Transportation in Florence
BY DEEPTI SHANKAR
When planning for my semester abroad in Florence, I knew that I would take every opportunity to travel and explore Italy and Europe. Throughout the semester, I’ve slowly figured out the public transportation options and here is what I’ve learned!
Getting to Campus and Around Florence
The easiest ways to get to campus are by walking, biking, or taking the bus. The 25 and 307A buses take you to campus and the others take you around the city.
You can get bus tickets for 1.50 euros each in any tabacchi, but you’ll need to pay with cash. Alternatively, you can also get a bus pass - although I never did this, during the first 2 days of orientation, NYU staff will help you register.
Once you’re on the bus or tram you validate your ticket by inserting it into the machine and it stamps it with a time, allowing you to travel anywhere using the bus for the next 1 hour and 30 minutes.
The only downside to the buses is that they are often late or unreliable, so I highly recommend Moovit and Muoversi in Toscana (an ad-free app) to help you track the buses and give you updates on any detours or delays.
In addition to the buses, Florence has trams that can take you to areas in the suburbs such as Cascine Park or the mall in Novoli.
Calling a taxi in Florence is more expensive than the bus but still very affordable. You can use the apps AppTaxi or itTaxi, call +39 055 4242, or text +39 334 662 2550.
Taking the Trains
The station that you depart from in Florence is Santa Maria Novella. The easiest way to buy tickets is on the Trainline app but you can also get them directly through the train company websites.
Air Travel
A great website to search for cheap flights, especially when your destination and flight times are flexible, is skyscanner.com. Although this website is great for searching for flights, it’s best to book through the airline website to avoid cancellation or change issues. Usually Ryanair has the cheapest flights, although the timings are sometimes inconvenient and you’re only allowed a backpack without paying extra.
Getting to the Different Airports in Italy
Florence: Take the T2 tram to Aeroporto (or a taxi if it’s very early in the morning).
Pisa: Take the train to Pisa Centrale and then take the Pisamover to the airport.
Bologna: You can take the bus from Florence Piazzale Montelungo to the airport.
Milan Malpensa: Take the train to Milano Centrale and then the Malpensa Express to the airport.
Milan Bergamo: Take the train to Milano Centrale and then a shuttle to the airport.
Bonus: Transportation in Other Cities
Paris: You can buy metro tickets at the station or download the Bonjour RATP app to buy tickets online and use contactless payment.
Zurich: You can get tickets on the ZVV app. I recommend the Zurich Card, which gives you unlimited transportation and free/discounted access to museums.
Vienna: You can buy tickets to the metro at the stations. To get from the airport to the city center, take the City Airport Train (CAT).
London: You can pay as you go using contactless payment.
Barcelona: You can buy tickets at the station.
Berlin: You can buy tickets at the station and validate them there.
Hope you enjoyed this guide to getting around - and happy travels! 🛫