Milan trip --> Bologna stopover?

[mangeldbug]

I will be in Milan for a conference next month and was checking out the railways and buses to see how complicated it would be to get to the Ducati Factory.  I figure I will be so close, why not?  I only have a few free days after the conference is over, so I was wondering about availability for getting into a tour group.  I tried to contact Ducati through their site about the tour, but it wasnt responding.  Does it take a while to get approved by Ducati?  I am a DOC member, so I think that means I can tour the Factory on Saturdays.  Basically I have a 2 day window to get from Milan to Bologna and then back for my flight home to the US. 

Any suggestions on public transportation?  I will not be getting a car or a motorcycle (unfortunately) while there, but bicycle is doable.  Any suggestions on what else to definitely hit up while in Bologna?  I want to make the most of my short time there.

I did a quick search before posting, but all threads related to this are 4 years old.  Thought I would get some fresh suggestions.   Thanks!!

[ducatiz]

Bologna has great buses.  The factory is away from town a bit, but the Borgo Hotel is a great place to stay and be sure to tell them you are a DOC member for the discount.

There is a bus that stops right near the hotel going down town.

As far as getting from Milano to Bologna, there are several long distance buses that you can take. Renting a car is actually cheapish if you ahve a corporate discount, we rent a Bravo or Panda while there and my discount works out to about $30/day.

[Uncle Mofo]

Freccia Rossa  (High speed train) covers Milano to Bologna  in 59 min.  I timed it in 2010
+ 1 on Hotel del Borgo  if I remember correctly I walked there from the factory

[ducatiz]

Freccia Rossa  (High speed train) covers Milano to Bologna  in 59 min.  I timed it in 2010
+ 1 on Hotel del Borgo  if I remember correctly I walked there from the factory

The hotel is directly across the street from Ducati Energia, make a right Via Antonio Cavalieri Ducati and then walk about 1/4 mile and that's the entrance. 

We never took the train, I completely forgot about it.  Having a car is actually very easy to get around and the Autogrills are awesome.

[J5]

milan to bologna is 2 hrs on the slow train

from the station if you walk into the centre of town and then bus out to the ducati factory

if you are planning on catching the train last i was there near 10 years ago they had a fantastic ticket
vending machine in the station that you can see the next days train , times , time taken and cost
so can check the day before the times and costs eg you might catch an earlier slow train and arrive the same
time as the fast train but for half the cost

from milan i would also suggest the guzzi museum , only open at 3pm north of milan