Day trip from Venice to Bologna by train

Outbound 1 h 22 minAbout 5.5 h for your visit in Bologna
Costs for the dayabout €61.55 to €71.55 per person2 adults, recommended sights, with AI Tour Guide and foodWork out your costs ↓
Start the Bologna tourSee the day plan
Bologna

Bologna is an easy day trip from Venice: Italo high-speed trains from Venezia Mestre take under an hour and a half, and Trenitalia runs direct trains back to Venezia Santa Lucia all afternoon in about two hours. Leaving shortly after eight in the morning you get about five and a half hours in town, enough for the full walking tour of the old centre and a proper lunch before the train back.

Is a day trip from Venice to Bologna worth it?

Bologna gives you what Venice cannot: an everyday Italian city where students, offices and markets set the pace, and a kitchen that has earned the city its nickname La Grassa. Food is the main reason most people make this trip, and meals here cost noticeably less than in Venice. Around the food sits a compact medieval centre with the old university building of the Archiginnasio, the great Basilica of San Petronio and the two leaning towers.

The journey is short enough to leave room for all of it. The Italo out of Venezia Mestre takes under an hour and a half and the direct train back to Santa Lucia a little over two hours, so the travel costs you around three and a half hours there and back, and the day still holds a full walking tour plus a proper sit-down lunch. The charm is quieter than in Venice or Florence: brick, churches and streets rather than one grand set piece, so it rewards people who like to walk and look closely.

Who this day trip suits

  • Food lovers: tortellini, tagliatelle and chilled Lambrusco are the reason most travellers go
  • Travellers who have seen Venice and want a strong contrast in a lived-in city
  • Budget-minded travellers, because a lunch in Bologna costs less than one in Venice
  • Anyone curious about the old university, its library and its anatomical theatre

Go if food and a real working city interest you and you have at least a few days in Venice; if your time in Venice is short or you want one grand sight, pick a closer trip.

Other day trips from Venice

How to get from Venice to Bologna by train

The train is the way to do this day: Italo high-speed trains from Venezia Mestre bring you to Bologna in under an hour and a half, and Trenitalia runs direct trains between Bologna and Venezia Santa Lucia all day in about two hours. FlixBus coaches also run from Tronchetto and Venezia Mestre, but they are slower and fit a day trip poorly.

Train: Italo or Trenitalia Regionale

You have two departure stations. Italo high-speed trains leave from Venezia Mestre on the mainland, roughly every hour in the morning, and take about eighty minutes to Bologna Centrale; the plan for this day goes out on one of them. Trenitalia runs frequent direct trains from and to Venezia Santa Lucia on the island, high-speed and regional, which take around two hours on average; the plan comes back on one of them, so you return to the island without a change. If you sleep on the island, first ride one of the many trains from Santa Lucia to Venezia Mestre and leave a margin for the change. High-speed fares rise as the date gets closer, so book those early; regional tickets have a fixed price and need no booking, but validate them at the platform machine before you board. The fare is shown in the cost tool.

Operator
Italo or Trenitalia Regionale
Route
Venezia Mestre → Bologna Centrale
Journey time
1 h 22 min
Morning departures
Monday to Sunday: 6 departures
Travel fare
Outward €11.90; return €14.65 (€26.55 return total)

Tickets at Italo ↗

Tickets at Trenitalia ↗

Bologna Centrale sits at the edge of the old town near the ring road, not in the centre. High-speed trains can arrive at the separate AV platforms, so follow the exit signs, then walk south into the centre or take a city bus to Piazza Maggiore; on foot it takes about 25 minutes.

