Bologna Info Please!

You can buy tickets at the station, you don't need a travel agency, although you can go to any. The ticket office hall has both manned ticket windows and automatic kiosks where you an buy tickets.
I don't know the cost of a taxi from the central station to 'downtown' because the station is downtown so I always walked. If you are going to a specific hotel, give us the name of the hotel and I can find out the price of a taxi ride. If the hotel is downtown it couldn't be more than 10 or 15€.
Bologna is covered in practically all travel guides, don't rely on Rick Steves' only, which are not comprehensive guides.

Thanks, Roberto. I asked about a travel agency because we are taking the train from Bologna to Monterosso in the Cinque Terre, and the route is a bit complicated. I'm thinking it would be easier to discuss the various choices with a travel agent. As for the taxi, we are going from the train station to the Art Hotel Novecento on Piazza Galileo. I have a Fodor's Italy guide but it seems to assume everyone is traveling by car! Thanks again.

you can easily go to www.trenitalia.com and put in your starting point bologna centrale and your ending point Monterosso and see the various prices and options. You don't need a travel agent and you really don't even need the ticket counter.

Any travel agency with a Trenitalia logo on the door can help you.

Your hotel is very near Piazza Maggiore, which was under construction in July, so a taxi may not be much more convenient than walking due to rerouting traffic, if the construction is still going on (Google map street view to check). A taxi should cost €10-12.

Thanks, Tim and Zoe. I did look at the Trenitalia site, but there are two or maybe three ways to get where we're going, and so I wanted to discuss it with a travel agent. As for the taxi, I appreciate the suggestion to check Google maps; taxi might still be easier than struggling with luggage.

you're sstressing too much. Look at the timetable. The differences are probably the fact that some trains are "local" (make more stops) and some are more "express" (makes less stops and therefore faster). Weigh the time it takes to take one or the other vs the cost of one vs the other.

The fastest way from Bologna to Cinque Terre is probably via Florence (Firenze). That is 2 or 3 train changes, depending on which train:
BOLOGNA > FIRENZE SMN > PISA > LA SPEZIA > CINQUE TERRE (which village?).
The changes would be in FIRENZE, PISA, and in many cases, also LA SPEZIA.

The solution that requires fewer changes is:
BOLOGNA > PARMA > LA SPEZIA > CINQUE TERRE.
In the latter case you would change trains only twice, at Parma and La Spezia. This solution is the cheapest, because it's entirely done on Regional (commuter trains). It takes a bit longer since the trains aren't as fast as the Bologna-Florence portion, but not by much (about 10 min longer). I would choose this option because you save money and also it's no more than 2 train transfers, which are a pain with luggage.
Before lunch these options are with departure from BO at 6:28 or 11:28, and 12:28.
The cost is less than 20 euro each way (18.95€)

If these times aren't good, then via Florence is the only way. The price will be about twice as much because the Bologna-Florence portion is on more expensive high speed trains. If you go this route, choose a solution that limits your train changes to 2 changes (morning dep from BO at 8:53, 11:53, 12:53).

You don't need to pre-purchase regional tickets. Just buy them then validate them before boarding.

Thanks, Ralph and Roberto (again!). I know it probably seems like I'm making this harder than it is. But my Italian is only so-so and I've had trouble at ticket windows understanding what the agent inside is saying. So if I can use a travel agent instead, I'd rather do that. But I appreciate now having a bit more information than I did this morning!

We caught a taxi in Bologna from the train station, which is on the northern edge of 'downtown' to an apartment on the south western co r ner of the centro storico. Was around 10€. Nothing is far in Bologna. All walkable.

Yes, Bologna is very walkable. It helps that it's flat, like a slice of baloney.