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Bologna Travel Tips


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Getting There By Air:

Bologna-G Marconi International Airport (BLQ)
Tel: 05164 79615.
Website: www.bologna-airport.it

Bologna airport is located 6km (4 miles) northwest of the city center. There are two passenger terminals, which are within walking distance of one another.

Approximate flight times to Bologna: From London is 2 hours 10 minutes; from New York is 9 hours 35 minutes; from Los Angeles is 12 hours and 50 minutes; from Toronto is 10 hours and 10 minutes
and from Sydney is 20 hours 20 minutes.

Airport facilities: Facilities include a bureau de change, bank, Help Phone service, restaurant, snack bars and a smattering of shops selling traditional Italian gifts. Avis, Europcar and Hertz provide car hire services. VIP lounges are available for business travelers.

Transport to the city: The Aerobus (tel: 0512 90290) runs to Bologna train station regularly (journey time - 20 minutes). Tickets are available for purchase on the bus. Taxis (tel: 0513 72727) to the city center cost around €15-18, depending on traffic.

Getting There By Road:

Italy has an excellent selection of autostrade (A) (motorways), the main north-south link being the autostrada del sole, which links Milan with Naples in the south of Italy. Speed limits on motorways are 130kph (81mph), while on non-urban highways it's 110kph (68mph). In built-up areas it's 50kph (31mph). Motorways are tolled, so travelers on a budget might prefer the strade statali (SS), which are often fast, multi-lane carriageways that are toll free. Strade provinciale are perfect for exploring Italy's hidden countryside.

The maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio is 0.05%; random breath tests can be imposed and there are severe penalties for drink driving. By law, both driver and passenger must wear their seat belts, if fitted, or face an on-the-spot fine. Speeding and driving through a red light also incur fines. Car lights must be switched on at any time on autostrade and strade statali. All those not in possession of an EU license must carry an International Driving Permit alongside their national license. The minimum age for driving a car is 18, but from 14 years up you are permitted to drive a moped under 50cc (for which you don't need a license). Up to 125cc you must be 16 years or over, and for above this you need a motorcycle license. EU nationals taking their own vehicle will need an International Insurance Certificate, also known as a Carta Verde (Green Card), issued by your car-insurance company. Automobile Club Italia (ACI) (tel: (06) 491 115; website: www.aci.it) provides further information.

Emergency breakdown service: ACI: (tel: 803 116).

Routes to the city: Bologna is linked to Milan, Florence and Rome by the A1. The A13 arrives directly from Venice and Padua and the A14 links Bologna to the coastal towns of Ravenna and Rimini.

Approximate driving times to Bologna: From Milan is 2 hours 30 minutes; Florence is 1 hour 30 minutes; Rome is 3 hours 30 minutes.

Coach services: There are numerous coach service providers operating to and from Bologna's coach terminal, Autostazione di Bologna, Piazza XX Settembre 6 (tel: 0512 45400; website: www.autostazionebo.it), just around the corner from the train station. Pullman (coaches) from regional centers such as Ferrara and Modena arrive at this station. There are also long-distance services from Milan and Ancona and international services from London, Paris and Frankfurt. Facilities at the coach station include a restaurant, ATM, hairdressers, and newsagent.

Getting There By Rail:

The Italian state railway, Ferrovie dello Stato (tel: 892 021, in Italy only; website: www.trenitalia.it), is both economical and efficient. Bologna's train station, Bologna Centrale, is located at Piazza Medaglie d'Oro, in the north of the city. Facilities in the station include car hire, banks, bars, restaurants, newspaper stands and a pharmacy. Passengers must validate their tickets by stamping them in the yellow machines, located on the platform, before boarding, to avoid having to pay a fine. Supplements might be charged, depending on the type of train taken (Diretto, Interregionale, Espresso, Intercity or Eurostar).

Rail services: Bologna Centrale is one of Italy's main crossroads for both national and international trains. Work is ongoing to quadruple the number of platforms and to build a second station, thus increasing the level of service and decreasing travel times on the main lines. At present, the fastest service linking Bologna with Milan (journey time - 2 hours), Florence (journey time - 1 hour), Rome (journey time - 3 hours) and Naples (journey time - 5 hours) is the high-speed Eurostar. EuroCity and Euronight train services link Bologna with more than 40 other European destinations including Paris, Basel and Brussels.

Getting Around:



Public Transport
Bologna's efficient bus system, run by the Trasporti Pubblici Bologna (ATC) (tel: 0512 90290; website: www.atc.bo.it), has information booths in the train and coach stations, on Via Marconi and at various other points around town. Bus maps are also available from the tourist office (see Sightseeing). On average, routes run daily from 0630 to between 1900 and 2300. Tickets allow the traveller to change buses or make a return journey within the hour. As it is with the trains (see Getting There by Rail), travelers must validate their bus tickets by punching them in the machine upon boarding the bus.

Better value is the Citypass, which permits eight journeys (each punch covers the holder for one hour), or the Day Ticket, which is valid for 24 hours from the time of validation. A monthly pass also exists. Tickets and passes can be purchased at tabacchi, bars, newspaper kiosks, and tourist information offices. Hour-long tickets can also be obtained from parking meters.

Taxis
Taxis can be hailed on the street but rarely stop. It is better for tourists to hire them at taxi ranks (Piazza Maggiore and the train station) or to telephone the city's taxi cooperative, CoTaBo (tel: 0513 72727) or CAT (tel: 0515 34141).

Taxis in Bologna are expensive, with supplements for luggage and for traveling late at night (2200-0700) or on Sunday. If booking by telephone, passengers will be charged for the trip to the pick-up point. Taxi fares are calculated to include taxes and service - further tipping therefore is at the customer's discretion.

Driving in the City
There is no real need for a car in Bologna's compact centro storico (city center) and parking can be tricky. The area is also closed to private cars Sunday to Friday 0700-2000. If you are staying in a city center hotel or B&B, the hotel management should inform the transport department of your car registration number within 24 hours, so that you will not receive a fine for parking in the center. You can also buy a special combined parking and bus ticket from hotels. This includes a day ticket to all city-center parking or the car parks on the outskirts, and a day bus ticket valid for one person. The pass can be used 24 hours from when it is validated.

To reach the city center, drivers should follow the centro sign off the tangenziale (ring road), which links Bologna to the motorway. Full details of the city's park and ride scheme, which operates at the major car parks outside the restricted area, are available from ATC (see above).

Car Hire
Most major car hire companies have offices in the city, including Avis, Via Marco Polo 91 (tel: 05163 41632; website: www.avis.com), and Hertz, Via G Amendola 16 (tel: 0512 54830; website: www.hertz.com), as well at the airport. Drivers must be 21 (but there is a young drivers' per day surcharge for drivers aged under 25) and carry either a valid EU license or an International Driving Permit. Car hire in Bologna is expensive. Basic insurance is included in the price, although extra cover can be purchased in order to avoid any excess charges in the case of an accident.

Bicycle Hire
Bicycles are available for hire from Autorimessa Pincio, at Via Dell' Indipendenza,71/Z (tel: 0512 49081). Visitors should ask for Noleggi Biciclette (bicycle hire).


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