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How to take a rail journey from Florence/Firenze to Bologna
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Firenze / Florence to Bologna by train
Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia share the high speed route, which is mainly in tunnels, from Firenze/Florence with competing Italo trains.
As the journey time is comparatively short, the differences in the on board experience will matter less than the price; see the ticketing notes below on how the Trenitalia and Italo prices can be compared.
Though regardless of which high speed (AV) service you take, you'll in effect be paying a premium to travel by it, the more than 60 km of tunnels through which the trains rush at more than 280 km/h, cost billions of euros to build.
However, the Frecce and Italo trains are the only services which provide a direct link from Firenze S.M.Novella, the city's central station, to Bologna Centrale.
The Intercity (IC) trains, which are typically cheaper, depart from Firenze Rifredi station.
Routes you can take to go from Firenze / Florence to Bologna
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 high speed Frecce trains
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
35 - 37 min
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
2 - 3 x trains per hour
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
Exclusive for New Customers: Receive a 10% discount by using the code 24NOV on any purchase with a maximum total price of £100, until 28 November 2024 (11:59 pm CET). Limit one coupon per qualifying booking. Cannot be combined, transferred or exchanged.
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
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.
Save A Train Guide
Travel Information
Final Destination - Milano or Torino or Venezia or Bolzano (or others)
For 95 % of the high speed journey between Firenze/Florence and Bologna the train will be travelling in tunnels and the part of Bologna Centrale station that the trains heading to Milano, or Venezia or Udine or Torino will use is within the tunnel.
So listen out for the announcement, which will be made in Italian and English, which will alert travellers to the imminent arrival in Bologna.
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
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.
99% of the direct city centre (Firenze S.M. Novella station) to city centre (Bologna Centrale station) trains are the high speed (AV) trains.
So this is a journey when it pays to book ahead; you will save around €8-14 if you book in advance for the high speed trains, compared to the price you will pay at the station prior to boarding.
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 on Trainline or Omio, though look out for the fact that both of these services will charge a booking fee.
Route Information
Option 2: taking the high speed Italo trains
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
35 - 38 min
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
1 - 2 x trains per hour
Purchase Tickets
Exclusive for New Customers: Receive a 10% discount by using the code 24NOV on any purchase with a maximum total price of £100, until 28 November 2024 (11:59 pm CET). Limit one coupon per qualifying booking. Cannot be combined, transferred or exchanged.
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.
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
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.
Happy rail Guide
Happy Rail is a Netherlands rail ticket agency which sells tickets for both national and international journeys within a range of countries including Belgium France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland.
HappyRail doesn't charge booking fees in the conventional sense, but if you're not Dutch you can expect to pay additional transaction fees, which will be added to the total cost.
That's because the most common form of online payment used in The Netherlands is 'iDEAL' and HappyRail doesn't charge a transaction fee for 'iDEAL' payments, but only Dutch residents can sign up to 'iDEAL'.
Other forms of payment include Visa debit cards will incur a fee.
Travel Information
Final Destination: Milano or Torino or Venezia or Bolzano or other
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open:: around 3 months ahead of the travel date
On the Florence to Bologna railway route, 99% of the direct city centre (Firenze S.M. Novella station to city centre (Bologna Centrale station) trains are the high (AV) speed trains.
So this is a journey when it pays to book ahead if you want to take a high speed train- you will save more than €8 if you book in advance, compared to the price you will pay at the station prior to boarding.
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.
The high speed train AV service is provided by a combination of:
(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.
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 Trainline or Omio, though look out for the fact that both of these services will charge a booking fee.
Route Information
Option 3; taking an Intercity train
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
1hr 4min
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
From: Firenze S.M. Novella station: 1 x train per day
From: Firenze Rifredi station: 4 x daily trains. plus an additional train on Fridays.
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
Other Ticket Providers
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
If you will be purchasing tickets, taking an Intercity train is cheaper from Florence/Firenze to Bologna, than taking either of the much faster high speed services.
Rail pass users will save €10 by taking these IC trains compared to the high speed trains.
Though most of these Intercity trains per day from Firenze/Florence to Bologna, depart from Firenze Rifredi station, which is some distance from the city centre
You'll need to take a local train from Firenze S.M. Novella to Firenze Rifredi, in order to connect into these trains.
If you will be travelling with a rail pass look up the times of the trains on from Rifredi and the connecting train, before heading to Firenze S.M.Novella.
Though there is one daily direct Intercity train from Firenze S.M.Novella to Bologna which typically departs at 08:21; it is also the only morning Intercity train to Bologna
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
Less of the 'classic' route that these IC trains use is within a tunnel compared to the high speed line, but these trains still travel through the Appenine Base Tunnel, which for many years was Italy's longest railway tunnel.
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 3 months ahead of the travel date
If you will be leaving Firenze/Florence in the morning the train will be departing from S.M. Novella station, but after midday the trains will leave from Rifredi sttaion.
So if you will be making the journey in the afternoon, enter Firenze Rifredi as the 'Departure' station when looking up this journey on Trenitalia in order to find these trains
(Though you will need to book tickets from Firenze S.M.Novella station, if that's where you will be commencing your journey).
If you want to compare the cost of taking these Intercity trains with the alternative high speed service of Frecce and Italo trains, you will need to also look up this journey on Omio or Trainline.
Rail pass users will save €10 or €7 by taking these trains compared to the Frecce trains.
SMTJ usually advocates that rail pass users opt to make reservations on Intercity trains, but on this comparatively short trip, there's no need to.
There aren't any direct Regionale trains from Firenze/Florence to Bologna
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