How do I get to Dolomites from Venice without a car?

Taking a Bus to the Dolomites You can find direct buses from both Venice Marco Polo Airport and the Venice Mestre station. From Venice Airport to Cortina D'Ampezzo the bus takes approximately two hours and ten minutes, and tickets are as cheap at 18 euros each way. You can book tickets through Cortina Express.



Getting to the Dolomites from Venice without a car is surprisingly efficient thanks to dedicated mountain shuttle services and the Italian rail network. The most direct and popular option is the Cortina Express or the ATVO bus, which run directly from Venice Marco Polo Airport and the Venezia Mestre train station to Cortina d'Ampezzo, the "Queen of the Dolomites." The journey takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes and offers stunning views as you enter the mountains. Another reliable route is taking a Trenitalia train from Venice to Belluno; from Belluno, you can transfer to local DolomitiBus services that reach smaller villages like Agordo or Arabba. If you are heading to the western Dolomites (Val Gardena or Bolzano), you can take a high-speed train from Venice to Verona and transfer to a northward train toward Bolzano (Bozen). Once in Bolzano, an extensive network of regional buses and cable cars can take you almost anywhere in the Val Gardena or Alpe di Siusi regions. In 2026, it is highly recommended to book the Cortina Express seats in advance during the ski or summer hiking seasons, as these direct shuttles are the fastest way to trade the canals for the jagged limestone peaks.

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It's absolutely possible to visit the Dolomites without a car. The Dolomites are well connected by regional buses, making it relatively easy to travel between destinations during peak seasons.

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The easiest way to get to the Dolomites is to fly to a nearby airport (Bolzano, Venice, Treviso, Verona, Innsbruck, Milan, or Munich), rent a car, and drive to your base in the Dolomites. Depending on your point of arrival, it may take anywhere between 1 and 4 hours to drive to the Dolomites.

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Driving to the Dolomites It can be reached by car from Venice in 2 hours, and from Milan in 4 hours.

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Bus services are readily available for both getting to the Dolomites, and getting around the region. The bus from Venice to Cortina is probably the fastest option if you are taking public transportation.

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Cortina d'Ampezzo This town makes an excellent home base to explore the Dolomites, with a great location near Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Lago di Sorapis, the Croda da Lago Circuit, and Lagazuoi. While in Cortina d'Ampezzo, take a stroll along Corso Italia, the pedestrian street that runs through the city center.

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The dolomites are a major tourist destination so, as with all tourist destinations in Italy in August, they get crowded and expensive. If you can't do July, try end of June or the beginning of September.

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The closest train stations are Ponte Gardena, Chiusa, Bressanone and Bolzano. From there, you can travel by bus or taxi.

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THE DOLOMITES ARE EXPENSIVE BUT ALSO AFFORDABLE WITH THESE TIPS. We're not going to lie, the Dolomites can be very expensive, and for many travellers, prohibitively so. Accommodation, especially in popular areas, can exceed €200 per night and will likely be your largest cost.

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The Dolomites are farther east and slightly north, concentrated around Trento/Bolzano. The mountains surrounding Lake Como are the Pre-alps or Alpine foothills. Looking north, up toward Colico from Bellagio, you can see part of the Bernina Range of the Alps. In a word no.

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Nowadays, the nearest railway station is at Calalzo di Cadore, 35 km away. The through journey from Venice to Cortina takes about 3,5 hours (train+bus). On the north there is the Fortezza-Dobbiaco railway line. Transfer to Cortina by bus.

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Bolzano (Bozen) is a beautiful city often referred to as the “Gateway to the Dolomites”, which is comprised of a lovely mixture of cultural displays, open air markets, restaurants and high end shops.

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