How to Get to the Dolomites: Ultimate Guide on Transportation

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The Dolomites are my favorite mountain range in northeastern Italy. Although they are less famous than the Swiss Alps, they are no less stunning. While getting to the Dolomites is a bit more difficult than most areas, there are a few options—some better than others, as you’ll soon find out!

From spending multiple summers hiking, via ferrata’ing, and hut-to-hutting in these mountains, here’s what I’ve learned:

• There is no airport that goes directly to the Dolomites 🙈, but several good options are nearby in Venice, Milan, Innsbruck, and Munich.
• While the bus and train systems can take you from the airport to a few of the bigger towns in the Dolomites, the BEST way to get to the Dolomites is by flying into a nearby airport and renting a car for your trip.
• The Dolomites are very well connected by the Italian highway system. This means two lanes one way, two lanes the other – sometimes only one lane in each direction deep in the mountains.

LODGING TIP: My favorite towns to home base in are Cortina d’Ampezzo on the east side of the mountains and Ortisei or Bolzano on the west side of the mountains. If the prices are too crazy during the summer and fall season, look at the little towns near those.

I’ll go into all the options of how to get to the Dolomites, the pros and cons, and my recommendation, but whichever way you choose to explore these majestic rocks, you’re gonna love them – I promise!

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The Best Way to Get to the Dolomites

Surprise, Surprise! There is no Dolomites Airport at our convenience, but there are plenty of airports within a 2-5 hour driving distance from the mountains. The best way to get to the Dolomites is to fly into one of these airports and rent a car to start your Dolomites adventure.

⭐️ Fly To A Nearby Airport & Rent A Car

If you are budget-conscious with your money and time, then selecting an airport to fly into is the second most important decision outside of selecting your home base. In my experience, flying to Venice Airport is the best option, then renting a car to explore from there.

➡️ I use DISCOVER CARS to check car rental prices! ⬅️

Note: There will be a fee if you take the rental car out of the country you rented it. It’s also cheaper to rent & return in the same location.

✈️ What is the closest airport to the Dolomites?

There are quite a few airports close to different parts of the Dolomites, but Venice Airport is the closest one to the main towns like Cortina and Bolzano, so it’s your best bet.

I’ve included estimated drive times from each nearby airport to both Bolzano, the capital of the region on the west side of the mountains, and Cortina d’Ampezzo in the west because there are a ton of amazing hikes there. This way, you can have an estimation of how long it will take you to get to the Dolomites once you land.

• Marco Polo International Airport in Venice (VCE) – Italy (best option)
  • 2 hours, 45 minutes to Bolzano
  • 2 hours to Cortina d’Ampezzo
    
• Verona Villafranca International Airport (VRN) – Italy (super small airport)
  • 1 hour, 40 minutes to Bolzano
  • 3 hours, 30 minutes to Cortina d’Ampezzo
    
• Bologna Marconi Airport (BLQ) – Italy (super small airport)
  • 3 hours to Bolzano
  • 3 hours, 30 minutes to Cortina d’Ampezzo
    
• Malpensa Milan Airport (MXP) – Italy (second best option)
  • 3 hours, 30 minutes to Bolzano
  • 5 hours to Cortina d’Ampezzo
    
• Innsbruck Airport (INN) – Austria
  • 1 hour, 45 minutes to Bolzano
  • 2 hours, 30 minutes to Cortina d’Ampezzo
    
• Munich International Airport (MUC) – Germany
  • 3 hours, 30 minutes to Bolzano
  • 4 hours, 30 minutes to Cortina d’Ampezzo
    
• Zurich Airport (ZRH) – Switzerland
  • 4 hours, 45 minutes to Bolzano
  • 5 hours, 30 minutes to Cortina d’Ampezzo

PRO TIP: The airport dictates how long you will have to transit to your home base in the Dolomites (via bus, car, or train) and how much your rental car will be, so play with the options.

I recommend flying into the Venice Airport and renting a car there for a few reasons:

• It’s a bigger international airport compared to Bologna & Verona, so there are more connecting flights from the bigger airport hubs.
• It’s the closest driving time to the Dolomites compared to the other Italian cities like Milan.
• Renting a car from Austria, Germany, or Switzerland may be ‘cheaper’ up front, but there is a standard ~€100 fee for crossing country borders, which is paid upon pickup and therefore not reflected on rental car websites.

