How to Get from Bologna Airport to the City Center?
Bologna Airport is the main airport of the Emilia-Romagna region and ranks among the top ten airports in Italy. Its official name is Guglielmo Marconi Airport, in honor of the inventor of wireless telegraphy, who was born in Bologna.
Bologna Airport is located about 7 km from the city center. The distance between the airport and the Central Train Station (Stazione Centrale) is 6 km.
Transportation from the airport to the Central Train Station (Bologna Centrale) is available by train, bus, taxi or private transfer. If you want to explore the surroundings of the city as well, you can rent a car.
Train
The fastest and easiest transfer from the airport to the city center of Bologna is the Marconi Express train, a recently introduced service. It connects the airport to the Bologna Centrale Train Station in just 7 minutes.
The trains are automated, driverless, and operate daily between 5:40 AM and 12:00 AM. The station is located on the first floor of the terminal and is marked with Marconi Express signs.
The Marconi Express route is: Bologna Airport - Lazzaretto - Stazione Centrale (Central Train Station).
The ticket price is €12.80 one-way or €23.30 round-trip.
Tickets can be either flexible (Flex) or with a fixed date.
Flex tickets are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase, but the return trip must be made within 30 days of the first transfer.
Fixed-date tickets for the airport-Central Station route purchased through the Roger app, directly with a card at the turnstiles, or online also include 75 minutes of public transportation in Bologna.
Tickets can be purchased online, via the Roger app, at ticket counters and machines in the airport and train station or paid directly at the turnstiles using a contactless card (each card can be used to pay the fare for only one person).
Families consisting of up to 2 adults and 3 children aged 5 to 16 will pay €25.6 one-way or €48.9 round-trip (these tickets can only be purchased online).
Attention! To exit the station, you will need to scan your ticket's QR code again or use the same card you used to enter. Similarly, to get the reduced return fare (€10.5 instead of €12.8), you must use the same card you used for the outbound trip (for Flex tickets, this only applies if the return takes place within 30 days of the outbound journey).
If you pay by card, it's possible that initially only a few EUR will be charged, but this will be adjusted a few days later: the amount will be refunded, and the actual fare for the train ride will be charged (€12.8 for the outbound journey, €10.5 for the return).
During the night (between 00.00 and 05.40), trains are replaced by the Tper Q bus line, which runs every 30 minutes between Bologna Airport and Ospedale Maggiore (only some of the buses reach Stazione Centrale).
The ticket price is €2.3 and includes transportation for 75 minutes on all urban lines of the Tper company. Tickets can be purchased directly on board the buses, with a contactless card, through the Roger app, on the Tper website or at the airport vending machines.
Bus
During the summer, from June 2 to October 6, 2025, the Marconi Express shuttle bus is also operational. It runs between 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM, connecting the airport with Bologna Centrale Train Station (via Carracci), with an intermediate stop at Lazzaretto (via Terracini).
Ticket prices and purchasing methods are the same as for the Marconi Express train.
During the day, you can also reach Bologna from the airport by taking bus Q operated by the Tper company. This bus only takes you as far as Ospedale Maggiore, from where you'll need to take other means of transportation to reach the city center. The journey from the airport to Ospedale Maggiore takes about 20 minutes.
The ticket costs €2.30 one-way, must be validated when boarding, and is valid for 75 minutes from validation on all other public transportation within the urban area (it must be validated again with each bus transfer).
Tickets can be purchased online, through the Roger app, or from the ticket machines at the airport.
Taxi
The fare for taxi rides from Bologna Airport, as set by local authorities, is a minimum of €12.8.
Rent a Car
Another transportation option - useful if you plan to explore the area around the city or travel further to towns near Bologna - is to rent a car from the airport.
Rental car company offices are located together in the Arrivals terminal, and the rental car parking lot is to the left as you exit the airport, just a few minutes' walk away.
Private Transfer
There may be situations where you need a private transfer.
