We're going to take the Village Italy tour this fall. We'd like to go to the Dolomites before joining the tour in Padua.
We don't want to rent a car. Any suggestions for getting to Bolzano via train and/or bus, and then touring the area?
Seems like we could fly into Milan or Venice.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17225 posts
How many days do you have for this?
Either airport works. From Milano Centrale, the train to Bolzano is 3 hr 15 minutes with a single change at Verona. You will have to add the time from your airport to Milano Centrale.
From Venice Mestre (which you can easily reach from the Venice Airport) there is at least one direct train a day to Bolzano, taking 2 hours 45 minutes Otherwise you change at Verona and it takes 3 hours or so. If you go into Venice itself from the airport for an overnight, it will take another 15 minutes to reach Bolzano.
However you get to Bolzano, the next step is a bus from the bus plaza adjacent to the train station. I suggest you just head straight to one of the Val Gardena villages, such as Ortesei or Santa Christina, and do your “touring” by lifts from the village, or local bus. But stay in one hotel.