Day trip from Bologna to Verona by regional train

Outbound 1 h 25 minAbout 8.5 h for your visit in Verona
Costs for the dayabout €84.10 to €94.10 per person2 adults, recommended sights, with AI Tour Guide and foodWork out your costs ↓
Start the Verona tourSee the day plan
Verona

A day trip from Bologna to Verona works well: about an hour and a half each way on a direct regional train, a walking tour of around six and a half hours through Roman and medieval Verona, and a direct train home that gets you back to Bologna in the evening. Take the early train out and you get roughly eight and a half hours in Verona.

Is a day trip from Bologna to Verona worth it?

Verona is easy to reach from Bologna: a direct regional train with no change, and departures spread across the whole day, so you can leave early and come back late without planning around a single connection. The centre is compact, and everything on the walk lies within a short stroll of the next stop, so you never need a bus or a taxi once you are in town.

What Verona gives you that Bologna does not is its Roman layer in plain sight: an amphitheatre still standing in the main square, a Roman bridge over the Adige, a Roman theatre on the far bank and a city gate from the first century BC. On top of that come the tombs of the Scaliger lords, the story of Juliet that the city has made its own, and a different region with its own food and wine, risotto made with Amarone and a glass of Valpolicella instead of tortellini.

The price is time. You spend about three hours on trains in total, and the full walking tour with five paid entrances fills most of the day, so you are back in Bologna in the evening. If you want a lighter day, you can stop the tour early and take an afternoon train back.

Who this day trip suits

  • History lovers: the Arena, Ponte Pietra, the Roman theatre and Porta Borsari show Roman Verona in a single walk.
  • Readers of Shakespeare and romantics: Juliet's House and the river views give the day its story.
  • Wine lovers: lunch in Verona is the place for Amarone risotto and Valpolicella from the hills just outside town.
  • Art lovers: Castelvecchio ends the day with Italian and European art from the Middle Ages onwards.
  • Travellers based in Bologna who want to see a second region, the Veneto, without moving hotels.

Go if you want Roman and medieval Verona in one full day on foot and do not mind a long day; if food is your priority or you want a short, easy outing, Modena or Ferrara suit you better.

Other day trips from Bologna

How to get from Bologna to Verona by train

The best way is the direct Trenitalia regional train from Bologna Centrale to Verona Porta Nuova: no change, about 85 minutes, and trains from early morning to late evening, which makes both the early start and the late return easy. Italo's high-speed trains are quicker at under an hour, but only a handful run and the first leaves mid-morning, while FlixBus coaches take longer than the train.

Train: Trenitalia Regionale

Direct regional trains leave Bologna Centrale for Verona Porta Nuova throughout the day, roughly once an hour, so a missed train costs you little. The ride takes about 85 minutes with no change, ending at Verona's main station. Buy your ticket from Trenitalia online or at the station machines before you board; the fare is shown in the cost tool. When you search, pick a direct service to Verona Porta Nuova: high-speed trains also run on the line, but they are priced differently and are not part of this plan.

Operator
Trenitalia Regionale
Route
Bologna Centrale → Verona Porta Nuova
Journey time
1 h 25 min
Morning departures
Monday to Friday and Sunday: 9 departures; Saturday: 10 departures
Travel fare
Outward €10.80; return €10.80 (€21.60 return total)

Tickets at Trenitalia ↗

From Verona Porta Nuova it is a straightforward walk into town to Piazza Bra, where the tour starts, and city buses also run from the station. The plan allows 30 minutes for this first leg, enough to get your bearings on the way.

Timetable

departures by weekday
RouteDaysDepartureArrivalDuration
Bologna Centrale → Verona Porta NuovaSunday · Trenitalia07:1008:341 h 24 min
Show all departures (16)
departures by weekday
RouteDaysDepartureArrivalDuration
Bologna (central bus station) → Verona (Porta Nuova)Monday to Thursday · FlixBus05:1507:001 h 45 min
Bologna Centrale → Verona Porta NuovaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia06:0507:431 h 38 min
Bologna Centrale → Verona Porta NuovaSunday · Trenitalia07:1008:341 h 24 min
Bologna Centrale → Verona Porta NuovaMonday to Saturday · Trenitalia07:1008:351 h 25 min
Bologna Centrale → Verona Porta NuovaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia08:1009:351 h 25 min
Bologna (central bus station) → Verona (Porta Nuova)Monday to Thursday · FlixBus08:1510:001 h 45 min
Bologna Centrale → Verona Porta NuovaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia09:1610:0852 min
Bologna Centrale → Verona Porta NuovaMonday to Sunday · Italo09:4610:3852 min
Bologna Centrale → Verona Porta NuovaSaturday to Sunday · Trenitalia10:1011:351 h 25 min
Bologna Centrale → Verona Porta NuovaMonday to Sunday · Italo10:4611:3852 min
Bologna Centrale → Verona Porta NuovaMonday to Saturday · Trenitalia11:1012:401 h 30 min
Bologna Centrale → Verona Porta NuovaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia11:1612:0852 min
Bologna Centrale → Verona Porta NuovaMonday to Friday · Trenitalia12:0513:351 h 30 min
Bologna Centrale → Verona Porta NuovaSaturday to Sunday · Trenitalia12:1013:381 h 28 min
Bologna Centrale → Verona Porta NuovaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia12:1613:0852 min
Bologna Centrale → Verona Porta NuovaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia13:1614:0852 min

