By Plane

Florence Airport, Peretola (Aeroporto Amerigo Vespucci)

Florence Airport is located four kilometres northwest of the centre of Florence. It is the second busiest airport in Tuscany (after Pisa International Airport) and services more than 2.5 million passengers per year from destinations throughout Italy and Europe.

Get to the city centre by tram:

The airport tram station (Peretola Aeroporto) is a short, flat walk from airport Arrivals and connects the airport with Florence’s main train station, Santa Maria Novella Train Station. Departing every 4 minutes, the tram takes approximately 22 minutes to reach the city centre, stopping at 12 stops along the way. Tram tickets cost €1.50 and are valid for 90 minutes of travel. Tickets can be purchased from the ticket machines found at every tram stop. Each ticket machine can be accessed in English and will accept cash and credit cards. The tram line operates between 5:00am and 12:30am. The airport tram only opened in early 2019 and is the easiest and cheapest option for getting into Florence city centre.

Get to the city centre by bus:

BusItalia operates a shuttle bus called Volainbus which takes you from Florence Airport to the city centre, dropping you off at the main train station, Santa Maria Novella Train Station. The bus station is a short, flat walk from airport Arrivals and buses depart every 30 minutes until 8:30pm when they depart every hour. The journey takes approximately 20 minutes and does not make any extra stops along the way. Tickets cost €6 one-way or €10 return. Tickets can be purchased from the driver with cash or contactless payment (one-way only) or from the RELAY newsstand at the airport (one-way or return) or BusItalia ticket office at Florence Train Station (one-way or return). The Volainbus operates between 5:30am and 12:30am.

Get to the city centre by taxi:

The official taxi stand is located outside the terminal and from there you pay a fixed rate into the city centre and main hotels. The fixed rate is €22, on holidays it is €24 and at night (10:00pm–6:00am) it is €25.30. There is a €1 supplement per suitcase. The taxi will take approximately 20 minutes, depending on your destination.

By Train

Firenze Santa Maria Novella (often abbreviated to Firenze SMN) is in the heart of the city, within easy walking distance of many attractions and hotels. Originally opening in 1848, before being rebuilt in 1934, the current station is a prime example of Italian Modernist architecture. Florence SMN is the main entry point for those arriving in Florence by train and services more than 58 million passengers each year. From Florence, you can travel by train to many cities and towns in Italy and onwards to other European countries via larger Italian cities such as Milan. Firenze SMN is also well connected to the city tram and bus network.

Train tickets for high-speed and local trains can be purchased from the red and white Trenitalia ticket machines which are found throughout the station. These machines can be accessed in English and accept cash and credit cards. Alternatively, you can purchase tickets from the ticket counter found in the main building, to the left of the main station entrance. There are separate ticket counters for Trenitalia and Italo trains. International tickets are best purchased online and in advance to save on booking fees and guarantee a seat (with the additional purchase of a seat reservation).

From the train station, it is an easy walk into the heart of the city (about 10 minutes to the Duomo di Firenze) or you can take a bus, tram or taxi to wherever you need to go.

By Car

Florence is an ancient city that was not designed with cars in mind. In order to limit the number of cars within the city, a restricted traffic zone (ZTL) is in place limiting vehicle access to those with a special permit. These permits are only available to residents, taxis and buses and your rental car will not have one. There are cameras at each entrance to the ZTL and these capture your licence plate. If you enter the ZTL you will be liable for a fine which the authorities strictly enforce, even to those from overseas. In other words, do not drive into the centre of Florence. Florence is a small, flat and very walkable city and it is a joy to wander throughout the city streets without the stress of cars everywhere.

If you are travelling throughout Europe or Italy with a car, an option is to park out of the city centre and take public transport into the centre. One such example of this is the Villa Constanza parking area just off the A1 motorway. Park your car and then take the T1 Leonardo tramway line into central Florence which takes 22 minutes. Trams depart every 6-8 minutes. You can park for up to 30 days. Rates:

From 1 hour to 4 hours: €2

From 4 hours to 10 hours: €5

From 10 hours to 24 hours: €7

7 day pass: €20

Moving Around the City

Florence is a small city and once you have arrived you’ll find most of the sights will be an easy and flat walk away, though do be careful of the cobblestoned and sometimes uneven streets. The city does however have a useful public transport network (including bus and tram) to help you get around.

Public Transport Tickets

Tickets for the bus and tram network should be purchased before you board the bus or tram. They can be purchased from authorised ATAF sales points which include: the ATAF booth at Firenze SMN Station, certain tobacconists, newsagents and coffee shops – look for the ATAF sticker on shop windows. You can purchase a single use ticket for €1.50 or a 4-ride ticket for €4.70, both of which are valid for 90 minutes of travel time across the Florence transport network. Using a contactless credit card, you can also purchase a ticket on the bus by holding your card next to the validation machine, waiting for it to say “ticket validated”. You can add up to four additional passengers on to your card by selecting “add passenger” and tapping your card on the machine again.

In theory it is possible to purchase a ticket from a bus driver though the price is €2.50 for a single journey and only cash is accepted. It is common for bus drivers to run out of tickets to sell so it is best to purchase a ticket before you board the bus.

Validating you Public Transport Ticket

It is important to validate your ticket as soon as you hop on the bus or tram. All you need to do is insert your ticket into the machine where it will be time and date stamped. Once validated you will be entitled to 90 minutes travel time. Ticket controllers frequently check for validated tickets on board so ensure you have validated your ticket to avoid receiving a fine.

Bus

The bus network of Florence consists of more than 100 routes, covering the Florence city area. You can pick up a bus network map from the ATAF booth at Firenze SMN Station or from the bus office in Piazza San Marco. The bus network operates between approximately 5:30am to 12:30am.

Tram

Florence has two tram lines consisting of 36 stations. T1 travels from Firenze SMN Station to the southwest suburb of Scandicci and north to Careggi. T2 travels from Firenze SMN Station northwest to Florence Airport (Peretola Aeroporto). The tram network operates between 5:30am and 12:30am with a tram every 4 minutes between 7:30am and 8:30pm and every 6 minutes at other times.