Whether you take the Venice to Florence train or the Rome to Florence train, you will almost certainly arrive at Florence Santa Maria Novella, 10–12 minutes’ walk from the Duomo. Key figures: Rome–Florence on Italo from €14.90 in about 1 h 25–1 h 30; Venice–Florence from €18.90 in about 2 h; Bologna 37 minutes from €9.90; Milan from €17.90. Below are timetables, stations, regional trains from Pisa and the fines to avoid in Tuscany.
Venice to Florence and Rome to Florence trains: times and starting fares
High-speed fares are dynamic. Italo’s “from” prices are the lowest Low Cost/Economy fares when booked in advance. Trenitalia uses Super Economy and Economy fares on its Frecce trains and publishes no single Base fare for them (fixed Base fares apply on Intercity trains). The prices below are starting fares and will vary by date.
| Route | Typical duration | From (Italo) | Trenitalia notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rome – Florence SMN | ~1 h 25–1 h 30 | €14.90 | Frecciarossa “just over 1 h 30”, 100+ trains a day; no fixed Base fare |
| Venice – Florence | ~2 h | €18.90 | dynamic Frecce fares |
| Bologna – Florence | 37 min | €9.90 | ideal after the Marconi Express |
| Milan – Florence | ~1 h 43 | €17.90 | dynamic Frecce fares |
| Naples – Florence | ~2 h 42 | €23.90 | dynamic Frecce fares |
| Pisa Centrale – Florence SMN | 53–57 min | — | regional, fixed €9.80 |
The Rome to Florence train is the most frequent, with Frecciarossa departures from Rome typically between 5:10 and 21:48. On the Venice to Florence train it pays to book ahead: same-day Economy seats disappear and Flex fares cost much more. From Bologna the high-speed hop is so short that many travellers fly into Bologna, take the monorail and then Italo rather than flying into Florence.
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Stations: Santa Maria Novella, Campo di Marte, Rifredi
Florence Santa Maria Novella (SMN) is the central terminus, used by almost all main Frecce and Italo trains. The walk to the Duomo takes about 10–12 minutes (~900 m). Campo di Marte is a through station to the east, served by some high-speed and regional trains (the slow Rome line, the Faentina line); from there you need a bus or a 10-minute taxi. Rifredi serves the north-west, and tram T1 (Rifredi/Leopolda stop) runs toward the centre.
Practical rule: your ticket should say “Firenze S. M. Novella”. Campo di Marte and Rifredi are sometimes cheaper but add a second leg and extra time. If you have a timed Uffizi entry, do not gamble on a different station.
Luggage on board: Trenitalia’s previously announced limit (2 pieces / 161 cm) is not in its current conditions of carriage, which allow free luggage in the dedicated spaces with no limit on pieces or size. Italo includes luggage with no limit on pieces and gives 75×53×30 cm as a reference size for its Smart class. In practice, use the overhead racks and keep the aisles clear.
Tuscan regional trains: Pisa, validation and the €60 fine
The Pisa Centrale – Florence SMN regional train costs a fixed €9.80 and takes 53–57 minutes. A direct train to Lucca costs €8.90; to La Spezia Centrale €15.90. Unlike high-speed fares these prices are fixed: they do not drop if you book early, but they do not rise on the day either.
| Ticket type | What to do | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| Paper | Validate before boarding | Journey within 4 hours of validation |
| Digital | No stamping | 4 hours from the departure of the train you chose |
Without a valid ticket in Tuscany you pay the full fare plus a €60 fine (on the spot or within 15 days), rising to €120 (days 16–60) and €360 after that. If you tell the conductor before being checked that you boarded without a ticket, you pay the full fare plus €5 (waived if the station had no ticket office or the stamping machines were broken). Bus and tram fines in Florence (€40/80/240) follow different rules.
Airports: Florence (FLR), Pisa (PSA), Bologna (BLQ)
Florence Peretola (FLR) to the centre: tram T2 Vespucci from the airport to the Unità terminus beside Santa Maria Novella, about 20 minutes. A city ticket costs €2.00 for 90 minutes (valid on buses and trams), recently raised from €1.70. By SMS it costs €2.40; a 10-ride carnet costs €18.20. Pay by contactless at the stop machines or in the at-bus app.
