Getting Around the Dolomites: With And Without A Car

Getting around the Dolomites isn’t as straightforward as it might look on a map.

The Dolomites are a stunning destination for sure, but it’s also surprisingly complex to navigate. They stretch across multiple regions, each with its own transport system, rules, and quirks. And no, they don’t connect as smoothly as you’d expect

If it’s your first trip, the logistics can spiral fast. So many questions can come up.

Is this bus free?
Is this road free?
Do I need a reservation?
When does it run?
When is it open?
And how come it takes almost 4 hours to get from Val Gardena to Dobbiaco by public transport?!

We’ve explored the Dolomites by car, and we’ve also used public transport, and each option has its pros and cons. Driving offers flexibility and easy access to remote valleys and trailheads, while public transport is more sustainable, cheaper, and works best if you stay in well-connected towns like Ortisei or Dobbiaco.

Having a car is our preferred method of travelling – we like seeing sunsets and sunrises at highlight locations such as Lake Braies, which more often than not is not possible if you use public transport.

But in all truth, the best way to get around is less about “right or wrong” and more about your travel style. If you’re planning multi-day hikes or staying in one area, you may not need a car at all. If you want maximum freedom to explore multiple valleys and chase light at iconic viewpoints, a car can make your trip much smoother.

Let’s break down exactly what getting around looks like with each option, so you can choose based on logistics – not guesswork.

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Car vs Public transport: quick comparison

Before going through the main details, here’s how getting around actually compares in real life.

Because really, both options work. They just feel very different.

Flexibility

Car: You control where and when you move.
Public transport: You work around the schedule.

Travel Time

Car: Fast and direct, only slowed by traffic, roadworks, or winding mountain passes.
Public transport: Transfers between regions can easily double or triple the time.

Planning Effort

Car: Minimal once you’ve rented it.
Public transport: Accommodation and daily plans need to align with schedules and connections.

Cost

Car: Rental, fuel, parking, sometimes toll roads. It adds up.
Public transport: buses and trains – much cheaper, sometimes free.

Best For

Car: Short trips. Multi-valley itineraries. Photographers. Shoulder season visits when buses run less frequently. Day trips.
Public transport: Staying in one well-connected area. Slower travel. Summer peak season when services run more often. Multi-day or all-day hikers.

Getting Around the Dolomites With a Car

Driving in the Dolomites is beautiful and gives you lots of freedom. But it also comes with its own set of challenges.

The main advantage of driving is, of course, the flexibility. You don’t need to worry about bus schedules. You can wait out the weather if it’s not cooperating. And of course, you can go for a sunrise or sunset.

But the roads are mountain roads – often winding, narrow, and unpredictable.

We’ve hit roadworks that turned a simple drive into a much longer one. We got rerouted because of a rockfall on Passo Gardena – it was a 1.5+ hour detour. On one trip, I took a wrong turn because the navigation wasn’t clear and we ended up driving an extra hour in the dark on tiny mountain roads. Not ideal.

The reality of parking

Parking is where it’s easy to mess things up.

There’s usually no problem in the shoulder seasons, such as spring and autumn, and even in June.

In peak seasons – summer and winter? It can get messy.

We’ve had to circle between parking spots multiple times waiting for someone to leave. And even then, once, in December, I had to park in a spot where we needed to become contortionists to get in and out of the car.

And summer? We missed the reservation window for Adolf Munkel, showed up optimistic that there will be a spot after all, and ended up having to take a bus instead. Which would have been fine in the morning, but we came around lunch, so it turned into rushing back down the trail to catch the last connection.

Some places also require reservations in advance to be able to access the parking lot – such as Rifugio Auronzo, Braies valley (high season), and the Malga Zannes (parking lot for the Adolf Munkel trail that I mentioned).

And even when you do find parking, it adds up quickly. Even hotel parkings – I’ve seen hotels charge 25€ per day just to leave your car there.

If you’re renting a car, always check:

• Does the hotel have parking?
• Is it included?
• Is it reasonably priced?

Because that line item can surprise you.

