Useful info and websites for arranging travel to/from your cycling holiday in Italy. Flight, rail, local connection options and onward travel ideas for start/ finish destinations featured in our circular and linear cycle tour routes in and around Italy.
The DolomitesVenice & Veneto TuscanyPiedmontPuglia
THE DOLOMITES
Destinations – Bolzano/ Verona
Bolzano
1: Eurostar train to Paris, then onward connections to Bolzano.
2: Fly to Verona, Innsbruck, Venice (Marco Polo) and Treviso (for Venice).
Verona
1: Eurostar train to Paris, then onward connections to Verona.
2: Fly to Verona, Innsbruck, Venice (Marco Polo) and Treviso (for Venice).
Please see below for more detailed information on options available.
By Rail:
- Bolzano & Verona
- Eurostar to Paris. TGV train from Paris Gare de Lyon to Turin, then regional trains to Bolzano via Verona (connections from Paris via Zurich or Munich and Innsbruck are also possible). Journey times are 14-15 hours, so an overnight stop is suggested. There are good regional rail links from Bolzano to Verona and Innsbruck.
By Air:
- Verona
British Airways – flying from London Gatwick.
easyjet – flying from London Gatwick.
Jet2 – flying from Belfast International, Bristol, Birmingham, Edinburgh, East Midlands, London Stansted, Leeds-Bradford, Manchester and Newcastle.
Ryanair – flying from Birmingham, London Stansted, and Manchester.
- Innsbruck
easyjet – flying from London Gatwick
Jet2 – flying from Birmingham and Manchester.
- Venice (Marco Polo)
British Airways – flying from London Gatwick and London Heathrow.
easyjet – flying from Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London Gatwick, London Luton and Manchester.
Jet2 – flying from Birminghamand Manchester.
Ryanair – flying from Birmingham, Bristol, Bournemouth, Edinburgh, London Stansted and Manchester.
- Treviso (for Venice)
Ryanair – flying from East Midlands.
By Car:
Use Ferry or Tunnel. Distance from Calais to Bolzano is 729 miles using toll roads.
Long term parking can usually be arranged. (We can advise likely charges.)
This information is correct as at January 2023.
VENICE & VENETO
Destinations – Venice / Mestre (Venice)/ Mantua
Venice /Mestre (Venice)
1: Eurostar train to Paris then onward connections to Mestre and Venice
2: Fly to Venice (Marco Polo), Treviso (for Venice) and Verona.
Mantua
1: Eurostar train to Paris then onward connections to Mantua
2: Fly to Verona, Venice (Marco Polo) and Treviso (for Venice).
Please see below for more detailed information on options available.
By Rail:
- Mestre (Venice)/ Venice
Eurostar to Paris. TGV train from Paris (Gare de Lyon) to Turin or Milan, then train to Mestre (Venice)/ Venice . Overnight stop, or an alternative night train route via Munich is suggested. - Mantua
Eurostar to Paris. TGV train from Paris (Gare de Lyon) to Milan, then regional train to Mantua (Mantova). There are good rail links from Mantua to Verona.
By Air:
- Venice (Marco Polo)
British Airways – flying from London Gatwick and London Heathrow.
easyjet – flying from Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London Gatwick, London Luton and Manchester.
Jet2 – flying from Birmingham and Manchester.
Ryanair – flying from Birmingham, Bristol, Bournemouth, Edinburgh, London Stansted and Manchester.
- Treviso (for Venice)
Ryanair – flying from East Midlands.
- Verona
British Airways – flying from London Gatwick.
easyjet – flying from London Gatwick.
Jet2 – flying from Belfast International, Bristol, Birmingham, Edinburgh, East Midlands, London Stansted, Leeds-Bradford, Manchester and Newcastle.
Ryanair – flying from Birmingham, London Stansted and Manchester.
By Car:
Use Ferry or Tunnel. Distance from Calais to Mestre 837 miles using toll roads. Distance from Calais to Mantua 788 miles using toll roads.
