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How to take a rail journey from Venice/Venezia to Bologna
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Venezia / Venice / Venedig to Bologna by train
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.
Routes you can take to go from Venezia / Venice / Venedig 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 faster Frecce trains
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
1hr 25min
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
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.
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
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.
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.
Save A Train Guide
OBB Guide
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.
Travel Information
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.
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
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.
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.
If you need to commit to a specific travel date it can worth booking ahead and targeting these quicker Frecce trains for this journey.
Not only are they around 35mins faster than the alternative Regionale Veloce trains they're more frequent and in a different league in terms of comfort and amenities.
When the 'Super Frecce' tickets are still available online, they're only a couple of €s more expensive than the Regionale Veloce trains and the price difference can be worth every cent.
The high speed train (AV) service between Roma and Bologna is provided by:
(1) these Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia and
(2) alternative Italo 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.
Tickets for the Trenitalia Frecce trains are placed on sale 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.
So, 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 Trenitalia 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.
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 are happy to pay the €10 reservation fees, it makes sense to target the faster trains, the rail pass reservation fee will be consistent, regardless of the journey time.
Though rail pass users can avoid the charge completely by taking the Regionale Veloce (RV) trains.
Route Information
Option 3: taking the Italo trains
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
1hr 25min
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
9 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
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.
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.
Travel Information
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.
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
The train service between Venice/Venezia and Bologna is provided by
(1) these Italo trains
(2) 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.
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 with Trainline or Omio, though look out for the fact that both of these services will charge a booking fee.
Rail passes are not valid on the Italo trains
Route Information
Option 4: taking the Regionale Veloce (RV) trains
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
1hr 58 min
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
1 x train per hour
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.
Travel Information
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.
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Good to Know
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.
Tickets
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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