Bologna to München / Munich by train

Take the stunning journey through the Alps to southern Germany, or travel on a comfortable sleeper train

Step on board the only direct trains from Bologna to Germany.
Connect in Bologna when travelling to Germany by daytime trains from the likes of Firenze, Napoli and Roma
Connect in München/Munich for ICE trains to a swathe of German cities without rail connections with Italy including Berlin, Koln, Nurnberg and Stuttgart

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Routes

From Bologna Centrale to München Hbf/Munich main station

Travel Information

Note that these trains usually depart from the Ouest part of Bologna station, so can be easily accessed from the main entrance.

Final Destination: Muenchen (Italian spelling)

This train also calls at: Jenbach, Worgl (connect for Kitzbuhel and Zell am See) Kufstein, Rosenheim and Munchen Ost

If you're heading to Munchen/Munich city centre, the quickest journey will be to leave the train at Munchen Ost station and connect there for a local S-Bahn train to Marienplatz in the heart of the city.

Mon-Fri = 3 x trains per day
Sat/Sun = 2 x trains per day

Tickets

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings open: 6 months ahead of the travel date

When booking tickets for this journey, look for the trains which depart Bologna daily at 07:45 and 11:52 and on Mon-Friday only at 15:52.

Book 1st class ticket journey tickets on DB Bahn and your seat reservation is included, but there will be an optional additional cost for adding the reservation if you book on any other service.

Reservations are also mandatory in 2nd class on the Italian section of this journey.

Rail Pass Users:

As the journey will be commencing in Italy Rail pass users must make reservations prior to boarding, irrespective if you will be using a 1st or 2nd class pass.

A choice of stations in Munchen/Munich when booking:

These trains will also call at München Ost station before arriving at Munchen Hbf.
If the finishing point of your journey is in central Munich/Munchen, around Marienplatz, it will be a quicker trip if you leave the train at Munchen Ost and connect into a local S-Bahn train at that station

When making a booking online on DB Bahn, it uses ‘Munich (München)’ as a default for looking up journeys to the city in the ‘to’ box.
But it is possible to select München Ost as the ‘to’ station (you need to use the German spelling with the character (the umlaut) over the ‘u’).
Though on arrival at Munchen Ost, you will need to purchase a ticket(s) for the S-Bahn train journey.

Where to book
Ticket Provider Approximate Cost
DB from €29.90

DB Guide

DB is the national railway operator in Germany, so its website can be used for booking journeys by German express trains; the ICE and IC trains and it doesn't charge booking fees.
It also sells tickets for journeys by direct trains on all international routes from Germany regardless of whether DB is operating the train service.

It also sells an extensive range of end-to-end journeys which involve making connections both within Germany and in neighboring countries, but journeys between Germany and Britain cannot be booked on DB.

A key feature of DB website worth keeping mind is that it offers 1st class ticket purchasers complimentary seat reservations on journeys both within and to/from Germany.

Seat reservations for daytime in both 1st and 2nd class can also be booked separately from tickets.

Trenitalia from €29.90

Trenitalia Guide

Trenitlalia is the national rail operator in Italy and in addition to its cheaper types of ticket; it also typically offers other discounts available to non-Italians, which include:

  • Group Offers, provides for a discount of up to 50% when 3-5 Adults travel together.
  • Family Offer for when groups of 2 - 5 people are travelling together and at least one of the party is a aged 11 and under.
  • The Children Free Offer is available for journeys by Frecce trains, when groups of 2 - 5 people are travelling together and at least one of the party is a aged 15 and under.
    Those aged 15 and under travel for free, but the Adults will need to purchase full price 'Base' tickets.
SaveATrain from €29.90

SaveATrain Guide

On this journey

Journey Features

Scenic - YesMountain views

Good to Know

Between Trento and Bolzano Between Trento and Bolzano
Between Bolzano and Brennero Between Bolzano and Brennero
Between Bolzano and Brennero Between Bolzano and Brennero
North of Brennero North of Brennero
Between Brennero and Innsbruck (summer) Between Brennero and Innsbruck (summer)
Between Brennero and Innsbruck (winter) Between Brennero and Innsbruck (winter)
Between Brennero and Innsbruck (winter) Between Brennero and Innsbruck (winter)
Between Innsbruck and Kufstein Between Innsbruck and Kufstein

The train journey between Verona and Rosenheim is one of the most incredible in Europe, but the best of the stunning views can can be seen from the left of the train after departure from Verona.
The train will reverse direction on departure from Verona.