Timetable: Trenitalia, as of 22 October 2026

Timetable: FlixBus, as of 22 October 2026

Timetable: Italo, as of 22 October 2026

departures by weekday
RouteDaysDepartureArrivalDuration
Verona Porta Nuova → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia18:2620:051 h 39 min
Show all departures (21)
departures by weekday
RouteDaysDepartureArrivalDuration
Verona Porta Nuova → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia12:2613:581 h 32 min
Verona Porta Nuova → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia13:2614:581 h 32 min
Verona Porta Nuova → Bologna CentraleSunday · Trenitalia13:4515:241 h 39 min
Verona Porta Nuova → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia14:1515:371 h 22 min
Verona Porta Nuova → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Italo14:2215:1452 min
Verona Porta Nuova → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia14:2616:051 h 39 min
Verona (Porta Nuova) → Bologna (central bus station)Monday to Thursday · FlixBus14:4516:502 h 5 min
Verona Porta Nuova → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia14:5215:4452 min
Verona Porta Nuova → Bologna CentraleMonday to Saturday · Trenitalia15:1616:581 h 42 min
Verona Porta Nuova → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Italo16:2017:1454 min
Verona Porta Nuova → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia16:2618:051 h 39 min
Verona Porta Nuova → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia16:5217:4452 min
Verona Porta Nuova → Bologna CentraleMonday to Saturday · Trenitalia17:1719:011 h 44 min
Verona (Porta Nuova) → Bologna (central bus station)Monday · FlixBus17:4519:301 h 45 min
Verona Porta Nuova → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia17:5218:4452 min
Verona Porta Nuova → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Italo18:2219:1452 min
Verona Porta Nuova → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia18:2620:051 h 39 min
Verona (Porta Nuova) → Bologna (central bus station)Monday to Thursday · FlixBus18:4020:251 h 45 min
Verona Porta Nuova → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia18:5219:4452 min
Verona Porta Nuova → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia21:0422:451 h 41 min
Verona (Porta Nuova) → Bologna (central bus station)Monday to Thursday · FlixBus21:1523:001 h 45 min

Timetable: Trenitalia, as of 22 October 2026

Timetable: FlixBus, as of 22 October 2026

Timetable: Italo, as of 22 October 2026

Bologna to Verona day trip itinerary, from the early train to the evening train home

Day plan for: Fri

Leave on the early direct train, start walking at the Arena in the morning, see the Scaliger Tombs before their midday break, and let the museums fill the afternoon before the early evening train back.

  1. Morning07:10 – 08:35

    Take the direct regional train from Bologna Centrale shortly after seven, arrive at Verona Porta Nuova just after half past eight and walk into town to Piazza Bra.

    This train puts you at the start of the tour in the morning with the whole day ahead; the next ones push the start later and squeeze the museum afternoon.

  2. Tour09:15 – 12:45

    Open the tour in the browser at Piazza Bra and the Arena around a quarter past nine. The AI Tour Guide greets you, tells you the stories behind each place, asks what interests you and leads you to San Fermo Maggiore, Juliet's House, Torre dei Lamberti, Piazza delle Erbe, Piazza dei Signori, the Scaliger Tombs and Sant'Anastasia. Go inside Juliet's House, up Torre dei Lamberti for the view over the rooftops and into the Scaliger Tombs; the Arena, Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza dei Signori you see from outside.

    The morning keeps the first eight stops close together, so you see the Arena, Juliet's House, the old market square and the Scaliger Tombs before lunch without rushing.

