Day trip from Milan to Bologna by high-speed train

Outbound 1 h 4 minAbout 6.5 h for your visit in Bologna

Costs for the dayabout €131 to €141 per person2 adults, recommended sights, with AI Tour Guide and foodWork out your costs ↓

Start the Bologna tour See the day plan

This is an easy day trip: the direct high-speed train runs from Milano Centrale to Bologna in a little over an hour, and with a morning departure you get about 6.5 hours in town. That is enough for a walking tour through the medieval centre, an unhurried lunch in the food quarter and a relaxed train back in the late afternoon.

Is a day trip from Milan to Bologna worth it?

Yes, for most travellers. Few cities this far from Milan are this easy to reach: direct trains leave Milano Centrale several times an hour, the ride takes about an hour, and you step off in a compact centre where almost everything worth seeing lies within a short walk of Piazza Maggiore. You lose little of the day to travel, which is rare for a city of Bologna's weight.

What Bologna gives you that Milan does not is a medieval city still in daily use. It is home to the oldest continually operating university in the world, its streets run under long porticoes listed by UNESCO, and its towers lean over a town that feels lived in rather than staged for visitors. Then there is the food: Bologna's nickname is La Grassa, the fat one, and the Quadrilatero just off Piazza Maggiore is packed with delis, market stalls and pasta shops where tagliatelle al ragù and tortellini are made the local way.

The trade-off is walking and timing. The day is spent on foot, two of the big churches close for a long midday break, and the tower interiors are currently shut, so you see the Two Towers from the street. Plan the churches for the morning and the day works smoothly.

Who this day trip suits

Food lovers: Bologna is where tagliatelle al ragù, tortellini and mortadella come from, and lunch in the Quadrilatero is part of the plan.
History and architecture fans: the old university seat at the Archiginnasio, Saint Dominic's tomb, the leaning towers and the porticoes fill a whole morning.
Travellers on a budget: most stops on the walk are free squares and churches, and the train is quick.
Visitors who want a working Italian city: Bologna has a student energy and fewer tour groups than the big art cities.

Go if you like food, medieval streets and a day on foot; if you mainly want great art museums or a lake view, pick another trip from Milan.

Other day trips from Milan

How to get from Milan to Bologna by high-speed train

Take a direct high-speed train, Trenitalia Frecciarossa or Italo, from Milano Centrale to Bologna Centrale: it is the fastest and most frequent way and leaves you with a full day in town. FlixBus also runs from Milan to Bologna's central bus station, but the ride takes about three hours, so it only makes sense if the train is not an option.

Train: Trenitalia Frecciarossa

Direct trains leave Milano Centrale from early morning into the evening, often several an hour, and most take between an hour and an hour and a quarter. A few services run on the old line and take much longer, so look at the journey time before you book, not just the departure. Italo also runs from Milano Rogoredo, which can be handier from the south of Milan. Tickets for Frecciarossa and Italo are bought for a specific train on the operators' websites or at the station machines; prices change with demand and rise as the day gets closer, so book as early as you can. On the departures board, look for your train's time and number rather than the destination, because many trains to Bologna are heading further south.

Operator: Trenitalia Frecciarossa
Route: Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale
Journey time: 1 h 4 min
Morning departures: Monday to Friday: 23 departures; Saturday: 17 departures; Sunday: 18 departures
Travel fare: Outward €48; return €48 (€96 return total)

Tickets at Trenitalia ↗

High-speed trains arrive at Bologna Centrale, on the northern edge of the old town. From there it is about twenty-five minutes on foot to Piazza Maggiore, where the tour begins, or you take a city bus.

