The terminal is served by an automatic train from the centre, public transport buses and long-distance services to other Italian cities.
| Link | Price | Travel time | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marconi Express | 12,80 eur 23,30 eur (return) |
6 minutes | 5-10 minutes |
| Bus Navetta Aeroporto 944 | 4 eur | 35-40 minutes | 24 minutes |
| Bus Marconi Express 949 | 9,80 eur | 30 minutes | 66minutes |
| Buses 81 and 91 | 2,30 eur | 15 minutes walk 27 minutes ride |
15-60 minutes |
Detailed information on each mode of transport is described below. But also discover our independent city guide and plan your trip with us:
Marconi Express
The automated train (monorail) called the Marconi Express is the main, fastest and most comfortable way of transport between the airport and the centre of Bologna.
Cheap hotels in the centre of Bologna
The platform is about 70 metres in front of the terminal and you can't miss the way - follow the green Marconi Express signs. The train runs to Bologna Centrale station, from where you can boldly continue on to trains heading to Rimini, Florence, Milan and all over Italy.
- Fares - 12,80 eur / 23,30 eur return (the ticket is valid for 75 minutes even on regular Tper bus lines in the city)
- Travel time - 7 minutes
- Frequency - 7 minutes during the day, 15 minutes early morning and late evening
- Official information: marconiexpress.it
The first connection from Centrale Station leaves at 5:40, the last connection from the airport at 0:00.
Tickets can be purchased in two ways - traditionally at the self-service terminals at the baggage claim or directly at the entrance to the train station, or by attaching a payment card at the entrance and exit turnstiles. Your fare will be deducted automatically.
You can also buy a combined ticket for the Marconi Express + long-distance and regional trains throughout Italy via trenitalia.com.
Make sure to allow time for your return journey to the airport, as the train capacity is about 50 people and you may be waiting for departure at busy times.
The Marconi Express station at the airport is located on the 1st floor and the staircase up leads directly from the arrivals area exit.
At Bologna Centrale station, the platform is on the complete other side from the centre and the station building. You have to walk through the underpass to the very end of it to the level of Via de' Carracci.
Bus Navetta Aeroporto 944
Directly from the terminal to the Ospedale Maggiore Hospital, there is also a bus line number 944 known as Navetta Aeroporto. From Ospedale Maggiore station, lines 18, 19, 35, 38 and 39 take you to the historic centre. Buses 38 and 39 are circular. The 38 is faster on the way to the centre, the 39 on the way from the centre.
Line 944 runs from the airport to the hospital for 10 minutes and departs at 20 minute intervals.
There is a special fare on the Navetta Aeroporto line, where one ride costs 4 eur. The fare is valid for 75 minutes and can also be used for other TPER bus lines in Bologna. There is no 24-hour ticket for this line.
You can buy your ticket in the following ways:
- With your own credit card by attaching it to the green validator inside the bus.
- via the Roger or Muver mobile apps
- Online on the website ticketweb.tper.it
- At the vending machine inside the arrivals hall
For online purchase, you must scan the QR code from the website or app at the green validator inside the bus. When travelling to the airport, you cannot buy a paper ticket for €4 anywhere in the city.
From the Ospedale Maggiore station, you can already use the regular city fare for 2,30 eur, or a 24-hour ticket for 9 eur. These cannot be bought from the machines at the airport, but only from newsagents in town or via the Roger app.
The first two morning services and the last two evening services of the Navetta Aeroporto line continue to the centre and to Bologna Centrale station.
Detailed information on this line, including the timetable, can be found at tper.it/navettaaeroporto.
Bus Marconi Express 949
The 949 Marconi Express bus line runs non-stop to Piazza Malpighi, on the western edge of the historic centre.
A special fare of €9.80 applies here, but you can also use the Marconi Express monorail tickets, including return fare (you can take one trip on the monorail and one on the 949 bus).
- Fares - 9,80 eur
- Journey time - 30 minutes
- Frequency - 66 minutes
- Official information: marconiexpress.it
The first bus from Piazza Malpighi leaves at 5:40, the last connection from the airport at 23:53.
Bus 54
To get closer to the city lines, you can also take bus number 54 to the stop Cintra Daziaria / Teatri di Vita (buses 13 and 86 towards the centre) or Birra (buses 81 and 91 towards the centre).
However, line 54 only runs once an hour from 6:45 to 20:20. You can use a day ticket for 9 eur, or a single ticket for 75 minutes for 2,30 eur.
At the airport, you can buy a paper ticket at the Carrefour supermarket or by simply putting your card to the green reader inside the bus. Fares for all city lines in Bologna can also be purchased via the Roger mobile app.
The timetable is available on the website: tper.it/54.
The 54 bus stop is located to the left of the arrivals hall near the stops for long-distance buses to other cities.
City buses from Birra stop
Buses from the Birra bus stop, 1,200 metres away, provide a more frequent low-cost service than the 54 line.
You can walk to Birra bus stop on the pavement in 15 minutes.
From Birra you can then use buses 81, 81A or 91, 91A (timetables can be found at: www.tper.it/orari). These run every 15-60 minutes to Bologna Centrale train station and cover the route in 26 minutes.
