The best ways for F1 fans to get to Autodromo Imola for the 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
2025 Imola F1 Tickets / F1 Experiences Packages / Bologna Hotels / Imola Facebook group
The 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix is scheduled on May 16-18
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Autodromo Imola is located in the picturesque northwest of Italy, in the suburbs of the historic town of Imola. The name of the race derives from the region in which the circuit sits – Emilia Romagna. The area is well connected by air, road and rail.
Airports Near Autodromo Imola
Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ): The closest major airport to Imola is located 50km west of the track. Bologna airport ranks amongst Italy’s busiest and offers an extensive list of European destinations. BLQ airport is a major hub for budget airline Ryanair. The city centre of Bologna is around 10km from the airport and is easy to reach via the Marconi Express monorail service. There are also a number of bus shuttle services from the airport to surrounding towns in the region.
Malpensa Airport (MXP): Milan’s largest airport is probably the best hub nearby for long haul flights. It is around 300km north west of the Imola circuit. Imola is also within driving distance of Florence Airport.
Federico Fellini International Airport (RMI): A few miles from the centre of seaside resort Rimini, the city’s airport is 90km to the east of Imola. Though smaller than Bologna airport, Rimini is another great option, especially for those visiting from Europe. The airport is a hub for Ryanair.
Parma Airport (PMF): 140km east of Imola, Parma’s airport is served by domestic and international flights.
How to Get to Autodromo Imola
Car
Hiring a car is perhaps the easiest way to travel to Autodromo Imola during your trip to the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. From central Bologna, the circuit can be reached via the E45 toll road. The journey should take just less than an hour, but travel times will increase due to race weekend traffic. The E45 road is also used to access the circuit if you are traveling from Rimini. A large number of small carparks, operated by both the city and private operators, are located close to the circuit in the town of Imola. Only a few of these carparks can be booked in advance. More information is available here. Parking spaces are now on sale for the 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix via this link. For more information about parking near Autodromo Imola, read our Trackside Guide.
Bus
BusForFun offers bus services from cities all over Italy to the 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, including those closest to Imola. The catch is that these services are only offered on race day, Sunday May 18. You’ll need to use trains or other means of transport if you are planning to attend practice and qualifying. Another point to note is that the buses are scheduled to arrive at Autodromo Imola at 6am, which means that you will be up very early (or traveling all night) to attend the race. At least you can try and catch some sleep on the bus! Sample outbound and inbound bus times and return costs as follows (note that prices are currently discounted):
Faenza (€33.10 return): 05:35-06:00 / 17:30-17:55
Modena Fiera (€42.80 return): 04:45-06:00 / 17:30-18:30
Rimini Sud (€46.90 return): 04:00-06:00 / 17:30-19:15
Verona Sud (€55.10 return): 03:00-06:00 / 17:30-20:15
Florence Scandicci (€67.70 return): 03:45-06:00 / 17:30-19:30
Bergamo (€71.80 return): 01:30-06:00 / 17:30-21:45
Milan Train Station (€72.50 return): 01:30-06:00 / 17:30-21:35
Turin Porta Nuova (€84.80 return): 23:15-06:00 / 17:30-23:45
Rome Ikea Anagnina (€89.80 return): 23:15-06:00 / 17:30-23:00
Train
If you’re staying in Bologna, you can access Imola via train. Imola’s train station (Trenitalia Spa) is a 30-minute walk from the circuit. A direct train journey from Bologna to Imola takes around 20 minutes. Trains depart frequently and the journey costs from as little as €4.30 for a one-way ticket. Further afield, Imola is also connected via train from both Florence and Milan. Due to the potential for large queues for tickets in both Bologna and Imola, we recommend buying your tickets in advance via the Trenitalia website. If you book trains at specific times and are unable to make it on time, you do have flexibility to travel on a different train within four hours using the same ticket.
Please note that the platforms for return trains from Imola to Bologna can be incredibly congested at peak times. Unless you have plans in Bologna, it’s a good idea to stay around in Imola for dinner and drinks on race weekend to avoid the worst train queues. But don’t forget to check when the last train is departing (normally around 23:00). If you miss the last train, it can be both difficult and expensive to get a taxi.
If you want to beat the crowds on the trains from Bologna, it’s also worth considering staying to the east in Ravenna. The train takes longer (45-50 minutes) but is much less crowded. Learn More: Readers’ Experiences at Imola – 2024 Emilia Romagna GP
When travelling by train to Imola on all three days of race weekend (Friday to Sunday), it’s worth purchasing the “Italia in tour 3-day ticket”, which gives you three days of unlimited travel in the region from €29. Just be aware that it doesn’t include travel on the fastest trains such as “frecciarossa” (red arrow).
Taxi or Ride Sharing
Taxi: For a hassle-free travel experience, book a taxi from your hotel to the circuit. Your hotel will be able to supply you with reputable local taxi firms. You can also download appTaxi or FreeNow to get a taxi via your smartphone. A one-way fare from Bologna to Imola is quite price at around €80-100, making the train a much more affordable and attractive option. It can also be very difficult at peak time to get a taxi from Imola to Bologna (e.g. Saturday or Sunday night), and prices are likely to be even higher.
Ride Sharing: Only the premium Uber Black service operates in the largest cities in Italy (including Bologna), but this is a limousine service with modern and comfortable cars, and is more expensive than a regular Uber. A ride from the center of Bologna to Autodromo Imola will cost a minimum of €150 on race weekend and potentially a lot more due to surge pricing (especially travelling home from the circuit). Since 2022, the Uber app is integrated with appTaxi, meaning you can also order a regular taxi via the Uber app.
Motor Valley
Imola is situated in the heart of the region of Italy known as ‘Motor Valley’. The surrounding area is home to four international racing circuits, the factories of some of the most famous Italian motorsport brands – Ferrari, Lamborghini, Ducati & more – plus a plethora of museums and collections. You can learn more about Motor Valley in our off-track guide.