Timetable

departures by weekday
RouteDaysDepartureArrivalDuration
Venezia Mestre → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Italo08:1709:391 h 22 min
Show all departures (30)
departures by weekday
RouteDaysDepartureArrivalDuration
Venezia Santa Lucia → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia05:2606:591 h 33 min
Venezia Santa Lucia → Bologna CentraleMonday to Saturday · Trenitalia05:4007:452 h 5 min
Venice (Tronchetto) → Bologna (central bus station)Monday to Thursday · FlixBus06:1008:152 h 5 min
Venezia Santa Lucia → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia06:2607:591 h 33 min
Venezia Santa Lucia → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia06:4008:552 h 15 min
Venezia Santa Lucia → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia06:5208:421 h 50 min
Venezia Mestre → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Italo07:1708:391 h 22 min
Venezia Santa Lucia → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia07:2608:591 h 33 min
Venezia Santa Lucia → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia07:4009:452 h 5 min
Venezia Mestre → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Italo08:1709:391 h 22 min
Venezia Santa Lucia → Bologna CentraleSaturday to Sunday · Trenitalia08:2209:491 h 27 min
Venezia Mestre → Bologna CentraleMonday to Friday · Trenitalia08:3409:491 h 15 min
Venezia Mestre → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia08:4009:591 h 19 min
Venezia Santa Lucia → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia08:4010:502 h 10 min
Venice Mestre (Stazione FS) → Bologna (central bus station)Thursday · FlixBus09:1511:352 h 20 min
Venezia Mestre → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Italo09:2010:391 h 19 min
Venezia Santa Lucia → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia09:2610:591 h 33 min
Venezia Mestre → Bologna CentraleMonday to Friday · Trenitalia09:3411:121 h 38 min
Venezia Santa Lucia → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia09:4011:452 h 5 min
Venezia Mestre → Bologna CentraleSaturday to Sunday · Trenitalia09:4711:121 h 25 min
Venezia Santa Lucia → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia10:2611:591 h 33 min
Venezia Santa Lucia → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia10:4012:452 h 5 min
Venezia Mestre → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Italo11:1712:391 h 22 min
Venezia Santa Lucia → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia11:2612:591 h 33 min
Venezia Santa Lucia → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia11:4013:452 h 5 min
Venezia Mestre → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Italo12:1713:391 h 22 min
Venezia Santa Lucia → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia12:2613:591 h 33 min
Venezia Santa Lucia → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia12:4014:452 h 5 min
Venezia Mestre → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Italo13:1714:391 h 22 min
Venezia Santa Lucia → Bologna CentraleMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia13:2614:591 h 33 min

Timetable: Italo, as of 22 October 2026

Timetable: Trenitalia, as of 22 October 2026

Timetable: FlixBus, as of 22 October 2026

departures by weekday
RouteDaysDepartureArrivalDuration
Bologna Centrale → Venezia Santa LuciaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia16:1018:202 h 10 min
Show all departures (37)
departures by weekday
RouteDaysDepartureArrivalDuration
Bologna Centrale → Venezia Santa LuciaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia12:0113:361 h 35 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia Santa LuciaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia12:1014:202 h 10 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia MestreMonday to Sunday · Italo12:2113:421 h 21 min
Bologna (central bus station) → Venice Mestre (Stazione FS)Monday · FlixBus12:4515:052 h 20 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia Santa LuciaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia13:0114:361 h 35 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia Santa LuciaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia13:1015:202 h 10 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia MestreMonday to Sunday · Italo13:2114:421 h 21 min
Bologna (central bus station) → Venice Mestre (Stazione FS)Monday to Thursday · FlixBus13:4515:351 h 50 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia Santa LuciaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia14:0115:341 h 33 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia Santa LuciaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia14:1816:081 h 50 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia MestreMonday to Sunday · Italo14:2115:421 h 21 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia Santa LuciaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia14:2316:201 h 57 min
Bologna (central bus station) → Venice Mestre (Stazione FS)Monday to Thursday · FlixBus14:4516:552 h 10 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia MestreMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia14:5116:161 h 25 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia Santa LuciaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia15:0116:341 h 33 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia Santa LuciaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia15:1017:202 h 10 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia MestreMonday to Sunday · Italo15:2116:421 h 21 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia Santa LuciaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia16:0117:341 h 33 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia Santa LuciaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia16:1018:202 h 10 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia Santa LuciaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia17:0118:341 h 33 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia Santa LuciaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia17:1019:202 h 10 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia MestreMonday to Sunday · Italo17:2118:421 h 21 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia Santa LuciaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia18:0119:341 h 33 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia Santa LuciaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia18:1020:202 h 10 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia MestreMonday to Sunday · Italo18:2119:421 h 21 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia MestreMonday to Thursday · Trenitalia18:4119:561 h 15 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia Santa LuciaFriday to Sunday · Trenitalia18:4120:081 h 27 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia Santa LuciaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia19:0120:341 h 33 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia Santa LuciaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia19:1021:202 h 10 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia MestreMonday to Sunday · Italo19:2120:401 h 19 min
Bologna (central bus station) → Venice (Tronchetto)Monday · FlixBus19:4021:402 h
Bologna Centrale → Venezia MestreMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia20:0021:361 h 36 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia MestreMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia20:0121:231 h 22 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia Santa LuciaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia20:1822:091 h 51 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia MestreMonday to Sunday · Italo20:2121:421 h 21 min
Bologna (central bus station) → Venice Mestre (Stazione FS)Monday to Thursday · FlixBus20:3522:201 h 45 min
Bologna Centrale → Venezia Santa LuciaMonday to Sunday · Trenitalia21:2122:551 h 34 min

