Transportation from Modena to Florence

The Bologna Centrale station may be confusing, but large airports are more confusing; changing planes between terminals in CDG, for example, is an ordeal several orders of magnitude larger than Bologna Centrale. You just have to know that fast trains (for example Bologna-Firenze) leave from a small underground terminal of four tracks, while the ordinary trains use the surface tracks at the old station. If you leave yourself enough time you can do it. Ten/fifteen minutes would be the minimum, but if you do not have to rush it can be done.

https://share.google/aayojuyn33A6uVp9o
The Underground tracks used by high speed trains are numbered 16-19. Just keep on taking the stairs going down till there are no more stairs, but tracks. Right before the platforms level there is a mezzanine floor to pick a direction like at any metro station, only it's way bigger.

There is an high speed train to Florence every 40 minutes, run by trenitalia or italotreno. If you are worried of getting lost and being late, you can make two separate purchases and leave 30 minutes (or more) to transfer. Otherwise, Just get your Bologna-Florence tickets at the automatic machines under the Departures board, right before getting to the platforms: https://share.google/Xou1ZTO2AVExAEz6y This way You'l pay the top fares, Base (trenitalia) and Flex (Italotreno)

If I were so worried, I'd simply take the direct Flixbus. Like tens of thousands of passengers do every day all around Europe. For sure I wouldn't waste $250 for a private driver because of what I have read on the Internet.

We are doing the same thing after our Village Italy tour finishes in September. I'm glad to have some hints on the Bologna train station as we reserved trains. Thanks

Hello Ruth, and welcome to the forum,

I am one of those people who always warns people about Bologna but it is honestly no that bad. But it is very different from any other Italian train station so it is surprising, both above and below ground, so I do try to warn people that just because you got to the train station you may be further from your track than you think. Even in big stations like Florence once you're in the station you're pretty much right there so if you have 15 minutes you can probably grab a coffee at La Feltrinelli, but not in Bologna. So the warning is not so much that it is impossible or terrible but don't take it for granted that you're "there" until you're actually standing near you track.

The most surprising part is getting to the top of the fast train section of the station from the main part of the station if you are not expecting it. Just follow the signs and trust that you are going the right way. The problem is when you think "It couldn't be this far" and start to doubt it and double back. Once you get to the top of the fast train section there are a series of escalators from level -1 to -4 where the actual tracks are. The fast trains leave from level -4 and at level -3 there is a fast train area with the big signs of connections and track assignments. Pause here and confirm your track because there are different escalators to different sets of tracks.

I will say if you want to use the elevators instead of the escalators it is a bit of a nightmare - at one point you need to cross the taxi lane section of the parking garage to the other side to find the elevator. So if at all possible just use the escalators if the elevator location isn't apparent.

As others have said - if you're not in any particular hurry just allow some extra time. Both trains from Modena to Bologna and Bologna to Florence are very common and run all day. If you buy "day of" fast train tickets they will be 29-35e/each, but assuming that won't break the bank just use the app or buy tickets in the station for the next comfortable trip to Florence. (I don't think there is a regionale train that doesn't have a change so opt of the fast train ticket from either company.)

Don't let the warnings scare you off the train station - it's only scary when you have 10 minutes to make a connection and desperately trying to figure out where to go. If you have time it's just a new Italian experience to have and a puzzle to solve.

Have a great trip,
=Tod

Grazie mille everyone for your reassuring replies! I especially appreciate those details about navigating the Bologna station. So I guess we'll just allow a bunch of time there and try to enjoy the challenge. Now, back to learning some conversational Italian...

As always one of the best places for European train information is always (The Man in) Seat 61. The site covers stations, food, left luggage with good pictures and information. If you have train or station questions this is always a good place to start.
Here's his brief on Bologna: https://www.seat61.com/stations/bologna-centrale.htm

This is a good overview of Bologna station: https://www.tastebologna.net/blog/bologna-train-station
The critical picture in that blog is the one that shows the underground tunnel and the sign showing Binari 16-19. That's critical part and you just have to keep heading the right direction until you get to the top of the escalators to the lower levels and from there it's straightforward - just keep going down.

Buses and trains is how Italians get around and they work really well - we're just dropping in to use them for a bit but they use them everyday.

'"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered."
-G.K. Chesterton

Be eternally optimistic and just remember these things are solvable,
=Tod

I add there from Modena to Florence there are even some direct trains. Are Intercity ones, so less frequent, but could be a solution to avoid the change in Bologna. And even if is a slower train than Frecciarossa saving the total travel time is very similar.
Are mostly at early morning and in the afternoon.
BTW: in my opinion there are some underground exchange stations that are much worst that Bologna one, like the ones in big cities where arrive three different subway lines.