Getting from BLQ – Bologna Airport to City Centre – Your Transport Options

Last updated: 2 August 2023

Whether you’re visiting Bologna for a weekend, or using it as a base to spend a week exploring the surrounding towns and villages with day trips from Bologna, you’re going to need to get from Bologna airport to the train station or the city centre.

But, how do you get from Bologna Airport into Bologna?  Look no further, here are the options available to you: 

How to Get From Bologna Airport to City Centre by Shuttle Bus

The local transport company (TPER) runs a shuttle bus, connecting Bologna Airport with the city centre and the railway station. 

The “Aerobus” runs every 11 minutes year round between 05.30am – 00.15am making it currently the most convenient way to reach Bologna city centre from the airport. 

A single ticket costs €6 and can be bought either online or at the vending machines at the airport. The journey takes just over 20 minutes, it may take a little more depending on traffic.

The journey is called the BLQ, and runs in a loop, with two main stops for tourists visiting Bologna. You can alight at Mille for the city centre, which is close to Montagnola Park, or alight at Bologna Centrale for the city’s railway station where you can connect to other cities and towns within Emilia Romagna or venture further into Italy with trains to Venice, Milan, and Naples.

The Aerobus Shuttle Bus Route

Aerobus runs the ‘BLQ’ loop route from Bologna airport to the city centre and train station with a couple of alight-only stops (“Pontelungo” and “Ospedale Maggiore”) which are mainly used by locals. The majority of visitors to Bologna alight at either Mille Centro Citta (city centre) or Stazione Centrale (railway station). 

Note: Pay attention to your drop off location if you want to take the bus back to the airport when you leave, as the city centre bus stop isn’t as easy to spot as the airport. 

How Much is the Shuttle Bus from Bologna Airport to the City Centre?

A single ticket on the Aerobus shuttle from the airport to Bologna central train station or the city centre of Bologna is €6.  

Where Can I Buy Aerobus Tickets?

Tickets can be purchased online through the Aerobus website or via vending machines located in the Arrivals area of the airport. Vending machines are multilingual which is handy if your Italian is rusty. 

Side note: These machines are popular and usually have long queues and in our experience not all the machines work. Allow extra time to queue and get your ticket. 

Tickets cannot be bought from the driver or on board, you must have a ticket before you board. 

Tickets machines are also at Bologna Central Station but they are a little harder to find. They are inside the terminal not at the bus stop outside the station. 

Using Public Transport After the Aerobus

Your Aerobus ticket can also be used on public transport in the Bologna within its 75 minutes of validity. – You also need to validate it each time you board using the machine on board.

If you have bought your Aerobus tickets online you need to convert your electronic ticket to a physical magnetic strip ticket before using public transport. This involves visiting an automatic vending machine located in the airport and at the Central Railway Station. – It’s all a bit of a faff to be honest!

TL;DR

If you plan to use the public transport in Bologna after alighting from the Aerobus, just buy your Aerobus ticket from the vending machine to begin with, it’s much easier! 

Where Do I Catch the Shuttle Bus From at the Airport?

There is plenty of signage in Bologna airport directing you to the shuttle bus stop which is located just outside the Arrivals terminal.

Exit through the doors and situated on your left as soon as you exit is the bus stop. It’s hard to miss as it is well signposted. You need a ticket before you join the queue.

In stark contrast to many other countries in Europe, smoking is (apparently!) permitted in the queue.

Taxi

A taxi isn’t my default option but for some travellers it is, especially if you’re in a group. 

Travelling as a group of 3-4 people, taking a taxi to Bologna city centre from Bologna Airport (BLQ) is an affordable option. 

The taxi fare is dependent on traffic but a fair price is between €16-€20 for a journey which takes approximately 20 minutes. This fare should include luggage. 

To find a taxi, simply follow the signs in the airport to the taxi rank. I like to have my destination written down in the local language to show the driver. This is a great contingency to ensure there are no miscommunications and in case their English isn’t great, while I’m still learning Italian. 

Ridesharing / Uber / Lyft

Does Uber Operate in Bologna? 

