There isn't a high speed railway between Venice/Venezia and Bologna, but high speed Frecce and Italo trains heading to Rome and beyond, provide the fastest express train services on this route.
Though as is typical, the faster a train, the more expensive it is likely to be; but the difference between journey times isn't particularly extreme on this route.
However, if you will be booking tickets last minute at the station, then taking the slowest Regionale Veloce trains will be a money saver.
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.
1hr 25min
Daily
16 x trains per day
There is usually at least one departure in every hour, but there is a gap between 07:26 and 09:26.
Is the journey from Venice to Bologna direct?
Yes, there is no need to make a connection when taking this route.
Is the journey scenic?
The only scenic highlight comes at the start of the trip, when the train crosses the lagoon directly after departing Santa Lucia station.
What other tourist locations are along the route from Venice to Bologna?
These trains also call at Padua and Rovigo and Ferrara (connect for Ravenna)
When is the usual approximate earliest arrival at Bologna from Venice on this journey option?
Before 07:00 daily
Source = European Rail Timetable
How easy is it to travel on from the station in Bologna?
The station is located on the northern edge of the city centre.
When is the usual approximate latest departure from Venezia S. Lucia to Bologna on this journey option
Before 19:30 daily
Source = European Rail Timetable
How easy is it to get to the station in Venice?
Santa Lucia station has a fantastic location on the Grand Canal and multiple boat bus routes arrive at the piers directly in front of the station - see the Station Guide for more information and easy access to booking accommodation in its neighbourhood..
Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance for these Venice to Bologna trains?
Yes, and they can be purchased from a choice of booking agents - see below.
Click on the 'Good to know info' to access a guide to how rail tickets are managed in Italy, plus step-by-step guides on how to make a booking.
How soon ahead of travel are tickets typically placed on sale for these Venice to Bologna trains?
It can be 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; and when looking up summer travel in March to May.
What are the child ticket terms for these Venice to Bologna trains?
Children aged 4 -14 receive a 50% discount, though these 50% child rates are calculated against the full 'Base' ticket price.
But adult 'Super Economy' tickets can be discounted by more than 50%; so if these tickets are still available for your journey, it can be worth paying the adult rate for a child aged 4 - 14.
Does the ticket for these Venice to Bologna trains include assigned seats?
Yes - See the Train Guide in the Journey Information for insights on how to board the train.
Do rail pass users need to book reservations for these Venice to Bologna trains?
Yes - See the rail pass guide for Italy for info on the multiple booking options.
Is catering available on the Venice to Bologna trains on this journey option?
Yes, there is a bar/bistro car.
See the Train Guide in the Journey Information.
What else is good to know about Italian rail travel?
Check out the guide to travelling by train in Italy.
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.
First time bookers using the Omio mobile apps (Find them at www.omio.com/apps) can save 10% on purchasers of up to €100 by using the promo code SEP24 Valid for bookings by September 30th, 2024 (11:59 pm CET).
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.
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Rail Europe ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option when booking international journeys with connections and for travellers who don't reside in western Europe. Use the easy options on its home page if you will be booking tickets with a railcard: Or purchasing rail pass reservations.
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.
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:
OBB is the national rail operator and its booking service offers journeys by express trains within Austria, as well as international journeys which don't involve making a connection outside of Austria.
It pays off to book online, as the discounted 'Sparscheine' tickets are only ever made available on the website, and when making international journeys to and from Austria, these Sparscheine tickets tend to be cheaper.
OBB can offer particularly good value for money when travelling with children on international rail journeys, but something to watch out for when travelling between Austria and Germany on daytime trains, is that reservations are an optional extra; but if you book 1st class tickets with the Germany railways website DB, the reservations are complimentary.
OBB often takes a unique approach to its booking path, but a key thing to keep in mind is that the first price you will see for any journey is that of a Second Class seat.
The costs of upgrading to first class, a reservation, or a sleeping cabin etc, is then added to this price.
Final Destination: Roma or Napoli or Reggio di Calabria
These trains also calls at: Venezia Mestre
These Frecce trains are fastest* on the Venice to Bologna route because they skip more stations than the other services
*= the departures which typically leave at 06:53 and 14:52 are an exception as they are around 10 mins slower than the other Frecce services
Though these trains can be the cheapest option of all on this route.
They will be typically the most expensive option, though when booking ahead the price difference to the other departures can only be a couple of €s, but if you opt to travel by these trains, your ticket will include the seat reservation.
Meaning that you will have to take a specific departure; if you book in advance.
The only scenic highlight of this journey is when the trains depart from Venice and heading out over the lagoon to the mainland.
The video was taken from a train travelling in the opposite direction.
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 periods will be typically be shorter when looking up journeys for travel after the second Sundays in December and June.
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 choice of train services - and tickets / prices
The faster train services between Venice and Bologna is provided by:
(1) these Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia, and
(2) alternative Italo trains
Tickets for the Trenitalia Frecce trains can be placed on sale up to 6 months in advance, but the tickets for travel by Italo trains 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.
