Dolomites By Public Transport. 5-7 Day Road Trip Plan Including Dolomite’s Must-See Spots

Would you like to see the Dolomites without the hassle of renting a car and driving the narrow, winding mountain roads? Here is an itinerary covering all the hotspots. The best part is that you can reach them all using local public transport.

One-week road trip in the Dolomites using public transport: the overview

This trip encompasses all the must-see landscape locations of the Dolomites, including:

• Seceda ridgeline in the Puez Odle Nature Park
• Alpe Di Siusi
• Val Di Funes
• Val Pusteria & Tre Cime Nature Park
• Lake Braies in the Fanes Sennes Braies Nature Park
• Lake Sorapiss and Cortina D’Ampezzo
• Passo Falzarego area

What are the best months to follow this itinerary?

Public transport in the Dolomites is generally limited to the high season, from June until the end of September (in some areas, mid-October). During shoulder season (May and October), many lines stop operating. Plan your journey between June and September to ensure you are not stranded in any locations.

What to be aware of

Since this itinerary visits the hotspots, you must make peace that you won’t be alone. If you are after solitude, you won’t find it on this route. These landscape locations became iconic for a reason, but they attract crowds.

How to check local public bus connections

I always use the Süd Tirol Mobil Info website or app to check for connections. In this article, I link to many individual hiking guides, where you will find the names of the bus stops that you have to type into the search. When in Cortina, you should use the Dolomiti Bus website or app. You don’t need to pre-book any tickets. You pay as you go.

Dolomites by public transport: day-by-day breakdown

Day 1-3 Val Gardena

We are kicking off the road trip in one of the most beautiful valleys in the Dolomites – the Gardena Valley. Surrounded by the Puez Odle Nature Park to the North and the Sassolungo and Rosengarten mountain group to the South, Val Gardena has access to some of the Dolomites’ most iconic hikes and photo locations.

TIP: Visit my comprehensive guide to Val Gardena for all my tips and recommendations

Getting to Val Gardena

The three towns in the Gardena Valley, where you can base yourself for the first three nights, are Ortisei, Santa Cristina and Selva. They all lie within a few kilometres of one another. All three are easy to reach by public transport.

First, you can catch a train to Bolzano (Bozen), the nearest big city, then a local bus. Line no. 350 operates along this route daily, and the journey takes between 60 and 90 minutes, depending on the town you choose.

Below are approximate travel times to Bolzano by train & bus from the nearest airports:

• Venice Marco Polo – 3.5 hours
• Milan Malpensa – 4 hours 40 minutes
• Munich (GER) – 4 hours 20 minutes

For those on a budget, I recommend Flixbus, a popular bus network connecting many European cities. If you book early, you can get tickets for only a few Euros.

TIP: Use the Sued Tirol Mobil info website to find bus connections. There is no need to pre-book a ticket on a public transport line. You can purchase tickets using the app or on the bus on your travel day. Some hotels in the Dolomites also include South Tyrol public transport cards, which allow you to travel free of charge on local buses. This initiative alleviates car traffic and makes travel more environmentally friendly.

Where to stay in Val Gardena

Day 1 (morning) – Seceda Ridgeline plus a small hike

A visit to Val Gardena wouldn’t be complete without seeing the Seceda Viewpoint. This famous ridgeline in the Puez Odle Geisler group consists of dramatic mountain peaks. Seceda’s viewpoint is also a great starting point for many trails. Since your time here is limited, I recommend hiking the Puez Odle Altopiano Circuit.

The circuit starts at the top of the Ortisei-Furnes-Seceda Cable car. The name of the bus stop where the gondola stops is Ortisei, Seceda. The trail follows the route to Malga Pieralongia and then drops to Rifugio Firenze. From Firenze, you follow a flat path to the Col Raiser gondola before climbing back up to the Seceda viewpoint underneath the Fermeda chairlift.

TIP: Take the Fermeda chairlift to get back to the start and shorten the circuit.

The route is 6.4 km (3.9 miles) long and takes 3 hours to complete. Add another hour for lunch at Rifugio Firenze. For detailed information on gondola operating hours and trail numbers, visit my guide on seeing the Seceda viewpoint.

Day 1 (afternoon) – Alpe Di Siusi

If you plan well, you can make the most of your first day by killing two birds with one stone. Once you make it down to Ortisei from seeing the Seceda viewpoint, you can walk for 10 minutes across town to the other side and take another gondola that whisks you up to Alpe Di Siusi.

Alpe Di Siusi is known as Europe’s highest mountain pasture. However, what draws tourists to this place is the beautiful view of the Sassolungo mountain group rising from the plateau. A short panorama trail at the top of the gondola only takes 1.5 – 2 hours with hardly any elevation gain.

The Panorama Alpe Di Siusi hike starts at the top of the Ortisei-Alpe Di Siusi gondola and runs in a circuit. Over 4.4 kilometres, you will only gain 112 metres of elevation, which means a very gentle walk. Stop for coffee and cake at Malga Contrin and enjoy the plateau views from its terrace.

