Ravenna Cruise Port Shuttle to Bologna Centrale Train Station - Departure Time?

[Joporuss]

Hello! After arriving back from our cruise on Explorer of the Seas at the Ravenna Cruise Port at 6:00 am, we want to book a Royal Caribbean shuttle transfer to take us to the Bologna Centrale Train Station. I know that it is $30/per person but I want to get an idea of a departure time from the port. We are planning to take a train from Bologna to Florence to spend the day in Florence and I want to have an idea as to when we may arrive in Bologna.

 

Has anyone done this RC shuttle from Ravenna Cruise port to Bologna Centrale Train Station? If so, what time did it depart in relation to when the ship docked and how long was the drive? Was it a pretty smooth process? Thanks so much!!

[Biker19]

3 hours ago, Joporuss said:

I know that it is $30/per person but I want to get an idea of a departure time from the port.

Welcome to CC.

It is likely to be around the time the last passengers leave the ship after 9AM. Any navigation program will give you an estimate for the travel time.

[little britain]

I imagine they may run a couple of shuttles based on demand. I’d guess at 8:30 departure?
They cost $30pp and the journey time to Bologna is about an hour.  

[elaine5]

Here is a schedule from spring 2023. We were on Explorer in Sept. and it was similar. Shuttles were on time--they are not on demand. We took a shuttle to Ravenna and then traveled to Bologna on a VERY crowded standing room only train. I'd go to Bologna via shuttle next time.  

If you took the 8am shuttle, I'd say 10am Bologna train is good, 10:30 would give you flex in case of any delay. The station is very nice with a  lovely large quick service coffee/cafe where you can sit and wait for trains. We were also headed to Florence.

Edited March 9 by elaine5

[Joporuss]

1 hour ago, elaine5 said:

Here is a schedule from spring 2023. We were on Explorer in Sept. and it was similar. Shuttles were on time--they are not on demand. We took a shuttle to Ravenna and then traveled to Bologna on a VERY crowded standing room only train. I'd go to Bologna via shuttle next time.  

If you took the 8am shuttle, I'd say 10am Bologna train is good, 10:30 would give you flex in case of any delay. The station is very nice with a  lovely large quick service coffee/cafe where you can sit and wait for trains. We were also headed to Florence.

Thank so much! This is very helpful. Hopefully the departure times will be similar to our cruise in June. Yes, we have heard that the Ravenna train to Bologna can be very crowded, so we are opting for the shuttle to Bologna instead. Will chose a train between 10:30-11:00 to Florence. 

[Tin can]

8 hours ago, Joporuss said:

Thank so much! This is very helpful. Hopefully the departure times will be similar to our cruise in June. Yes, we have heard that the Ravenna train to Bologna can be very crowded, so we are opting for the shuttle to Bologna instead. Will chose a train between 10:30-11:00 to Florence. 

 

You are making the right choice getting the shuttle, the train from Ravenna to Bologna as the above poster states was very crowded.

 

Our times were very similar to the sheet posted and everything was really well organised. Enjoy the cruise, we had a great time on Explorer last summer and really enjoyed the atmosphere on board with the mainly Italian crowd.

[little britain]

35 minutes ago, Tin can said:

 

You are making the right choice getting the shuttle, the train from Ravenna to Bologna as the above poster states was very crowded.

 

Our times were very similar to the sheet posted and everything was really well organised. Enjoy the cruise, we had a great time on Explorer last summer and really enjoyed the atmosphere on board with the mainly Italian crowd.

Thanks: had no idea the Ravenna to Bologna train 🚂 was crowded! We will also go directly to Bologna! 
Cheers for the tip! 

[Tin can]

34 minutes ago, little britain said:

Thanks: had no idea the Ravenna to Bologna train 🚂 was crowded! We will also go directly to Bologna! 
Cheers for the tip! 

It was really bad, very uncomfortable and quite a few were left at Ravenna as they couldn’t physically get on and believe me they tried 😀.

 

It might have had something to do with the very high numbers of Italians on board our particular cruise which apparently was unusually high so more travelling domestically rather than to Marco Polo airport. 

Edited March 10 by Tin can

[Joporuss]

4 hours ago, Tin can said:

 

You are making the right choice getting the shuttle, the train from Ravenna to Bologna as the above poster states was very crowded.

 

Our times were very similar to the sheet posted and everything was really well organised. Enjoy the cruise, we had a great time on Explorer last summer and really enjoyed the atmosphere on board with the mainly Italian crowd.

Thank you! We are looking forward to our cruise in June! Yes, for only about $8/per person extra, going straight to Bologna is worth not having the hassle at Ravenna Train Station. Seems to me that trains only run once every hour from Ravenna to Bologna, so if you miss one because of being over crowded, you have to wait an hour for the next train. 

