Where is Cortina d'Ampezzo Italy?

Cortina d’Ampezzo is in the stunning Dolomites of north eastern Italy.

The Cortina ski resort is 160km north of Venice & the same distance south of Innsbruck, Austria. The closest towns with rail transport links are Dobbiaco-Toblach 28km to the north & Belluno 72km south. By road it takes approximately 2hr (150km) to reach Cortina from Venice Marco Polo airport.

For such a well-known & regarded ski resort though, getting to & around Cortina is not the easiest thing in the world. The most direct public transport options are buses direct from Venice.

Flights

Closest international gateway airports to Cortina d'Ampezzo are Venice Marco Polo (VCE) & Innsbruck (INN). Note that the airport at the awesome ski city of Innsbruck only receives flights from European & UK origins.

Private or shuttle transfers from the airports & train stations are available here, or for those travelling on a shoestring, public transport options but can be time consuming. Alternatively, numerous car rental options exist.

Other international airports that can be linked to Cortina without too much effort are Milan Malpensa (MXP) (if driving!) & Munich (MUC).

Search for a great deal on a flight to Venice or other European airport, use our preferred flight search engine.

Airport & Hotel Transfers

Due to the limited, & often convoluted, nature of public transport to Cortina, private transfers offer efficient, safe & good value service. We recommend looking at a private transfer to Cortina if in a group of 3 or more people. Private, shared & group transfers are available to/from Venice or tother major cities to/from Cortina & surrounding ski resorts.

Search & book your transfer to Cortina d'Amepzzo.

Train & Bus Transport

If travelling from Innsbruck, Verona or even Venice, Milan or Munich, the train offers an interesting & useful way to the Dolomites & Cortina, but only via Dobbiaco/Toblach in the north.

Whilst train connections are possible from Venice via Belluno in the south, the infrequence of the services make the journey difficult & direct buses provide a far better option (read further below).

Trains to Dobbiaco/Toblach originate from Lienz in Austria or Fortezza (Franzensfeste) in Italy. See the northern Dolomites public transport map here. From Dobbiaco train station (bahnhof!), the route 445 SAD bus regularly travels to Cortina in around 45min (see timetable here).

Ski the awesome 3 Peaks Dolomites & Kronplatz while you are around Dobbiaco, as trains go direct to the ski lifts via the beautifully integrated train stations near both.

From Munich airport the train trip to Dobbiaco can take over 4½hr via Innsbruck. From Milan Malpensa airport, regular trains depart from Terminals 1 & 2 bound for Milano Centrale station (50min), from where connections can be made to the Dolomites via Verona. Journey time to Dobbiaco is a tad tortuous & anyone considering the journey should 'stopover' in Bolzano or the like to break it up.

If coming from the south, regular bus services provided by ATVO or Cortina eXpress journey to Cortina (& Alta Badia) from the Venezia Mestre railway station & Venice Marco Polo airport in about 2&frac1/3;hr. See ATVO timetable example here.

Search & book train tickets to Bolzano or Dobbiaco & bus tickets from Venice to Cortina.

Upon arrival at the main Cortina Autostazione (bus station - the old train station!), a fleet of local taxis & urban buses await you.

Driving to Cortina d'Ampezzo

If contemplating a stay in more than one location in the Dolomites, travelling to Cortina by car may be best. Driving to the various ski areas in one’s own vehicle provides the ultimate in comfort & efficiency.

The SS51 road links Cortina to the north (Dobbiaco) & south (Ponte Nelle Alpi). The journey from the north from Dobbiaco is spectacular in parts & includes glimpses of the Tre Cime. It can be tough during a blizzard though as the road rises to over 1,500m before dropping into Cortina. From either Innsbruck or Verona, the drive to Dobbiaco on the major A22 highway (autostrade) (toll road) until just north of Bressanone where the ss49 begins into the Pusteria valley. The ss49 is a single lane carriageway that can become quite busy. Patience is required until the turn off to Cortina at Dobbiaco.

From the south, the A27 leads all the way from Venice to the base of the Dolomites before becoming the ss51 leading to Cortina. The southerly route provides the best access in poor weather.

Roads to Cortina from the west go over high passes of Falzerago & Giau. Whilst they can be challenging in blizzards or icy conditions, the routes offer dramatic entries into Cortina from Alta Badia or Civetta.

Car Rental & Hire

All the major airports & cities have car hire available through multiple agencies. Airports provide the most convenient & simple car rentals. We do not recommend renting a car from downtown Milan as the drive & navigation out can be hectic to say the least.

In the Dolomites, car rental locations exist in Cortina & other Dolomiti cities including the larger Bolzano, Bressanone (Brixen), Brunico (Bruneck), Belluno & Trento. If travelling from Austria, Innsbruck is the best place to hire a car.

Ensure the hire car comes with snow tyres and/or snow chains (bare minimum). All-wheel drive or 4WD vehicles offer the safest driving experience on the icy winding mountain roads of the Dolomites.

To search for all rental cars by location, availability & rate, use our preferred car rental search engine.

For detailed information on driving during winter, see our Travel in Italy page.

Getting Around Cortina Ski Resort

Cortina is a disjointed ski resort in three major parts, sometimes separated by large distances. Walking to the cable cars of the Tofana & Faloria areas is possible from central Cortina, but most people will likely not enjoy the experience in ski boots (some might say harden up or get yourself some more comfortable AT or Telemark boots!).

A fleet of local 'urban' buses work on 9 routes linking all points of the town & surrounding ski areas. A small ticket fee is payable for each journey. Multi day/journey ticket books are available at the bus station ticket office for a discount price.

The only free ski bus in Cortina was the link between the Tofana/Pocol area up to the base of the Cinque Torri ski area. It has thankfully now been superseded by a new gondola lift. YAY!

Nearby Resorts

The closest ski resorts to Cortina are the Dolomiti Superski linked Alta Badia, Civetta & 3 Peaks.