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 or Rail Europe. Though look out for the fact that these ticketing services will charge a booking fee.
The types of ticket:
Up to four core types of ticket will be available for advance booking:
(1) Long-term promotional tickets, such as 'Frecce Special' tickets, give discounts of up to 70% on the 'Base' ticket price.
Though they are made available in limited numbers, so can sell out on popular departures more than a month ahead of the travel date.
Regardless of how popular a departure / train is, they are only available up until 14 days ahead of departure.
They also can't be refunded or transferred to another departure.
(2) Super-Economy tickets are the cheapest option for journeys when a long-term promotion is either not available, or sold out.
They need to be booked more than five days ahead of a travel date.
They also can't be refunded or transferred to another departure.
(3) 'Economy' tickets are mid-priced, but they can be transferred to another departure, up to two hours before the train you were originally booked on, is due to leave.
However, you will need to pay the price difference, if tickets for the train you have swapped to are more expensive (they likely will be).
They also can't be refunded.
(4) Base tickets are more expensive, but they are more flexible.
They can be refunded if the price per person is more than €10 - And they can also be transferred to another departure up until the time of the of your original departure - Meaning that you can go to the ticket counter and swap them to an earlier or later train.
You will have to pay any price difference, but the advance prices of Base tickets aren't heavily discounted.
You can also transfer them to another departure online, but this needs to be done at least two hours before the original departure time - When there is less than two hours to go, you'll need to use a ticket counter at the station.
Additional information, including what to look out for in general when booking, is available on the general guide to booking Italian rail tickets.
Child tickets:
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.
However, you can save €13 by not taking these Frecce trains and instead take the Regionale Veloce (RV) train.
1hr 25min
Daily
9 x trains per day
Is the journey from Venice to Bologna direct?
Yes, there is no need to make a connection when taking this route.
Is the journey scenic?
The only scenic highlight comes at the start of the trip, when the train crosses the lagoon directly after departing Santa Lucia station.
What other tourist locations are along the route from Venice to Bologna?
These trains also call at Padua and Rovigo and Ferrara (connect for Ravenna)
When is the usual approximate earliest arrival at Bologna from Venice on this journey option?
Before 08:40 daily
Source = European Rail Timetable
How easy is it to travel on from the station in Bologna?
The station is located on the northern edge of the city centre.
When is the usual approximate latest departure from Venezia S. Lucia to Bologna on this journey option
Before 17:10 daily
Source = European Rail Timetable
How easy is it to get to the station in Venice?
Santa Lucia station has a fantastic location on the Grand Canal and multiple boat bus routes arrive at the piers directly in front of the station - see the Station Guide for more information and easy access to booking accommodation in its neighbourhood.
Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance for these Venice to Bologna trains?
Yes, and they can be purchased from a choice of booking agents - see below.
Click on the 'Good to know info' to access a guide to how rail tickets are managed in Italy, plus step-by-step guides on how to make a booking.
How soon ahead of travel are tickets typically placed on sale for these Venice to Bologna trains?
It can be up to 4 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; and when looking up summer travel in March to May.
What are the child ticket terms for these Venice to Bologna trains?
Children aged 3 and under travel free of charge, but they cannot occupy their own seats.
Children aged 4 to 13 also travel for free, if they are accompanied by at least one adult on the 'Family Offer'.
Though otherwise there is no discount on tickets for children aged 4 to 14.
Does the ticket for these Venice to Bologna trains include assigned seats?
Yes - See the Train Guide in the Journey Information for insights on how to board the train.
Do rail pass users need to book reservations for these Venice to Bologna trains?
Rail passes are not valid on these trains.
Is catering available on the Venice to Bologna trains on this journey option?
There is no bistro/bar car, snacks and drinks can be purchased from vending machines.
See the Train Guide in the Journey Information.
What else is good to know about Italian rail travel?
Check out the guide to travelling by train in Italy.
First time bookers using the Omio mobile apps (Find them at www.omio.com/apps) can save 10% on purchasers of up to €100 by using the promo code SEP24 Valid for bookings by September 30th, 2024 (11:59 pm CET).
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.
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.
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Rail Europe ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option when booking international journeys with connections and for travellers who don't reside in western Europe. Use the easy options on its home page if you will be booking tickets with a railcard: Or purchasing rail pass reservations.
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.
Final Destination: Roma or Napoli
All trains also call at: Venezia Mestre
Despite there being no high speed line between Venice and Bologna, these Italo trains compete with Trenitalia's Frecce trains on this route.
They're as fast as the Frecce trains and like the Frecce trains, tickets for the Italo trains also include a reserved seat
They can be cheaper than those Frecce trains; you can compare prices on Omio or Trainline (see the links below).
Though if you will be buying tickets last minute at the station, the alternative Regionale Veloce trains will then be the cheapest option for a Venice to Bologna train journey.
