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How can I find a train schedule for Lamborgini tour and other questions about the tour/museum

Hello,
My husband has booked a Lamborghini factory tour for the day we plan to travel from Venice to Monterosso, Cinque Terre. I have found a euro-rail train from Venice Santa Lucia to Bologna Centrale but can only find a bus schedule in Italian. https://www.tper.it/ Can anyone help me with how can figure out the bus I need? Can I buy a ticket there or do I need to reserve the bus? I have read on other forums it is ATB 576 bus Sant' Agata Bolognese Chiesa Frati but I have not successfully found the departure and return times of this bus to the train station for June 27, 2017. The tour is 11:00 - 11:45. I am hoping to get to Cinque Terre to enjoy a tiny bit of the day before it is over.
Scheduling wise is it pushing it to take a 7:42 - 9:40 train from Venice to Bologna? I have read the bus is 50 minutes and there is a 10 minute walk to the factory. I guess we will leave our luggage at the Bologna train station or should I take the 7:25 - 8:50 train?

The tour is 45 minutes. How much time should I plan for the museum? I need to reserve the train to Monterosso and plan the bus back to the train station.
Thank you.

Posted by
3812 posts

There are no euro-rail trains, that's just an agency that re-sells tickets.
Two competing companies actually run high speed trains on the Venice-Bologna-Florence route: www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en and www.italotreno.it/en

If you are not travelling in August or before/after a long week-end trains do not sell out, so You don't need to reserve the train to Monterosso. You can do it to save money, but this way you'll be tied to a specific train: discounted tickets can't be changed and/or refunded.
You can purchase tickets either at the counter or at automatic machines just before boarding, but you'll pay the full, walk-up fare. It's a matter of priorities: money vs flexibility.

Note that there isn't a direct Bologna-Monterosso train: you'll have to change at least once in Florence.

Bear also in mind that Regionale (i.e. Locals) trains' tickets are open.
This means that a Regionale ticket can be used on any Regionale departing on that day and making the route you paid for. It's very handy if you miss a local train, you can always jump on the next one.
On the other hand locally purchased regionale tickets must be time-stamped before getting on. Time-stamping prevents people from using the same ticket again and again: forget to do it and you'll be fined on the spot. In the Cinque Terre conductors show no mercy anymore.

Posted by
11330 posts

Here is the schedule for bus 576. It seems if you arrive on the train at 9:40, you only have 5 minutes to make it to the bus which leaves at 9:45. That won't allow time to store luggage, so take the train at 7:25, check the luggage and have coffee. Stop in the Tabaccharia and buy bus tickets since you'll have time. Plus, the 7:25 train is a Frecciarossa a nicer train than the one at 7:40.

Reading the schedule on page 1 da lunedi a venerdi means Monday through Friday. You are there on a Tuesday. "BOLOGNA AUTOSTAZIONE" is your departure point and as you know, "SANT'AGATA BOLOGNESE CHIESA FRATI" is your stop. Ask the driver to tell you when you get there.

For your return, on page 3 is the return schedule. The fourth stop from the top is "SANT'AGATA BOLOGNESE CHIESA FRATI". Buses leave on the :23, 12:23, 13:23, etc., getting you to the station at 13:20, 14:20, and so on.

I'd allow an hour for the museum, just as a guess. That puts you at 12;45, so perhaps plan on the 13:23 bus, arriving at the station at 14:20. You should probably reserve your train from Bologna to Florence and as the trip involves a high-speed train, you can also book the connections to your final destination. There is a Frecciargento at 14:53, but that might be tight with picking up luggage and you'll be starving so take time to grab a sandwich for the train. A better bet is the Frecciarossa at 15:25, arriving Firenze at 15:59. There are still super economy tickets available. Your trip from Firenze to the Cinque Terre is long with several train changes. Just picking Vernazza as your final destination, I see you would get in at 19:15. At least there will still be sunlight for several hours. Have a nice Italian-time dinner at 21:00.

Hope this makes sense!

Posted by
11330 posts

Just saw Monterosso is your final destination. Sorry I missed that. Won't change my advice, just be sure to plug that in at Trenitalia.com, Bologna Centrale to Monterosso al Mare.

BTW, if you get into schedule trouble, a taxi will cost about Euro 39, per the site for the taxi company in Bologna.

Posted by
95 posts

The Lamborghini site has all the bus information on it. We had planned to take bus but The Reggio Emiliano buses went on strike and we had to rent a car. Easy drive from Bologna to Lamborghini and we were able to go to Modena and Ferrari museum as a bonus. I highly recommend Lamborghini factory tour and I'm not a car person!

Posted by
47 posts

Thanks everyone. This information is very enlightening since I had no idea about a lot of what you have told me. I'm glad to hear the tour is good because I have to say I have balked at giving up time at Cinque Terre to spend a full day traveling for a 45 minute tour of cars. Husband and kids are very much looking forward to it though. Glad I have your advice on how to get there and get myself to Monterosso afterwards. Thanks again. Carol