Planning on using public transportation to get to Santa Cristina from Bolzano in August. Looks like I won't be able to get to Bolzano ( having flown to Milan and taking trains from there to Verona and then from Verona to Bolzano ) until mid- afternoon or later. I know that buses go from Bolzano to Val Gardena ( Bus 350, if I'm correct ), but I don't know how often and how late they run. We are a group of 4. Are we better off getting a taxi?
You can do the bus. There's a 350 at about 15:30 and another at 17:30. Here's a bus schedule. It could change so check back.
You can download the 350 schedule here: http://www.sii.bz.it/en/siipdftimetables
It is until June, 2014. It is available in Ladino or German. I suggest German.