Day trip from Bologna to Ravenna by regional train

Outbound 1 h 12 minAbout 8 h for your visit in Ravenna
Costs for the dayabout €62.50 to €72.50 per person2 adults, recommended sights, with AI Tour Guide and foodWork out your costs ↓
Start the Ravenna tourSee the day plan
Ravenna

Ravenna is an easy day trip from Bologna: a direct regional train gets you there in about an hour and a quarter, and the station is within walking distance of the monuments. Leave around eight and you get nearly eight hours in town, enough to walk the whole monument route, go inside the mosaic churches and baptisteries and still be back in Bologna in the early evening.

Is a day trip from Bologna to Ravenna worth it?

Yes, if early Christian and Byzantine art means something to you. Ravenna was a capital three times over: of the Western Roman Empire, of the Ostrogothic kingdom under Theodoric and of the Byzantine exarchate. That history left a cluster of mosaic churches, baptisteries and mausoleums in a compact, flat centre, all of them listed by UNESCO. Bologna has towers, porticoes and food; Ravenna gives you a small town where almost every turn of the walk leads to a monument of late antiquity, which you will not find in Bologna or anywhere else in the region.

The travel cost is small: direct trains run roughly every hour, the ride is short, and you walk everything once you arrive. Ravenna also feels quiet compared with Florence or Venice, even in busy months. The trade off is the character of the day: almost everything you see is a church, a baptistery or a tomb. One day covers the whole route through the old town, though people who fall for the mosaics often wish they had a second.

Who this day trip suits

  • Art lovers drawn to early Christian and Byzantine monuments, with the combined ticket covering the mosaic interiors of San Vitale, Galla Placidia and the cathedral quarter
  • History readers curious about the Ostrogoths, Theodoric and the end of the Western Roman Empire
  • Travellers on a budget: a regional train, two tickets for all the interiors and a walking day keep the cost low
  • Anyone who wants a calm Italian town without the crowds of Florence or Venice
  • Dante readers who want to stand at the poet's tomb

Go if mosaics, early Christian art or late Roman history interest you; if churches and monuments leave you cold, or you want shopping and nightlife, pick Modena or Florence instead.

Other day trips from Bologna

How to get from Bologna to Ravenna by direct train

Take the direct Trenitalia Tper regional train from Bologna Centrale: no change, a short ride through the Romagna plain, and you arrive at a station within walking distance of the first monument. Driving gains you nothing here, as the historic centre is a restricted traffic zone.

Train: Trenitalia Tper

Direct regional trains leave Bologna Centrale for Ravenna roughly once an hour from early morning to late evening and take about an hour and a quarter. On weekdays there are around twenty of them, on Sundays fewer and the first one leaves later in the morning, which happens to be the train this plan uses. Buy your ticket at the station machines or on the Trenitalia website; if you hold a paper regional ticket, validate it in the machine on the platform before you board, because an unvalidated ticket can earn you a fine. Some services on the line are Intercity trains with their own reserved ticket, and a regional ticket is not valid on them, so check the train type when you pick a departure.

Operator
Trenitalia Tper
Route
Bologna Centrale → Ravenna
Journey time
1 h 12 min
Morning departures
Monday to Friday: 8 departures; Saturday: 7 departures; Sunday: 6 departures
Travel fare
Outward €8.50; return €8.50 (€17 return total)

Tickets at Trenitalia Tper ↗

From Ravenna station you walk to the Mausoleo di Teodorico, where the tour starts; plan about a quarter of an hour, and the navigation in the browser leads you there.

Timetable

departures by weekday
DaysDepartureArrivalDuration
Monday to Friday05:5006:501 h
Monday to Saturday06:5008:041 h 14 min
Monday to Sunday08:0509:171 h 12 min
Monday to Sunday09:0510:171 h 12 min
Monday to Sunday10:0511:171 h 12 min
Monday to Sunday11:0512:171 h 12 min
Monday to Sunday12:0513:171 h 12 min
Monday to Sunday13:0514:171 h 12 min

Timetable: Trenitalia Tper, as of 22 October 2026

Train: Trenitalia Tper

Monday to Saturday

DepartureArrivalDuration
12:4313:551 h 12 min
13:4314:551 h 12 min
14:4315:551 h 12 min
15:4316:551 h 12 min
16:4317:551 h 12 min
17:4318:551 h 12 min
18:4319:551 h 12 min
19:4320:551 h 12 min
20:4321:551 h 12 min
21:1022:0959 min
21:4323:001 h 17 min