The highlight of the journey comes when the train travels between Brennero and Innsbruck.
The views this section of the journey, are captured in this video, filmed from a train travelling in the opposite direction.

Though after Innsbruck the best of the views on this part of the journey are on the right hand side.

(This video was also filmed from a train travelling in the opposite direction)

From Bologna Centrale to München Hbf/Munich main station

Travel Information

The direct overnight train is typically scheduled to depart from Bologna at 23:45 and arrive in Munchen/Munich at around 09:20.
It takes a much longer route than the daytime train, hence the longer journey time.

1 x train per night

Tickets

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings open:
6 months ahead of the travel date on OBB.
3 months ahead of the travel date on DB Bahn.
3 months ahead of the travel date on Trenitalia.

Comparing ticket prices across the agents is particularly recommended for this journey.

These trains are provided by Austria's national rail operator, OBB, they travel through Austria on this journey between Italy and Germany.

The train conveys:

  • Compartment Seats (Sitzwagen)
  • Couchettes (Liegewagen); 4 berths AND 6 berths
  • Standard sleeping cars (Schlafwagen) with 3 bed, 2 bed and 1 cabins
  • Deluxe sleeping cars with showers (Schlafwagen) with 3 bed, 2 bed and 1 cabins

The first price you will see on the OBB ticketing site will be for the compartment seats.

Using rail passes:

Rail pass users must reserve before boarding this train.

Click the train details for more info including the rail pass reservation fees:

You can now book rail pass reservations without paying booking fees on the OBB website (OBB operates these trains).Though the process for doing so isn't particularly obvious, hence the step-by-step guide.

Making the rail pass reservation in advance online is particularly recommended if you will be traveling between June and September.
If you wait until arriving in Bologna to reserve, your first choice of accommodation on the train may have sold out.

Where to book
Ticket Provider Approximate Cost
DB Bahn *

DB Bahn Guide

DB is the national railway operator in Germany, so its website can be used for booking journeys by German express trains; the ICE and IC trains and it doesn't charge booking fees.
It also sells tickets for journeys by direct trains on all international routes from Germany regardless of whether DB is operating the train service.

It also sells an extensive range of end-to-end journeys which involve making connections both within Germany and in neighboring countries, but journeys between Germany and Britain cannot be booked on DB.

A key feature of DB website worth keeping mind is that it offers 1st class ticket purchasers complimentary seat reservations on journeys both within and to/from Germany.

Seat reservations for daytime in both 1st and 2nd class can also be booked separately from tickets.

OBB *

OBB Guide

OBB is the national rail operator and its booking service offers journeys by express trains within Austria, as well as international journeys which don't involve making a connection outside of Austria.

It pays off to book online, as the discounted 'Sparscheine' tickets are only ever made available on the website, and when making international journeys to and from Austria, these Sparscheine tickets tend to be cheaper.
OBB can offer particularly good value for money when travelling with children on international rail journeys, but something to watch out for when travelling between Austria and Germany on daytime trains, is that reservations are an optional extra; but if you book 1st class tickets with the Germany railways website DB, the reservations are complimentary.

OBB often takes a unique approach to its booking path, but a key thing to keep in mind is that the first price you will see for any journey is that of a Second Class seat.
The costs of upgrading to first class, a reservation, or a sleeping cabin etc, is then added to this price.

Trenitalia *

Trenitalia Guide

Trenitlalia is the national rail operator in Italy and in addition to its cheaper types of ticket; it also typically offers other discounts available to non-Italians, which include:

  • Group Offers, provides for a discount of up to 50% when 3-5 Adults travel together.
  • Family Offer for when groups of 2 - 5 people are travelling together and at least one of the party is a aged 11 and under.
  • The Children Free Offer is available for journeys by Frecce trains, when groups of 2 - 5 people are travelling together and at least one of the party is a aged 15 and under.
    Those aged 15 and under travel for free, but the Adults will need to purchase full price 'Base' tickets.

On this journey

Journey Features

Scenic - YesMountain views

Good to Know

The coaches heading to Munchen/Munich will be joined to another part of the train that will be heading to Wien/Vienna.

There are 2 x direct trains from Munich to Bologna on Mon-Friday, but only 1 x train at weekends.

This daily train departs Munchen hbf at 09:53

Final Destination: Bologna

Train also calls at:  Munchen Ost, Verona

Type of Scenery: Mountain

Star Rating: *****

The train journey between Innsbruck and Verona is one of the most incredible in Europe, but sit on the right of the train (when facing the direction of travel) to see the best of the stunning views.

The train will reverse direction on departure from Verona.

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