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PhrasesOn the TrainDevo fare il cambio a Bologna per Venezia?
A2

Devo fare il cambio a Bologna per Venezia?

Do I need to change at Bologna for Venice?

Pronunciation

BO-lo-nya — the 'gn' is /ɲ/ as in 'canyon'. Cam-bio: KAM-byo — stress on first syllable.

When to use it

Ask a fellow passenger or conductor when your route involves potential connections and you want to confirm whether a change is needed.

What it means

Fare il cambio (to make a change / to change trains) is the colloquial expression for a train connection. A Bologna (at Bologna) — city name with preposition a. Per Venezia (for Venice) — per expresses the final destination.

Variations

Il treno è diretto a Venezia?

Is the train direct to Venice?

Diretto (direct) — no changes required, one train all the way

Ho venti minuti per la coincidenza, ce la faccio?

I have twenty minutes for the connection, will I make it?

Ce la faccio (will I make it) — idiomatic, farcela means to manage/make it

Su quale binario è il treno per Venezia?

On which platform is the train for Venice?

Binario (platform) — essential question at the changeover station

Mini Dialogue

— Devo fare il cambio a Bologna per Venezia? — No, questo Frecciarossa va diretto a Venezia Santa Lucia. — Meno male! Pensavo di dover cambiare. — No, è un diretto. Arriva alle 17:20.

— Do I need to change at Bologna for Venice? — No, this Frecciarossa goes directly to Venice Santa Lucia. — What a relief! I thought I had to change. — No, it's a direct. It arrives at 17:20.

Cultural Note

The Milan-Venice and Rome-Venice Frecciarossa services are direct — a major convenience. Bologna is Italy's key rail junction where many north-south and east-west routes intersect.