How to Get to Cortina d’Ampezzo From Key Destinations

Planning how to get to Cortina d’Ampezzo? It’s one of the most beautiful places in the Dolomites, but getting there can feel confusing at first – especially since the town doesn’t have its own train station.

The good news is that reaching Cortina is actually quite straightforward once you know the best routes.

After visiting the Dolomites multiple times and planning routes across the region, I have found that the easiest option mostly depends on where you are starting your trip. Some routes are surprisingly simple, while others involve a few transfers through the mountains.

It is quite straightforward if you have a car – the roads are clearly marked and well maintained. They are, of course, mountain roads, so you get the occasional hairpin bends for the mountain passes. But generally, the views are amazing wherever you come from.

If you use public transport? It’s very easy from Venice – there are multiple direct buses available that take around 2-3 hours.

From the Western side (Milan, Bolzano, and others), though, you need to account for 3 hours and more and multiple transfers. But you get a lot of nice views out of it.

Let me walk you through the best ways to reach Cortina d’Ampezzo by car, bus, or train, including routes from Venice, Milan, and other nearby cities.

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How to Get to Cortina d’Ampezzo – Quick Overview

The best way to get to Cortina d’Ampezzo depends mainly on where you’re starting your trip.

If you want the fastest answer, here are the easiest ways to reach Cortina from the most common starting cities.

Where Cortina d’Ampezzo Is Located in the Dolomites

Cortina d’Ampezzo is located in the eastern Dolomites in northern Italy, in the Veneto region. The town sits in a wide alpine valley surrounded by dramatic mountain peaks and is one of the best-known destinations in the Dolomites, especially now after the Olympic games.

One important thing to know when planning your trip is that Cortina does not have a train station. The closest train stations are in Calalzo di Cadore and Dobbiaco, which means most public transport routes include a bus for the final part of the journey.

Closest Airports to Cortina d’Ampezzo (And the One Most People Use)

If you’re flying to the Dolomites, the closest airports to Cortina are:

• Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) – about 2 to 2.5 hours away

This is the most convenient airport for Cortina. There are direct shuttle buses, public transport, and private transfers available from both the airport and the town of Venice to Cortina.

• Treviso Airport (TSF) – about 2 hours away

A smaller airport mostly used by low-cost airlines. You’ll usually need to go into Venice first before continuing to Cortina.

• Innsbruck Airport (INN) in Austria – about 2.5 hours away

This can be a good option if you’re visiting both Austria and the Dolomites. It will most probably require a car, though.

• Milan Airports (multiple – for example, Malpensa (MXP), Linate (LIN), or even Bergamo (BGY)) – about 4–5 hours away

These are much farther but sometimes work well if you’re combining the Dolomites with Milan or Lake Como.

Since we used to live by Bergamo, we can say that driving to the Dolomites is the most convenient option – and that driving on the A4 highway can be a hit or miss with the traffic.

For most travellers, Venice Marco Polo Airport is by far the easiest option, which is why most people who visit Cortina choose start their trips in Venice.

How to Reach Cortina by Bus or Train

One of the questions I see quite often is how to get to Cortina by bus or train.

It’s not such an easy question to answer, as, unfortunately, the Dolomites are not always the easiest region to navigate with public transport. Different valleys belong to different regions, so connections between them sometimes involve multiple transfers.

Venice to Cortina

Getting from Venice to Cortina is actually quite easy. There are several direct buses from Venice (the city) and from Venice Marco Polo Airport to Cortina.

You can choose from multiple companies:

• Cortina Express
• ATVO
• Flixbus

The ride generally takes between 2 and 3 hours.

If you’d like a more scenic option, you can take a train to Calalzo di Cadore, the closest train station to Cortina on the southern side of the Dolomites. From there, change for the bus 30 to Cortina d’Ampezzo.

There are also private transfers available if you’d like more flexibility.

Milan to Cortina

It takes more time to get to Cortina d’Ampezzo from Milan. If you’re using public transport, you’ll most probably need quite a few transfers.

As a side note – if you’re flying into Milan to go to the Dolomites, I recommend going to the Western Dolomites (Val Gardena) instead of Cortina.

The most common routes to get to Cortina d’Ampezzo from Milan by public transport are:

• Train from Milan to Venice, then a direct bus from Venice to Cortina
• Train from Milan to Bolzano, then train to Dobbiaco and bus 445 to Cortina

In total, the journey usually takes 4-6 hours, depending on the connections.

There is also the option to use FlixBus shuttle bus, which would take you a bit more than 8 (yes, eight) hours.

Bolzano to Cortina

Getting from Bolzano to Cortina is actually quite straightforward. It generally requires one, maybe two, transfers.

One option is:

• Take the train from Bolzano to Dobbiaco
• Transfer to bus 445 that takes you to Cortina

Another option is:

• Take a bus to La Villa or S. Lorenzo
• Change for a bus to Cortina

Driving to Cortina from Bolzano via the Great Dolomites Road

The road from Bolzano to Cortina is called the Great Dolomites road (Grande Strada delle Dolomiti in Italian). It’s one of my favorite routes, and I use every chance I get to drive at least part of it on our trips.

You pretty much cross the whole Dolomites to get from one place to another. It’s 130 km long and takes at least two hours to drive.

You’ll probably want to spend more time driving it so that you can stop for the views and take photos.

The route runs from Bolzano through Val di Fassa, then continues across several famous mountain passes including Passo Pordoi and Passo Falzarego before reaching Cortina. You get to see many of the Dolomites highlights on the way.

Private Transfers and Helicopter Options

If you have the finances available, why not consider doing something really cool?

There are two more interesting ways you can get from one end of the Dolomites to another: a private transfer or a helicopter ride!

The transfer time from Bolzano to Cortina by helicopter would take approximately 30 minutes and would give you an opportunity to enjoy this UNESCO World Heritage Site from a completely different, incredible vantage point.

A private transfer would take you the same time as driving by yourself, with the only difference being that you wouldn’t have to worry about driving and could enjoy the views.

If you choose to use a private driver (also possible, contact the local taxi companies), you can get almost a celebrity treatment with this.

FAQ: Getting To Cortina d’Ampezzo

So, What’s the Best Way to Get to Cortina d’Ampezzo?

The best way to reach Cortina pretty much depends on where you are starting your trip.

From Venice – the easiest option is a direct bus or shuttle, which takes about 2 to 3 hours. This is why Venice is the most common starting point for trips to Cortina and the eastern Dolomites.

From Milan – expect several transfers. Most travellers take a train to Venice or Bolzano and then continue by bus.

From Bolzano or the western Dolomites – public transport is possible but usually involves one or two connections.

Driving is often the most flexible and scenic option, especially if you want to explore the mountain passes along the way. Routes like the Great Dolomites Road turn the journey into part of the experience.

No matter how you choose to travel, reaching Cortina is worth the effort. Once you arrive, you’ll be surrounded by some of the most dramatic landscapes in the Alps.

If you’re still planning your trip, you might also want to read my guide on how to plan a trip to the Dolomites so you can make the most of your time in this incredible region.