Sunday

DepartureArrivalDuration
12:4313:551 h 12 min
13:4314:551 h 12 min
14:4315:551 h 12 min
15:4316:551 h 12 min
16:4317:551 h 12 min
17:4318:551 h 12 min
18:4319:551 h 12 min
19:4320:551 h 12 min
20:4321:551 h 12 min
21:4323:001 h 17 min

Timetable: Trenitalia Tper, as of 22 October 2026

Check current times at Trenitalia Tper ↗

Bologna to Ravenna day trip itinerary: one day, nine monuments

Day plan for: Mon–Sun

Catch the train just after eight from Bologna Centrale so you start at Theodoric's mausoleum before mid-morning, take the mosaic interiors at an unhurried pace, finish the walk around five and ride back at about a quarter to six.

  1. Morning08:05 – 09:17

    Take the direct Trenitalia Tper regional train just after eight from Bologna Centrale, arrive in Ravenna at about a quarter past nine and walk to the Mausoleo di Teodorico, about a quarter of an hour.

    This train leaves early enough for a full day without a dawn start, and runs on Sundays too.

  2. Tour09:45 – 13:15

    Open the tour in the browser at the Mausoleo di Teodorico and go inside Theodoric's tomb. The AI Tour Guide greets you, tells you about Theodoric and his tomb, asks what you want to know and then walks you across town to the Basilica di San Vitale around a quarter to eleven, the Mausoleo di Galla Placidia right next door around half past eleven and the Museo Arcivescovile around half past twelve. With the combined ticket you go inside all three while the guide tells their stories.

    The morning covers Theodoric's tomb and the mosaic quarter around San Vitale before it reaches the cathedral, with enough time to look properly at each interior.

    1. Mausoleo di Teodorico in Ravenna, stop 1 on the self-guided walking tour1Mausoleo di Teodorico
    2. Basilica di San Vitale in Ravenna, stop 2 on the self-guided walking tour2Basilica di San Vitale
    3. Mausoleo di Galla Placidia in Ravenna, stop 3 on the self-guided walking tour3Mausoleo di Galla Placidia
    4. Museo Arcivescovile in Ravenna, stop 4 on the self-guided walking tour4Museo Arcivescovile

    Start the Ravenna tour

  3. Lunch13:15 – 14:15

    Break for lunch after the Museo Arcivescovile and before the Battistero Neoniano. A piadina with prosciutto, rocket and squacquerone from a counter in the Mercato Coperto is quick and cheap; for a sit down meal, cappelletti or passatelli in brodo are the local dishes to order.

    Kitchens wind down in the early afternoon, and the break falls in the middle of town, between the archbishops' museum and the baptistery next door.

  4. Afternoon14:15 – 17:15

    The guide picks up again at the Battistero Neoniano around a quarter past two, which you visit inside, crosses Piazza del Popolo around three and reaches the Tomba di Dante around a quarter past three. Then comes the Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo around four, again inside, and the tour ends at the Battistero degli Ariani around a quarter to five, which you see from outside. Optional detour: the flooded crypt of San Francesco next to Dante's tomb is free; allow about a quarter of an hour extra.

    Ending at the Arian Baptistery leaves you close to the station, and the quarter hour in hand before leaving is just enough for the crypt detour.

    1. Battistero Neoniano in Ravenna, stop 5 on the self-guided walking tour5Battistero Neoniano
    2. Piazza del Popolo in Ravenna, stop 6 on the self-guided walking tour6Piazza del Popolo
    3. Tomba di Dante in Ravenna, stop 7 on the self-guided walking tour7Tomba di Dante
    4. Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna, stop 8 on the self-guided walking tour8Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo
    5. Battistero degli Ariani in Ravenna, stop 9 on the self-guided walking tour9Battistero degli Ariani
  5. Return17:15 – 18:55

    Leave the Battistero degli Ariani by a quarter past five at the latest, walk about ten minutes to the station and take the Trenitalia Tper regional at about a quarter to six, arriving at Bologna Centrale shortly before seven.

    The ten minute walk plus a short buffer gets you to the platform without rushing; if you would rather stay longer, later direct trains run about every hour into the evening.

