The single most important thing to know about getting around Florence is that you barely need to: the compact historic centre is best explored entirely on foot, with almost every sight within a 15-minute walk and no metro to bother with. Where you will need to plan is arriving — from Florence's own airport on the T2 tram, or from Pisa airport by shuttle and train — and heading out on day trips by train from Santa Maria Novella station. This guide covers everything with real routes, ticket prices and practical advice, including the crucial warning never to drive into the ZTL.
Florence transport explained
1.Florence Airport (FLR) to the city
Florence's own airport, Amerigo Vespucci (FLR), sometimes called Peretola, is a small regional airport located just about four kilometres north-west of the city centre, handling mainly European and domestic flights. Its great advantage is proximity: since 2019 it has been connected to the city by the T2 tramline, which runs from a stop right outside the terminal directly to the Alamanni–Stazione stop beside the main Santa Maria Novella railway station in around twenty minutes, for the price of a standard single tram ticket (about €1.70) — by far the cheapest, fastest and most reliable way into town, running frequently from early morning until after midnight. From the station you can walk into the historic centre in a few minutes or connect onward. The alternative is a taxi, of which there are always plenty at the rank outside arrivals; taxis to the city centre operate on a fixed fare of around €24 (a little more at night, on Sundays and holidays, and with luggage supplements), which is reasonable for a group or those with heavy bags but far more than the tram for solo travellers. Ride-hailing and pre-booked private transfers are also available. Note that many international and long-haul visitors actually fly into Pisa airport (PSA) instead, which is larger and better connected internationally and is a straightforward hour from Florence by train (see separate entry). For those lucky enough to land at Florence's own airport, though, the tram makes reaching the heart of the city quick, easy and cheap — simply follow the signs to the tram stop, buy a ticket from the machine, validate it on board, and you will be at the station in twenty minutes.
Hours
Tram ~05:00–00:30; taxis 24h
Price
T2 tram €1.70; fixed taxi ~€24 (€25.30 on holidays/nights) to the centre
Getting there
T2 tramline from outside the terminal to Firenze Santa Maria Novella station in ~20 minutes
Insider tip: The T2 tramline runs from right outside the terminal to the main station in about 20 minutes for a single ticket — far cheaper than a taxi.
2.Pisa Airport (PSA) to Florence
Pisa's Galileo Galilei Airport (PSA) is the largest airport in Tuscany and the main international and low-cost gateway for the region, so many visitors to Florence — especially those flying with budget carriers or arriving from further afield — actually land here rather than at Florence's own small airport, and reaching the city is straightforward. The airport sits just outside Pisa, and the first step is the PisaMover, a quick automated people-mover shuttle that runs frequently from directly outside the terminal to Pisa Centrale, the city's main railway station, in about five minutes for €5. From Pisa Centrale, frequent regional trains run directly to Florence's main station, Firenze Santa Maria Novella, taking roughly an hour and costing only around €9–10, making the whole airport-to-Florence journey easy and inexpensive at about €15 and an hour and a quarter door to station. Remember to validate regional train tickets in the green or white machines on the platform before boarding, as fines apply for unvalidated tickets. As an alternative to the shuttle-and-train combination, several companies run direct coach services between Pisa airport and Florence (typically to the bus terminal near Santa Maria Novella station), which can be convenient with luggage and cost around €15, though they are subject to traffic. Taxis and private transfers are also available but far more expensive for the longer distance. A neat bonus of arriving via Pisa is that it is easy to stop off and see the Leaning Tower and Piazza dei Miracoli on the way to or from Florence, since the monuments are a short bus ride or walk from Pisa Centrale. For most international arrivals, the PisaMover plus a regional train is the cheapest and simplest route into Florence.
Hours
PisaMover ~06:00–00:00; trains through the day
Price
PisaMover €5 + train to Florence ~€9–10; direct coaches ~€15
Getting there
PisaMover automated shuttle from the terminal to Pisa Centrale (~5 min), then a regional train to Firenze SMN (~1h)
Insider tip: Most budget and long-haul flights land at Pisa — take the PisaMover shuttle to Pisa Centrale, then a direct train to Florence.
3.Getting around on foot
The single most important thing to understand about getting around Florence is that you almost certainly will not need public transport at all: the historic centre is remarkably compact, largely flat and mostly pedestrianised or subject to the ZTL (Zona a Traffico Limitato) that keeps private cars out, which makes walking not just the best way to explore but usually the fastest. The distances are genuinely small — you can stroll from Santa Maria Novella station to the Duomo in about ten minutes, from the Duomo to the Ponte Vecchio in another ten, and reach the Uffizi, Piazza della Signoria, the Accademia, San Lorenzo and Santa Croce all within fifteen minutes of one another. Even crossing the river to the Oltrarno, the Pitti Palace and Santo Spirito is only a few minutes over one of the bridges, and the walk up to Piazzale Michelangelo and San Miniato for the great view takes around twenty minutes. Wandering on foot is also how you discover the city's real pleasures: the hidden squares, artisan workshops, tiny churches, frescoes and gelaterias that you would sail past on a bus. The main practical advice is to wear comfortable, sturdy shoes, as the streets are paved with hard stone and cobbles that punish flimsy footwear over a long day, and to carry water in summer, when the stone city gets very hot. Watch for the occasional scooter or delivery vehicle even in pedestrian zones. Because everything is so close, most visitors find they walk almost everywhere and use the tram or a taxi only to and from the airport or station with luggage. Embrace it — Florence is a city made for walking.
Hours
Always
Price
Free
Getting there
Everything central is walkable; the ZTL limited-traffic zone keeps most of the centre car-free
Insider tip: The historic centre is tiny — you can walk from the station to the Duomo to the Ponte Vecchio in under 20 minutes. Wear comfortable shoes.