Pisa (PSA) to Pisa Centrale: the automated PisaMover takes a few minutes and typically runs 6:00–24:00 (until 1:00 from 1 June to 30 September). Fares: €6.50 one way, €13.00 return. Then take the €9.80 regional train to Florence. Alternatively, direct transfers to central Florence can be booked online (typically about 70 minutes).
Bologna (BLQ) to Bologna Centrale: the Marconi Express monorail (about 7 minutes 20 seconds), €12.80 one way, €23.30 return. Note that the €2.30 fare is not a child fare but the price of the short leg to the intermediate Lazzaretto stop; a family ticket is available. From Bologna Centrale to Florence: Italo, 37 minutes from €9.90.
When to buy and how to make your museum slot
- For high-speed trains, book ahead if your date is fixed; choose Flex only if you might need to change.
- Check the arrival station (Santa Maria Novella vs Campo di Marte or Rifredi).
- If you are flying into Pisa or Bologna, add shuttle + train before comparing with a flight into Florence.
- Paper regional tickets: validate them or risk €60.
- Arriving at Santa Maria Novella with a suitcase? Consider luggage storage before the museums (the Accademia has no cloakroom).
Online you will also find “Frecciarossa from Rome” packages and airport transfers: handy if you want a single voucher and customer support, but the lowest prices are on the Italo and Trenitalia sites. We are not a rail ticket office, but if you have questions about your options, write to travel@alltours.florence.it.
Train + city in one day
From Bologna: Marconi Express + 37 minutes on Italo, leave your bag near the station, walk to the Duomo, return in the evening. Very little dead time.
From Rome without an overnight stay: early Frecciarossa or Italo, Uffizi or Accademia already booked, return after 18:00. Do not try to fit in the Dome and two museums as well.
From Venice: about 2 hours each way, so an overnight stay in Florence helps. A day trip leaves time for the pedestrian centre, not for Chianti.
From Pisa airport: PisaMover + regional train, about an hour to Santa Maria Novella after the people mover; minimum cost about €6.50 + €9.80 each way.
For day trips around Tuscany (Siena, San Gimignano, Chianti) the train alone is not enough: see Tuscany day trips. For views without climbing, try the hop-on hop-off bus or city buses 12/13 at €2.
Luggage and connections checklist
- High-speed trains: put bags in the designated spaces; Trenitalia’s current conditions set no size limits.
- Changing at Bologna or Pisa: allow 20–30 minutes more than the scheduled shuttle time.
- Families: regional trains have no seat reservations; on high-speed trains book seats together in advance.
- Strikes: check the Trenitalia and Italo apps the evening before; Tuscan regional trains are the most affected by cancellations.
Italo or Trenitalia?
Both run from Rome, Venice, Milan, Bologna and Naples to Florence. On Rome–Florence both take around an hour and a half, so the real difference is whether a cheap fare is available on your day and whether the departure time fits your museum slot.
Example: with an 11:00 Uffizi entry and a start in Rome, you need to be at Santa Maria Novella by about 10:15 (ten minutes’ walk plus the security queue). A 9:40 train from Termini is too late; one at 7:50–8:20 works. From Venice the journey is longer (about 2 h) and trains less frequent: look at two outbound and two return options before booking your museum entries.
Italo displays its starting fares clearly (€14.90 Rome, €18.90 Venice, €9.90 Bologna, €17.90 Milan, €23.90 Naples). Trenitalia may be higher or lower on the same day, depending on how many Super Economy seats are left. For regional trains (Pisa €9.80, Lucca €8.90) Trenitalia is the only option, at fixed fares.
Short hops within Florence and park-and-ride
Between two stations within Florence (Santa Maria Novella, Campo di Marte, Rifredi, Statuto, Castello, Le Cure, Rovezzano and others) the minimum regional fare applies: €1.70 in second class. The Autolinee Toscane city ticket at €2.00 is also valid on regional trains within the city, handy if you already have a bus/tram ticket and want to go from Rifredi to Santa Maria Novella. It is not valid on Frecce or Italo trains.