Arrival to return departure: 8 h 26 min. Time for your visit: about 8 h.

Arrival 09:17, tour start 09:45: 15 min to walk to the start, 13 min spare.

You get nearly eight hours in Ravenna; if you arrive late, cut the end of the tour, Sant'Apollinare Nuovo and the Arian Baptistery, rather than rushing the morning stops.

Best day to visit Ravenna from Bologna

  1. Monday: recommended
  2. Tuesday: recommended
  3. Wednesday: recommended
  4. Thursday: recommended
  5. Friday: recommended
  6. Saturday: recommended
  7. Sunday: recommended

Ravenna walking tour in one day: from Theodoric's tomb to the Arian Baptistery

The walking tour is how you see Ravenna on this day: nine stops from the Mausoleo di Teodorico to the Battistero degli Ariani, about 4.4 km and an hour of walking on flat streets. You go inside Theodoric's tomb, the mosaic monuments of the combined ticket and Dante's tomb, and see Piazza del Popolo and the Arian Baptistery from outside, while the AI Tour Guide leads the walk as a conversation, so between San Vitale and Dante's tomb you hear how three empires shaped one small town instead of reading signs.

The Ravenna tour: your guide leads you from stop to stop.
  1. Mausoleo di Teodorico
  2. Basilica di San Vitale
  3. Mausoleo di Galla Placidia
  4. Museo Arcivescovile
  5. Battistero Neoniano
  6. Piazza del Popolo
  7. Tomba di Dante
  8. Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo
  9. Battistero degli Ariani

Start the Ravenna tour

Opening hours as of 8 October 2026.

  1. Mausoleo di Teodorico in Ravenna, stop 1 on the self-guided walking tour
    1Stop 1

    Mausoleo di Teodorico

    The tomb of the Ostrogothic king Theodoric the Great, an unusual stone building raised in the 6th century.

    Hours
    Daily: 08:30–17:30 (last admission 17:00)
    Price
    €6
  2. Basilica di San Vitale in Ravenna, stop 2 on the self-guided walking tour
    2Stop 2

    Basilica di San Vitale

    A sixth century church that is a key surviving example of early Byzantine art and architecture, with mosaics that are among the most studied works of their kind.

    Hours
    Daily: 10:00–17:00 (last admission 16:30)
    Price
    Combined ticket: €14.50
  3. Mausoleo di Galla Placidia in Ravenna, stop 3 on the self-guided walking tour
    3Stop 3

    Mausoleo di Galla Placidia

    A small mausoleum from the first half of the 5th century, right next to San Vitale and older than any other mosaic interior on the walk.

    Hours
    Daily: 10:00–17:00 (last admission 16:45)
    Included
    Ravenna combined ticket (5 monuments)
  4. Museo Arcivescovile in Ravenna, stop 4 on the self-guided walking tour
    4Stop 4

    Museo Arcivescovile

    The archbishops' museum behind Ravenna's cathedral, next door to the Neonian Baptistery.

    Hours
    Daily: 10:00–17:00 (last admission 16:30)
    Included
    Ravenna combined ticket (5 monuments)
  5. Battistero Neoniano in Ravenna, stop 5 on the self-guided walking tour
    5Stop 5

    Battistero Neoniano

    The cathedral's baptistery from the late 4th or early 5th century, also called the Baptistery of the Orthodox.

    Hours
    Daily: 10:00–17:00 (last admission 16:45)
    Included
    Ravenna combined ticket (5 monuments)
  6. Piazza del Popolo in Ravenna, stop 6 on the self-guided walking tour
    6Stop 6

    Piazza del Popolo

    Ravenna's main square, dating back to the late 13th century when the Da Polenta family took control of the city.

    Price
    Free
  7. Tomba di Dante in Ravenna, stop 7 on the self-guided walking tour
    7Stop 7

    Tomba di Dante

    The neoclassical monument built in 1781 over the grave of Dante Alighieri, beside the Basilica of San Francesco.

    Hours
    Daily: 10:00–18:00
    Price
    Free
  8. Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna, stop 8 on the self-guided walking tour
    8Stop 8

    Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo

    The palace chapel Theodoric built for himself in the first quarter of the 6th century.