4.Trams & Buses
Florence has no metro system — digging one beneath a city of such dense archaeology has proved impossible — so public transport consists of a modern tram network and a comprehensive city bus system, both run by Autolinee Toscane and using the same integrated tickets. For most visitors, though, public transport is barely necessary, since the historic centre is small and best explored on foot; the trams and buses come into their own mainly for reaching the airport, the outer neighbourhoods, the station with luggage, or a few sights on the fringes. The tram network currently has two main lines: the T1 runs across the city from the north-west through the station area to the south-east, and the T2 connects Santa Maria Novella station directly to the airport, making it the star of the system for arriving and departing travellers. The buses cover the rest of the city and the surrounding area, including the useful line 12 or 13 up to Piazzale Michelangelo for those who would rather not walk up the hill to the famous viewpoint, and the line 7 up to Fiesole. Tickets are cheap and standardised: a single costs about €1.70 and is valid for 90 minutes across trams and buses, with 24-hour, multi-day and carnet options available for those making several journeys. Crucially, you must buy your ticket before boarding — from tabacchi (tobacconists), newsstands, machines at tram stops, or the app — and validate it in the machine on board the bus or at the tram platform, as there are steep fines for travelling without a validated ticket. Real-time routes are easiest checked via Google Maps or the transport app. But the headline remains: in Florence, walk first, and use the tram mostly for the airport.
Hours
Trams & buses ~05:00–00:30 (later Fri/Sat)
Price
Single ticket €1.70 (90 min); day and multi-day passes available
Getting there
Trams T1 & T2 serve the station, airport and suburbs; buses (Autolinee Toscane) fill the gaps
Insider tip: Florence has no metro — just trams (handy for the airport) and buses (run by Autolinee Toscane). Buy and validate a €1.70 ticket before boarding.
5.Trains for day trips
One of Florence's great practical advantages is its position as a major rail hub, which makes it an outstanding base for exploring Tuscany and reaching the rest of Italy by train — and the main station, Firenze Santa Maria Novella (SMN), sits right at the edge of the historic centre, only a few minutes' walk from the Duomo, so you can go from your hotel to a train with ease. Two very different kinds of service run from here. For day trips around Tuscany, frequent and cheap regional trains reach the region's highlights: Pisa (about an hour, ~€9), Lucca (about an hour and twenty), and connections toward Siena, Arezzo, the Cinque Terre (changing at Pisa or La Spezia) and beyond, letting you build a whole itinerary of excursions without a car. For longer journeys, Florence is on Italy's high-speed network, with both the state Frecciarossa/Frecciargento and the private Italo services running fast, comfortable trains that reach Rome in around an hour and a half, Bologna in under forty minutes, Venice in around two hours and Milan in under two hours — often faster and more central than flying. The golden rule for the high-speed trains is to book ahead: fares are dynamic, so reserving days or weeks in advance can cut the price dramatically compared with turning up on the day, and seats are assigned. Regional trains, by contrast, have fixed fares, need no reservation, and require you to validate your paper ticket in the platform machines before boarding to avoid a fine (e-tickets bought via app are pre-validated). With a little planning, Florence's rail links let you combine the city with the best of Tuscany and even day trips to Rome or Venice, making it one of the best-connected bases in Italy.
Hours
Trains ~05:00–24:00; station services longer
Price
Regional Pisa/Lucca ~€9; high-speed Rome/Venice from ~€25 booked ahead
Getting there
Firenze Santa Maria Novella (SMN) is the main station, a few minutes' walk from the Duomo
Insider tip: Firenze Santa Maria Novella is the hub — fast Frecce and Italo trains reach Rome, Venice and Milan; regional trains serve Pisa, Lucca and Tuscany.
6.Taxis & the ZTL
Two things about wheeled transport in Florence catch visitors out, so it is worth understanding both. First, taxis: unlike in some cities, you cannot flag down a taxi in the street in Florence. Official taxis are white, metered and licensed, and to get one you must either go to a taxi rank — there are ranks at the station, near the Duomo and in the main squares — or book one by phone (the well-known numbers are 055 4390 and 055 4242) or through a taxi app. Fares run on the meter for city journeys, with supplements at night, on Sundays and holidays and for luggage, while the airport run is a fixed fare of around €24; ride-hailing services are limited, with Uber operating only its pricier licensed-taxi option. Taxis are useful mainly for late nights, heavy luggage or trips beyond the walkable centre. Second, and more important for anyone considering driving, is the ZTL, the Zona a Traffico Limitato: the entire historic centre of Florence is a restricted-traffic zone monitored by cameras, and only authorised vehicles (residents, permit-holders) may enter during the controlled hours, which cover most of the week and extend into the night at weekends. Unauthorised vehicles that cross the ZTL boundary are automatically photographed and issued a fine of €80 or more per breach — and, notoriously, you can rack up multiple fines on a single ill-judged drive through the centre, with the penalties often arriving months later via your car-hire company. The clear advice is never to attempt to drive into central Florence: if you are touring Tuscany by car, park it in one of the garages or park-and-ride facilities outside the ZTL and walk or take the tram in. In the centre itself, your feet are all you need.
Hours
Taxis 24h; ZTL cameras active most of the week
Price
Metered taxis; fixed airport fare ~€24; ZTL fines €80+ per breach
Getting there
Taxi ranks at the station, Duomo and main squares; call 055 4390 or 055 4242, or use the app
Insider tip: Taxis can't be hailed on the street — find a rank or call one. Never drive into the historic centre: the ZTL cameras issue hefty fines.