Timetable

departures by weekday
Route	Days	Departure	Arrival	Duration
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	08:30	09:34	1 h 4 min

Show all departures (38)

departures by weekday
Route	Days	Departure	Arrival	Duration
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	05:10	06:24	1 h 14 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Friday · Trenitalia	05:20	06:34	1 h 14 min
Milano Rogoredo → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Saturday · Italo	05:50	06:54	1 h 4 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Friday · Trenitalia	06:00	07:04	1 h 4 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	06:10	07:24	1 h 14 min
Milano Centrale (Milan) → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Saturday · Italo	06:40	07:54	1 h 14 min
Milano Centrale (Milan) → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Saturday · Italo	06:45	07:49	1 h 4 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Saturday to Sunday · Trenitalia	06:50	08:09	1 h 19 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	07:00	08:04	1 h 4 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	07:10	08:24	1 h 14 min
Milano Centrale (Milan) → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Saturday · Italo	07:45	08:49	1 h 4 min
Milano Rogoredo → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Saturday · Italo	07:50	08:54	1 h 4 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Friday · Trenitalia	07:50	09:42	1 h 52 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	08:00	09:04	1 h 4 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	08:10	09:24	1 h 14 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	08:30	09:34	1 h 4 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Saturday to Sunday · Trenitalia	08:35	09:42	1 h 7 min
Milano Porta Garibaldi → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	08:48	10:09	1 h 21 min
Milano Rogoredo → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Saturday · Italo	08:50	09:54	1 h 4 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Friday · Trenitalia	08:58	10:04	1 h 6 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	09:10	10:24	1 h 14 min
Milano Centrale (Milan) → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Saturday · Italo	09:40	10:54	1 h 14 min
Milano Porta Garibaldi → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	09:48	11:09	1 h 21 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Friday · Trenitalia	09:58	11:04	1 h 6 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	10:10	11:24	1 h 14 min
Milano Porta Garibaldi → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	10:13	11:42	1 h 29 min
Milano Rogoredo → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Saturday · Italo	10:50	11:54	1 h 4 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	10:58	12:04	1 h 6 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	11:10	12:24	1 h 14 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Friday · Trenitalia	11:25	12:34	1 h 9 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	11:35	12:42	1 h 7 min
Milano Rogoredo → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Saturday · Italo	11:50	12:54	1 h 4 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Friday · Trenitalia	11:58	13:04	1 h 6 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	12:10	13:24	1 h 14 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	12:35	13:42	1 h 7 min
Milano Rogoredo → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Saturday · Italo	12:50	13:54	1 h 4 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Friday and Sunday · Trenitalia	13:00	14:04	1 h 4 min
Milano Centrale → Bologna Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	13:10	14:24	1 h 14 min

Timetable: Trenitalia, as of 22 October 2026

Timetable: Italo, as of 22 October 2026

departures by weekday
Route	Days	Departure	Arrival	Duration
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	16:56	17:58	1 h 2 min

Show all departures (59)