Check Prices for Rental Cars to the Dolomites here:
▶️ DISCOVER CARS ◀️

PRO TIP: Be careful of distances on mountain roads, as they are deceiving! You should map out each airport to your home base to see how long it will take because it usually takes longer than you think. It once took me 1 hour to drive 10 km because of the winding serpentine roads, no joke!

Before you hit the road, make sure you review Renting a Car in Italy: Common Mistakes & Tips, where I go into a few unique road rules, documentation requirements, and experience driving through the land of Dolce Vita.

How To Get To The Dolomites Without a Car

If renting a car is not your vibe for whatever reason, the Dolomites has an amazing public transportation system of buses, trains, and cable cars. This website was immensely helpful even though we had a car: SudTirol Mobility.

🚌 Public Transportation: BUS

Busses are pretty good in the Dolomites, and well connected to major towns and popular hikes, but you do lose some of that flexibility.

I’m a bit wary of taking buses because I tend to get a bit carsick on the windy roads, and if you’ve ever seen an Italian bus driver navigate mountain roads – well, they are skilled, but holy shit, I get Final Destination vibes.

MY BEST ADVICE: Fly into Venice Airport and take the Express Shuttle from Venice Airport to Cortina. The bus will take you directly to Cortina d’Ampezzo for about €10, and the ride is about 2 hours. Cortina is a good starting point town for exploring the Dolomites.

🚂 Public Transportation: TRAIN

Most trains arriving from North Europe will go through the Brenner pass, stopping at hubs such as Bressanone, Bolzano, and Trentino. This includes the daily trains from Munich and Innsbruck or Vienna. From these hubs, you can catch regional buses to your home base in the mountains, but also major towns and hikes.

NOTE: Cortina does not have a train station, but there is a good bus connection to the nearest railway station at Calalzo.

If you’re traveling from the west or south, trains and buses will take you from almost anywhere in Italy to either Verona or Venice Mestre train station, and then on to the main towns in the Dolomites by bus. When booking tickets to the Dolomites, do it early so you get a better deal!

PRO TIP: SudTirol Mobility is the best to navigate and book tickets to trains and buses around the Dolomites. You can buy a 1, 3, and 5-day pass at tourist info spots or any hotel. There are also little ticket stations. Either way, it’s cheap and effective!

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How Do I Get To The Dolomites From…

How do I get to the Dolomites from Venice?

1. Rent a Car and drive ~2 hours to your destination in the Dolomites.
2. By Train: Venice Mestre Train Station to Bolzano Train Station (1 Transfer at Verona)
   Time: 3 hrs, 30 min | Get Tickets

How do I get to the Dolomites from Munich?

1. Rent a Car and drive ~4 hrs to your destination.
2. By Train: Munich Hbf Train Station to Bolzano Train Station (Direct)
   Time: 4 hrs | Get Tickets

How do I get to the Dolomites from Milan?

1. Rent a Car and drive ~5 hrs to your destination.
2. By Train: Milan Centrale Train Station to Bolzano Train Station (1 Transfer in Verona)
   Time: 4 hrs | Get Tickets

How do I get to the Dolomites from Zurich?

1. Fly to Venice. Then Rent a Car and drive ~3 hours to your destination.
2. By Train: Zurich HB Train Station to Bolzano Train Station (1 Transfer in Verona)
   Time: 7 hours | Get Tickets

How do I get to the Dolomites from the UK?

1. Fly to Venice. Then Rent a Car and drive ~3 hours to your destination.
2. Fly to Venice. Take a train to Bolzano Train Station. Get Tickets here.

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Where to Stay in the Dolomites

There are a few towns I recommend looking to get lodging in, each close to certain iconic trails and hikes. During the peak summer and fall season, I recommend booking early, and expecting a minimum of 2-3 night mandatory stay. I’ve seen prices average about $300 a night, including breakfast.

