Practicalities

Bologna is a city in and the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy, of which it is also its largest. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy, with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nationalities. Its metropolitan area is home to more than a million people. It is known as the Fat City for its rich cuisine and the Red City for its red-tiled rooftops; it is also called the Learned City because it is home to the oldest university in the world.

Bologna is strategically well located in the heart of Northern Italy, a long-standing transit, exchange, and destination hub for many major travel infrastructures. Situated on the Roman Via Emilia, the city lies a short distance from the sea of the Romagna Riviera and towns such as Florence, Venice, and Verona. It can therefore be easily reached by plane, train, bus, or car.

Official Bologna tourist information website https://www.bolognawelcome.com/en

TO REACH BOLOGNA

BY PLANE

Guglielmo Marconi International Airport (BLQ) is about 10 km from the city center. Dozens of flights from Italian and international destinations land here daily.

The airport is connected to the central railway station by the Marconi Express service, which takes only 7 minutes to cover the route. The monorail costs € 12.80 one way and € 23.30 round trip. You can purchase tickets on-line or with contactless electronic payment on site (update April 2025)

From the airport, you can also reach the center by taxi. A ride to/from the center takes about 20 minutes, with the price ranging from € 20.00-30.00 in working/day hours.

You can easily reach Bologna from nearby regional airports like:

• Milano (either Malpensa MXP or Linate LIN), you can reach Milano Central Train Station with dedicated shuttle services from both airports. Then you will have high-speed trains leaving Milano Central Train Station to Bologna almost every hour.
• Verona (VRN) shuttle service will connect the airport with the Verona train station, where regional trains connect with Bologna Central Train Station.
• Firenze Airport (FLR), the shuttle service, will deliver you to the Train Station, where you will find high-speed trains leaving for Bologna every hour.
• other cities like Forlì (FRL) or Rimini (RMI) offer routes of low-cost airlines, too.

Please be aware of the environmental impact of traveling by plane.

BY TRAIN

Bologna's Central Station is a destination for many local, intercity, and high-speed trains connecting neighboring locations and the country's main cities.

Visit Trenitalia or Italo websites to find out about trains inbound to Bologna.

The station is also the terminus of the Marconi Express, a monorail link service to Bologna airport.

BY CAR

If you travel by car, you may want to know that Bologna is one of Italy's major motorway junctions, connecting the north and south of the country.

Bologna is located along the A1, only 1 hour from Florence (southbound) and just over 2 hours from Milan (northbound). Bologna is also the gateway to the A14, running along the Adriatic side of the peninsula from Romagna to Taranto. Another important thoroughfare is the A13 towards Veneto, connecting Bologna to cities such as Ferrara and Padua, the gateway to Venice.

If you travel by car (your own or rented) please make sure to plan parking options in advance, and be aware that Bologna city center has many Limited Trafic Areas and the average speed limit in the city is 30km/h.

BY BUS

Buses from outside the city travel primarily from the main coach station - located a short distance from the train station - with connections throughout Italy and even to foreign countries.

Visit the coach station website for information on bus routes arriving from outside the city.

ACCOMMODATION

Bologna is a rapidly growing city experiencing increasing levels of national, European, and international tourism. The simultaneous presence of fairs and international events can sometimes significantly raise the demand for accommodation.

Therefore, we strongly recommend planning your stay as far in advance as possible.

The city offers a wide range of options to suit all tastes and budgets. For your convenience, we suggest a few hotel options, although the University has no affiliation with these facilities. You can also explore further accommodation options on major online platforms, allowing you to use your preferred filters.

The historic center of Bologna allows you to reach almost any location on foot with a pleasant walk.

The Alma Mater Studiorum – Uiversità di Bologna does not recommend or endorse any private accommodation facility. 

Here is a list of accommodation facilities and their address in Bologna. Please make sure to check the distance to the event's venue and the terms and conditions of booking.