Day 2: Val Di Funes & Adolf Munkel Trail

Make sure to go to bed early the day before and catch the first bus from Ortisei to Val Di Funes to hike the modified version of the famous Adolf Munkel Trail. From Ortisei, getting to the trailhead takes 1 hour and 50 minutes by bus and requires one change.

You will only travel by bus one way and return to Ortisei using a gondola. I will get to that later. Below is a screenshot of the journey details.

About Adolf Munkel Trail

For a significant part, Adolf Munkel Trail traverses underneath the Odle Geisler group, the same one you were admiring the day before from the Seceda viewpoint.

Around halfway into the hike, you will come across Malga Geislerarm (Rifugio Odle), where you can have your lunch or take a more extended break at the wooden chairs near the restaurant (pictured in the photo above) and enjoy the views in front of you.

TIP: Once at Rifugio Odle, continue on trail no. 34 and 35 to Rifugio Brogles, then take trail no. 5 to the mid-station of Ortisei-Furnes-Seceda (the same one you were on yesterday to see the Seceda viewpoint). Take the gondola down and you will be back in Ortisei! The total distance will be 12.5 kilometres (7.7 miles) with 650 metres (2100 feet) of elevation gain. You should tackle it in ca. 5 hours.

Day 3-5: Puster Valley, Fanes-Sennes-Braies Nature Park & Tre Cime Nature Park

The following two days will be spent in Puster Valley, the northern part of the Dolomites. Puster Valley is a gateway to two Dolomiti Nature Parks: Fanes-Sennes-Braies and Tre Cime. There are many great towns in Puster Valley, but to stay well-connected with the planned activities, I recommend that you base yourself in Dobbiaco (Toblach).

TIP: Visit my guide to Puster Valley to read about all the activities in the area.

Day 3 (Morning): Transfer from Ortisei in the Gardena Valley to Dobbiaco in the Puster Valley

Public transport takes approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes from Ortisei to Dobbiaco. The transfer requires two changes. First, you must take bus number 360 from Ortisei to Bressanone (Brixen), then bus number B400 from Bressanone to Brunico (Bruneck). The last leg of the journey between Brunico and Dobbiaco (Toblach) is by train.

TIP: The B400 is a replacement bus service between Brixen and Bruneck train stations. The Pustertal railway line in the Franzensfeste – Bruneck section is closed due to maintenance until December 2025.

Where to stay in Dobbiaco

Day 3 (Afternoon): Monte Specie Hike or Lake Braies Circuit

Once you arrive in Dobbiaco, leave your luggage at the hotel, grab lunch, and head out for your next adventure.

TIP: If you leave Ortisei at no later than 8:30 AM, you will be in Dobbiaco by 11:20 AM. That should give you an hour to reorganise and spend the rest of the day seeing a new attraction.

Today, you can focus on less intense activities and choose from these two options. The first is to visit the famous Lake Braies, and the second is an easy hike across the Platzwiese high alpine plateau to Monte Specie. Both are in a beautiful mountain setting and can be reached via public transport.

Option 1: Lake Braies (Pragser Wildsee)

Lago di Braies (Pragser Wildsee) is the gem of the Fanes-Sennes-Braies Nature Park and a well-known attraction in the Dolomites. Therefore, the lake gets very busy during summer. Bus no. 442 runs between Dobbiaco and Lake Braies. It takes approximately 40 minutes to reach the lake. Once at the lake, you can walk around its shoreline, which takes 1-2 hours.

Option 2: Monte Specie (Strudelkopf)

This is a 3-hour gentle hike that crosses the Platzwiese high alpine plateau and reaches the little summit called Monte Specie (Strudelkopf). From here, you get great views of the Tre Cime, Cadini Di Misurina, and Monte Cristallo mountain groups.

The journey on bus no. 443 from Dobbiaco to Plätzwiese takes approximately 1 hour.

TIP: The last bus from Plätzwiese leaves after 6:30 PM. It goes to Monguelfo, where you can switch onto the train to return to Dobbiaco.

Day 4: Hike in the Tre Cime Nature Park

Tre Cime Nature Park is the most famous nature park in the Dolomites, and for good reason. It is home to the three peaks, a unique mountain formation that has been featured in countless photographs. There are many trails and via ferratas in the Tre Cime Nature Park, but if you want to see the highlights, below are my two recommendations.

Option 1: Tre Cime Circuit (Including Cadini di Misurina viewpoint)

To reach the trailhead of the Tre Cime circuit hike, you must take bus no. 444. The bus journey from Dobbiaco to Rifugio Auronzo takes approximately 50 minutes. You will need 4-5 hours to complete the Tre Cime circuit. Add an extra hour if you plan to do the extension to the Cadini di Misurina viewpoint.