departures by weekday
Route	Days	Departure	Arrival	Duration
Bologna Centrale → Milano Rogoredo	Monday to Sunday · Italo	12:06	13:09	1 h 3 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale (Milan)	Monday to Sunday · Italo	12:11	13:15	1 h 4 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	12:18	13:25	1 h 7 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	12:26	13:35	1 h 9 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	12:36	13:50	1 h 14 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Porta Garibaldi	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	12:51	14:12	1 h 21 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	12:56	13:58	1 h 2 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Rogoredo	Monday to Sunday · Italo	13:06	14:09	1 h 3 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale (Milan)	Monday to Sunday · Italo	13:11	14:15	1 h 4 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	13:18	14:25	1 h 7 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Friday · Trenitalia	13:26	14:35	1 h 9 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	13:36	14:50	1 h 14 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Saturday · Trenitalia	13:56	14:58	1 h 2 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale (Milan)	Monday to Sunday · Italo	14:06	15:20	1 h 14 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Friday · Trenitalia	14:26	15:35	1 h 9 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	14:36	15:50	1 h 14 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	14:56	16:00	1 h 4 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Rogoredo	Monday to Sunday · Italo	15:06	16:09	1 h 3 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale (Milan)	Monday to Sunday · Italo	15:11	16:15	1 h 4 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Saturday to Sunday · Trenitalia	15:18	16:30	1 h 12 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Friday · Trenitalia	15:18	17:10	1 h 52 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	15:36	16:50	1 h 14 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Friday and Sunday · Trenitalia	15:56	16:58	1 h 2 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale (Milan)	Monday to Sunday · Italo	16:06	17:20	1 h 14 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Saturday to Sunday · Trenitalia	16:18	17:40	1 h 22 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Friday · Trenitalia	16:18	18:10	1 h 52 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	16:36	17:50	1 h 14 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	16:56	17:58	1 h 2 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Rogoredo	Monday to Sunday · Italo	17:06	18:09	1 h 3 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale (Milan)	Monday to Sunday · Italo	17:11	18:15	1 h 4 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Saturday to Sunday · Trenitalia	17:18	18:25	1 h 7 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Friday · Trenitalia	17:18	19:10	1 h 52 min
Bologna (central bus station) → Milan (San Donato M3)	Monday and Wednesday to Thursday · FlixBus	17:30	20:00	2 h 30 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	17:36	18:50	1 h 14 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Porta Garibaldi	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	17:51	19:12	1 h 21 min
Bologna (central bus station) → Milan (Assago M2)	Monday to Thursday · FlixBus	17:55	21:10	3 h 15 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	17:56	19:00	1 h 4 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Rogoredo	Monday to Sunday · Italo	18:06	19:09	1 h 3 min
Bologna (central bus station) → Milan (Lampugnano bus station)	Monday to Thursday · FlixBus	18:10	21:25	3 h 15 min
Bologna (central bus station) → Milan (San Donato M3)	Monday and Thursday · FlixBus	18:30	20:55	2 h 25 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	18:36	19:50	1 h 14 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Sunday · Trenitalia	18:45	21:30	2 h 45 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	19:05	21:40	2 h 35 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Rogoredo	Monday to Sunday · Italo	19:06	20:09	1 h 3 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale (Milan)	Monday to Sunday · Italo	19:11	20:15	1 h 4 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Porta Garibaldi	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	19:18	20:47	1 h 29 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Friday and Sunday · Trenitalia	19:26	20:30	1 h 4 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	19:36	20:50	1 h 14 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	19:56	21:00	1 h 4 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Rogoredo	Monday to Sunday · Italo	20:06	21:09	1 h 3 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	20:26	21:30	1 h 4 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	20:36	21:50	1 h 14 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale (Milan)	Monday to Friday and Sunday · Italo	20:41	21:45	1 h 4 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Porta Garibaldi	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	20:51	22:12	1 h 21 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	20:56	22:00	1 h 4 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Rogoredo	Monday to Sunday · Italo	21:06	22:09	1 h 3 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale (Milan)	Monday to Sunday · Italo	21:11	22:15	1 h 4 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	21:36	22:50	1 h 14 min
Bologna Centrale → Milano Centrale	Monday to Sunday · Trenitalia	21:56	23:00	1 h 4 min

Timetable: Trenitalia, as of 22 October 2026

Timetable: Italo, as of 22 October 2026

Timetable: FlixBus, as of 22 October 2026

Milan to Bologna day trip itinerary

Day plan for: Tue–Sat

Leave Milan in the morning, start the walk at Piazza Maggiore as the churches open, see the ones with a midday break before lunch, and catch a train back in the late afternoon.

Morning08:30 – 09:34
Take the direct train around half past eight from Milano Centrale, arrive at Bologna Centrale just after half past nine and make your way to Piazza Maggiore.
This train gets you into the centre just as the basilica and the Archiginnasio open, without a very early alarm.
Tour10:00 – 12:45
Open the tour in the browser at Piazza Maggiore. The AI Tour Guide greets you, tells the stories of the square and leads you on to the Basilica of San Petronio, the Archiginnasio, the Basilica of San Domenico, the Basilica di Santo Stefano and the Two Towers, seen from the street, asking what you want to hear more about along the way. The Archiginnasio is the one paid visit worth planning, for the old university rooms and the Anatomical Theatre.
San Domenico and Santo Stefano both close for a long midday break, so they belong in the morning; reach Santo Stefano without dawdling.
1. 1Piazza Maggiore
2. 2Basilica of San Petronio
3. 3Archiginnasio
4. 4Basilica of San Domenico
5. 5Basilica di Santo Stefano
6. 6Two Towers
Start the Bologna tour
Lunch12:45 – 13:45
Lunch after the Two Towers and before the Finestrella di via Piella. The Quadrilatero, the food quarter just off Piazza Maggiore, is the natural place: delis, market stalls and small pasta places. Order tagliatelle al ragù, not spaghetti bolognese.
The churches are closed over lunch anyway, and the second half of the walk heads back towards the centre.
Afternoon13:45 – 16:15
The guide picks up again at the Finestrella di via Piella, then leads you to the Neptune Fountain and Palazzo del Podestà, where the tour ends around a quarter to three. You then have about an hour and a half to spare: browse the Quadrilatero again, or take an optional detour to the National Gallery of Bologna (Pinacoteca Nazionale), which fits into that time.
The afternoon stops are outdoors and close together, so the pace is easy, and the spare time absorbs a longer lunch or a slow morning.
1. 7Finestrella di via Piella
2. 8Neptune Fountain
3. 9Palazzo del Podestà
Return16:15 – 17:58
Leave Palazzo del Podestà by a quarter past four and walk back to Bologna Centrale. Your train leaves shortly before five and reaches Milano Centrale shortly before six.
That covers the walk to the station with a quarter of an hour to spare and gets you back to Milan in time for dinner.