    1. Piazza Bra & Arena di Verona, stop 1 on the self-guided walking tour1Piazza Bra & Arena di Verona
    2. San Fermo Maggiore Church in Verona, stop 2 on the self-guided walking tour2San Fermo Maggiore Church
    3. Casa di Giulietta (Juliet's House) in Verona, stop 3 on the self-guided walking tour3Casa di Giulietta (Juliet's House)
    4. Torre dei Lamberti in Verona, stop 4 on the self-guided walking tour4Torre dei Lamberti
    5. Piazza delle Erbe in Verona, stop 5 on the self-guided walking tour5Piazza delle Erbe
    6. Piazza dei Signori in Verona, stop 6 on the self-guided walking tour6Piazza dei Signori
    7. Arche Scaligere (Scaliger Tombs) in Verona, stop 7 on the self-guided walking tour7Arche Scaligere (Scaliger Tombs)

    Start the Verona tour

  3. Lunch12:45 – 13:45

    Eat after Sant'Anastasia and before Ponte Pietra, right in the old centre. This is the moment for risotto all'Amarone or pastissada de caval with polenta, and a glass of Valpolicella if you like.

    The Scaliger Tombs close over midday, so you see them before the break and eat while they are shut, then cross the river with the afternoon ahead.

  4. Afternoon13:45 – 17:45

    The guide picks up the walk at Ponte Pietra, then takes you across the Adige to the Roman theatre and its archaeological museum, back to the Duomo, through Porta Borsari and finally to Castelvecchio. Go inside the Roman theatre museum and Castelvecchio; Ponte Pietra and Porta Borsari are outside stops. After Castelvecchio you have about an hour of slack for a coffee or an unhurried stroll back past Piazza Bra.

    The afternoon follows the tour order from the river crossing back through the old town, so the museums come after lunch and you end near the station side of town.

    1. Basilica di Sant'Anastasia in Verona, stop 8 on the self-guided walking tour8Basilica di Sant'Anastasia
    2. Ponte Pietra in Verona, stop 9 on the self-guided walking tour9Ponte Pietra
    3. Teatro Romano & Museo Archeologico in Verona, stop 10 on the self-guided walking tour10Teatro Romano & Museo Archeologico
    4. Duomo di Verona (Cathedral), stop 11 on the self-guided walking tour11Duomo di Verona (Cathedral)
    5. Porta Borsari (Roman Gate) in Verona, stop 12 on the self-guided walking tour12Porta Borsari (Roman Gate)
    6. Castelvecchio Museum in Verona, stop 13 on the self-guided walking tour13Castelvecchio Museum
  5. Return17:45 – 20:05

    Walk back to Verona Porta Nuova, allowing 25 minutes plus 15 minutes of buffer, and take the direct regional train just before half past six, arriving at Bologna Centrale shortly after eight.

    This direct train gets you back to Bologna in time for dinner; leaving Castelvecchio by about a quarter to six keeps a calm margin.

Arrival to return departure: 9 h 51 min. Time for your visit: about 8.5 h.

Arrival 08:35, tour start 09:15: 30 min to walk to the start, 10 min spare.

Realistically you get about eight and a half hours in Verona; if you arrive later, shorten the end of the tour, giving Castelvecchio less time or leaving it out, and keep the morning stops in their order.

Best day to visit Verona from Bologna

  1. Monday: better not
  2. Tuesday: better not
  3. Wednesday: better not
  4. Thursday: better not
  5. Friday: recommended
  6. Saturday: better not
  7. Sunday: better not
  • Monday: The planned interior visits (Casa di Giulietta (Juliet's House), Arche Scaligere (Scaliger Tombs), Teatro Romano & Museo Archeologico and Castelvecchio Museum) do not fit the opening hours on this day.
  • Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: The planned interior visits (Arche Scaligere (Scaliger Tombs)) do not fit the opening hours on this day.
  • Saturday: The planned interior visits (Duomo di Verona (Cathedral)) do not fit the opening hours on this day.
  • Sunday: The planned interior visits (San Fermo Maggiore Church) do not fit the opening hours on this day.

Verona walking tour in one day: from the Arena to Castelvecchio

The walking tour is how you see Verona on this day: a loop of about 5.2 kilometres, roughly 75 minutes of pure walking, that starts at Piazza Bra, runs through the medieval squares, crosses the Adige to the Roman theatre and ends at Castelvecchio. With the stops it takes around six and a half hours, an easy pace on flat streets with plenty of pauses. The AI Tour Guide leads it as a conversation, so you can ask about anything you pass along the way.

The Verona tour: your guide leads you from stop to stop.
  1. Piazza Bra & Arena di Verona
  2. San Fermo Maggiore Church
  3. Casa di Giulietta (Juliet's House)
  4. Torre dei Lamberti
  5. Piazza delle Erbe
  6. Piazza dei Signori
  7. Arche Scaligere (Scaliger Tombs)
  8. Basilica di Sant'Anastasia
  9. Ponte Pietra
  10. Teatro Romano & Museo Archeologico
  11. Duomo di Verona (Cathedral)
  12. Porta Borsari (Roman Gate)
  13. Castelvecchio Museum

Start the Verona tour

Opening hours as of 21 October 2026.