Timetable: Italo, as of 22 October 2026

Timetable: Trenitalia, as of 22 October 2026

Timetable: FlixBus, as of 22 October 2026

Venice to Bologna day trip itinerary

Day plan for: Mon–Sat

The day hangs on a morning Italo train out of Venezia Mestre and a late afternoon Trenitalia train back to Santa Lucia, with the walking tour in the middle and lunch timed around the midday break of the churches.

  1. Morning08:17 – 09:39

    Take the Italo train shortly after eight from Venezia Mestre, arriving at Bologna Centrale just after half past nine. From the station walk about 25 minutes into the centre to Piazza Maggiore.

    This departure gets you into the centre around a quarter past ten, early enough to reach San Domenico before the churches close for lunch.

  2. Tour10:15 – 13:00

    Open the tour in your browser on Piazza Maggiore. The AI Tour Guide greets you, tells the stories of the square and walks you on to the Basilica of San Petronio, the Archiginnasio with its audio-guided visit of the palace and anatomical theatre, the Basilica of San Domenico, the Basilica di Santo Stefano, seen from outside, and the Two Towers, seen from street level.

    San Domenico closes at midday, so the morning is the time for it; the Archiginnasio is the one paid visit worth planning in.

    1. Piazza Maggiore in Bologna, stop 1 on the self-guided walking tour1Piazza Maggiore
    2. Basilica of San Petronio in Bologna, stop 2 on the self-guided walking tour2Basilica of San Petronio
    3. Archiginnasio in Bologna, stop 3 on the self-guided walking tour3Archiginnasio
    4. Basilica of San Domenico in Bologna, stop 4 on the self-guided walking tour4Basilica of San Domenico
    5. Basilica di Santo Stefano in Bologna, stop 5 on the self-guided walking tour5Basilica di Santo Stefano
    6. Two Towers in Bologna, stop 6 on the self-guided walking tour6Two Towers

    Start the Bologna tour

  3. Lunch13:00 – 14:00

    Have lunch after the Two Towers and before the Finestrella di via Piella, in one of the small trattorias in the side streets rather than on the main piazzas.

    The churches break for lunch at this hour anyway, and the side streets are where Bologna cooks best.

  4. Afternoon14:00 – 15:30

    The guide picks up again at the Finestrella di via Piella, then leads you to the Neptune Fountain and the Palazzo del Podestà, where the tour ends towards a quarter to three. Use the three quarters of an hour or so that is left for a coffee on Piazza Maggiore or a walk through the Voltone under the Palazzo del Podestà.

    The afternoon stops are all outdoors and close together, so the slack before the train stays yours.

