How to get from Bologna airport to the city centre (and back): 2026 guide
In short
The fastest way to get from Bologna airport to the city centre is the Marconi Express: about 7 minutes to Bologna Centrale station, €12.80. The cheapest is bus Q at €2.30, but during the day it doesn't reach the centre. A taxi costs more, but drops you right outside your hotel.
Guglielmo Marconi airport (code BLQ) is about 6 km from the historic centre as the crow flies and around 10 km by road. More than 11 million passengers passed through it in 2025, making it Italy's seventh-busiest airport. Here you'll find every way to get there and back, with prices and timetables updated to October 2026.
And what if the real problem isn't the transport, but your luggage? We'll get to that further down.
Quick comparison
| Transport | Price | Time to the centre | Hours | With luggage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marconi Express | €12.80 per person | 7 min to the station, then about 20 min on foot | 5:40am-midnight, every day | Easy on board, tiring for the last stretch |
| Bus Q + city bus | €2.30 per person | 35-45 min, with one change | From about 3:45am to 2:15am, every 30 min | Awkward: a change and often crowded buses |
| Taxi | €20-30 per ride, plus surcharges | 15-25 min, plus any traffic and queue at the rank | Always | Door to door |
| NCC / pre-booked transfer | €35-60 per ride | 15-25 min (traffic permitting) | By booking | Door to door |
In short: on your own, the Marconi Express wins. For two people the cost is similar: €25.60 versus €20-30 for a taxi. Families with children aged 5 to 16 can buy the Family ticket for €25.60, which costs the same as a taxi. For four adults it depends on the luggage: if you all fit in one car, a taxi costs about €25-38 even with suitcases and the night surcharge, versus €51.20 on the Marconi Express. If you need two taxis it comes to €45-70, and the Marconi Express is the better deal again. After midnight, your only options are bus Q or a taxi.
Marconi Express: the fastest
The Marconi Express is an elevated, driverless monorail linking the airport to Bologna Centrale station in about 7 minutes, with just one intermediate stop (Lazzaretto). The route is 5 km long and never meets traffic.
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Single | €12.80 |
| Return (return within 30 days) | €23.30 |
| Family, single (max 2 adults + 3 children aged 5-16) | €25.60 |
| Family, return | €48.90 |
| Groups of at least 10 people, per person | €10.50 |
Hours: every day of the year, from 5:40am to midnight.
Where to buy your ticket: on the Marconi Express website, in the Roger app, at the ticket machines in the station, or by tapping a contactless card directly at the turnstiles. You can also buy it together with your train ticket on Trenitalia's channels by choosing "Bologna Aeroporto" as your departure or destination. Family and Group tickets are sold online only and are valid only on the chosen date.
Passes: the Marconi Express has no season tickets for the public. The only agreements are reserved for people who work at the airport and are requested through their company's mobility manager. If you travel this route often and already have a TPER city pass, remember that it's valid on bus Q: it's slower, but costs you nothing extra.
The detail few people know: every ticket includes 75 minutes of travel on TPER city buses. If your hotel is far from the station, the bus is already paid for.
Watch out: the Marconi Express takes you to the station, not the centre. The terminus is on the north side of Bologna Centrale, the side facing away from the historic centre. From there to Piazza Maggiore it's about a 20-minute walk. With a 20 kg suitcase, up and down the kerbs under the porticoes, you'll feel every one of them.
Best if: you're in a hurry, you arrive during the day, or you need to catch a train at Bologna Centrale.
Bus: the cheapest
The bus to take is TPER's line Q, the "Navetta Aeroporto" (airport shuttle). It costs €2.30, the price of a normal city ticket. On 19 May 2025 it replaced the old lines 940, 944 and 949: if you still read about those lines elsewhere, the information is out of date.
- Daytime route: airport - Ospedale Maggiore. At Ospedale Maggiore you need to change to another city bus for the centre.
- Night-time route: until 5:15am and after midnight (last bus at 2:15am), bus Q continues to Bologna Centrale station, with stops at San Pio V and Don Minzoni - Piazza dei Martiri.