✅ Cortina d’Ampezzo is ideal for Cortina town and everything around it, like Lago di Sorapis, Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Cadini di Misurina hike, Cinque Torri, and Croda da Lago. A few” hut-to-hut” excursions start here, too, and there are a bunch of via Ferratas around as well!

✅ Ortisei – Val Gardena was where I’ve lodged a few times and is ideal for Alpe di Suisi hikes, Seceda peaks, Sella Massif, Gran Cir, and Passo Gardena. It’s a cute area with lots to offer and my first choice of lodging in the Dolomites.

✅ Santa Magdalena – Val di Funes is another hub (smaller) I’ve stayed in and is best for the Adolf Munkel hikes and Geisler Alm, some of the most iconic hikes in the Dolomites.

✅ Bolzano is obviously great for Bolzano town, Strada del Vino, and Merano. I think it’s a bit far from a few of the more iconic hikes, but a lovely spot nonetheless.

If it’s your first time heading into the Dolomites, check out some of my favorite hikes, and decide what town speaks to you.

Adolf Munkel Hike to Geisler Alm – stay in Ortisei
Cadini di Misurina Ridge Hike – Stay in Cortina
Seceda Ridgeline Hike – Stay in Ortisei
Tri Cime di Lavaredo – Stay in Cortina

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Travel Tips for the Dolomites

Here are some lessons learned and travel tips for planning your trip to the Dolomites.

Are the Dolomites worth visiting?

A thousand times, yes, the Dolomites are worth visiting!

Over the years, I’ve fallen in love with Italy because it’s so damn charming and diverse in what each region has to offer; it has mountains, plains, hills, coasts, islands, you name it. The food is great, the wine is fantastic, the prices are lower than most other European destinations, and the locals are friendly and cute!

All that said, the Dolomite Mountains are my favorite spot in Italy. It’s unique and gorgeous in all seasons, the food is excellent, nature is at its best and showing off every day, and the air is filled with adventure. I lived my healthiest and simplest vacation life in the Dolomites, and that is what makes it worth it for me!

Do I need travel insurance when visiting the Dolomites?

Yes, anytime you travel outside of your country, you need to cover your @ss. It’s quite cheap and offers protection in case of emergencies – because those happen. Plus, it’s super cheap and you can call 24/7 and talk to fellow travelers like yourself to get info and help as you need it.

This is what I use:
Safety Wing Insurance

Note: You can buy it while you’re traveling as well, like that one time I decided to go up a via Ferrata in the Dolomites and it was my second time attempting such a feat! Yea, it’s a no-brainer on the travel insurance!

When is the best time to visit the Dolomites?

I think the summer and early fall (July to September) are the best to go into the Dolomites because you have wonderful weather, flowers blooming, great hiking, paragliding, swimming, etc. All the summer sports are available to you and all the rifugios, huts, and restaurants are open.

For the lower tourist season and the thrill of snow and winter sports, the winter and spring season will be best. Here are in-depth Season-to-Season Pros and Cons and Things To Do in The Dolomites.

How many days do you need in the Dolomites?

I recommend at least five days to really see some of the best the mountains offer. Traveling to the Dolomites takes half a day, and each day only allows time for one big hike—two hikes if they’re close to each other and short enough.

Are the Dolomites expensive?

No, and costs also fluctuate with the time of year you go, summer being the most expensive. Season aside, the most expensive parts will be lodging.

Here is a rough outline based on some of my road trips to the area during the peak summer season.

• Flight: Credit Card & Airline points!!
• Car Rental: €50 per day (Renting a Car in Italy: Common Mistakes)
• Lodging: €300 per night
• Funiculars/Gondolas: €30-50 per gondola, per person
• Food& Drink: €50 a day per person
  • Most lodgings included a hearty breakfast
  • We ate out half the time and cooked in / snacked the other half
• Nature in Your Life: Priceless!

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Wrap Up: Is it Hard to Get to the Dolomites?

Compared to most other places, I would say yes. That said, the Dolomites are very well connected by the Italian highway systems. Not only that, there are several airports nearby with shuttles to the mountains.

And while the bus and train systems can get you to the main towns, the best way to navigate these roads for fresh air and adventure is by flying to the nearest airport, renting a car, and exploring at your own pace.

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