Amerigo Vespucci Airport (Florence)
www.aeroporto.firenze.it
Amerigo Vespucci Airport, located 4km (about 2 miles) from downtown Florence in the suburb of Peretola, serves mostly domestic and charter flights.
The Ataf-Sita Volain Bus service makes the twenty-minute journey between the airport and Santa Maria Novella train station a remarkable 66 (count 'em!) times a day. That's what we call Cheapo-friendly frequency. From the airport to the train station, the bus shuttle runs every 30 minutes from 5:50 a.m. until 8:20 p.m. and then once an hour until 11:30 p.m. From the train station to the airport, the shuttle runs every 30 minutes from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. A one-way ticket costs €4.50. More information can be found online, at the Ataf and Sita websites.
A taxi from the airport into the city center costs between €15 and €20. Taxis can be found outside of the Arrivals Hall and can also be scheduled by radiotaxi: 055 4242, 055 4390, 055 4499, and 055 4798.
Galileo Galilei Airport (Pisa)
www.pisa-airport.com
The Galileo Galilei Airport, located in Pisa, is another popular landing point for those flying into Tuscany. Though it is 80km (50 miles) from Florence, the city is easily accessible.
From Galileo Galilei Airport, the easiest way into Florence is via train. Eight trains make the 80 to 100 minute journey between the airport and Florence's Santa Maria Novella train station every weekday; of these, five run seven days a week. Seven trains make the journey from Florence's Santa Maria Novella train station to Pisa's airport every weekday; of these, four run every day of the week. The trip takes an hour and fifteen minutes and costs €5.20. For more information visit www.trenitalia.it.
If traveling between Florence's Santa Maria Novella train station and Pisa's airport, visit the "air terminal" information center halfway down platform #5 in the main train station. The information center is open daily from 7:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. and can be reached by telephone at 055 216 073.
Another way into the center of Florence from Galilei airport is the airport express bus offered by Terravision. The bus service connects Pisa's airport to Florence's Santa Maria Novella train station, runs every hour and takes about 70 minutes. Tickets are €8 (€4 for children) each way. Visit the Terravision booking engine to book bus tickets in advance and take advantage of discounted ticket prices.
Arriving into the Santa Maria Novella Train Station
If you're arriving directly into Stazione Santa Maria Novella, you're arriving into the heart of Florence. You've got it made. The station is situated just north of Santa Maria Novella church and a ten-minute walk to the Duomo in the bull's-eye of Florence. Everyone hops off the train, walks out the door, and straight into town.
The information office in the train station is open daily from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. If you need information after hours, you can call the national train info line at 848 88 80 88. |