And make sure to have some coins with you or the EasyPark app on your phone to pay for the spot – police does check it.

When does a car make your trip easier

A car makes life significantly easier if:

• You’re moving bases
• You want sunrise or sunset access
• You’re visiting in shoulder or off season when buses run less frequently
• You don’t want to build your entire itinerary around timetables
• You want to do day trips

Having a car removes a lot of the stress on your trip.

Car Rental Tips

The best places to rent a car for the Dolomites are Venice, Verona, Milan, or Bolzano.

Closer rental spots mean less highway driving, but sometimes fewer rental options.

So, Bolzano will have a smaller choice of rental companies, as it’s a lot smaller. On the other hand, you’re closer to the Dolomites than Milan and Venice – if you plan to have the car only for the Dolomites, it makes sense to check it out.

Always make sure to check your rental car before accepting it, no matter how reputable the company you’re renting from is. Once, when renting a car near Milan, the rental agreement had “full gas tank” written, although in reality, the car had almost an empty tank.

And, of course, check for dents and scratches – it’s Italy, it’s normal for cars to have them, but they need to be in your agreement.

And don’t be afraid to rent from a company that has, let’s say, 7 stars on rentalcars.com – that’s completely normal.

Getting Around the Dolomites Without a Car

Public transport in the Dolomites is, honestly, rather excellent. It works really well – but you do have to plan your trip around it from the very start.

First thing is your base. You need to choose somewhere that connects you to the places you want to go to without too much hassle.

Second – you can’t assume that the Dolomites have one big, seamless bus network. They really don’t.

Different regions operate differently. Connections can become messy. The frequency changes by season and even within the season. And the trains are very limited, so buses do most of the work.

Which brings me to something almost noone talks about – if you suffer from motion sickness, you’re not going to be a happy puppy on the buses in the Dolomites. One of the reasons why we generally travel by car is my motion sickness. The bus drivers drive, shall we say, confidently in those hairpin bends, which makes me wish I skipped lunch.

Once you understand all of that, though, it becomes manageable.

Where public transport works best

To be able to conveniently use public transport, you have to plan the places to stay more carefully.

The best places to base yourself without a car are Ortisei in Val Gardena (Western Dolomites) and Dobbiaco in Val Pusteria (Eastern Dolomites). These two villages connect you to the main sights in each are more effortlessly than the other ones.

Ortisei works exceptionally well for Val Gardena not just because of the bus connections, but also because it has cable cars to Seceda, Alpe di Siusi, and Rasciesa.

And Dobbiaco connects you conveniently to such icons as Tre Cime di Lavaredo and Cadini di Misurina, Val Fiscalina, and Lake Braies. It’s far more practical in this regard than Cortina.

In South Tyrol in general, public transport shines. Connections are rather convenient and well thought out, buses are clean and mostly punctual, and many hotels give you a Südtirol – Alto Adige Guest Pass. This pass makes most regional buses and trains free.

Some routes require payment and advance reservation. One example is the bus from Dobbiaco to Rifugio Auronzo (Tre Cime trailhead). You need a reservation (paid) in both directions to go to the rifugio – you can’t just show up.

What it’s actually like to use

Public transport in the Dolomites works well, but it’s not always straightforward.

Bus stops are usually right where you need them. At Lake Carezza, for example, the bus drops you directly at the lake. Many hotels have stops right outside. And popular trailheads are also well connected in peak season.

But the system has quirks.

We once took the bus from Obereggen to Carezza, and halfway through the route it stopped at what looked like a random car wash station in the middle of nowhere. No announcement in advance, no explanation. The driver simply told everyone had to get off and switch to a different bus because he was going on a break.

Another time, the bus stopped at the same stop twice during one route. We stopped, drove deeper into town for a few more stops, then looped back through the original stop before continuing. It felt amusing. Also slightly confusing if you weren’t expecting it.

Add to that the fact that stop names appear in both Italian and German on the screens in the bus. If you’re not familiar with the region, it can feel slightly chaotic at first.

It’s not impossible to use buses, it just requires attention.

You can’t just zone out and spend your time taking pictures during the ride. Many times, the stops are also on request – you need to press the button.

