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Car hire at Bologna Airport - Visiting Northern Italy

Bologna Airport (BLQ) is a busy international airport that mostly serves the regions of Bologna and Emilia-Romagna, as well as many other large residential areas of northern Italy. Officially known as Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport, it a large air transportation facility with scheduled non-stop passenger flights to more than a hundred popular destinations in around forty different countries.

Located just six kilometres (4 miles) from the centre of Bologna, the airport can be reached in just twenty minutes by car or the regular shuttle bus that operates between BLQ and key locations (such as Bologna Train Station) in and around the inner city. Coaches operating at the airport also provide regular links to and from some of the region's other important towns and cities, most notably Modena, Ferrara, Ravenna, Siena and Cervia.

Boasting the oldest university in the western world, Bologna is a progressive tourist destination with a longstanding culinary tradition. Inhabited since the Iron Age, it has a wealth of fascinating sights and attractions, including its landmark towers (Due Torri) and the sprawling Basilica di San Petronio, one of the largest churches in the world. Housed in an exquisite 14th-century building, the city's Archaeological Museum (Museo Civico Archeologico) features a vast collection of ancient exhibits.

Bologna is conveniently located within a manageable driving distance of several major Italian cities, including Florence just 90 minutes away by car and Verona reachable in less than two hours. With a car hire from Bologna Airport you can also explore northern Italy's verdant Emilia-Romagna region, which incorporates a long stretch of golden, sandy Adriatic coastline.

Auto Europe provides car rental services in northern Italy and elsewhere around the world. You can book a low-cost car rental at Bologna Airport online now or get in touch with our award-winning rental specialists and they will find you the best deal in a few seconds. Our Bologna car hire reviews page provides useful feedback on what some of our previous customers thought about their recent vehicle rental experience in the city.

Airport Information

Covering a total area of 2,450,000 square-metres, Bologna Airport (BLQ) consists of a large passenger terminal and a single runway, which was extended to 2,800 metres to receive larger aircraft. Situated just 6 kilometres to the north-west of Bologna city centre, it lies about 200 kilometres from Milan and is attracting an increasing number of long-distance flights from places as far and wide as North America, South Africa and the Caribbean. It is one of the most important airports in Italy in terms of number of passengers and international destinations and is named in honour of the famous Italian inventor and electrical engineer (Guglielmo Marconi) who frequented the city and played a major role in developing the telegraph system.

Bologna Airport (BLQ)
Address: Via del Triumvirato, 84, 40132 Bologna, Italy
Telephone: +39 51 6479615
Airlines operating at Bologna Airport: The list of the most important airlines operating at Bologna Airport currently includes Aegean Airlines, Air Albania, Air Arabia Maroc, Air Cairo, Air Dolomiti, Air France, Air Moldova, Air Serbia, AlbaStar, Austrian Airlines, BA CityFlyer, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, easyJet, Emirates, Eurowings, Finnair, Iberia, ITA Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, Neos, Norwegian Air Sweden, Pegasus Airlines, Play Airline, Royal Air Maroc, Rynair, S7 Airlines, SAS, Silver Air, Swiss International Air Lines, TAP Portugal, Transavia, TUI fly, Tunisair, Turkish Airlines, Twin Jet, Volotea, Vueling and Wizz Air.

Where to pick up my car hire at Bologna Airport

To pick up your car rental at Bologna Airport, you'll find that several major international car hire companies are present at the airport (such as Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz and Sixt) whose offices are located on the ground floor of the main terminal building near the baggage-claim section. Parking is also reserved for the car hire companies operating at BLQ, which are signposted inside the Arrivals Hall.

Car hire desks' operating hours

	Avis at Bologna Airport Arrivals Hall, Bologna, Italy 40132 +39 51 6472032	Opening Hours: Daily 8am-midnight
	Budget at Bologna Airport Arrivals Hall, Bologna, Italy40132 +39 51 6472032	Opening Hours: Daily 8am-midnight
	Enterprise at Bologna Airport Arrivals Hall Bologna, Italy 40132 +39 51 6472128	Opening Hours: Daily 8am-11pm
	Hertz at Bologna Airport Arrivals Hall Bologna, Italy 40132 +39 51 382758	Opening Hours: Daily 8am-midnight
	Sixt at Bologna Airport Arrivals Hall Bologna, Italy 40132 +39 2 9475 7979	Opening Hours: Daily 8am-midnight

Terminals

The main terminal at Bologna Airport is set on three different levels, with the ground-floor mostly used for arrivals, baggage-reclaim, tourist info and automatic parking ticket machines, etc. Covering a surface area of around 20,000 square-metres, the ground-floor also houses a large section of the departures area with several check-in zones. The 1st floor is mostly dedicated to departing passengers, including the main security check-point providing access to the boarding areas. The passenger terminal a total of 57 check-in desks, one boarding area, 19 gates and two check-in areas.

Airport Facilities

There's a wide variety of useful facilities and amenities available for passengers arriving at Bologna Airport. A large bank operates in the Arrivals Hall, along with a number of cash machines (ATMs) and currency exchange services. The executive lounges are spacious and offer higher-paying travellers a relaxing environment in which to relax. Besides plenty of boutiques and some stylish cafés and restaurants (including a popular wine bar on the 1st floor, a good selection of additional services are on hand for people passing through the airport, including a first-aid station, children’s play area, baby-changing facilities and a lost property office. The airport is also fully equipped for disabled passengers, including toilets, ramps and help telephones at various points for passengers of reduced mobility to request wheelchairs and/or call for assistance. A free high-speed Wi-Fi Internet service is accessible throughout the airport.

How to get to and from Bologna Airport

If you are arriving from the city centre to collect your car hire at Bologna Airport, just head north along the SS64 before turning left onto the A14, which runs directly past the airport, then take exit 4 to the main terminal building (the journey takes about 20 minutes outside the rush-hour). For travellers arriving via the A1 motorway from Milan, exit when you see the 'Bologna Borgo Panigale' sign then take the by-pass to the airport. Marconi Express trains connect the airport with Bologna Train Station, which is a major hub of northern Italy's high-speed train network that offers passengers direct access to the centre of the city. The popular Aerobus service operates every 10-15 minutes from outside the Arrivals Hall to and from Bologna Train Station, plus taxis are readily available and reasonably priced with a well-organised taxi rank located right outside the main terminal building.

Parking Tips

When you rent a car at Bologna Airport, the first thing to be aware of is the city's ZTL (Limited Traffic Zone) system, which means that most vehicles cannot enter the city centre without a permit. Parking in downtown Bologna can be a bit problematic, especially on weekdays. On-street parking is mostly limited to residents but some spaces are available which are occupied quickly. We advise parking your car in one of the city’s underground car parks. For instance, just north of the centre you’ll find a large car park under Piazza Otto Agosto. Numerous other car parks are dotted across the city – many of which are within easy walking distance of many of Bologna's top tourist attractions. Note that on-street parking is available in the blue parking zones and tickets can be collected from parking meters. Parking at Bologna Airport couldn't be easier; both P1 and P2 car parks are located only a minute's walk from the Arrivals Hall, while P3 is a three-minute walk and P4 (long-stay) is a 5-minute shuttle ride away.

Useful links

Bologna Airport