    1. Finestrella di via Piella in Bologna, stop 7 on the self-guided walking tour7Finestrella di via Piella
    2. Neptune Fountain in Bologna, stop 8 on the self-guided walking tour8Neptune Fountain
    3. Palazzo del Podestà in Bologna, stop 9 on the self-guided walking tour9Palazzo del Podestà
  5. Return15:30 – 18:20

    Leave the Palazzo del Podestà by half past three at the latest, head back to Bologna Centrale and catch the Trenitalia train shortly after four, in Venezia Santa Lucia around a quarter past six.

    This leaves time for the walk or bus to the station and a short buffer on the platform.

Arrival to return departure: 6 h 31 min. Time for your visit: about 5.5 h.

Arrival 09:39, tour start 10:15: 25 min to walk to the start, 11 min spare.

Realistically you get about five and a half hours in Bologna; if you arrive late, keep the order and shorten the end of the walk rather than skipping the morning churches.

Best day to visit Bologna from Venice

  1. Monday: recommended
  2. Tuesday: recommended
  3. Wednesday: recommended
  4. Thursday: recommended
  5. Friday: recommended
  6. Saturday: recommended
  7. Sunday: better not
  • Sunday: The planned interior visits (Archiginnasio) do not fit the opening hours on this day.

Bologna walking tour in one day

The walking tour is how you see Bologna on this day: a one-way route of about 2.9 kilometres from Piazza Maggiore through churches, the old university and medieval streets, and back to the square at the Palazzo del Podestà. Pure walking is under forty minutes, with time at the stops it fills about three and a half hours. The AI Tour Guide leads it as a conversation, so you hear the stories while you walk instead of reading signs.

The Bologna tour: your guide leads you from stop to stop.
  1. Piazza Maggiore
  2. Basilica of San Petronio
  3. Archiginnasio
  4. Basilica of San Domenico
  5. Basilica di Santo Stefano
  6. Two Towers
  7. Finestrella di via Piella
  8. Neptune Fountain
  9. Palazzo del Podestà

Start the Bologna tour

Opening hours as of 1 October 2026.

  1. Piazza Maggiore in Bologna, stop 1 on the self-guided walking tour
    1Stop 1

    Piazza Maggiore

    The main square of Bologna, framed by the most important buildings of the medieval centre, the oldest of them from the 13th century.

    Price
    Free
  2. Basilica of San Petronio in Bologna, stop 2 on the self-guided walking tour
    2Stop 2

    Basilica of San Petronio

    The huge basilica that dominates Piazza Maggiore and is the church of the city.

    Hours
    Daily: 10:00–18:00 (last admission 17:50)
  3. Archiginnasio in Bologna, stop 3 on the self-guided walking tour
    3Stop 3

    Archiginnasio

    Once the main building of the University of Bologna, today home to the municipal library and the wooden Anatomical Theatre.

    Hours
    Mon–Sat: 10:00–17:40
    Sun: closed
    Price
    €10
  4. Basilica of San Domenico in Bologna, stop 4 on the self-guided walking tour
    4Stop 4

    Basilica of San Domenico

    The resting place of Saint Dominic, founder of the Dominican order, inside the shrine known as the Arca di San Domenico.

    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
  5. Basilica di Santo Stefano in Bologna, stop 5 on the self-guided walking tour
    5Stop 5

    Basilica di Santo Stefano

    Not one church but a whole complex of religious buildings grown together over the centuries.

    Hours (optional interior visit)
    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
  6. Two Towers in Bologna, stop 6 on the self-guided walking tour
    6Stop 6

    Two Towers

    The two leaning towers that became the symbol of Bologna, the best known of all the city's towers.

    Status
    Currently closed
  7. Finestrella di via Piella in Bologna, stop 7 on the self-guided walking tour
    7Stop 7

    Finestrella di via Piella

    A small window in a wall on Via Piella, a quiet stop that shows how much of Bologna sits out of plain view.

    Price
    Free
  8. Neptune Fountain in Bologna, stop 8 on the self-guided walking tour
    8Stop 8

    Neptune Fountain

    The monumental civic fountain on Piazza del Nettuno, right next to Piazza Maggiore.