    Hours
    Daily: 10:00–17:00 (last admission 16:30)
    Included
    Ravenna combined ticket (5 monuments)
  9. Battistero degli Ariani in Ravenna, stop 9 on the self-guided walking tour
    9Stop 9

    Battistero degli Ariani

    The baptistery Theodoric raised around the turn of the 6th century for the Arian faith, a counterpart to the Neonian Baptistery you visit after lunch.

    Price
    Optional entry · Battistero degli Ariani: €3
AI Tour Guide in Ravenna

Your guide for the Ravenna tour

The AI Tour Guide leads this walk from Theodoric's tomb to the Arian Baptistery as a spoken conversation: it tells the stories behind San Vitale, Galla Placidia and Dante's grave, asks what caught your eye and remembers it at the next monument. You start it in the browser at the Mausoleo di Teodorico and can interrupt it whenever a place holds you longer.

stops
9
route
4.4 km
walking only
1 h
with visits
6 h 15 min
  • 100 free credits to start
  • €19.99 once for the whole group
  • Travel and admission tickets are not included
Start the Ravenna tourSee the whole tour →

What a Bologna to Ravenna day trip costs

The day's cost comes from three things: the regional train both ways, the entrance tickets and lunch. The cost tool starts with two tickets, Theodoric's mausoleum and the combined ticket for the five mosaic monuments, plus a lunch allowance; Dante's tomb and Piazza del Popolo are free, and the Arian Baptistery is seen from outside, so it adds nothing.

Adults
Children

One device is enough for the whole group: two people listen on two connected headphones, larger groups use the phone speaker.

Cost breakdown

Costs for 2 adults · planned visits

Travel there and backTrenitalia Tper2 adults × €17€34
SightsMausoleo di Teodorico and Ravenna combined ticket (5 monuments)2 adults × €20.50€41
AI Tour Guide touronce for the whole group€19.99
Food (estimate)€15 to €25 per person€30 to €50
Total€124.99 to €144.99
Split between peopleabout €62.50 to €72.50 per person
Sights
  • €6
  • €3
  • €14.50
Buffer and private guide

The combined ticket covers San Vitale, Galla Placidia, the Archiepiscopal Museum, the Neonian Baptistery and Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in one purchase, and a piadina from the Mercato Coperto keeps lunch cheaper than a sit down meal.

Prices as of October 2026.

Getting back from Ravenna to Bologna

Direct regional trains back to Bologna Centrale leave Ravenna roughly once an hour into the evening and take about an hour and a quarter, so a missed train costs you an hour, not the evening. The tour ends at the Battistero degli Ariani; allow about ten minutes on foot to the station plus a short buffer, and validate a paper ticket before you board.

If you run late, skip the crypt detour first, then shorten the stops at Sant'Apollinare Nuovo and the Arian Baptistery. If you miss that train, simply take the next direct train about an hour later; they keep running into the late evening.

Recommended returnTrenitalia Tper: departs 17:43, arrives 18:55Leave the last stop of the tour by 17:15

Latest return that fits the day: 21:43

  • Trenitalia Tper from Ravenna, Monday to Sunday: departs 21:43, arrives 23:00

Questions about the day trip from Bologna to Ravenna

Do I need to book the mosaic monuments in advance?

Yes, it is wise. Galla Placidia and the Neonian Baptistery have timed, capacity limited entry and can sell out in busy months, so buy the combined ticket online before you leave Bologna and pick slots that match the plan: Galla Placidia in the late morning, the Neonian Baptistery after lunch.

Is there a dress code?

Several monuments are active churches: cover shoulders and knees and keep your voice low inside.

Can I take photos inside?

Yes, without flash. Tripods and selfie sticks are not allowed, and food and drinks stay outside, so carry a water bottle for the walks between sites.

Is this day trip good with children?

Older children who like stories do well, especially with the guide's tales of kings and emperors. With children under ten, pick two or three monuments rather than all nine stops.

Should I drive from Bologna instead?

The train is simpler. Ravenna's historic centre is a camera controlled restricted traffic zone, parking near the centre is paid except on Sundays and holidays, and the car brings no time advantage over the direct train.

More day trips from Bologna

Florence in a day 37 min Venice in a day 1 h 30 min Modena in a day 30 min Rimini in a day 1 h Verona in a day 52 min Ferrara in a day 30 min Parma in a day 55 min

Sources

Timetables, fares and opening hours come from these operators:

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