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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

London to Bologna by train?

31 replies

Sensibletrousers · 29/06/2023 09:31

Wondering if it would be possible / enjoyable to take a trip to Northern Italy all
on trains (starting on Eurostar at St Pancras)? Are there some good sleeper trains, or scenic routes through / around the Alps en route to Bologna? Any interesting places to stop on the way?

Are there any travel agencies out there who could help put a trip together?

Would be two adults and two teens, and they want to visit the Ferrari and Lamborghini factories! I’d like a couple or days at Como but maybe not possible?

OP posts:
cherryassam · 29/06/2023 11:37

It’s definitely doable.

I’d be tempted to go:
Paris-Zurich
Zurich-Tirano on the Bernina Express (via Chur)
Tirano-Bellagio (for Lake Como)

cherryassam · 29/06/2023 11:37

Pressed post to soon!

cherryassam · 29/06/2023 11:42

It’s definitely doable.

I’d be tempted to go:
Paris-Zurich
Zurich-Tirano on the Bernina Express (via Chur)
Tirano-Bellagio (for Lake Como), Bellagio is my favourite town on the lake. Stations are at Como and Varenna - Varenna is just across the lake so can get the ferry to Bellagio easily
Varenna-Milan
Milan-Bologna

On the way back, if you wanted to go by train but a different route you could do:

Bologna-Turin
Turin-Paris

MissAmbrosia · 29/06/2023 11:44

You need the seat61.com website - it is packed with marvellous info about all the different routes and where/when to buy tickets.

SuperLoudPoppingAction · 29/06/2023 11:44

Have you looked at interrailing? Depending on how many travel days you want, it might work out cheapest.
Man on seat 61 has lots of information

Original poster
Sensibletrousers · 29/06/2023 12:35

Thanks all! Great tips!

OP posts:
TizerorFizz · 29/06/2023 15:54

There’s other places to visit around Bologna as well as the cars. Try Ravenna, Palma, Ferrara and Modena. Bologna itself is worth a day or two. My DD was a student there and got the train from Geneva where her first university semester was. Paris to Geneva should be fairly easy?

FlySwimmer · 29/06/2023 16:13

We’ve done London -> Turin by train, which was very pleasant. Started in St Pancras, changed train in Paris to a direct Turin service. The train continued on to Milan after that, which is incredibly well-connected for so many cities and towns, including Como, then on to Varenna. Turin is beautiful and worth a stop, either on the way out or way back. Ferrara, Modena, Parma all worth visiting.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 29/06/2023 17:06

The Ferrari museum in Maranello is well worth a visit. Sadly Ferrari factory tours are only available to clients and F1 sponsors. Ferrari do offer a Panoramic Tour from the museum (additional ticket needed) BUT you are not allowed off the shuttle bus nor are you allowed to take photos.

The Enzo Ferrari museum located in Modena near the train station is also well worth an afternoons visit and you can get up close to the displayed cars. There is also a nice cafe and gift shop.

the Lamborghini factory is located in Sant Agatha Bolognese near Modena. We saw the museum and it was worth a visit (the factory was closed at that time). The factory is now available to visit.

You may also want to visit the Pagani factory near Modena, the museum is fab and the factory tour is a must.

there are conpanies that will take you to all these factories for the day from Bologna.

TizerorFizz · 29/06/2023 17:40

Many people also overlook Milan. It has some great places to visit and is not too expensive if you don’t stay in fashion weeks.

Ginmonkeyagain · 29/06/2023 17:46

We've also done London to Turin by train. It is a beautiful journey. Very easy, Eurostar to Paris and then pick up the direct train to Turin from Gare de Lyon.

It might be an idea to stay the night in Turin and then carry on to Bologna in the morning.

Ginmonkeyagain · 29/06/2023 17:49

Bologna is lovely city, wonderful food - take your eating trousers!

Original poster
Sensibletrousers · 29/06/2023 21:04

Ginmonkeyagain · 29/06/2023 17:49

Bologna is lovely city, wonderful food - take your eating trousers!

Oh ALL my trousers are eating trousers!!!

OP posts:
lilyfire · 29/06/2023 21:32

We did Paris to Turin last summer interrailing with our teens. The car museum in Turin is really good!

AnnaMagnani · 29/06/2023 21:36

Follow what Man on Seat 61 says to the letter.

I've done a train based holiday around Bologna and it is an ideal place to go from city to city by rail.

TizerorFizz · 29/06/2023 21:50

DD travelled a lot as a student based there. To quite a few other cities at weekends with new student friends. In Italy, inter city trains are more reliable!!

flowerexpress · 29/06/2023 21:57

My husband did this once, and would recommend Chambery in France as good stop off, if you want to break up the journey to Italy :)

Ginmonkeyagain · 29/06/2023 22:54

@AnnaMagnani Man in seat 61 is an amazing resource. His advice got us out of a hole last year when our connecting train to Avignon to then get the train to Paris and then on to London was cancelled and we had to make a snap decision to get the next available train going north.

We followed his advice and ended up being able to catch up with the Paris bound train we should have got in Avignon at Lyon.

Original poster
Sensibletrousers · 30/06/2023 18:29

Some amazing tips here, thank you all!

What time of year would be best? Don’t want scorching hot!

OP posts:
TizerorFizz · 30/06/2023 18:37

We found it pleasant in April. Gets hot by mid June. (Said DD) Autumn is also pleasant. Bologna has arcades over the pavements. Not in the squares though. They do give respite from the heat but they are not universal in all areas.

AnnaMagnani · 30/06/2023 18:59

August it is doable in a way that other Italian cities are not, due to the arcades. They do make a lot of difference.

Having said that, if I had a choice, I wouldn't do it in August.

suburbophobe · 30/06/2023 19:06

Train travel is great. But expect to pay through the nose for it.

European train travel is not cheap. I live here.

Havanananana · 01/07/2023 09:49

suburbophobe · 30/06/2023 19:06

Train travel is great. But expect to pay through the nose for it.

European train travel is not cheap. I live here.

It depends where you live and whether or not you can take advantage of offers, Interrail and group tickets.

Where I live train travel is very affordable (and currently free on Saturdays!). A one-hour journey last week cost €40 in total - for three of us on a group ticket - and that was bought on the day. A similar journey in the UK would have cost £40 each.

As others have said, Mark Smith (The Man in Seat 61) is the guru for all things relating to train travel in Europe, including the Nightjet rail sleeper network which you can pick up from Paris and Amsterdam.

Fiftyisthenewsixty · 01/07/2023 13:04

I did this by train when there was an overnight train from Milan to Paris- sadly no more. I definitely would avoid July and August in Bologna if possible. Or at least make sureyou have air con. It's stifling even under the porticoes. The only plus point is the free open air cinema in the main square.

HPFA · 01/07/2023 16:03

I've been to Florence by train via Milan - it's possible to change in Turin instead. Finding the cheapest trains can be complicated - do some research on the SNCF and Trenitalia websites with a calculator to hand.

Remember with Interrail tickets in Paris and Italy you have to reserve seats (at a fee) so factor this into the cost.

There's something so exciting about trains though - flights are just soulless in comparison!