- Frequency: one bus every 30 minutes, all electric.
- Tickets: all TPER city tickets are valid, passes included. You can pay by contactless card, with the Roger app or at the ticket machines. If you already have a Marconi Express ticket validated at the airport, bus Q is included.
- Where to catch it: at the TPER stop at the airport entrance.
How long it really takes: during the day, between waiting, the change at Ospedale Maggiore and traffic, allow 35-45 minutes to reach the centre. With luggage, the change is the most tiring part.
There's also a more basic alternative: walk to the Via della Birra stop (about 15 minutes) and take line 81 or 91 towards the station. It only makes sense if you're travelling with hand luggage.
Best if: you travel light on a tight budget, or you arrive at night when the Marconi Express isn't running.
Taxi and NCC: the most expensive
A taxi is the only option that takes you from the airport to your hotel door with no changes. In Bologna there's no fixed airport-to-centre fare: you pay by the meter.
- Surcharges: €0.60 per suitcase; €3.15 at night (10pm-6am) or €2.20 on public holidays (6am-10pm); €1.35 if you call a radio taxi or use the app; €1.15 per person from the fifth passenger.
- Real cost to the historic centre: usually between €20 and €30, more at rush hour.
- Time: 15-25 minutes, very variable.
Mind the queue. The taxi rank is at the arrivals exit, but it's often the passengers queuing, not the cars. Waits of 10-30 minutes are common, especially in the evening, at weekends and on trade-fair days. At night it can be worse: in July 2026 the local newspaper Il Resto del Carlino reported passengers landing after 1am who waited about an hour.
Four people with luggage? Watch the space. A normal car takes four passengers, but rarely four large suitcases as well. The city fare table has no surcharge for larger taxis: the price is the same, the problem is finding one free in the queue, so it's worth booking one. Otherwise you'll need two taxis, and the cost doubles.
NCC and pre-booked transfers (private hire cars with a driver, bookable online or through apps like Uber Black) usually start at €35-60 to the centre. They make sense for groups, large families or arrivals in the middle of the night.
Best if: there are three of you and you fit in one car with your luggage, or you arrive when public transport is sparse.
Car hire, bikes and other options
Car hire: all the main rental companies are at the airport (Avis, Europcar, Hertz, Sixt, Maggiore and others). It's only worth it if you're then leaving Bologna. If you're staying in the centre it's almost always a bad idea: the historic centre is a ZTL (limited traffic zone) monitored by cameras, parking is scarce and expensive, and on most city streets the speed limit is 30 km/h.
Train: there's no railway station at the airport. Trains leave from Bologna Centrale, which you reach on the Marconi Express.
Shared bikes and e-scooters: a great way to get around the city. With a trolley case in tow, though, they're not a realistic option.
On foot: no. Between the airport and the centre there's the ring road and several kilometres of suburbs.
From the centre to the airport: planning your return
The options for getting back to the airport are the same, but there's an extra problem: your check-out time almost never matches your flight time.
- With the Marconi Express: at Bologna Centrale follow the signs inside the station; the terminus is on the high-speed (AV) side, Via de' Carracci. From the Piazza Medaglie d'Oro entrance to departure allow 15-20 minutes, because the station is big and spread over several levels.
- Dawn flights: the Marconi Express starts at 5:40am, too late for a 6:30am flight. From 3:45am to 5:15am bus Q leaves from Bologna Centrale every 30 minutes. Alternatively, book a taxi the evening before.
- Margin: get to the airport as early as your airline asks, usually at least 2 hours before international flights.
The gap between check-out and your flight is the real sticking point of the return. You leave your room at 10am and your flight is at 7pm: what do you do with your luggage for nine hours? There are two classic solutions, and neither is perfect.
- Leave it at the hotel. Free, but you have to go back for it. Often from the opposite side of the city to where you are, during the hours you wanted to enjoy.
- A left-luggage office. Independent of the hotel, but you still have to take your bags there and go back to collect them before heading to the station.
