey extended to Rimini).
Also if you'd rather travel by day to Florence and Rome than take the direct night train from Munchen, you can also connect in Bologna for those cities.
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.
6hr 33min - 6hr 46min
Daily
Mon-Fri = 3 x trains per day
Sat/Sun = 2 x trains per day
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.
DB is the national railway operator in Germany, so its website can be used for booking journeys by German express trains; the ICE and IC trains and it doesn't charge booking fees.
It also sells tickets for journeys by direct trains on all international routes from Germany regardless of whether DB is operating the train service.
It also sells an extensive range of end-to-end journeys which involve making connections both within Germany and in neighboring countries, but journeys between Germany and Britain cannot be booked on DB.
A key feature of DB website worth keeping mind is that it offers 1st class ticket purchasers complimentary seat reservations on journeys both within and to/from Germany.
Seat reservations for daytime in both 1st and 2nd class can also be booked separately from tickets.
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
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.
These trains usually depart Munchen Hbf at 07:34 (Mon-Fri) and daily at 09:34 and 11:34.
Final Destination: Bologna or Rimini
These trains also call at: Verona
Travelling from Munchen Ost station:
These trains will call at Munchen Ost station after they have departed from Munchen Hbf.
If the starting point of journey is in central Munich/Munchen (around Marienplatz), you'll have a quicker trip if you join the train at Munchen Ost.
The overnight train:
The 'overnight' train from Munchen/Munich to Bologna is scheduled to arrive there at the painfully early time of 05:19 - and you'll miss out on experiencing the delights of this daytime trip!
From early April Railjet trains will also begin to operate on this route.
The train journey between Rosenheim and Verona is one of the most incredible in Europe, but sit on the right of the train (when facing the direction of travel) to see the best of the stunning views.
Though the first of the scenic highlights, when the train follows the River Inn from Kuftstein into Innsbruck, is on the left.
But the most incredible part of the journey is that between Innsbruck and the border at Brennero.
in winter:
in summer: And as can be seen in these videos, the best of the views on this part of the train ride can be seen on the right.Though the fabulous views continue after the train exits the Brenner Tunnel and begins to travel through Italy.
Between Brennero and Verona the railway route primarily travels through a massive valley, by the River Adige and on this part of the journey, there are some great views to be had from either side of the train.
The train will reverse direction on departure from Verona and the part of the journey from there to Bologna, is actually exceptionally uninteresting.
This second version of ShowMeTheJourney is exciting and new, so we are genuinely thrilled that you are here and reading this, but we also need your help.
We’re striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements.
Instead of advertising or paywalls, your financial support will make a positive difference to delivering an enhanced service, as there’s a lot of ideas which we want to make happen.
So if you have found the info provided here to be useful, please go here to say thank you.
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings usually open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date - but this period of time is shorter when looking up journeys in August to October.
However, if you book more than 4 months ahead, you may only see more expensive tickets, than are typically offered on this route.
A choice of tickets
Three types of tickets are available:
Two types of discounted tickets, which will be cheaper the further ahead you book - Sparpreis Europa and Super Sparpreis Europa
One type of non-discounted ticket - Flexpreis Europa.
A key difference between these types of tickets is refunds:
The other key difference is that both types of Sparpreis tickets are only valid on the specific departures selected when booking, but both types of Flexpreis tickets live up to their name, as they can be used on any departure on your travel date.
Note that none of the tickets can be exchanged to a different departure.
There's no need for this to be available for Flexpreis Europa tickets, as they aren't train departure specific.
If you book a Sparpreis Europa ticket and want to travel by a different departure you can refund it and then use the travel voucher towards the cost of the new booking.
Super Sparpreis Europa tickets can't be exchanged or refunded.
The Sparpreis, Flexpreis and Flexpreis Plus tickets also include 'City tickets', which can be used on public transport between locations in Munchen city centre and Munchen Hbf.
Booking on the DB website
You can find these direct trains more easily by making a proactive selection of 'Direct Trains Only'.
Or to see all the combinations of trains and journey options, some of which may be cheaper, take off the 'fastest connections' default.
Travelling from Munchen Ost station:
When making a booking online on DB it uses ‘Munich (München)’ as a default for looking up journeys from the city in the ‘From’ box.
But it is possible to select München Ost as the ‘From’ station (you need to use the German spelling with the character (the umlaut) over the ‘u’).
You won’t save any money by booking from München Ost, but the departure time of your train from Munchen Ost will be on your ticket.
Booking agents, when looking up Munchen to Bologna journeys, will see that the fastest journey from Munchen is from Munchen Ost, so can assume that this is where you want to join the train.
So if you're using an agent confirm whether your ticket has been booked from Munchen Hbf or Munchen Ost; particularly if you do want to join the train at Munchen Hbf.
