Sactive service
It is recommended to access the service from the terminus of Piazza Maggiore
For groups of 10 or more people, advance booking is recommended., on the other hand, the presence of free seats on board is not guaranteed
Check the opening hours of the Basilica of San Luca
San Luca Express it is the new tourist line that connects the historic center of Bologna with the fascinating Basilica of San Luca, immersed in the splendor of the Bolognese hills.
The service is operated by a tourist train (SOMETIMES, for maintenance reasons, THE SERVICE MAY BE OPERATED BY AN OPEN-TOP MINIBUS instead of the tourist train) with integrated audio guide, to enrich the journey with all the news, curiosities and insights related to the history of Bologna (Commentary in 10 languages🎧🇮🇹🇬🇧 🇫🇷 🇩🇪 🇪🇸 🇵🇹 🇷🇺 🇯🇵 🇳🇱 🇨🇳 )
A fun and engaging journey up the splendid slope alongside the one-of-a-kind portico, to reach the imposing basilica at the top with its splendid views of the city below.
The tour lasts one hour, with Terminal from Piazza Maggiore (interchange point with the city tour). Upon request, transfers are carried out customized itineraries.
This is where the idea for the San Luca Express service came from:
On November 7, 1976, the cable car that ran from Via Porrettana to the basilica was decommissioned. It offered an ecological and fascinating way to bypass the tortuous route up the hill. However, to date, no effective alternative has been found that can offer the same benefits, given that, especially on weekends, the cars of those wishing to visit San Luca chaotically crowd both the road and the parking lot adjacent to the basilica.
Furthermore, our market research among City Red Bus passengers revealed a strong demand for information on how to reach the Basilica of San Luca using a similar service. This led to our idea of establishing a second tourist line, using a modern train that will provide an attractive, comfortable, space-saving, and efficient way to reach the Basilica. The chosen train will be produced by DOTTO TRAINS, a supplier of tourist trains worldwide. The service will be integrated with the Red Bus service, with connecting schedules, and will include an interchange point in Piazza Malpighi, where tourist buses from all over Italy and Europe already arrive. This will also create the possibility of a single ticket at a discounted rate for both lines.
The itinerary we have identified, which we are going to detail, stems from a detailed assessment, carried out to satisfy both those who wish to access the Basilica of St. Luke for religious reasons and for purely touristic reasons.
You will visit a vast area of the city of great interest, such as Piazza S. Francesco, Piazza di Porta Saragozza, Villa Benni, Villa Spada (with its Tapestry Museum), the beautiful view of the Meloncello Arch, up to the splendid climb alongside the one-of-a-kind portico to reach, at the summit, the imposing basilica.
On our return journey, we will have the opportunity to view the entire architectural structure of the Dall'Ara stadium.