You are planning to visit Bologna but you do not know how to move around the city? Keep reading our article!
Getting to Bologna
Bologna is a city located in a strategic position: it is excellently connected to all the major Italian and European cities. To reach Bologna there are several options: plane, train or bus.
As for the plane, in Bologna there is the Guglielmo Marconi airport: it is about 6 km away from the city center. The airport can be reached by car, taking the beltways or the ring road boulevards of Bologna, following the signs.
From the airport it is also possible to get a taxi to reach the city center: simply call the service via the numbers indicated on the Internet or wait for a free car in the appropriate taxi station of the airport. The cost of the ride may vary, but it usually ranges from 15 to 20 euros. Alternatively, you can take the Marconi Express monorail trains, which connect the train station to the airport. The journey is about 7 minutes long and the bus gets to the stop every 7 minutes. The ticket costs €8.70 one way and €16.00 return as well.
As for the train, Bologna Centrale station is located very close to the city center, at the end of St. Indipendenza. Bologna station is partly underground, for high-speed trains, while the upper part is reserved for regional trains. From the station, it only takes 15 minutes on foot to reach Piazza Maggiore!
Getting to Bologna by bus is another suitable alternative. The bus station is also located near the city centre, a short walk from the train station. From here, buses depart from Bologna to many Italian and international cities.
How to move around Bologna
Bologna is a “people-oriented” city, with a small historic center, where any place can be reached by foot.
There is no metro, but the city has an efficient TPER bus system, which allows you to reach every area. The bus city ticket costs €1.50 and lasts for 75 minutes. It is also possible to buy it directly on the but, but it costs about €2. The city center and the major attractions can be visited entirely on foot, except for the Sanctuary of the Madonna of San Luca, which is located on the Colle della Guardia.
The Municipality of Bologna also provides an application that can be downloaded on your smartphone, RideMovi, which allows you to rent bicycles to get around the city more comfortably. By connecting your credit card, payment will be made automatically through the application. The cost is variable and it depends on the rental time of the bike.
In Bologna you can also rent cars through the Enjoy service. Again, just download the app on your phone and you are done! There is also another car sharing, which is electric: Corrente. It works just like the other services, you download the app and will have the car in a click!
To plan your journeys there are two other applications that could be useful: MiMuovoInfo and Moovit, which allow you to search for coaches and trains by entering the desired departure and the arrival points.
Where to park in Bologna
Getting around Bologna by car can be risky: you always have to pay attention to the limited traffic areas (ZTL) in the historic center.
The city center and the area just outside the walls offer many parking spaces, including multi-storey car parks and underground parking for a fee.
The closest to the center are the parking lot of the Bologna Centrale P1 station in St. Giacomo Matteotti 5, the parking Riva di Reno in St. Azzo Gardino 61b and the parking Piazza VIII Agosto in St. Federico Venturini 8.
Alternatively, you can look for free outdoor parking, though the availability in the city center is quite limited.