If you arrive by car, the park-and-ride sites have their own prices: Villa Costanza (T1) charges, for example, €7 for 10–24 h; Guidoni (T2) charges €1.50 for up to 5 h, then more. There is no official combined parking + tram ticket, so you pay separately.
Costly mistakes (and how to avoid them)
- Not validating a paper regional ticket in Tuscany → €60 fine (then €120/€360).
- Arriving at Campo di Marte thinking you are in the centre, with suitcases and an Accademia entry in 20 minutes.
- Comparing a flight into Florence without adding the €2.00 tram, or into Pisa without the €6.50 PisaMover + €9.80 train.
- Buying a Flex fare on the day “to be safe” when Economy the day before cost a third.
- Trying to fit the Dome, the Uffizi and a return to Venice into twelve hours: two hours of train each way eats the afternoon.
Families, accessibility and pets
Pushchairs are easier on regional trains: board calmly and use the areas by the doors. On high-speed trains, a group of four can book facing seats. For pets, Trenitalia sets size limits for carriers (typically 70×30×50 cm); check its current conditions before travelling with a medium-sized dog without a booking.
Reduced mobility: Santa Maria Novella has step-free routes and lifts, but assistance from Trenitalia or Italo must be requested in advance through each operator’s procedure. The walk from the station to the Duomo is flat and pedestrian, though the paving is hard going on crutches — take a taxi for that last stretch if you need to.
In short: Venice, Rome and Bologna to Florence by train
The Venice to Florence train starts from €18.90 (about 2 h); the Rome to Florence train from €14.90 (about 1 h 25–1 h 30); Bologna is the shortcut, from €9.90 in 37 minutes. Add the €2.00 tram from Florence airport, the €6.50 PisaMover, the €12.80 Marconi Express or the €9.80 Pisa regional train, and remember to validate paper regional tickets. With the right tickets, prices and times, reaching Florence by train is straightforward — especially if you arrive at Santa Maria Novella and walk the last ten minutes. We are an independent guide: if you book through our GetYourGuide or Tiqets links we may earn a commission; the price you pay does not change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much is the Rome to Florence train?
On Italo, fares for Rome–Florence start at €14.90, for a journey of about 1 h 25–1 h 30. Trenitalia's Frecce trains use dynamic pricing (Super Economy/Economy) with no fixed Base fare. Buying on the day often costs 2–4 times the minimum, so always check your date on the official booking site.
How long is the Venice to Florence train?
Italo gives about 2 hours for Florence–Venice, with fares from €18.90. Trenitalia's Frecce prices are also dynamic. Check that your ticket says Firenze S. M. Novella, not Campo di Marte or Rifredi.
Bologna–Florence by train: time and price?
Italo lists 37 minutes and fares from €9.90. It is the shortest high-speed leg into Florence, useful if you fly into Bologna (BLQ) and take the Marconi Express to Bologna Centrale (€12.80 one way).
How do I get from Florence airport (FLR) to the centre?
Take tram T2 "Vespucci" from the airport to Unità (next to Santa Maria Novella station), about 20 minutes. An Autolinee Toscane city ticket costs €2.00 (90 minutes, bus and tram; recently raised from €1.70). Pay by contactless at the stop machines or in the at-bus app.
Pisa airport to Florence: how much?
The PisaMover from the airport to Pisa Centrale costs €6.50 one way (€13 return), then a regional train from Pisa Centrale to Florence SMN costs a fixed €9.80 and takes about 53–57 minutes. Private transfers can also be booked online.
Do I need to validate a regional ticket?
Yes, if it is on paper: stamp it in the machine at the station before boarding, and complete the journey within 4 hours. Digital tickets are activated for the train you choose and are not stamped. In Tuscany, travelling without a valid ticket costs the full fare plus a €60 fine (rising to €120 and €360 if paid late).
How long from Santa Maria Novella station to the Duomo?
About 10–12 minutes on foot (~900 m) via Via de' Panzani and Via de' Cerretani. With only a backpack there is no need for a taxi; with suitcases, drop them off first (see luggage storage).
How much is Milan–Florence?
Italo lists fares from €17.90 for a journey of about 1 h 43. As on other high-speed routes, prices rise when you buy at the last minute: look for Low Cost or Economy fares in advance.