Bologna airport to train to Florence

Old Apr 24th, 2014, 05:33 AM
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Bologna airport to train to Florence

After landing at Bologna mid-morning, what is the best way to get to the Centrale station for a train to Florence? It will be a group of 4.
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Old Apr 24th, 2014, 05:51 AM
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The direct bus is very quick and easy. Or a taxi.
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Old Apr 24th, 2014, 06:10 AM
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With 4 people a taxi is probably cheaper than the bus. If they are taking the Freccia or Italo train to Florence they should tell the driver so they can be dropped off at the closer entrance to that part of the station.
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Old Apr 24th, 2014, 07:33 AM
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There is a bus from the Bologna airport to Florence. There are about 10 departures per day and price is 20€. It drops at Piazzale Montelungo in Florence which is on Viale Fillipo Strozzi (next to the tracks for the main Florence train station SML). That seems simplest to me if the times work for you. From the SML, you could then taxi to your hotel.

http://www.appenninoshuttle.it/corse...to_navetta.asp
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Old Apr 25th, 2014, 05:51 AM
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Bob - If this is for clients, they might not want to make the walk from Piazzale Montelungo (even though Google says it's an 8 minute walk). You have to cross the very busy Viale Filippo Strozzi. This is multi-lane and comes out from under the rail tracks and in a short distance goes underground again (there's an overpass). They might have to go to the overpass to cross over as I'm not sure there is a light to cross on this section.

I usually trust mappy.com a bit more for times/routes in Italy and it says 10 minutes, but that's to the Piazza in front of the train station (routes crossing to the overpass). They wouldn't have to go that far to get a taxi. Here's the link. Hope it isn't too long. If it expires, enter Piazzale Montelungo, Firenze, Italy and Piazza della Stazione, Firenze, Italy on mappy.com under itinerary/pedestrian.

http://en.mappy.com/#d%5B%5D=Piazzal...ed&p=itinerary
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Old Apr 25th, 2014, 06:21 AM
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From piazzale Montelungo there is a walking ramp and overpass over viale Strozzi, on the side of the station wall, and you find yourself by the end of platform #16 of SMN railway station. Not even the need of crossing a road. You have to walk all along the platform and you get to the head gallery of the station. You are already on the same side of the taxi area.

You can spot it on google earth - the ramp is a strip of red bricks, the overpass has a double portal on its entrance and a single one on its exit, and there are three trees by the end of the platform. On a corner of the station you can even see the taxis waiting (a large group of white cars).
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Old Apr 25th, 2014, 06:36 AM
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Thanks gang---that helps!
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Old Apr 25th, 2014, 11:06 AM
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If my travel planner put me on a bus instead of one of the high speed trains I'd get a new travel planner. Jes' sayin.
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Old Apr 25th, 2014, 11:38 AM
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sandralist/zeppole always tells people not to take a bus even when they are the better option. The bus is not a city bus, it's like a tour bus where your luggage goes underneath. Departs directly from the airport so you don't have to go into Bologna. Travel time is 1:20 and no changes involved.

Outside of the bus:

http://www.appenninoshuttle.it/data/images1/1.jpg

http://www.appenninoshuttle.it/data/images1/4.jpg

Inside (seats have flip trays):

http://www.appenninoshuttle.it/data/images1/5.jpg
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Old Apr 25th, 2014, 11:42 AM
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Seriously, if the bus from the airport takes the most direct route to Florence through the twisting roads in the mountains it could serious motion sickness difficulties for some in the group. It's is also nowhere near as comfortable as the train is (does it have a bathroom?), and many people would feel stuck, unable to read or comfortably converse as a group. So while it might be obligatory to alert people to the possibly cheaper overall cost I would make sure the entire group was enthusiastic about a long bus ride in lieu of the train.
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Old Apr 26th, 2014, 02:02 AM
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Both solutions have pros and cons. Train is much faster - 35 minutes, you barely have the time of finding your place; more frequent - if you miss a connection you are not stranded. But you have to get to the railway station first (so add a taxi or bus run), so time adds up and if you have luggage an extra connection may be not so convenient. Any taxi can house 4 persons, but not all taxis have place for 4 large pieces of luggage. Also, I am said that the walk to the new underground tracks at Bologna station is rather long.