Arrival to return departure: 7 h 22 min. Time for your visit: about 6.5 h.

Arrival 09:34, tour start 10:00: 25 min to walk to the start, 1 min spare.

You get a little over six hours in Bologna; if you arrive late, keep the order and shorten the stays at the last stops around the Neptune Fountain, which are quick to see in passing.

Best day to visit Bologna from Milan

Monday: better not
Tuesday: recommended
Wednesday: recommended
Thursday: recommended
Friday: recommended
Saturday: recommended
Sunday: better not

Monday: The planned interior visits (Basilica di Santo Stefano) do not fit the opening hours on this day.
Sunday: The planned interior visits (Archiginnasio) do not fit the opening hours on this day.

A Bologna walking tour in one day

The walk starts at Piazza Maggiore and ends a few steps away at Palazzo del Podestà, looping through the medieval centre past churches, the old university and the Two Towers. It covers about 2.9 km with less than three quarters of an hour of actual walking, about three and a half hours with time at the stops, all on flat city streets and under porticoes. The AI Tour Guide leads it as a conversation, so the stops become one story about the city rather than a list of buildings.

The Bologna tour: your guide leads you from stop to stop.

Piazza Maggiore
Basilica of San Petronio
Archiginnasio
Basilica of San Domenico
Basilica di Santo Stefano
Two Towers
Finestrella di via Piella
Neptune Fountain
Palazzo del Podestà

Start the Bologna tour

Opening hours as of 1 October 2026.

1Stop 1
Piazza Maggiore
Bologna's main square, framed by the most important buildings of the medieval city.
Price

Free
Location

Piazza Maggiore on Google Maps ↗
2Stop 2
Basilica of San Petronio
The vast basilica of the city's patron saint towers over the main square of Bologna.
Hours

Daily: 10:00–18:00 (last admission 17:50)
Website

basilicadisanpetronio.org ↗
Location

Basilica of San Petronio on Google Maps ↗
3Stop 3
Archiginnasio
Once the main seat of the University of Bologna, it now holds the municipal library and the wooden Anatomical Theatre.
Hours

Mon–Sat: 10:00–17:40
Sun: closed
Website

archiginnasio.it ↗
Price

€10
Location

Archiginnasio on Google Maps ↗
4Stop 4
Basilica of San Domenico
Saint Dominic, founder of the Dominican order, lies here in the Arca di San Domenico, a shrine begun by Nicola Pisano.
Hours

Mon–Fri: 07:00–13:00, 15:30–20:00
Sat: 07:15–13:00, 15:30–19:30
Sun: 07:55–12:30, 15:30–19:00
Price

Free
Website

sandomenicobologna.it ↗
Location

Basilica of San Domenico on Google Maps ↗
5Stop 5
Basilica di Santo Stefano
Not one church but a cluster of linked religious buildings, with courtyards and cloisters between them.
Hours

Mon: 18:00–19:30
Tue–Sat: 07:30–12:30, 14:30–19:30
Sun: 08:30–13:00, 15:00–19:30
Price

Free
Website

santostefanobologna.it ↗
Location

Basilica di Santo Stefano on Google Maps ↗
6Stop 6
Two Towers
The two leaning towers are the symbol of Bologna and the best known of its medieval towers, seen from the street while the interiors are closed.
Status

