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Transportation Bologna Airport to Florence

1. TAXI OR PRIVATE CAR TRANSFER

This is clearly the most expensive and most convenient travel solution, especially for late night arrivals, early morning departures, and for passengers with mobility issues or with lots of heavy bulky luggage. A taxi will cost around 180 Euros each way. You may be able to find a car service for less, but probably not much less. I don't recommend this solution because the cost is confiscatory, and there are much cheaper solutions described below.

2. THE TRADITIONAL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SOLUTION (combination bus/train)

From Bologna Airport (BLQ) to Bologna Centrale train station, there is an airport bus departing every 11 minutes during much of the day, which costs 6 Euros and takes 25 minutes. You can purchase the ticket in vending machines at the Bologna airport and at authorized sales points at the Bologna Centrale train station. You could also purchase the ticket online, which I do NOT recommend, because the sale is non-refundable and you limit your options for alternative travel solutions. You must punch your bus ticket as soon as you board.

Once at Bologna Centrale train station, you need to proceed to Firenze SMN station by train. Buy your train ticket from one of the electronic ticket machines (either Trenitalia or Italo Treno, depending which company you choose). Tickets for these reserved trains do not need to be validated prior to boarding. The fast trains take 35 minutes, but regular-fare tickets are expensive (27 Euros on Trenitalia and 23 Euros on Italo Treno). That makes the total fare (bus plus train) either 29 or 33 Euros. The total travel time between Bologna Airport and Florence is likely to be around 80-90 minutes or more (25 + 35 minutes + connection time).

aerobus.bo.it/en#r2
www.trenitalia.com
www.italotreno.it

3. THE NEW, SMART TRAVEL SOLUTION

There is a nonstop bus shuttle service, called APPENNINO SHUTTLE, which connects Bologna Airport with central Florence in 85 minutes, at a fare of 20 Euros (25 Euros if ticket in purchased on board the bus). The website states that you can purchase tickets at the Bologna Welcome Desk inside the airport terminal building. Departures are spaced out roughly every two hours (see hyperlinked schedules), and there are also early morning, late evening and night buses in both directions.

Compared to the bus/train combination described above, taking this direct bus shuttle saves not only money, but often also time, and is certainly more convenient, especially for those with heavy luggage or with mobility issues. It may also be the only viable public transportation option for very late evening arrivals, or very early morning departures.

The drop off/pick-up point in Florence is at Piazzale Montelungo, an open area at street level adjacent to the Florence SMN train station, approximately 500 meters northwest of the main northwest entrance to the station itself (where you catch many city buses and there is also the large pharmacy inside the station). On balance, the convenience of a direct travel solution is tempered just a bit by a slightly less convenient arrival/departure point in Florence itself.

www.appenninoshuttle.it

DIRECTIONS TO REACH PIAZZALE MONTELUNGO

Do NOT attempt to walk to Piazzale Montelungo using city sidewalks. You will get lost. Instead, follow these directions, which entail following an "inside passage" through the SMN train station. Starting at the head of Platform 16 (note the Moka Café/McDonalds at the very head of the platform), walk straight down the covered platform to the very end of Platform 16 (past the left luggage office and Polfer (railway police)), then proceed under the glass canopy until you reach the red brick downramp which leads to the sidewalk at street level. The Appennino Shuttle buses leave from this area along the sidewalk. Most of this route is covered from the elements, basically only the downramp to the street is exposed. ALLOW A MINIMUM OF SIX MINUTES TO WALK FROM THE HEAD OF PLATFORM 16 TO THE BUS DEPARTURE POINT.

HINTS AND OBSERVATIONS

Do NOT pre-purchase tickets for the bus shuttle service, NOR for the train, unless you've made a final decision on your method of travel and won't have second thoughts. It's often much better to retain full flexibility to make a last-moment decision based on your actual arrival time at Bologna Airport.

For example, if the next Appennino Shuttle bus to Florence won't depart for another 1-2 hours, you'll probably want to follow the "traditional" bus/train combination described above, since the shuttle bus to Bologna Centrale station is extremely frequent, as are onward fast trains to Florence SMN. You'll end up paying more, but arrive in Florence quicker. On the other hand, if the next Appennino Shuttle bus to Florence is leaving within 5-35 minutes, I'd take it.
 

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