How to get to Bologna CHEAP with 3 children....

[FlyMeToDunoon]

We don't have a car and don't drive.
We live near Gatwick.... but Flight are soooo expensive or difficult to find. Last time DP and I flew was with one under two child to Geneva. easy peasy.
Now we have 3 aged 2.7yrs, 4.7yrs and the other will be 10 when we travel-bloody nightmare!
Flights are either v.expensive-£700 for all of us with BA or are from Stanstead at 7 in the morning which strikes fear into my heart.
Have looked at the train and although fares for late August are not yet available, working from July dates gives a higher price than flying-£1000 for us all including Eurostar and overnight couchette from paris to Italy.
Help!

Ah, the not driving thing puts a spanner in the works. What about going up and staying at Stansted the day/night before at a cheap airport hotel and catching the early flight?

Also, if you can fly cheaply into Milan, the train down to Bologna is only about 2 hours plus the trains are pretty cheap in Italy. That could be a pain though, because you'd need to get a taxi from the airport in Milan into the city centre to catch the train.

I don't think you can do it cheaply without a bit of faffing around.

Yep!
It's a bugger.
thanks for trying to think.

In the summer Ryanair goes to rimini as well, 1 one train from bologna. also have a look at forli airport, they used to have low cost flights. Verona with Ryanair, 2 hours from bologna. I don't like ryanair, but it's cheap.

Be aware that milan airport is located actually in Bergamo, 50 min from milan, bus gooes from there direct to train station in milano

Milan has 3 airports. Bergamo is the one which most of the lowcost airlines use and is closer to Bologna. I recall we flew from East Midlands to Bergamo very cheaply I think with BMIbaby. I realise that this is some distance from where you live in the UK, but I don't think you will get a cheap flight from Gatwick. Verona is also fairly close to get the train to Bologna. Have a look at all the lowcost airlines, e.g. Thomsonfly.

Getting the train to Italy from England is very expensive - but trains within Italy are quite cheap.

There are three ryanair flights/week departing around 12, 2pm, 6 pm direct stansted Rimini. this should be easy enough