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Bologna to Bari by train
How to travel from Bologna to Bari by train along the lovely Adriatic Coast
There is a two choice of two express services when taking a train from Bologna to Bari:
1 - The more frequent Frecce services are also faster, despite the lack of a high speed line; but that speed tends to come at a higher price.
2 - There also InterCity services, which are slower because they make more station calls.
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Routes
Option 1: taking the faster Frecce trains
Journey Summary
5hr 28min - 5hr 58min
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination: Lecce (or Taranto or Bari)
The trains also call at: Ancona and Pescara
There is no high speed line between Bologna and Bari so the fastest Frecciabianca trains, match the speed of the Frecciarossa trains
Though these Frecce trains are faster than the alternative Intercity trains for Bologna to Bari journeys, because they make fewer station calls.
Italo trains do not operate on this route.
up to 10 x Frecciabianca trains per day
3 x Frecciarossa trains per day
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 3 months* ahead of the travel date
*Not all departures may be available when looking 3 months ahead, but all trains should be visible around 11 weeks ahead.
Take care when choosing departures on this Bologna to Bari train journey, these Frecce trains tend to be more expensive then the alternative Intercity trains, but aside from saving 45mins - 1hr, the journey experience will actually be fairly similar.
Rail Pass Users:
If the timings of the alternative Intercity trains suit, then target those and not these Frecce trains.
You will save €10 in rail pass reservation fees by taking those InterCity trains.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Italiarail | from €30 | |
| Trenitalia | from €29.90 | |
| Trainline | from €29.90 | |
| Omio | from €30 | |
| SaveATrain | from €29.90 |
On this journey
Journey Features
Good to Know
These trains DON'T depart from the AV station at Bologna Centrale, instead they depart from the main part of station in the open air.
If your reserved seat is on the left the train (when facing the direction of travel) you'll be able to fully appreciate the highlights of the journey - which kick in after the train has departed from Rimini.
(If your seat isn't on the left, temporarily move over to one which is).
Once the train has travelled around 20 mins south of Rimini, you'll be able to revel in one of the best coastal train journeys in all of Europe.
For much of this part of the trip, the beach is all that separates The Adriatic from the train - a particular highlight is the part of the journey to the north of Ancona.
The sea views then continue, with the train travelling by the coast for around an hour in total either side of Pescara.
Option 2: taking the generally cheaper InterCity trains
Journey Summary
6hr 52min - 7hr11min
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination: Taranto or Bari
The trains also call at: Ancona and Pescara
These Intercity train are slower, but generally cheaper than the alternative faster Frecce trains.
They can be much cheaper when the most heavily discounted 'Super Economy' tickets on those Frecce trains have sold out.
Rail pass users should take these IC trains, do so and you will save €10.
Sunday to Friday = 5 x trains per day
Saturday = 6 x trains
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 3 months* ahead of the travel date
*Not all departures may be available when looking 3 months ahead, but all trains should be visiible around 11 weeks ahead.
Take care when choosing departures on this Bologna to Bari train journey, these Intercity trains are nearly always cheaper than the alternative Frecce trains.
Rail Pass Users:
If the timings of the alternative Intercity trains suit, then target these trains and not the alternative Frecce trains.
Target these IC trains if you want to save €10 on rail pass reservation fees.
Though in the summer and at weekends, if you'll want the peace of mind of being able to remain in the same seat for the entire journey, paying the optional €3 reservation fee is virtually essential.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Trenitalia | from €12.90 | |
| Italiarail | from €12.90 |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
These trains DON'T depart from the AV station at Bologna Centrale - instead they depart from the main station.
These trains take the same route as the Frecce trains.
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