A ticket costs 2,30 eur when purchased at the Bar Incontro newsagent at the Birra stop or at the Carrefour supermarket in the airport arrivals hall. For more points of sale, visit tper.it/rivendite. Tickets are valid for 75 minutes from the time they are marked when boarding the bus. A 24-hour ticket for 9 eur can also be used for these routes.
Alternatively, the ticket can also be purchased via the Muver mobile app (available on: Google Play / App Store).
Night transport
The Macroni Express automatic train runs from 5:40am to 12:00am. During the night, it is replaced by bus line 944 at intervals of 30 minutes from 0:10 to 1:30 in the direction of the airport, or 4:30 to 5:40 in the direction of the airport.
During the day, it only goes to the Maggiore Hospital (see above), but at night it runs without changing buses from the airport to the main railway station.
The fare at night is the same as during the day, i.e. 4 eur.
Car rental
Want to go on a road-trip through the Italian countryside or to the nearby Apennine Mountains? In this case, travelling by rental car will be the best option.
Many international and local car rental companies are located right in the terminal. Prices for a week in high season start at 290 eur. Avoid Goldcar rental companies with bad reviews.
Buses to Rimini
Shuttle Italy Airport buses connect Bologna Airport directly with Rimini, with a stop in Cesena.
The cheapest way to buy tickets is via the company's website: shuttleitalyairport.it
- Fares to Rimini - 25 eur one-way / 45 eur return
- Travel time to Rimini - 90 minutes
- Frequency and timetable - approximately once every 2 hours: shuttleitalyairport.it/timetables
The cheapest connection is via Bologna Centrale station (cheapest from the airport with 1 change for 2,30 eur), from where Trenitalia trains run for 10,80 eur.
The bus stop is about 100 metres to the left of the exit from the terminal.
Buses to Florence
Bologna Airport is directly connected to Florence by Appennino Shuttle buses.
The cheapest way to buy tickets is via the company's website: appenninoshuttle.it
- Fares to Florence - 20 eur
- Travel time to Florence - 95 minutes
- Frequency and timetable - approximately once every 2 hours: appenninoshuttle.it
The cheapest connection is via Bologna Centrale station (cheapest from the airport with 1 change for 2,30 eur), where Trenitalia trains run from 9,45 eur, or fast trains from 14,90 eur.
The bus stop is located about 100 metres to the left of the exit from the terminal.
Bus to Ferrara
Bologna Airport is directly connected to Ferrara by Bus&Fly buses.
The cheapest tickets can be purchased via the company's website: ferrarabusandfly.it
- Fares to Ferrara - 17 eur
- Travel time to Ferrara - 60 minutes
- Frequency and timetable - about 8 times a day: ferrarabusandfly.it/timetable
The cheapest connection is via Bologna Centrale station (cheapest from the airport with 1 change for 2,30 eur), where Trenitalia trains run from 5,20 eur.
The bus stop is located about 100 metres to the left of the exit from the terminal.
Taxi / Uber
The official taxi rank is just outside the arrivals hall exit. The price is calculated according to the taximeter and varies between 20 eur and 25 eur depending on the destination.
The Uber mobile app also works in Bologna, but usually only has the better Uber Black cars available with prices around 30 eur.
The taxi stand via the mobile app is located at the car park behind the intercity bus stations.
It would be nice to add the line numbers to the table at the beginning of the guide. The Marconi Express ticket is valid within 75 minutes even on public transport. Missing from the table is the Marconi Express bus 949 - the Flex solo Bus 949 ticket for €9.80 is valid only on that bus and can also be bought on the Roger app. It goes to Piazza Malpighi without a stop and monorail tickets are valid on it (good if you can't fit and don't want to wait). https://www.marconiexpress.it/en...l-9-march/
They also have a new feature: you can buy a joint ticket for the Frecciarossa, Intercity or Regional + Marconi Express.
In the Muver app, you can buy both a 1,50 ticket for public transport and a 4 ticket for Navetta Aeroporto.
Night transport: line 940 is replaced by line 944. https://www.marconiexpress.it/en...ty-centre/
Great update, but forgot about the Night Traffic paragraph.
Tickets for public transport can also be bought at the airport Carrefour. As of today, a ticket no longer costs 50 euros, but 2.30 euros.
As the Incontro bar closes at 9pm, it would be better to explicitly mention the possibility of buying tickets at the airport Carrefour on buses 81, 91 and 54. Also handy if you don't trust your own card (hello Revolut).
You really don't need to buy a regular ticket for the 944 to get elsewhere, it has a 75 minute limit on public transport like the others.
For the 54 it says you can't buy a 2.30 ticket from the machine at the airport, but according to the TPER website you can. I found 4 vending machines side by side and not one was selling them. 😆
For connections to other cities with a transfer at the station, the old ticket price of 1,50 is still mentioned.
And then there's the package of 10 paper CityPass tickets, where 1 ride is €1.90 and multiple people can use them at once.
Those staying behind the airport in the village of Lippo can try to walk there according to Openstreetmap, but it's definitely not advisable to try in the dark.
Thanks so much for your help! I read the info about the vending machine too, but in reality (last year) it only sold tickets for 4€. I'll edit the app links later tonight (now I have a morning and work in Melbourne :D )
The machines sold only four euro bills and then only offered to print some electronic tickets.
That the 81 and 91 buses run once every 15 minutes, I wouldn't write that here. Depending on the day and time of day, sometimes every 15, sometimes every 30 and sometimes once an hour.