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Bologna to Lecce by train
How to travel from Bologna to Lecce 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
7hr 6min
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination: Lecce
These trains also call at: Bari and Brindisi
There isn't a high speed line between Bologna and Lecce, so these 'Frecce' trains are faster than the alternative slower, but often cheaper, InterCity trains, because they call at fewer stations.
The train which is due to depart daily from Bologna at 11:45 is now a Frecciarossa train.
7 x trains per day
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 4 months ahead of the travel date
Trains departing at different times can be cheaper than others leaving on the same day, so you may need to look through the day's departures to find the cheapest fares.
On the ticket booking websites you can compare these trains with the prices of the slower InterCity trains, which also take this route.
Rail Pass Users:
If you will be travelling with a valid Eurail or InterRail pass, you will need to reserve prior to boarding these trains, either at the station (using a Trenitalia ticket machine or ticket desk) OR by booking them online.
Though the €10 rail pass fees can be avoided if you take the IC trains.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Italiarail | from €39.90 | |
| Trenitalia | from €39.90 | |
| SaveATrain | from €39.90 |
On this journey
Journey Features
Good to Know
These trains don't depart from the AV station at Bologna Centrale, so they're most easily accessed from the main entrance.
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 Intercity trains
Journey Summary
8hr 56min - 9hr 6min
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination: Lecce
These trains also call at: Bari and Brindisi
There isn't a high speed line between Bologna and Lecce, the alternative Frecce trains are primarily faster because they call at fewer stations.
Sunday to Friday = 2 x trains per day
Saturday = 3 x trains
Tickets
Trains departing at different times can be cheaper than others leaving on the same day, so you may need to look through the day's departures to find the cheapest fares.
On the ticket booking websites you can compare these trains with the prices of the faster Frecce trains, which also take this route.
Rail pass users:
Target these IC trains if you want to save €10 on rail pass reservation fees.
Though 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 | |
|---|---|---|
| Italiarail | from €29.90 | |
| Trenitalia | from €29.90 | |
| Saveatrain | from €29.90 |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
These InterCity trains take the same route as the Frecce trains.
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