Bologna to Lecce by train

How to travel from Bologna to Lecce by train along the lovely Adriatic Coast

There is a two 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.

Share

Routes

Option 1: taking the faster Frecce trains

Journey Summary

Travel Time
7hr 6min
Frequency
Daily
Travel Information

Final Destination: Lecce

These trains also call at: Bari and Brindisi

There isn't a high speed line between Bologna and Lecce, so these 'Frecce' trains are faster than the alternative slower, but often cheaper, InterCity trains, because they call at fewer stations.

5 x trains per day

Tickets

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings open: 4 months ahead of the travel date

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.

On the ticket booking websites you can compare these trains with the prices of the slower InterCity trains, which also take this route.

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.

Though the €10 rail pass fees can be avoided if you take the IC trains.

Where to book
Ticket Provider Approximate Cost
Italia rail from €39.90

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 from €39.90

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 from €39.90

Save A Train Guide

On this journey

Journey Features

Scenic - YesCoastal viewsNot High Speed

Good to Know

These trains don't depart from the AV station at Bologna Centrale, so they're most easily accessed from the main entrance.

Between Rimini and Ancona Between Rimini and Ancona
Between Rimini and Ancona Between Rimini and Ancona
Between Rimini and Ancona Between Rimini and Ancona
Between Rimini and Ancona Between Rimini and Ancona

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.

Option 2: taking the Intercity trains

Journey Summary

Travel Time
8hr 56min - 9hr 6min
Frequency
Daily
Travel Information

Final Destination: Lecce

These trains also call at: Bari and Brindisi

There isn't a high speed line between Bologna and Lecce, the alternative Frecce trains are primarily faster because they call at fewer stations.

Sunday to Friday = 2 x trains per day
Saturday = 3 x trains

Tickets

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.

On the ticket booking websites you can compare these trains with the prices of the faster Frecce trains, which also take this route.

Rail pass users:

Target these IC trains if you want to save up to €10 on rail pass reservation fees.
Paying the optional €3 reservation fee isn't mandatory outside the peak summer period, but it gives the peace of mind of being of being able to remain in the same seat for the entire journey,

Where to book
Ticket Provider Approximate Cost
Italia rail from €29.90

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 from €29.90

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 from €29.90

Save A Train Guide

On this journey

Journey Features

Scenic - YesCoastal viewsNot High Speed
Take the stress out of your journey Everything planned to your specification, so sit back and relax… Try Concierge
hand-money

Please support ShowMeTheJourney

Help keep us advertising and paywall free!

Donate

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.

See if there’s a unique journey guide for your trip, featuring info on the trains, tickets & stations.
Leaving From
Going To
ShowMeTheJourney

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.