Proud

My train is on Dec 24 from Milan Central to Bologna where I have only 15 min to make a connection to a train to Venice S Lucia. Is it possible to make such a short connection? Does anyone know what platform I would be coming in on and what platform I would be connecting to? Any advice would be very appreciated?
Thanks

PalenQ

may or may not - depends on whether your train is on time or not - if so Bologna Centrale is a manageable station with not so many platforms as say in Milano Centrale. Why not just schedule a later train from Bologna - especially if you have a ticket that is not transferable to a later train in case you miss the first one? Or leave Milan earlier - why only 15 minutes - I guess if you have fully flexible tickets still a problem as you must make the required seat reservation for all but regional trains if changing to another train.

TimS

What source did you use for timetables? The German Rail site shows a connection in Bologna, but the Trenitalia site shows direct trains from Milano Centrale to Venezia Santa Lucia. New timetables will go into effect throughout Europe on 11 December. It's possible that Trenitalia has just completed updating its timetables and the German Rail site hasn't yet (for Italy anyway).

At any rate, if you do have to make a connection in Bologna, 15 minutes is plenty of time.

zeppole

15 minutes is plenty of time if you are taking the Frecciarossa, which would only be late if there was a blizzard. There is no telling at this point on which track you will arrive, but on the Frecciarossa trains, the video monitors inside the cars (at each end) are capable of giving you the track number of your train to Venice.

You will most likely need to descend stairs and ascend stairs to get from one platform to another, so any heavy luggage will slow you down.

Also, if you are taking a cheaper train than the Frecciarossa, you can't be sure it will be on time.

Proud

Thanks, I booked on Europrail.ca (Canada) I purchased an Italy Eurorail Pass and made train reservations. I guess they don't have the new timetables yet. I see there are some direct trains on Trenitalia I might try canceling and rebooking the direct train.

Thanks for letting me know that you think 15 min would be enough time to transfer in Bologna if necessary.

Proud

Thanks for all your suggestions, really appreciate the quick responses!

zeppole

PS: If you don't see the track number of your train to Venice posted on the video monitor inside your car (only on the Frecciarossa trains), that is because it might not be posted yet. If so, or if you are not traveling on the Frecciarossa, when you get off the train in Bologna, walk downstairs to the corridor under the tracks. There you will find video monitors to watch and the track number (binario) will soon be posted there. Then you just re-ascend at the appropriate track.

Proud

The train is Le Frecce 9517. I assume this short for Frecciarossa.