Long term parking can usually be arranged. (We can advise likely charges.)
This information is correct as at January 2023.
TUSCANY
Destinations – Florence / Pisa
Pisa
1: Train, via Paris and Turin (Eurostar/TGV/Inercity/local service) to Florence and Pisa.
2: Fly to Pisa and Florence.
Please see below for more detailed information on options available.
By Rail:
- Pisa
Eurostar to Paris. TGV train from Paris (Gare de Lyon) to Milan or Turin, then Intercity or regional train to Pisa. Overnight stop in Paris or Turin is suggested.
By Air:
- Pisa
British Airways – flying from London Heathrow.
easyjet – flying from Bristol, London Gatwick and London Luton and Manchester.
Jet2 – flying from Birmingham, Leeds-Bradford, and Manchester.
Ryanair – flying from Birmingham, East Midlands, Edinburgh, London Stansted and Manchester.
- Florence
British Airways City Flyer– flying from London City Airport.
Vueling – flying from London Gatwick.
Shuttle bus from the airport to Santa Maria Novella station in Florence, then train to Pisa (frequent services).
By Car:
Use Ferry or Tunnel. Distance from Calais to Pisa 838 miles using toll roads.
Long term parking can usually be arranged. (We can advise likely charges.)
This information is correct as at January 2023.
PIEDMONT
Destinations – Turin/ Strambino /Romano Canavese
Turin /Romano Canavese
1: Train, via Paris (Eurostar/TGV/local service) to Turin and local connection to Strambino for Romano Canavese.
2: Fly to Turin or Milan. (Fastest train Milan to Turin is under 1hr – local connections from Turin to Strambino for Romano Canavese).
Please see below for more detailed information on options available.
By Rail:
- Turin/Romano Canavese
Eurostar to Paris. TGV train from Paris (Gare de Lyon) to Turin (Porta Susa), then local train to Strambino for Romano Canavese (and short 2.5km trip by taxi to the hotel).
By Air:
- Turin (regular shuttle bus serves the railway stations and city centre)
easyjet – flying from London Gatwick.
British Airways – flying from London Gatwick.
Ryanair – flying from Edinburgh and London Stansted. - Milan Malpensa (express rail service from the airport to Milano Centrale station takes 54 mins)
British Airways – flying from London Heathrow.
easyjet – flying from Bristol, Birmingham, Edinburgh, London Gatwick, and London Luton.
Ryanair – flying from London Stansted and Manchester.
Wizz air – flying from London Gatwick - Milan Linate (shuttle bus to Milano Centrale station takes 25 mins)
British Airways – flying from London Heathrow.
By Car:
Use Ferry or Tunnel. Distance from Calais to Turin 670 miles by fastest route using toll roads (Romano Canavese 635 miles).
Long term parking can usually be arranged. (We can advise likely charges.)
This information is correct as at December 2022.
PUGLIA
Destinations – Matera/ Lecce /Alberobello / Ostuni
Matera, Lecce & Alberobello
1: Train, via Paris and Milan (Eurostar/TGV/intercity/local service)
2: Fly to Bari or Brindisi.
By Rail:
- Matera
Eurostar to Paris. TGV from Paris (Gare de Lyon) to Milan (overnight stay), then intercity train to Bari. From Bari to Matera by the local FAL train.
- Alberobello
Eurostar to Paris. TGV from Paris (Gare de Lyon) to Milan (overnight stay), then intercity train to Bari. From Bari to Alberobello by the local FSE train.
- Lecce
Eurostar to Paris. TGV from Paris (Gare de Lyon) to Milan (overnight stay), then intercity train to Lecce.
- Ostuni (finish of Tour IPuMO5)
Eurostar to Paris. TGV from Paris (Gare de Lyon) to Milan(overnight stay), then intercity train to Lecce. Regular services run between Lecce and Ostuni, buses from Ostuni centre to the railway station connect with train arrival/departure times.
By Air:
- Bari
BA – flying from London Gatwick
easyjet – flying from London Gatwick.