Currently closed
Website

bolognawelcome.com ↗
Location

Two Towers on Google Maps ↗
7Stop 7
Finestrella di via Piella
A small window in a wall on Via Piella that opens onto one of the canals once running through the city.
Price

Free
Location

Finestrella di via Piella on Google Maps ↗
8Stop 8
Neptune Fountain
The monumental civic fountain gives Piazza del Nettuno, next to Piazza Maggiore, its name.
Price

Free
Website

nettuno.comune.bologna.it ↗
Location

Neptune Fountain on Google Maps ↗
9Stop 9
Palazzo del Podestà
The old seat of city government faces Piazza Maggiore, and the Voltone beneath it is always open to walk through.
Price

Free
Location

Palazzo del Podestà on Google Maps ↗

AI Tour Guide in Bologna

Your guide for the Bologna tour

From Piazza Maggiore to Palazzo del Podestà, the AI Tour Guide leads the walk and talks with you: about the students and dissections of the Archiginnasio, Saint Dominic's shrine, the leaning towers and the food quarter in between. It asks what catches your interest, remembers it and shapes the next stories around it, and you can interrupt whenever you like. You start it in the browser at the first stop.

stops: 9
route: 2.9 km
walking only: 39 min
with visits: 3 h 35 min

100 free credits to start
€19.99 once for the whole group
Travel and admission tickets are not included

Start the Bologna tour See the whole tour →

What a Milan to Bologna day trip costs

The train is the biggest cost of the day and the one you control most, because high-speed fares rise as the date gets closer. On the ground most of the walk is free, so the only entrance worth budgeting for is the Archiginnasio, plus a simple lunch in the Quadrilatero; the local bus to and from the station is not included.

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 FrecciarossaEstimated fare as of 22 October 2026. The price may differ depending on the connection.2 adults × €96	€192
SightsArchiginnasio: Palace + Anatomical Theatre (audio-guided visit)2 adults × €10	€20
AI Tour Guide touronce for the whole group	€19.99
Food (estimate)€15 to €25 per person	€30 to €50
Bufferfor anything unplanned	€0
Total	€261.99 to €281.99
Split between people	about €131 to €141 per person

Sights

Archiginnasio: Palace + Anatomical Theatre (audio-guided visit) recommended€10

Buffer and private guide

Buffer per personWith a private guide

Book the train as early as you can and eat from a deli or market counter in the Quadrilatero instead of a sit-down restaurant to keep the day cheap.

Prices as of October 2026.

Getting back from Bologna to Milan

Going back is the morning in reverse: from Palazzo del Podestà to Bologna Centrale, allow the same twenty-five minutes on foot as on arrival and a quarter of an hour at the station to find your platform. Direct trains to Milano Centrale run several times an hour well into the evening, so if the afternoon goes well you can stay for an aperitivo and take a later one.

If you run late, skip the optional extras first, then shorten the last outdoor stops. If you miss the last direct train to Milano Centrale, Italo usually has a later departure to Milano Centrale and one to Milano Rogoredo on most evenings, arriving late at night.

Recommended returnTrenitalia: departs 16:56, arrives 17:58Leave the last stop of the tour by 16:15

Latest return that fits the day: 21:56

Trenitalia from Bologna Centrale, Monday to Sunday: departs 21:56, arrives 23:00

Questions about the day trip from Milan to Bologna

Can I climb the Two Towers?

Not at the moment. The interiors of both towers are closed to visitors, so the tour shows them from the street and you do not need a ticket.

Is there a dress code for the churches?

Yes. Cover shoulders and knees for San Petronio, San Domenico and Santo Stefano, or you may be turned away. A light scarf in your bag solves it on a warm day.

Should I drive from Milan to Bologna instead?

No. The old town is a restricted traffic zone, parking means a car park on the edge of the centre, and the train is faster and drops you within walking distance.

Can I add the Sanctuary of San Luca?

Only with a later train back. The San Luca Express leaves from Piazza Maggiore, but the trip up the hill needs more than the spare time in the plan, and its schedule changes often, so check it on the day.