    Price
    Free
  9. Palazzo del Podestà in Bologna, stop 9 on the self-guided walking tour
    9Stop 9

    Palazzo del Podestà

    The palace facing Piazza Maggiore next to the Palazzo Comunale and San Petronio, with the Voltone passage underneath it always open to walk through.

    Price
    Free
AI Tour Guide in Bologna

Your guide for the Bologna tour

The AI Tour Guide leads you from Piazza Maggiore to the Palazzo del Podestà as a conversation: it tells you how the Archiginnasio served the old university, why the towers lean, and asks what you want to hear more about, then remembers it for the next stops. You start it in your browser on Piazza Maggiore, and the map guides you on foot from stop to stop.

stops
9
route
2.9 km
walking only
39 min
with visits
3 h 30 min
  • 100 free credits to start
  • €19.99 once for the whole group
  • Travel and admission tickets are not included
Start the Bologna tourSee the whole tour →

Venice to Bologna day trip cost

The train is the biggest cost of this day, and the price of high-speed tickets depends mostly on how early you book; regional trains are cheaper but slower. On the ground the only paid visit worth planning in is the Archiginnasio, so the rest of the budget goes to lunch, which costs less in Bologna than in Venice.

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 backItalo or Trenitalia Regionalefrom €11.90Estimated fare as of 22 October 2026. The price may differ depending on the connection.2 adults × €26.55€53.10
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
Total€123.09 to €143.09
Split between peopleabout €61.55 to €71.55 per person
Sights
  • €10
Buffer and private guide

Book the Italo ticket out as soon as your date is fixed, since the regional train back has a fixed price anyway, and eat in the side street trattorias instead of on the main piazzas; the city bus to and from the station is not included in the total.

Prices as of October 2026.

Getting back from Bologna to Venice

Trenitalia runs direct trains back to Venezia Santa Lucia through the afternoon and evening. The plan uses the Trenitalia train shortly after four, which reaches Venezia Santa Lucia around a quarter past six, so if you sleep on the island you arrive without a change. The same train back works on Saturdays and Sundays, so leave the last stop by half past three on any day. Italo trains back, like the one you came on, run roughly every hour, but they end at Venezia Mestre on the mainland, so if you sleep on the island you would have to change there.

Allow the full walk or bus ride back to Bologna Centrale plus a short buffer at the station, because high-speed trains can leave from the separate AV platforms.

If you run late, drop the coffee on Piazza Maggiore first, then shorten the end of the walk around Piazza Maggiore. If you miss your train, later Italo and Trenitalia departures run well into the evening, and from Monday to Thursday an evening FlixBus coach to Venezia Mestre is the last fallback.

Recommended returnTrenitalia: departs 16:10, arrives 18:20Leave the last stop of the tour by 15:30

Latest return that fits the day: 21:21

  • Trenitalia from Bologna Centrale, Monday to Sunday: departs 21:21, arrives 22:55

Questions about the day trip from Venice to Bologna

Can you climb the Two Towers?

Not at the moment: the interiors of both towers, the Asinelli and the Garisenda, are closed to visitors. The tour stops at their feet and the guide tells their story from street level.

Can you go inside the Palazzo del Podestà?

Only during exhibitions or events, without a fixed schedule. The Voltone, the vaulted passage underneath it, is free and always open.

Is the day trip suitable for children?

Yes, the walk is compact and largely outdoors. At the Archiginnasio children under 12 enter free.

Should I drive from Venice to Bologna instead?

The train is simpler. You cannot drive within Venice itself, and Bologna's historic centre lies inside a restricted traffic zone; paid parking is at Piazza Otto Agosto and near the coach station.

What should I bring?

Go with just a daypack and comfortable shoes, and leave your luggage at your accommodation in Venice.

More day trips from Venice

Verona in a day 1 h 10 min Trieste in a day 2 h 5 min Ljubljana in a day 3 h 30 min Treviso in a day 30 min Ravenna in a day 2 h 30 min to 3 h 30 min Padua in a day 30 min Bolzano in a day 3 h Vicenza in a day 46 min Trento in a day 2 h 22 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
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