Yes, the bus takes a twisty road. Not as twisty as a few years ago as about 30% of the route has been rebuilt, but still mostly twisty. As you arrive at piazzale Montelungo you have to walk a climbing ramp - unless you summon a taxi by cell phone. Still, you are sparing a connection at Bologna railway station.
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Old Apr 26th, 2014, 03:31 AM
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asps,

If you ask the taxi driver for a drop off at the new entrance to the Freccia/Italo tracks at Bologna Centrale then it is not a long walk at all. Everything is right there, downstairs, and there are escalators, elevators and ramps to make moving with luggage downstairs quite easy. However, I am not sure if there are ticket machines right there. I would think there are but I have never bothered to look. So if the group has not purchased tickets online in advance, then somebody in the group would need to walk to the old entrance at the station to buy them. But without luggage that is an easy 5 minute walk.

Generally speaking, the airport in Bologna is so busy mid-morning with taxi traffic that finding a taxi big enough for all the luggage is simple. The taxi ride to Bologna Centrale is quite fast. Less than 20 minutes normally.

I personally detest long bus rides. Even in coaches the seats have no leg room, there may not be a bathroom on board, and on a constantly twisting road there is no chance to read without feeling queasy (not for me at least). Yuck.
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Old Apr 26th, 2014, 04:33 AM
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I just looked at the pictures of the bus. Double yuck.

Contrary to what has been (absurdly and hatefully) stated in this thread, I frequently recommend buses in lieu of train (between Florence and Siena, between Rome and Sorrento in some cases...). And even in this thread I said to leave it up to the travelers. But why not tell the travelers the specifics since they are individuals not widgets in a travel machine? Something wrong with letting them know? Once informed, a bus from Bologna airport to a complicated exit at the Florence train station won't appear to be the "better" option for probably most people landing at Bologna airport and wanting to go to Florence. Lots of people enjoy train travel over bus travel (maybe especially if they are tall).
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Old Apr 26th, 2014, 04:47 AM
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I just found this on a Rick Steves message board:


I have taken the appennino shuttle which is supposed to be a Pullman bus, it is in fact an unmarked ( several people nearly missed it ) grey Renault Master van in which most of the seatbelt locks are missing ( 10 out of 13), the speedometer doesn't work ( I was sat just behind the chauffeur), the drivers take mobile phone calls and read the schedule while on the motorway, etc....
In short, it might be cheaper than train and bus, but you should know what you are getting before you book ( not refundable) as it is neither safe nor confortable, although it got me from a to z on time.


and here is the point of view of Italian locals about that bus run vs. the train:

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTop...a_Romagna.html


Nuff said, I think, but I really do wish some regular "Fodorites" would give up their vendetta because it gets in the way of giving advice to people who are actually going to be taking these trips (and now in the way of somebody trying to maintain their rep and business as a travel planner. Trying to discredit information just because it comes from me is childish and possibly costs other people the enjoyment of their travel in Italy.
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Old Apr 26th, 2014, 06:01 AM
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I agree---but that is a two way street.

Thanks to all.
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Old Apr 26th, 2014, 11:19 AM
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I do not understand why you turn a question into a transportation religious war. Living in Florence, almost all my trips begin and/or end with a leg to/from Bologna. I have done it by all kind of trains, by car, van, bus and truck. I have been driven by crazy bus drivers, I have been stuck in a train that needed six hours to make its way through the snow. I have driven it in snow, fog, rain and on Xmas day. You just tell all the options so that the interested party can decide. That's all.
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Old May 3rd, 2014, 04:44 AM
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I had a chance to go through the Bologna train station today and can confirm there are self-service ticket machines and manned kiosks in several areas of the new part of Bologna Centrale station, serving customers of both Trenitalia and Italo fast trains to Florence and points beyond. For someone coming by taxi, ask the driver to drop off passengers at the entrance for the "alta velocita" trains and then there is no need to drag luggage all through the station to get to the fast trains. (I don't know where the airport bus to Bologna Centrale drops off passengers.)
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Old May 3rd, 2014, 05:02 AM
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asps,

it is one thing for a traveler to decide to take the risk of a crazy bus driver or an unsafe bus but another for a professional travel planner to book passengers without advising them in detail of the risk. Potential lawsuit there if something happens. If clients preferred the risky bus, I'd tell them to book it themselves and maybe even get them to sign a waiver.
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Old May 3rd, 2014, 05:59 AM
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>>>I do not understand why you turn a question into a transportation religious war.>>You just tell all the options so that the interested party can decide. That's all.
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Old Jul 4th, 2014, 05:55 AM
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Bookmarking for a friend who is doing the trip from Florence to Bologna airport.
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