What happens if we miss a train?

There is no need to purchase regional tickets in advance
The price never changes and they can’t sell out
Your route from airport to Bologna and Bologna to Ravenna is regional

Regional tickets can be used on any similar train in the 4 hours after validation ( or the time you picked if you purchase in advance)

Is your train from Bologna to Florence a fast train?
There are also regional trains on that route

You may find this helpful
https://www.seat61.com/train-travel-in-italy.htm

I think you need a little more clarity. There are three levels of train tickets in Italy -- Super Econ, Econ, and Base. SE and E ticket are discount tickets with restrictions. They are sold for a specific train, at a specific day and time and with a seat reservation. Miss the train, and the tickets are no good. Only the Base ticket can be change. If you miss a train with a base ticket you have an hour (maybe 90 mins) to exchange it for a new ticket and seat reservation. And it necessary it can be exchanged earlier.

Only the Regional train (think bus on rails) is open seating, no reservation. Just get on and go. No seat -- stand till one becomes available. A regional ticket (unless bought on the internet) must be validated (time stamp) in the little yellow, blue boxes near the platform -- watch the locals do it. Once stamped the ticket is good for four hours. With the Regional tickets it is good on any R train headed in the correct direction.

Don't buy anything in advance, there is no reason in your case. Just buy a ticket at the station or on the Trenitalia App when you get there.

The travel BO-RA is aboard regional trains which are like commuter trains or subway trains in America, seats don't sell out, and they are on a first come first served basis (no seats are reserved), if there are seats that are empty, you just pick up one and seat on it, if the train is full and no seats are available (unlikely), you simply stand up.

The portion from Bologna to Florence is likely on a high speed train called FRECCIAROSSA or FRECCIARGENTO. Those seats are reserved (like airplanes) but they very rarely, if ever, sell out, since there are trains every 15-20 min between BO and FI, so you can buy them shortly before you depart.

The only advantage of buying ahead a high speed train ticket is that you can get a discount (discounted fare seats sell out fast and, after they are gone, you can still get a seat but you have to pay the full price). However the distance Bologna - Florence is short, therefore the savings are not huge. In addition if you buy a discounted fare (Economy/SuperEconomy) on a high speed train, if you miss the specific train you book, or if you change your plans, you can't get your money back. Therefore buy your tickets on the spot when you are at the station.

Be aware that the Regional paper tickets bought at the station must be validated (date/time stamped) at the machine before boarding or you get a fine. If you buy via Trenitalia App, no validation is required.

Thank you, all.

I had been looking at fares on Rome2Rio. I just asked for pricing for next Monday and compared to the October fare and see that they are the same!

I just compared the Bologna to Florence and the October fare is about half the August fare. $25 versus $14 - not a giant difference in the scheme of things :-)

Getting from Bologna Airport to Bologna Centrale is either by the "people mover" type monorail, or by taxi.
I would definitely recommend a taxi.
WAY quicker, as there is often a huge lineup for the monorail; as it only has three or four small cars, which only hold about a dozen people each.
I found the monorail very "shaky", and people are really crammed in with few seats.
I felt quite unsafe in it taking it to the airport to meet my friend.
For a couple of people, the taxi price is about the same as monorail tickets.
Take a cab.
This is what we did coming back from the airport into town last September.

Bologna Centrale is a huge station with multiple levels of tracks, so give yourself plenty of time to find your train and keep an eye on the electronic boards in case of track and platform changes.
Just buy the train ticket when you arrive at the station.

had been looking at fares on Rome2Rio

Bad idea. Use https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html
They operate the trains and set the prices, unlike Rome2Rio, which is just guessing.

Hi Evan,

I just took the train to/fr Bologna last week. It was my first time using that station. I found it very confusing and difficult to navigate. I also had difficulty with purchasing tickets on the web or through app and ultimately used a machine on site … that being said, I would highly suggest building in extra time buffer at this station if you aren’t yet familiar with it.

Edit to add: while I didn't miss my train at Bologna, I did at another station. Fortunately it was a regional so was able to hop on the next regional using the same ticket.

Evan
....I just compared the Bologna to Florence and the October fare is about half the August fare. $25 versus $14 - not a giant difference in the scheme of things ......

I am not sure what you are looking at or where. But that is not accurate. The fares on Italiatren are exactly the same on Aug 23 and Oct 18. Once set, fare pricing never changes. The super economy (discount fare) is 17 E and the base fare in 29E in second class on both days. And this is for the 8 am train. It will vary a few euros depending on departure time. The fares do not change like US airline fares. The only change is the availability of the discount fares. Once all are sold for that train time, they are gone. But the base fare never changes and is always available.

Get the Trenitalia app
Very easy to use

Not sure about Italy but I barely missed a train from Paris to Reims. I went to what I thought was the right station, printed my ticket and read it. I was plenty early, but not early enough to get on a metro and to the correct station in time. I talked to a person dressed like a conductor in the station. He just sent me to the next train. My ticket was discounted, for a specific train, but the conductor on the train was fine too. I ended up losing a couple hours from my schedule, the other train had more stops (regional).

I always give myself slip time on connections. If I had to make a flight or tight connection, I'd be walking distance from the train well before my scheduled departure.

I can't say how it will work in Italy. I was surprised how easy going the French were about it.