How to get from Rome to Florence
Why visit Florence?
Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance, is where you’d want to go for the best of medieval art and culture. This old town was the home of legends — Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Dante, to name a few. And you can expect nothing but greatness here.
A walk through its Historic Centre will make you marvel at how this ancient Etruscan settlement rose to become one of the wealthiest cities in the 15th century. Museum-hopping is a must in Florence. Visit the Uffizi and Accademia galleries for the most iconic European masterpieces — like the iconic marble monument David.
What are the 5 ways to travel from Rome to Florence?
There are 5 ways to travel the 275 kilometre (171 miles) distance from Rome to Florence. You can choose between the bus, day trip, private transport, train and flight. The journey takes 1 hour 25 minutes to 14 hours and the quickest way is by train. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by bus with tickets starting at €4.50 ($5.10).
Rome to Florence by Bus
If you’re looking for budget-friendly transport, then the bus is your best option. Bus tickets from Rome to Florence cost only €4.50 ($5.10) and travel time is around 3 hours to 4 hours 20 minutes, not much different from the regional trains that are 3x more expensive.
There’s a catch, though. Unlike trains, bus departure and arrival points are located outside the city centres of both Rome and Florence. That means additional travel time and extra cost on train, tram, or taxi rides to and from the bus terminals.
Bus schedules from Rome to Florence
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If you want to get the best rates possible, then book your tickets online beforehand. They may not be as cheap as you want if you buy them at the bus station on the day of your trip. Itabus can be booked via BookAway, while FlixBus tickets are available on its own website.
Departure and arrival station
All buses depart from Rome Tiburtina Bus Station, located about 8 km east of the city centre. You can get there via a 20-minute Metro ride.
Most buses will drop you off at Villa Constanza in Scandicci. From here, you are to take a 25-minute tram ride to Florence city centre. Some evening Flixbus trips head to Piazzale Montelungo which is nearer to the city centre.
Rome to Florence by Train
When it comes to a combination of speed, affordability, and convenience, the train is the best choice to get from Rome to Florence.
You can choose from 2 main types of trains.
Regionale trains
Regionale trains are the slowest trains and offer the fewest departures for this route with only 9 trips daily. They have the longest travel time of more than 3.5 hours but are the cheapest at €24 ($27.50).
High-speed trains
If you’re looking to get to Florence more quickly, you can choose high-speed trains like NVT, Italo, and Frecciarossa. They offer multiple departures every hour from morning to night, so you can be very flexible with your schedule.
With high-speed trains like this, travel time is 1 hour 25 minutes to 3 hours 50 minutes with rates from €24 ($27.50).
Train schedules from Rome to Florence
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You can buy your tickets at the train station or easily book them online beforehand.
We recommend booking your tickets online through BookAway. Their site is intuitive, provides a clear picture of what you can expect, and offers great customer service. If you’re eyeing the best deals, you might occasionally find slightly cheaper tickets on Omio.
Departure and arrival station
There are two departure stations in Rome: Roma Termini and Roma Tiburtina. These train stations are about 5 kms away from each other with the Quadriportico Verano Cemetery between them.
The trains arrive at Florence’s Santa Maria Novella Train Station, just a few meters away from the famous basilica of the same name.
Rome to Florence by Flight
There is also an option to take a flight from Rome to Florence, but this is only available from April to October. And even when it’s available, we don’t recommend it.
Although a flight between the two cities take only 55 minutes, both of their airports are located a little bit outside their city centres.
If you add the transfer time to and from the airports and the waiting time for your flight, you won’t save time compared to taking a regional train or a bus. High-speed trains are faster and cheaper.
Still thinking of taking a flight? Check out the detailed guide below.
TIP: If you decide to travel by plane, please consider including a carbon compensation fee to reduce your impact on the environment.
Step 1: Rome City Centre to Fiumicino Airport
Flights operating the Rome to Florence route depart from Fiumicino Airport. To get here from the city centre, you can take a bus, train or taxi.
The cheapest option is a 45 minutes bus that departs from Roma Termini. You can choose between Sitbus and Terravision with multiple daily trips between the airport and city centre. A ticket costs €5 ($5.70).
Looking for other ways to travel the 30 km distance from Rome city centre to Fiumicino Airport? You can also take a 30-minute train that costs €14 ($16.10) or a 40-minute taxi with fares from €48 ($55).
Step 2: Rome to Florence by Flight
There are 2 daily ITA Airways flights that operate the Rome to Florence route from April to October. Airfares start from €95 ($110) and flight time is 55 minutes.
Flights arrive at Florence Airport, located around 7 km northwest of the city centre.
Step 3: Florence Airport to City Centre by Tram
Taking a tram is the fastest way to get from Florence Airport to the city centre. The T2 tram station is located just outside the train station.
From Peretola Aeroporto to Unita Station in the city centre, travel time is around 20 minutes and a ticket costs €1.60 ($1.80). Trains depart every 11 minutes from 05:00 to 00:30.
Once at Unita station, you can either walk to your hotel or transfer to Santa Maria Novella Train Station. This is where you can take a train or another tram to your destination in the city.
Alternatively, you can take a 25-minute shuttle bus that costs €6 ($6.90) or a 20-minute taxi with fares from €25 ($28.50).
Rome to Florence by Day Trip
A day tour is a good option if you don’t have much time to explore the Renaissance streets of Florence.
GetYourGuide offers various day trip options from Rome to Florence. One of the cheapest tours costs €130 ($150) per person and already includes a side trip to Pisa and its iconic Leaning Tower. The tour takes 14 hours.
For what it’s worth, we think that Florence deserves more than a single day. Apart from its many attractions, it’s also a good basecamp for other tourist destinations in Tuscany.
Rome to Florence by Private Transport
A private transfer is a convenient option when travelling in a group from Rome to Florence.
Rates start from €660 ($755) for a 3-seater private transfer. Divide the cost and that’s just about €220 ($250) per person. Travel time is around 3 hours 25 minutes.
Private Transport options from Rome to Florence
Rounding it up
We hope this guide was helpful in planning how to get from Rome to Florence. If there's anything else you're wondering about, drop us a comment and we'll do our best to answer you within a few days.
PS: If you've recently travelled this route, share your experience with fellow travellers and help us improve this post. Thanks for helping out our travel community!
Frequently Asked Questions about Rome to Florence
What is the distance from Rome to Florence?
The distance from Rome to Florence is 275 kilometre (171 miles).
What is the fastest way to get from Rome to Florence?
The fastest way to get from Rome to Florence is by train and takes 1 hour 25 minutes.
What is the cheapest way to get from Rome to Florence?
The cheapest way to get from Rome to Florence is by bus with ticket costs starting from €4.50 ($5.10).
Ela is a storyteller, content producer, solo traveller and a mermaid-in-training. When she’s not in front of her laptop, you will find her barefoot and living her best tan on some island in the Philippines… Or exploring the depths of its seas as a budding freediver. An island girl at heart, she’ll be happy anywhere there is sea, sand, sun and coffee.
Based in Bali, Maarten’s passion for travel is undeniable. In 2016, he decided to quit his job as a stock analyst and started doing what he always dreamed of: travelling through South East Asia and helping other people plan their trips. When he is not working on Gecko Routes, you’ll find him surfing in the ocean or exploring the best gems of Indonesia.