Rail Pass Users:
When taking this journey [when using 'global' Eurail or InterRail passes]https://www.interrail.eu/en/plan-your-trip/reservations/trains-with-additional-supplements) a supplement is required of €15 in 1st class and €10 in 2nd class.
However, the supplement is not a seat reservation
You can purchase the supplements on the Eurail reservation service or the InterRail reservation service and a seat reservation will also be included - though you will be charged a €2 booking fee per reservation, per person.
If you book the supplement for journeys to Italy by these trains, at the Reisezentrum desk at Munchen Hbf (or at any hauptbahnhof in Germany), you won't be charged a booking fee, but will also have to pay seat reservation charges of €4.90 in 2nd class and €5.90 in 1st class
If you pay for the seat reservation online on the DB (German Railways) website, it won't include the supplement that's charged for journeys to Italy.
When you have occupied your reserved seat you can buy the supplement from the train conductor, but when doing so there is an additional charge of €5.
Or you can avoid paying this comparatively expensive rail reservation fee by taking this alternative journey option.
7hr 11min
Daily
1 x optimum connection per day
DB is the national railway operator in Germany, so its website can be used for booking journeys by German express trains; the ICE and IC trains and it doesn't charge booking fees.
It also sells tickets for journeys by direct trains on all international routes from Germany regardless of whether DB is operating the train service.
It also sells an extensive range of end-to-end journeys which involve making connections both within Germany and in neighboring countries, but journeys between Germany and Britain cannot be booked on DB.
On journeys within Germany and on most international journeys from and to Germany on trains operated by DB:
When booking both types of the discounted 'Sparpreis' tickets seat reservations are an optional extra, so need to be added when booking if you want an assigned seat(s).
The train which departs Munchen for Verona at around 11:30 usually has a connecting time of around 55mins, into a Frecce train on to Bologna, which is typically due to arrive there at around 18:45.
From early April Railjet trains will also begin to operate on this route.
The train journey between Rosenheim and Verona is one of the most incredible in Europe, but sit on the right of the train (when facing the direction of travel) to see the best of the stunning views.
Though the first of the scenic highlights, when the train follows the River Inn from Kuftstein into Innsbruck, is on the left.
But the most incredible part of the journey is that between Innsbruck and the border at Brennero.
Winter SummerAnd as can be seen in these videos, the best of the views on this part of the train ride can be seen on the right.
Though the fabulous views continue after the train exits the Brenner Tunnel and begins to travel through Italy.
Between Brennero and Verona the railway route primarily travels through a massive valley, by the River Adige and on this part of the journey, there are some great views to be had from either side of the train.
This second version of ShowMeTheJourney is exciting and new, so we are genuinely thrilled that you are here and reading this, but we also need your help.
We’re striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements.
Instead of advertising or paywalls, your financial support will make a positive difference to delivering an enhanced service, as there’s a lot of ideas which we want to make happen.
So if you have found the info provided here to be useful, please go here to say thank you.
Final Destination: Roma Termini
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings usually open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date - but this period of time is shorter when looking up journeys in August to October.
A choice of tickets
Three types of tickets are available:
Two types of discounted tickets, which will be cheaper the further ahead you book - Sparpreis Europa and Super Sparpreis Europa
One type of non-discounted ticket - Flexpreis Europa.
A key difference between these types of tickets is refunds:
Travelling from Munchen Ost station:
When making a booking online on DB it uses ‘Munich (München)’ as a default for looking up journeys from the city in the ‘From’ box.
But it is possible to select München Ost as the ‘From’ station (you need to use the German spelling with the character (the umlaut) over the ‘u’).
You won’t save any money by booking from München Ost, but the departure time of your train from Munchen Ost will be on your ticket.
Booking agents, when looking up Munchen to Bologna journeys, will see that the fastest journey from Munchen is from Munchen Ost, so can assume that this is where you want to join the train.
So if you're using an agent confirm whether your ticket has been booked from Munchen Hbf or Munchen Ost; particularly if you do want to join the train at Munchen Hbf.
Making the connection in Verona:
In the unlikely event of a delay to the train from Munchen leading to missing the booked connection in Verona, the subsequent train on from Verona will be a Regionale Veloce train on which reservations aren't available, but tickets will; be valid on this train.
This second version of ShowMeTheJourney is exciting and new, so we are genuinely thrilled that you are here and reading this, but we also need your help.
We’re striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements.
Instead of advertising or paywalls, your financial support will make a positive difference to delivering an enhanced service, as there’s a lot of ideas which we want to make happen.
So if you have found the info provided here to be useful, please consider saying thank you.
This is one of more than 100 train travel guides available on ShowMeTheJourney, which will make it easier to take the train journeys you want or need to make. As always, all images were captured on trips taken by ShowMeTheJourney.
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