Ridesharing apps like Uber and Lyft operate in many cities around the world but Bologna is not one of them. 

In Italy, to operate a taxi you need a license and that includes Ridesharing apps.  A court in Rome reported these apps are unfair competition for traditional taxis and therefore they could not promote or advertise its services in Italy. 

This may change in the future.

Train 

Does Bologna Airport Have a Train Station?

There is currently no train station at Bologna Airport. 

If you wish to travel to Bologna Central Station you will need travel by taxi, or the Aerobus shuttle bus. 

Marconi Express Monorail Train

– Coming soon –

A Monorail train linking Bologna Airport with Bologna Central Station taking just 7 minutes was meant to launch in early 2020. 

Thanks to Coronavirus, that’s been delayed. Until when? No one really knows, perhaps Autumn 2020. For now this is a coming soon option meaning it is not currently in operation.  

The monorail shuttle train will reportedly take passengers from the airport to the center of Bologna in just 7 minutes and its hours of operation roughly mimic that of the Aerobus (5:40am to midnight year round).

The Marconi Express will operate at a higher frequency of 8 departures per hour (every 7 minutes during peak times).

How Much is the Marconi Express Monorail Train? 

A single ticket will cost €8.70, a return is slightly cheaper at €16. (Note: the return journey must be made within 30 days after the first journey.)

For groups and families there are ticket options, though it may be worthwhile considering the cost of a taxi as it may be cheaper. 

• Family tickets for 2 adults and up to 3 children (aged 5-16 years) is €18/€ 34 (one way/return) total.
• Groups with a minimum of 10 people can get group rate tickets at €7/€14 (one way/return) per person.

To find the monorail station at the airport, you just need to follow the signs to the Marconi Express up to the first floor of the terminal for connection to the terminal and onto the railway platform.

To take the Marconi Express from Bologna Centrale train station, you can it via access the passage via de’ Carracci which will connect with the monorail. 

It’s proposed tickets can be purchased at multilingual vending machines at departure points (airport/train station); on the Marconi Express website and via mobile apps.

If you need more information about the Marconi Express monorail, check out the English version of the official website.

I will update this post when the date for opening of the Marconi Express monorail is confirmed.

Local Bus 

The most affordable option to transfer from Bologna airport to the city centre is via the local bus which operates close to the airport. This may be an option for budget-conscious travellers, though in reality I honestly haven’t tried it because of the faff involved. 

Two bus routes (81 and 91) run to Bologna city centre however the catch is that you need to make your way to the Birra bus stop, which is located 1.2km south of the airport. You can reach it by walking or taking a taxi – though taking a taxi increase the impact on your wallet and it may not be as financially viable.

At this point I would seriously consider weighing the convenience of the Aerobus vs trekking over a kilometre to a bus stop, and sourcing a local bus ticket (€1.50) from supermarkets, grocery stores, as well as on board (€2) if the bus is fitted with a ticket machine. The frequency of these two local buses is indeterminable at the time of writing.

Car Rental

If you are planning to explore more than just the city centre of Bologna then you might want to rent a car. Always book a car in advance for the best price. 

Have You Booked a Hotel? 

Things To Do in Bologna

Now you have arrived in Bologna, I’m sure you’re wondering what there is to do there.

The culturally curious will love Bologna. With an array of museums and cultural sites, the sightseeing options in Bologna are endless.

Discover more in our post on the Best Places for Sightseeing in Bologna or explore the city’s famous porticoes all the way up to the stunning basilica church of San Luca. It’s quite a hike to the summit, so you may want to get the San Luca Express train to the top and walk back, like we did. Find out more with our detailed post on The Sanctuary of San Luca and its Beautiful Porticos

Hungry? Of course you are! That’s surely why you’re in Bologna. We have a comprehensive post about What & Where to Eat in Bologna which is sure to make you hungry.

If you’re thinking about pasta then you should consider learning from the best. We took a cooking class in Bologna, learnt a tonne and have put a lot of it into practice back home in London. We made a video of the experience which you can check out below, or on our YouTube channel.