Italy's major cities are now conveniently and quickly connected via high-speed trains knows as the Frecciarossa, Frecciabianca, and Frecciargenta (red, white, and silver arrow) as well as the private rail line Italo (see complete coverage of the Italian rail system at our blog here). To make the trip even smoother, some train stations built new platforms in different areas to accommodate the service. Since Bologna couldn't build OUT, they decided to build BELOW -- FOUR FLOORS beneath the main "Bologna Centrale" train station.
Here's a map:

The platforms are nos. 16, 17, 18, and 19, and they're easily accessible via escalators and elevators:



It's not a straight shot, however, and it can take around ten minutes to get down or back up, so please GIVE YOURSELF MORE TIME to change trains if you'll be switching from high-speed to regional (note: not ALL high-speed trains leave from underground, so be sure to check the departures board carefully before heading underground!).

Follow the yellow signs indicating the platform ("binario" in Italian) numbers:



Upon arrival in Bologna, head for the "Uscita" (Exit) "Centro Citta, Piazza Medaglie d'Oro" (often abbreviated P.zza Med. d'Oro). This takes you out the main exit of the station where you'll find taxis, buses (including the airport bus), and easy walking access to the historical city center in about 15 minutes.



If you're arriving on the train coming from Florence, be aware that the train doesn't emerge from a long series of tunnels before pulling into the station, so listen carefully for the announcement and be ready to disembark (as opposed to just looking out the window to get a visual cue). Here's what the underground platforms look like:



Bologna has become a popular destination in recent years given the extraordinary number of low-cost airlines that now fly there (many more than to Florence, for example). It's a short hop to a number of Italian cities by train (only 35 minutes to Florence, an hour to Milan, an hour and a quarter to Venice), and is a good start or end point to many of our tours:
* Most obviously, our Venice to Bologna Bike trip
* Any of our Tuscan tours: Tuscany Walk, Tuscany Bike, Tuscany by Vespa, Tuscan Coast Bike
* Any of our Dolomites tours: Classic, "Light," and new "Alta Via"
* Innsbruck to Verona Bike tour
* Lake Como Hike

The Bologna Airport also has some extraordinary European connections that make skipping through the continent a breeze. It can be an easy hub for getting to some of our other tours, like Crete (Chania and Heraklion), the Dordogne (Bordeaux), Sardinia (Olbia and Alghero), Puglia (Bari), Sicily (Catania), Turkey (Istanbul), Greek Dodecanese Islands (Kos), Andalusia (Malaga and Seville), Amalfi Coast (Naples), and Mallorca (Palma de Mallorca).
See the airport's "Destinations" page here.

And of cousre, it's a beautiful city in its own right so you may want to stay a while and explore!