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Autostazione di Bologna at Piazza XX Settembre serves long-distance coaches and regional TPER buses. Central city-bus stops are distributed around nearby streets, so confirm the stop shown for your exact service.
Featured image: Autostazione di Bologna coach terminal. Photo: CAPTAIN RAJU, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Resized and converted to WebP.
Where Bologna Bus Station Is, and How It Relates to Bologna Centrale
Bologna's coach terminal sits at Piazza XX Settembre, 6, in the 40121 postal area. According to Bologna Welcome's trip-planning page, the bus station is a short distance from Bologna Centrale, the city's main train station. That proximity lets you walk between the two hubs instead of booking a taxi when switching from coach to rail. Travelers arriving by plane follow a different route. An airport-to-city-centre guide covers the separate Marconi Express monorail, which doesn't stop at this bus station. Walking directions from the platforms appear in the dedicated Bologna Centrale guide.
What the Bus Station Is For: Local TPER Buses vs. Long-Distance Coaches
Two separate networks share this address, and confusing them is the most common visitor mistake. Long-distance and international coaches use numbered gates for operators such as FlixBus, running to destinations across Italy and beyond. Bologna Welcome lists reach as far as Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, and as far as Norway and England. Treat that breadth as general network coverage, not a guaranteed direct route from Bologna on any given day. Local and regional TPER buses also depart from here, including line 101 to Imola, line 206 to Lugo, and route FBP to Budrio. These TPER routes run on a separate ticketing and boarding system from the long-distance coaches, even though both share the same station building. Check the departure board for your specific line or operator code rather than assuming a generic gate number. Beyond this station, the wider city transit network is covered in the Bologna public transport guide.
Tickets: TPER Local Buses vs. Coach Operator Tickets
The Bologna Welcome Card is an attraction product; it does not replace local bus or long-distance coach tickets.
- TPER ticket office at the bus station: sells tickets for all local and regional TPER lines
- TPER call center: 051-290290
- Coach operator tickets (FlixBus and others): bought separately via each operator's own app, site, or counter
- Coach fares: vary by operator, route, and booking window, with no fixed station-wide price
Facilities: Hours, Luggage Storage, Parking, and Assistance
Bologna's bus station operates 24 hours a day, per Bologna Welcome's listing, so late arrivals and early departures aren't a problem. A locker service for luggage storage began operating at the station on 9 January 2026, letting you store bags while you explore the city or wait for a coach. Fuller options and pricing beyond the station lockers appear in the Bologna luggage storage guide. Drivers can use Telepass at the station's parking lot, active since 1 July 2025, which the operator describes as under 24-hour video surveillance with a staffed presence. A dedicated anti-violence contact line, 337 1201876, runs Monday to Friday from 9am to 7:30pm for travelers who need assistance.
- Hours: open 24 hours a day
- Luggage lockers: active since 9 January 2026
- Parking: Telepass service active since 1 July 2025, with 24-hour video surveillance
- Assistance line: 337 1201876, Monday to Friday, 9am to 7:30pm
Getting from Bologna Bus Station to the City Center
Use the ticket and access rules for your actual service. Scheduled buses and pedestrians are different from private tourist coaches; coach operators must arrange their own authorised access. Validate city tickets on boarding and check TPER’s current conditions if a validator fails.
Late arrivals can walk into the city: vehicle-access restrictions do not prevent pedestrians from reaching hotels. Check the opening hours of the specific ticket desk or storage service you need.
Mistakes to Avoid at Bologna Bus Station
Assuming one ticket covers both systems trips up plenty of travelers. A TPER ticket only works on local and regional buses, not on FlixBus or other long-distance coaches, and the reverse is also true. Showing up at the TPER office to buy a long-distance coach ticket wastes time. Go to that operator's own counter, app, or website instead. Chartered tour coaches sometimes misjudge the ZTL rules and risk delays or fines for overstaying the 5-minute or 20-minute drop-off windows. Confirm which stop your group is authorized to use before the coach enters the historic center. Treat the locker and parking details in this guide as current at time of writing. Both services launched recently, in January 2026 and July 2025 respectively. Confirm current status with the station operator if either matters for your trip.
Plan another day from Bologna
Keep a separate day for the car-free trips from Bologna. Choose a destination by the time available after getting to Centrale, rather than using the train journey alone as your total travel time.
Sources and review
Reviewed 6 October 2026 against the official pages below. Timetable searches, ticket availability and temporary operating notices still need checking for your own travel date. Walking times and itinerary allowances are editorial estimates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the bus station in Bologna?
Bologna's coach terminal is at Piazza XX Settembre, 6, in the 40121 postal area. It sits a short walk from Bologna Centrale, the city's main train station, in the same general part of the city.
Is Bologna's bus station near the train station?
Yes. Bologna Welcome describes the bus station as a short distance from Bologna Centrale, close enough to walk between the two rather than book a taxi for the transfer.
How do you buy a bus ticket in Bologna?
Buy TPER tickets through its authorised channels for the zones needed. The call centre provides information, not a substitute for obtaining a ticket. Long-distance coach tickets must be bought from the coach operator.
Can you store luggage at Bologna bus station?
Yes. A locker service for luggage storage has been active at the station since 9 January 2026, useful if you want to explore the city before or after a coach departure.
Is Bologna bus station open 24 hours?
Yes, per Bologna Welcome's listing, the station operates 24 hours a day, so early departures and late arrivals aren't a problem.
Do you need a different ticket for local buses versus long-distance coaches in Bologna?
Yes, these are two separate ticketing systems. TPER tickets, sold at the station's TPER office, cover only local and regional buses. Long-distance coach tickets, for operators like FlixBus, are sold separately by each coach company and aren't interchangeable with TPER fares.
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