Either way, your last afternoon of holiday is organised around your luggage, not around what you want to do.
The real problem isn't the transport: it's the luggage
Read the options again and you'll notice the weak spot is always the same. The Marconi Express is fast, but leaves you at the station with a suitcase to drag into the centre. The bus is cheap, but makes you change. A taxi takes you to your hotel, but doesn't solve the gap between check-out and your flight.
Don't be a hostage to your luggage.
That's why Ambrogio exists: a luggage transport service between the airport, the station, hotels and B&Bs in Bologna. You travel light, by whatever means you like. We take care of the suitcases.
On arrival. Book the service at www.ambrogio.online. As soon as you land, an Ambrogio attendant is waiting for you just outside the airport (when you book you can see the exact location): you hand over your suitcases and find them at your accommodation the same day. You take the Marconi Express or bus Q hands-free, and even the change at Ospedale Maggiore becomes a detail. Your room won't be ready until 3pm? It doesn't matter: you're already strolling under the porticoes.
On departure. Check out and leave your suitcases at reception if your hotel is an Ambrogio partner, or book at www.ambrogio.online and hand them directly to Ambrogio. At the agreed time, an Ambrogio attendant hands them back to you just outside the airport. Your last day in Bologna ends with your flight, not with check-out.
Arriving or leaving by train? It works the same way at Bologna Centrale. Ambrogio doesn't replace the Marconi Express, the bus or a taxi: it makes even the cheapest options comfortable.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Marconi Express cost?
€12.80 single, €23.30 return. The ticket includes 75 minutes on TPER city buses.
Is there a season ticket for the Marconi Express?
No, not for the public. Agreements are reserved for people who work at the airport. If you have a TPER city pass, though, you can use it on bus Q.
What's the cheapest way to get from Bologna airport to the centre?
Bus Q, at €2.30. During the day it goes to Ospedale Maggiore, where you have to change for the centre.
How much is a taxi from Bologna airport to the centre?
There's no fixed fare. From the airport to the historic centre you usually spend €20-30.
Does the Marconi Express run at night?
No, it runs from 5:40am to midnight. After midnight (until 2:15am) and early in the morning (from 3:45am) bus Q connects the airport and Bologna Centrale station. Between 2:15am and 3:45am only taxis are available.
Does the Aerobus still exist? And lines 944 and 949?
No. The Aerobus was replaced by the Marconi Express in November 2020. Lines 940, 944 and 949 were discontinued on 18 May 2025 and replaced by bus Q. Many websites still carry this information: it's out of date.
How long does it take from the airport to Bologna Centrale station?
About 7 minutes on the Marconi Express, 15-25 minutes by taxi depending on traffic, plus any wait at the rank.
What happens if there's a strike?
Local public transport strikes can also stop the Marconi Express. Check the notices on the Marconi Express and TPER websites the day before you travel.
What do I do with my luggage if I arrive before check-in or leave after check-out?
You can leave it at the hotel or in a left-luggage office, but you'll have to go back for it. With Ambrogio you hand it over and find it where you need it: at your hotel when you arrive, at the airport when you leave.
Can I leave my luggage at Bologna airport and find it at my hotel?
Yes, with Ambrogio. Book the service and, as soon as you land, hand your suitcases to an attendant waiting for you outside the airport. We bring them to your accommodation the same day. On departure it works the other way round: you leave them at the hotel and we hand them back to you outside the airport at the agreed time.
Is my luggage safe with Ambrogio?
Absolutely: our attendants never leave your suitcases unattended until they're delivered.
In conclusion
To get from Bologna airport to the centre and back, you have a fast option (Marconi Express), a cheap one (bus Q) and a comfortable one (taxi). Choosing is easy. The hard part is not letting your suitcases decide how you'll spend your first and last day in Bologna.
Leave the luggage to us and enjoy the city from the moment you land until the moment you leave.
Useful links
- Marconi Express: timetables, tickets and service notices
- TPER, line Q: route and timetable of the airport bus
- Bologna Airport: information on transport to and from the airport
- Bologna Welcome: the city's official tourist information