This is one of the things that you should keep in mind during your Dolomites planning process.

The realities – time, transfers, frequency

Public transport in the Dolomites is almost always slower than driving.

Even without traffic, buses make many stops. They drive into and around the villages. They’re not designed the most direct line between points A and B – they’re meant for lots of people to get around.

A drive that takes one and a half hours by car can easily turn into three or four hours by bus once you factor in stops and connections. For example, Ortisei to Dobbiaco will take approximately 1.5h by car. By public transport? It can stretch to four.

And if you’re crossing regional borders, you’ll usually need at least one transfer. Sometimes the timing works perfectly, but sometimes you’re standing at a small station waiting longer than planned. If one bus runs late, you might miss the next one.

Then there’s frequency.

In many areas, buses run once per hour – sometimes even less. When we visited Carezza by bus, , our options were either spend 20 minutes there or stay nearly two hours. There was no comfortable middle ground.

In shoulder season, some routes reduce service significantly or stop entirely.

And early mornings and late evenings are limited too. If you’re planning sunrise hikes or sunset viewpoints, you need to check very carefully whether transport runs at those times. Generally, it doesn’t.

And always check the last return bus.

Because missing it doesn’t mean “we’ll grab the next one.” – it means finding a taxi in the mountains. Hence why we were rushing down the mountain from Cinema delle Odle.

Public transport works very well within its operating rhythm – you just have to plan your day around that rhythm.

When public transport makes sense

Public transport makes a lot of sense if you plan your trip around it from the beginning.

Using buses is a great idea if:

• You’re staying in one well-connected valley
• You’re not switching bases every couple of days
• You’re hiking full days rather than valley-hopping
• You want to do point‑to‑point or multi-day hikes
• You’re visiting in peak season when services run most frequently
• You don’t mind structuring your day around departure times

It removes the stress of driving mountain roads, parking headaches, and rental logistics. But it does require intention.

If you approach public transport strategically, it works surprisingly well.

Cable Cars and Lift Systems in the Dolomites

Cable cars in the Dolomites are not just scenic extras – they’re a transportation layer. In some areas, you can move around almost entirely by lift.

But they don’t replace cars or buses. They operate alongside them.

For example, for reaching the Seceda viewpoint, you could park in the Seceda parking in Ortisei and take the cable car straight up. Or you could take a bus to Col Raiser in Santa Cristina, hike to Seceda, go down to Ortisei, and take a bus back to your hotel.

They give you options. But the price of them can add up. A single scenic lift ride can cost 25 to 50€ return.

If you plan to use many lifts during your trip, look into getting a multi-day lift pass. Options include the Dolomiti SuperSki (or Dolomiti SuperSummer in summer) passes, or valley-specific passes like the Val Gardena card.

On our December trip, I saved a ton of money by using the Dolomiti SuperSki day pass for 65 euro. I did five round trips: Seceda, Alpe di Siusi from Ortisei, Alpe di Siusi Sonne lift, Santa Cristina to Monte Pana, and Monte Pana to Mont de Seura.

Even just 2 of these separately would have cost more than the 65 euro pass.

Most lifts don’t require advance booking – you simply buy a ticket at the station. If you have the rechargeable Dolomiti SuperSki card, though, you do get a 5% discount for booking in advance.

And always check opening dates carefully – shoulder season lift closures catch people off guard every year.

FAQ: Getting around the Dolomites

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions that we’ve seen.

What This Really Comes Down To

There isn’t one “right” way to get around the Dolomites – there’s the way that best fits how you like to travel.

Public transport works best when your trip is built around it from the start: choosing the right base, understanding seasonal schedules, and accepting that your days will follow a timetable. It’s more budget friendly and helps you avoid the stress of driving and finding parking spots.

A car, on the other hand, gives you flexibility. It shortens travel times, removes transfer stress, and allows you to explore multiple valleys without constantly checking departure boards.

If you’d rather not spend hours comparing routes, checking times, and calculating lift passes, I can help you map it out properly – so you spend your time hiking instead of troubleshooting.