  1. Piazza Bra & Arena di Verona, stop 1 on the self-guided walking tour
    1Stop 1

    Piazza Bra & Arena di Verona

    A Roman amphitheatre in the middle of the main square, among the best preserved anywhere, and still a stage for opera in summer.

    Website
    arena.it ↗
    Price
    Seen from outside on the tour; going inside is optional and not included in this total.
  2. San Fermo Maggiore Church in Verona, stop 2 on the self-guided walking tour
    2Stop 2

    San Fermo Maggiore Church

    The church of Saints Fermo and Rustico, known to everyone in Verona simply as San Fermo Maggiore.

    Hours
    Mon–Fri: 10:00–17:00
    Sat: 10:00–17:30
    Sun: 13:00–17:30
  3. Casa di Giulietta (Juliet's House) in Verona, stop 3 on the self-guided walking tour
    3Stop 3

    Casa di Giulietta (Juliet's House)

    A medieval house on Via Cappello that the city has tied to Shakespeare's Juliet.

    Hours
    Mon: closed
    Tue–Sun: 09:00–19:00
    Price
    €9
  4. Torre dei Lamberti in Verona, stop 4 on the self-guided walking tour
    4Stop 4

    Torre dei Lamberti

    A medieval tower rising right beside Piazza delle Erbe, with a view over the rooftops if you go up.

    Hours
    Mon–Fri: 10:00–18:00
    Sat, Sun: 11:00–19:00
    Price
    €6
  5. Piazza delle Erbe in Verona, stop 5 on the self-guided walking tour
    5Stop 5

    Piazza delle Erbe

    Verona's oldest square, laid out where the Roman forum once stood.

    Price
    Free
  6. Piazza dei Signori in Verona, stop 6 on the self-guided walking tour
    6Stop 6

    Piazza dei Signori

    The square next door to Piazza delle Erbe, also called Piazza Dante, where the city's rulers held court.

    Price
    Seen from outside on the tour; going inside is optional and not included in this total.
  7. Arche Scaligere (Scaliger Tombs) in Verona, stop 7 on the self-guided walking tour
    7Stop 7

    Arche Scaligere (Scaliger Tombs)

    Five Gothic funerary monuments for the Scaliger family, who ruled Verona from the 13th to the late 14th century.

    Hours
    Mon–Thu: closed
    Fri–Sun: 10:00–13:00, 14:00–17:00
    Price
    €4.50
  8. Basilica di Sant'Anastasia in Verona, stop 8 on the self-guided walking tour
    8Stop 8

    Basilica di Sant'Anastasia

    A large church in the heart of the old town, formally dedicated to Saint Peter of Verona but known to all as Sant'Anastasia.

    Hours
    Mon–Fri: 10:00–17:00
    Sat: 09:30–18:00
    Sun: 13:00–17:30
  9. Ponte Pietra in Verona, stop 9 on the self-guided walking tour
    9Stop 9

    Ponte Pietra

    Verona's oldest bridge and the only one left from Roman times, blown up by German soldiers in the Second World War and rebuilt.

    Price
    Free
  10. Teatro Romano & Museo Archeologico in Verona, stop 10 on the self-guided walking tour
    10Stop 10

    Teatro Romano & Museo Archeologico

    The Roman theatre on the far bank of the Adige, with the archaeological museum above it in a former monastery.

    Hours
    Mon: closed
    Tue–Sun: 10:00–18:00
    Price
    €9
  11. Duomo di Verona (Cathedral), stop 11 on the self-guided walking tour
    11Stop 11

    Duomo di Verona (Cathedral)

    Verona's cathedral, Santa Maria Matricolare, dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

    Hours
    Mon–Fri: 10:00–17:00
    Sat: 10:00–15:30
    Sun: 13:30–17:30
  12. Porta Borsari (Roman Gate) in Verona, stop 12 on the self-guided walking tour
    12Stop 12

    Porta Borsari (Roman Gate)

    A Roman city gate from the first century BC that you still walk through today.

    Price
    Free
  13. Castelvecchio Museum in Verona, stop 13 on the self-guided walking tour
    13Stop 13

    Castelvecchio Museum

    One of Verona's most important museums, with Italian and European art from the Middle Ages to modern times.

