How to get to South Tyrol: five airports and the train
South Tyrol, the autonomous province of Bolzano in northern Italy, is served by five airports that travellers commonly use: Bolzano, Innsbruck, Verona, Bergamo and Munich. Which one suits you depends on where you fly from and where you want to end up. The railway enters the province over the Brenner Pass from the north, from Lienz and from Verona, so you can also arrive without a car.
The distances below are measured to Val Gardena, not to Bolzano, and they are a rough guide only. They do not translate into driving times, because traffic and mountain roads change the result. If you already know your base, start with the where to stay page, and for days out see the South Tyrol tours.
Our pick: a guided trek with hotel pickup
The guide picks you up at your hotel in or around Bolzano, which helps if you want to start without arranging your own transport.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Mountain trekking with hotel pick-up around Bolzano
A guided trek with transport from your hotel in or around Bolzano, plus other trips from the region, with live prices and availability.
Taxi and transfer from Bolzano Airport (BZO)
Bolzano Airport is the nearest of the five and the shortest way into the province.
Flight offers at Bolzano Airport change from season to season, so check the current schedule with the airport or your airline before you plan around it. This site is an independent guide: it does not operate flights or transfers and is not the airport's website.
We do not quote taxi or transfer prices or journey times from the airport, because they depend on the destination, the number of passengers and the time of day. Arrange your transfer before you travel and ask the provider for a clear meeting point. If you would rather not book a car, the train and regional buses are an alternative, and the Mobilcard section further down explains what that ticket covers. For a day out that includes a hotel pick-up, the trekking tour above collects you in or around Bolzano. Once you are in town, the Bolzano page shows what to do first.
Innsbruck (INN) and Munich (MUC) by train
Both cities connect to Bolzano over the Brenner line.
Innsbruck to Bolzano
The Austrian railway describes 5 direct long-distance connections and 1 connection at the edge of the day in regional traffic. For the direction from Bolzano towards Innsbruck it gives about 2 hours. Look up the exact train for your day, because times and fares differ.
Munich to Bolzano
One dated example: on 12 November 2026 a direct train left Munich at 07:23 and reached Bolzano at 11:27, a journey of 4:04 hours, with fares from 37.99 EUR (page checked on 29 October 2026). Treat it as an example, not as a standing minimum fare.
Planning your dates
Check planned closures for 2026 in the timetable app before you book. If your dates are still open, read the best time to visit page.
Verona (VRN) and Bergamo
The southern gateways for travellers coming from Italy.
Verona Airport is 190 km from Val Gardena and Bergamo 270 km, both measured to that valley only. From Verona you can continue by train into South Tyrol; we give no journey time or fare here, so check the connection for your day. If your trip also includes a stay in the south, Lake Garda has its own guide with the Verona connections.
Car rental and parking
Useful for valleys and lakes, but several destinations restrict access.
A rental car is handy for the valleys and lakes. Pick up at Bolzano Airport (BZO) if you arrive there, or in a city if you come by train. Read the rental contract carefully: age limits, deposits and cross-border rules differ by provider, so ask before you book.
If you drive in from the north, the Austrian A13 Brenner motorway costs 12.50 EUR for a single trip for vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes (tariff from 1 January 2026). The Italian A22 is charged separately. On the Luegbrücke there is normally one lane in each direction, with different arrangements on some days in 2026, so check the traffic reports before you leave.
From 15 November to 15 April, winter equipment is required on the A22 and in Bolzano; elsewhere the road signs apply when there is snow or ice. In the centres of Bolzano and Merano, traffic zones restrict cars: a navigation app or a hotel booking is not a permit, so ask your host. Some destinations have their own rules. The Tre Cime toll road needs a registered number plate, covered on the Tre Cime di Lavaredo page, and the Seiser Alm road and the Lago di Braies valley have summer windows, described on the Alpe di Siusi and Lago di Braies pages. Check current closures of mountain roads before every drive.
Check rental car prices at Car rental at Bolzano Airport (BZO) on Economybookings.
Bus, train and Mobilcard
One ticket for local public transport, with a few exceptions.
The Mobilcard is valid for 1, 3 or 7 consecutive calendar days and costs 22, 32 and 52 EUR for adults (operator figures, checked in October 2026). A reduced junior ticket exists for children from 6 years. It covers regional trains as far as Trento, regional buses and selected cable cars, among them the Ritten and Mendel lines. It does not cover long-distance trains such as EC, Railjet or Italo, night buses, or bicycles and pets. Validate the ticket when you board.
Some lines are excluded. Bus lines 444, 439 and 442 do not accept it from 1 July to 15 September 2026, and neither do the Seiser Alm lines 10, 11 and 12. From 16 September, line 442 from Toblach towards Lago di Braies accepts the Mobilcard or the Guest Pass. The Seceda and Seis cable cars are separate tickets and are not the same as the cable cars in the network. The Guest Pass is a different product: only participating accommodation issues it, it is included in the room price and is not sold on its own.
On the Vinschgau railway, a state notice of 4 October 2026 described a reduced service with replacement buses since 7 September: hourly between Merano and Laas, and bus B250 between Merano and Mals every half hour. Check the timetable on the day, and see the Merano page for the town.
Getting to South Tyrol: frequently asked questions
Which airport is closest to South Tyrol?
Bolzano Airport (BZO). Innsbruck, Verona, Bergamo and Munich are used too; their distances to Val Gardena are 120, 190, 270 and 300 km.
Can I travel to South Tyrol by train?
Yes. The railway reaches the province over the Brenner, from Lienz and from Verona. A direct train from Munich to Bolzano took 4:04 hours in one example for 12 November 2026.
Does the Mobilcard cover long-distance trains?
No. It covers regional trains as far as Trento, regional buses and selected cable cars. Several summer bus lines are excluded.
How much is the Brenner toll on the Austrian side?
The A13 single trip costs 12.50 EUR for vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes (tariff from 1 January 2026). The Italian A22 is charged separately.
Is this the website of Bolzano Airport?
No. This is an independent travel guide, not the website of the airport, the province or a tourism organisation.