Option 2: Croda Fiscalina Circuit

Not only does Croda Fiscalina circuit lead to Rifugio Locatelli, where you get the classic view of the three peaks, but it also ticks off a few more highlights of the Tre Cime Nature Park, including Fiscalina Valley, Croda Dei Toni and some of my favorite Dolomiti huts: Rifugio Zsigmondy and Rifugio Pian Di Cengia.

This full-day excursion typically takes 8-10 hours to complete. You must be a fit and confident hiker to tackle it. One significant advantage that Croda Fiscalina Circuit has over the Tre Cime Circuit is the lack of crowds.

It takes 34 minutes by public transport to reach the trailhead (one change from train to bus is required in San Candido/Innichen). The earliest connection starts at 7:20 in the morning, and the last return trip is at 18:28, which leaves exactly a 10-hour window for the hike.

Day 5-7 (Optional): Cortina D’Ampezzo & Central Dolomites

After two days in Puster Valley, you can catch a train from Dobbiaco to any destination in Italy or the neighbouring countries.

If, however, you want to spend a whole week in the Dolomites, today you will travel to another famous little town in the central Dolomites: Cortina d’Ampezzo. Even though it is touristy, I love Cortina for its flair, many cafes, restaurants, sports shops, and, of course, the myriad of outdoor activities available.

Day 5 (morning): Transfer from Dobbiaco to Cortina D’Ampezzo

The bus journey from Dobbiaco to Cortina takes approximately 40 minutes. Bus number 445 travels on this route. If you want to squeeze in a hike in the afternoon of day 5, leave Dobbiaco early.

Where to stay in Cortina D’Ampezzo

Day 5 (early afternoon): Lake Sorapiss Trail

I recommend booking a hotel close to the centre of Cortina and requesting an early check-in (or at least luggage storage). You can also store your luggage at the Cortina bus station.

Once in Cortina, take the next bus to Passo Tre Croci, carrying your day pack, to tackle your next hike, the Lake Sorapiss trail.

From June until September, the Dolomiti Bus company operates daily along the route between Passo Falzarego, Cortina, and Rifugio Auronzo. The bus stop nearest to the trailhead is called Passo Tre Croci. You can check the bus schedules either on Google Maps or the official website of the Dolomiti Bus.

TIP: The bus journey from Cortina to Passo Tre Croci takes around 30 minutes. With good planning, you should make it there by midday. This will give you enough time to hike to Lake Sorapiss and back (Weather permitting).

Day 6: Passo Falzarego area

The area around Passo Falzarego was a fierce battleground between Italian and Austrian-Hungarian troops before and during World War I. Many tunnels, trenches and other remnants remind us of these horrible times today.

Option 1: Lagazuoi tunnels & Rifugio Lagazuoi

This is a must-do hike for any history buff. The trail starts directly on the Falzarego mountain pass, which lies 15 kilometres (ca. 9 mi) west of Cortina d’Ampezzo. Dolomiti Bus no. 30 travels this route daily. It takes approximately 30 minutes to reach the pass and the trailhead.

TIP: If you want to experience the Dolomiti hut culture, this is your chance. Spend the night at 2700 meters in the Lagazuoi mountain hut and enjoy the sunrise panorama over the Dolomites. You can also send your luggage using the cable car that connects Passo Falzarego with Rifugio Lagazuoi. More on that in my post about the Lagazuoi tunnels.

Option 2: Cinque Torri Circuit

The trailhead for the Lake Limides Cinque Torri hike is just one stop earlier from Passo Falzarego. If hiking through tunnels makes you uneasy, try this hike instead.

The loop starts near Rifugio Col Gallina and follows a trail to a small alpine lake called Limedes. It then climbs to Averau Saddle, where you can have lunch at the fancy Averau hut. I stayed there overnight when hiking Alta Via 1.

After lunch, head down towards the famous Cinque Torri (Five Towers). At its foot, you can explore the outdoor museum, which consists of old World War I trenches.

TIP: You can still visit Rifugio Lagazuoi by taking the cable car. That way, you can fit both things into one day.

Day 7: Departure

That’s a wrap. I hope you will have a fantastic time following this road trip across the Dolomites using public transport. The last thing on your itinerary is figuring out how to get back home.

Here are your departure options:

1. If you are flying out of Venice, there are direct shuttle buses. The journey takes approximately 2.5 hours.
2. You can also look for bus connections to Milan or Munich Central Station on Flixbus.
3. The last option is to catch a public bus to Dobbiaco (the same one you took to get to Lake Braies). Dobbiaco is on the railway, offering great train connections to many European destinations.

More travel and hiking resources in the Dolomites

• Photography spots in the Italian Dolomites
• Regions in the Italian Dolomites
• Itineraries for the Italian Dolomites
• Via ferratas in the Italian Dolomites
• Day hikes in the Italian Dolomites
• Hut-to-hut treks in the Italian Dolomites