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open:: around 4 months ahead of the travel date
The express train sevice between Venice and Bologna 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 Trainline or Omio or Rail Europe. Though look out for the fact that these ticketing services will charge a booking fee.
Additional information, including what to look out for in general when booking, is available on the general guide to booking Italian rail tickets.
The types of ticket
Up to four types of tickets are available for journeys by Italo trains - regardless of the type of ambience / travel class you wish to travel by.
The three types of ticket which are always available are:
(1) Low Cost tickets = You can change the class, date and time of your trip, as many times as you like, up to 72 hours before scheduled departure - Subject to availability
But will be charged 20% of the price initially paid + plus any price difference with the original price
You can purchase a Refund Option for an additional cost - and if you then want to cancel you will receive 80% of the price paid; Without it this type of ticket is not refundable
(2) Economy = You can change the class, date and time of your trip, as many times as you like, up to 3 minutes before scheduled departure - Subject to availability
But will be charged 20% of the price initially paid + plus any price difference with the original price
If you want to cancel you will receive 60% of the price paid.
(3) Flex = You can change the class, date and time of your trip, as many times as you like up to 3 minutes before scheduled departure - without paying any price difference from the offer available at the time of booking.
If you want to cancel you will receive 80% of the price paid
Plus if you miss your train, you will have an hour to re-book by the next available departure - but this can only be arranged at an Italo booking desk at a station, or by telephone.
When long term promotions such as the Extra Summer Offer are available, they will be the cheapest type of ticket, but they cannot be re-booked or refunded.
Child tickets:
Worth knowing is that this offer has terms, which are atypical of Flex tickets, including
When not booking under the Family Offer, children aged 4 to 13 will be charged Adult rates.
Rail passes
Eurail and InterRail passes can't be used on Italo trains.
1hr 58 min
Daily
r1 x train per hour
Is the journey from Venice to Bologna direct?
Yes, there is no need to make a connection when taking this route.
Is the journey scenic?
The only scenic highlight comes at the start of the trip, when the train crosses the lagoon directly after departing Santa Lucia station.
What other tourist locations are along the route from Venice to Bologna?
These trains also call at Padua and Rovigo and Ferrara (connect for Ravenna)
When is the usual approximate earliest arrival at Bologna from Venice on this journey option?
How easy is it to travel on from the station in Bologna?
The station is located on the northern edge of the city centre.
When is the usual approximate latest departure from Venezia S. Lucia to Bologna on this journey option
Before 19:45 daily
Source = European Rail Timetable
How easy is it to get to the station in Venice?
Santa Lucia station has a fantastic location on the Grand Canal and multiple boat bus routes arrive at the piers directly in front of the station - see the Station Guide for more information and easy access to booking accommodation in its neighbourhood.
Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance for these Venice to Bologna trains?
No, they will be the same price when booked last minute at the station.
What are the child ticket terms for these Venice to Bologna trains?
Children aged 4 -11 receive a 50% discount.
Does the ticket for these Venice to Bologna trains include assigned seats?
No - seat reservations are not available on these trains
Do rail pass users need to book reservations for these Venice to Bologna trains?
No, they can hop on board.
Is catering available on the Venice to Bologna trains on this journey option?
No
What else is good to know about Italian rail travel?
Check out the guide to travelling by train in Italy.
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:
Final Destination: Bologna
All trains also call at: Venezia Mestre, Ferrara, Rovigo.
These Regionale Veloce (RV) trains are the slowest option and seat reservations aren't available, but opting to travel by them can be a big money saver.
If you want to make a spontaneous and highly recommended day trip by train from Venice to Bologna, so will be buying tickets last minute at the station, you will save more than €20 by taking these trains RV trains each way.
And once you have your ticket, you can hop on any Regionale Veloce train in either direction, so they can be the best option on this route.
Rail pass users should target these Regionale Veloce (RV) trains for Bologna to Venice journeys.
There is little point in paying the €10 rail pass reservation fees on the Frecce trains in order to save 25 mins of travel time.
These trains tend to be popular and seats can’t be reserved, so it pays off if you're able to board around 8-10 mins before the train is due to depart from Venice.
Therefore aim to be at Santa Lucia station around 25 mins ahead of the departure time, to give yourself time to buy a ticket and find a seat.
The ticket office at Venezia S. Lucia is constantly busy, so give the Trentalia branded ticket machines a try - they're comparatively easy to use.
Don't forget to stamp your ticket before boarding these trains.
Book early and save: No - not if you take these Regionale Veloce (RV) trains from Venice to Bologna, though you can save by booking in advance for the express train options.
Tickets will cost the same price if purchased at the same station immediately before departure if you travel by these RV trains.
If you will be buying tickets at the station just before departure - tickets for these Regionale Veloce (RGV/RV) trains will be around 50% cheaper than the price of the faster Frecce trains.
Though if you can book in advance, the cheapest option of all on this route, can be the alternative Frecciabianca trains, but there are only two of these trains per day.
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