Ryanair – flying from Edinburgh and London Stansted.
Wizz Air – flying from London Gatwick.
Connecting flights from other UK airports also available.
Transfers from Bari airport :
Taxi transfers from the airport to the start hotel can be pre-booked.
Transfers by Public Transport: Matera – catch the direct “Pugliairbus” service at Bari airport (summer only); or take the shuttle train to Bari Centrale, then the independent local FAL train from the adjacent Bari Nord station to Matera. Alberobello – take the shuttle train to Bari Centrale then take the independent local FSE train (no service on Sundays) to Alberobello. Lecce – take the shuttle train to Bari Centrale, then take the regional or intercity train to Lecce, journey time approximately 2 hours from the airport.
- Brindisi
BA – flying from London Heathrow.
easyjet – flying from London Gatwick.
Ryanair – flying from London Stansted and Manchester.
Connecting flights from other UK airports are also available.
Transfers from Brindisi airport:
Taxi transfers from the airport to the start hotel can be pre-booked.
Transfers by Public Transport: Matera – airport shuttle bus to Brindisi railway station, intercity train to Bari Centrale then take the independent local FAL train from the adjacent Bari Nord station to Matera. Alberobello – intercity train to Bari Centrale, then take the independent local FSE train to Alberobello (no service on Sundays). Lecce – intercity train from Brindisi railway station; or the direct “Pugliairbus” from the airport to Lecce Bus Station (summer only).
By Car:
Use Ferry or Tunnel. Matera is 1280 miles from Calais using toll roads.
Long term parking can usually be arranged. (We can advise likely charges.)
This information is correct as at December 2022
Useful Contacts
Please note that rail and flight contacts are for your convenience and no endorsement is intended.
Rail contacts
www.trenitalia.com – Italian Railways (timetables and on-line ticketing in English, including some services from France)
www.bahn.com – German railways – superb site for all journeys in Europe, English version
www.eurostar.com/uk-en – Eurostar
www.seat61.com/Italy – The Man in Seat 61 (an excellent independent site giving information on rail travel across Europe)
Local rail services in Puglia
www.ferrovienordbarese.it – Shuttle train service Bari Airport to Bari Centrale
www.fseonline.it – Link to FSE (Ferrovie del Sud Est) for train times to Alberobello, in Italian “Orari e Tariffe” is the download and select Linea 1 Bari-Taranto
www.ferrovieappulolucane.it/en/ – FAL (Ferrovie Appulo Lucane) – train services from Bari to Matera.
Flight contacts
If you can, it is often worth checking alternative days (days or weeks), as sometimes you can save money by adding an extra day to the start or end of your trip.
www.ba.com – British Airways
www.ita-airways.com – ITA Airways +44 1904 211300
www.easyjet.com – easyjet
www.flybe.com – Flybe
www.jet2.com – Jet2
www.ryanair.com – Ryanair
wwww.vueling.com/en – Vueling
www.wizzair.com – Wizz Air
Airport websites
These usually include local shuttle bus, train and taxi information.
www.innsbruck-airport.com/en/ – Innsbruck Airport
www.veniziaairport.it/en – Venice Marco Polo Airport
www.trevisoairport.it/en – Treviso Airport
www.aeroportoverona.it/en/ – Verona Airport
www.pisa-airport.com/ – Pisa International Airport
www.aeroporto.firenze.it/en/ – Florence Airport
www.aeroportoditorino.it/en/ – Turin Airport
www.milanomalpensa-airport.com Milan Malpensa Airport
www.milanolinate-airport.com – Milan Linate Airport
www.aeroportidipuglia.it – Bari and Brindisi airports
This information is correct as at January 2023.
Booking Procedure
- Decide how and when you would like to travel, checking price and availability (either yourself or through your travel agent).
- Once you are satisfied, place the booking with us. We will confirm the booking within 24 hours (week days only).
- Once we have confirmed your reservation, book your travel arrangements