    Hours
    Mon: closed
    Tue–Sun: 10:00–18:00 (last admission 17:15)
    Price
    €9
AI Tour Guide in Verona

Your guide for the Verona tour

The AI Tour Guide leads this walk through Verona as a conversation: it greets you at Piazza Bra, tells you how a Roman arena became an opera stage and why the Scaligers placed their tombs in the middle of town, and asks what you would like to hear more about. It remembers whether the Roman stones or Juliet's story catch your attention and shapes the rest of the walk around that. You start it in the browser at the first stop.

stops
13
route
5.2 km
walking only
1 h 15 min
with visits
6 h 25 min
  • 100 free credits to start
  • €19.99 once for the whole group
  • Travel and admission tickets are not included
Start the Verona tourSee the whole tour →

What a Bologna to Verona day trip costs

The day's cost comes from three things: the two train fares, the entrances you choose, and food. The cost tool starts with five entrances, Juliet's House, Torre dei Lamberti, the Scaliger Tombs, the Roman theatre museum and Castelvecchio, because they are the paid stops the day plan takes you into, while the Arena is an extra you can add; a city bus to or from the station is not included in the total.

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 Regionale2 adults × €21.60€43.20
SightsCastelvecchio Museum, Casa di Giulietta (Juliet's House), Arche Scaligere (Scaliger Tombs), Torre dei Lamberti and Teatro Romano & Museo Archeologico2 adults × €37.50€75
AI Tour Guide touronce for the whole group€19.99
Food (estimate)€15 to €25 per person€30 to €50
Total€168.19 to €188.19
Split between peopleabout €84.10 to €94.10 per person
Sights
  • €9
  • €6
  • €4.50
  • €9
  • €9
Buffer and private guide

If you plan to enter three or more paid sights, look at the Verona Card, which covers Juliet's House, Castelvecchio, the Arena, Torre dei Lamberti, most churches and city buses; children and teenagers already enter Juliet's House, the Scaliger Tombs and the Roman theatre museum free.

Prices as of October 2026.

Getting back from Verona to Bologna

Direct regional trains leave Verona Porta Nuova for Bologna Centrale regularly through the afternoon and into the early evening, then there is a long gap until the last one shortly after nine, which arrives in Bologna around a quarter to eleven. This plan uses the train just before half past six, which arrives in Bologna shortly after eight, and it runs at the same time on Saturday and Sunday.

From Castelvecchio, allow 25 minutes to walk back to the station and keep 15 minutes of buffer for the platform, which means leaving the museum area by about a quarter to six. If you would rather have dinner in Verona, stay on and take the last direct train shortly after nine instead.

If you run late, drop the long museum visits at the end first, Castelvecchio and the Roman theatre museum, and keep the walk itself. If you miss the last direct regional train, there is no later train to Bologna that evening; on Fridays and Saturdays the later FlixBus coach from Porta Nuova is your fallback, otherwise plan to stay the night in Verona.

Recommended returnTrenitalia: departs 18:26, arrives 20:05Leave the last stop of the tour by 17:45

Latest return that fits the day: 21:04

  • Trenitalia from Verona Porta Nuova, Friday to Sunday: departs 21:04, arrives 22:45
  • FlixBus from Verona (Porta Nuova), Monday to Thursday: departs 21:15, arrives 23:00

Questions about the day trip from Bologna to Verona

Do I need to book Juliet's House in advance?

Yes, book a time slot for Juliet's House before you go, also if you use the Verona Card, so the visit fits into the morning part of the tour without a wait.

Can I see an opera at the Arena on a day trip from Bologna?

The opera season at the Arena runs in summer, from June to September, with evening performances. Since the last connections back to Bologna leave in the evening, an opera night means staying over in Verona.

Is it better to drive from Bologna to Verona?

The train is easier. Verona's centre has a limited traffic zone with fines for unauthorised cars, parking is paid, and the train drops you a short walk from Piazza Bra.

What should I eat in Verona?

Try risotto all'Amarone, made with the local Amarone wine, or pastissada de caval, a slow-cooked horse meat stew served with polenta. For something sweet, the Baci di Romeo and Baci di Giulietta biscuits are a local speciality, and a glass of Valpolicella goes with almost everything.

Can I see Verona in half a day instead?

Yes. Walk the first half of the tour from the Arena through Piazza delle Erbe and the Scaliger Tombs to Ponte Pietra, skip the museum visits, and take an afternoon train back. You will miss the Roman theatre, the cathedral and Castelvecchio.

More day trips from Bologna

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

Sources

Timetables, fares and opening hours come from these operators:

Image credits
AI Tour Guide
Researched and curated by the AI Tour Guide team
Start the Verona tour Free, in your browser · 100 free credits