Emilia-Romagna by Train: A Slow Itinerary Along the Via Emilia Without a Car
A slow itinerary for visiting Emilia-Romagna by train without a car: the spine of the Via Emilia and the branches towards the delta and the Apennines.
Visiting Emilia-Romagna by train without a car is easier than it seems, because the railway follows almost exactly the route of the Via Emilia. The Piacenza–Parma–Reggio Emilia–Modena–Bologna trunk line was inaugurated on 21 July 1859 and has run parallel to the Roman consular road ever since; a few months later came the extension towards Forlì, Rimini and Ancona. Today the frequent regional trains of Trenitalia Tper travel those tracks, and a regional or day ticket is all you need to build a slow itinerary, made of stops on foot and unhurried train changes.
Bologna, the hub
The natural pivot is Bologna, the hub from which everything else branches off. Before setting off again it is worth losing yourself in the medieval grid a stone's throw from the station: the Ghetto and the Pescherie Vecchie are the narrowest alleys in the city, where fish and vegetables are still sold as they were centuries ago, while not far off the complex of Santo Stefano, the Seven Churches hides a Romanesque cloister that stays quiet even when the porticoes are crowded. Both are reachable on foot: that is the whole point of travelling without a car, arriving at the station and walking.
Ferrara
Heading north, the line to Venice takes you in twenty-five minutes to Ferrara, one of the Italian cities best suited to those who do not drive because it is flat and compact. Behind the bulk of the Castello Estense open up the red-brick courtyards, secluded corners of the Renaissance addition that you discover while wandering without aim. Ferrara is also the bridgehead to the Po Delta: the FER regional line to Codigoro crosses the reclaimed countryside and, with a short connecting bus, puts you in touch with watery landscapes unimaginable to anyone who stays on the main axis.
On this side you first come to Argenta, where the Pieve di San Giorgio and the Museo della Bonifica tell of the age-old struggle between man and marsh. Further east, near Codigoro, the abbey of Pomposa raises its bell tower above the plain: here Guido d'Arezzo perfected musical notation, and the church's frescoes alone are worth the detour. Also in the delta, the Bosco della Mesola preserves the last strip of coastal lowland forest, home to a rare population of native deer; it pairs well with a day by bike, a means of transport easily loaded onto the area's regional trains.
Towards Romagna
Back towards Bologna, the Romagna line opens up another precious possibility for those travelling by train. At Faenza the historic Faentina railway branches off, the trans-Apennine line that climbs towards Florence through the Mugello: fully reopened in January 2026 after post-flood works, it can once again be travelled in its entirety. The stop to mark is Brisighella, the village of the three hills where the famous Via degli Asini runs covered inside the houses, raised up and lit by irregular arches. The station is at the foot of the town: you step off and you are already inside.
The Apennines deserve a chapter of their own, and it must be said honestly that here the train does only half the work. From the Emilian spine branch secondary lines and numerous scheduled buses that reach the inland valleys: this is how you get to the empty villages of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, towns down to a handful of souls where silence is the rule. More demanding, but all the more rewarding for it, is the detour to Sasso Fratino, the strict reserve of the Casentino Forests with beeches five centuries old, a UNESCO site: it is reached from Forlì by combining train and coach, and access to the reserve is regulated. Factoring in these last stretches by road is part of the game of a truly car-free journey.
Practical tips
A few practical tips. The regional trains along the Via Emilia run frequently all day, so it is best not to overload your days: two well-walked stops are worth more than five seen at a rush. Always check the timetables of the FER branches and the buses, which run less often on public holidays. Many trains accept bicycles on board, the ideal solution in the delta and around Ferrara. And if you want a different starting point, remember that the same line connects Piacenza, Parma, Reggio Emilia and Modena without changes: each of these cities has a historic centre reachable on foot from the station, perfect for extending the itinerary by a stop or two.
Practical guides for Arezzo
Practical info
When is the best time to visit Emilia-Romagna by Train?
The recommended time is March, April, May, June, September, October and November, when it is less crowded.
Where is Emilia-Romagna by Train?
Emilia-Romagna by Train is located in Italy.