 

Also, if it said departure of 8:00 am for the Bologna Shuttle, that means departing the ship at 8:00 to go to the shuttle and not the actual departure of the shuttle? If so, how long after departing the ship, did the shuttle actually leave? Thanks!

[elaine5]

1 hour ago, Joporuss said:

Also, if it said departure of 8:00 am for the Bologna Shuttle, that means departing the ship at 8:00 to go to the shuttle and not the actual departure of the shuttle? If so, how long after departing the ship, did the shuttle actually leave? Thanks!

I think 8am is the departure time and were told to depart the ship 15 minutes in advance. Once off the ship, we got our luggage, gave to bus to store, boarded, and left fairly shortly after that. They were selling shuttle tickets in the middle room by elevators on 6/7/8(?) a few days before the cruise ended. I bought in person, as I wanted to ask those same questions. Check in the navigator day 4+ of the cruise for details.

[Joporuss]

1 hour ago, elaine5 said:

I think 8am is the departure time and were told to depart the ship 15 minutes in advance. Once off the ship, we got our luggage, gave to bus to store, boarded, and left fairly shortly after that. They were selling shuttle tickets in the middle room by elevators on 6/7/8(?) a few days before the cruise ended. I bought in person, as I wanted to ask those same questions. Check in the navigator day 4+ of the cruise for details.

Ok great! Thanks!! I was going to pre-purchase the shuttle tickets from Royal Caribbean by phone. I talked to them yesterday, and said I could purchase/reserve them up to 48 hours prior to sailing. They weren’t able to give me departure times, hence my post. Good to know you can purchase on the ship too a couple days before arrival.

[Tin can]

On 3/10/2024 at 4:19 PM, Joporuss said:

Ok great! Thanks!! I was going to pre-purchase the shuttle tickets from Royal Caribbean by phone. I talked to them yesterday, and said I could purchase/reserve them up to 48 hours prior to sailing. They weren’t able to give me departure times, hence my post. Good to know you can purchase on the ship too a couple days before arrival.

it was very easy on the ship buying the transfer tickets and in fact you had to confirm your departure plans to your stateroom attendant.

 

The actual shuttles were very well run. Not long lining up or sat on the coach before we were on our way.

[ajtaylor29]

We sailed last October on Explorer. On returning to Ravenna, we took the RC shuttle to the airport (to wave our kids home!) then we grabbed a taxi in to town where we stayed for another couple of days. Loved Bologna!

I don't remember exact times, but there were several buses so i think they left as they filled up. I would recommend the RC bus transfer to get you to the airport, then taxi over to the train station?

It sounds like the train to Bologna may be really crowded and uncomfortable; the bus was comfortable and easy.

[Joporuss]

7 hours ago, ajtaylor29 said:

We sailed last October on Explorer. On returning to Ravenna, we took the RC shuttle to the airport (to wave our kids home!) then we grabbed a taxi in to town where we stayed for another couple of days. Loved Bologna!

I don't remember exact times, but there were several buses so i think they left as they filled up. I would recommend the RC bus transfer to get you to the airport, then taxi over to the train station?

It sounds like the train to Bologna may be really crowded and uncomfortable; the bus was comfortable and easy.

Thanks for your input! RC now offers a shuttle bus that goes directly from Ravenna to the Bologna train station, so that is what we are going to do instead of dealing with all the crowds on a train from Ravenna to Bologna.

[CruisinMyra]

Joporuss, can you tell me what your experience was.  We are new cruisers and I'm in the process of planning our final flight info.  We are sailing on Aug 31 and returning to Ravenna on Sat Sept 7.  We want to go to Florence and it looks like from Bologna is the way to go.  If I can understand how the shuttle worked to Bologna, then I'll plan to fly out of Florence but I haven't made that commitment yet.  Thanks for the help.

 

 

[Joporuss]

20 minutes ago, CruisinMyra said:

Joporuss, can you tell me what your experience was.  We are new cruisers and I'm in the process of planning our final flight info.  We are sailing on Aug 31 and returning to Ravenna on Sat Sept 7.  We want to go to Florence and it looks like from Bologna is the way to go.  If I can understand how the shuttle worked to Bologna, then I'll plan to fly out of Florence but I haven't made that commitment yet.  Thanks for the help.

 

 

Hello! Our cruise isn’t until June 1st with a return date of June 8th, so I would assume you would want to book your flight before then. We also want to go to Florence, and  from my research and what I’ve been told, the best thing would be to get the RC shuttle from Ravenna cruise port to Bologna train station, then take a train from there to Florence. There is also a shuttle that goes straight to the Bologna airport if you wanted to fly out of there. I would avoid the Ravenna train station. I can definitely tell you how my experience went after our cruise. Enjoy your first cruise!! This is our second Royal Caribbean cruise (and 2nd European one). Thanks! 

[CruisinMyra]

Thank you so much.  Sorry for the confusion.  Have fun and enjoy!