In Tuscany there are two main airports, the busiest and most important being Pisa airport. This is located an hour from Florence and easily reachable by train and bus. The other is Florence airport, a smaller airport on the outskirt of Florence’s city centre. Some travellers also choose to fly to Bologna, an airport which is well connected to Florence.
Airports near Florence – How to get to Florence
FLORENCE AIRPORT – Peretola
Florence airport ‘Amerigo Vespucci’ is located on the outskirt of Florence, 5 kilometres from the city centre. It’s commonly known as ‘Aereoporto di Firenze-Peretola’, named for the area in which it is located. Mainly focused on domestic and European destinations, it has some long distance flights too. It’s the second busiest airport in Tuscany after Pisa airport.
It’s a small airport and not particularly modern or comfortable. Don’t expect comfortable lounges or a great choice of shops and dining options.
How to get from Peretola airport to Florence city centre
TRAMVIA
On the positive side, it’s very conveniently linked to Florence city centre. The cheapest and fastest option is to get the Tramvia, the tramline which has been operational since 2019, making the journey into the city centre very easy. The stop is located just outside the arrivals terminal.
The line you need is T2 (that goes from Aereporto Peretola to San Marco Università). This operates every day from 5am to 00:30am (on Friday and Saturday until 2 am). It arrives at the stop Alamanni-Stazione Santa Maria Novella (Florence main train station) which is in the historic centre and carries on towards Piazza San Marco. Check to find the stop nearest to wherever you’re staying. See the timetable on the official site. After 11pm the service is less frequent.
The journey takes about 20 minutes. A ticket costs €1.70, making it the cheapest of the options. You can buy tickets at the machines located at every stop and they are valid for 90 minutes. The upside of the tram is you don’t have to worry about traffic, and being Florence this something to keep in mind, especially if you’re travelling during rush hours.
Bus Volainbus
The service Volainbus links Peretola airport to Florence city centre. Buses arrive at the bus station in Via Santa Caterina d’Alessandria (opposite Santa Maria Novella central train station), running from 5:50am to 00:30am. (one bus every half hour until 8pm, then one every hour). The rate is 6 Euro one way, 10 Euro return. Without traffic the journey takes around 25 minutes, but you have to keep in mind that during rush hours it can take double that.
Taxi
Taxis are the most expensive option. But they’re also the most convenient way to travel into the centre. Standard rates are €25 – €30 to reach any location in the city centre, but they add a few euros depending on the size and number of your luggages. The taxi will drop you outside your hotel which is a good thing if you have heavy bags. When planning the trip back to airport, you absolutely must book a taxi in advance, avoiding delays or availability issues.
PISA AIRPORT Galileo Galilei – How to travel to Florence from Pisa airport
Pisa airport is the busiest airport in Tuscany, with a great number of flights, national carriers and low cost airlines connecting the town of Pisa with many European and other international destinations. It’s bigger than Florence airport, as it has been enlarged in recent years. It’s located just outside Pisa’s historic centre, and 80 kilometres from Florence.
Buses from Pisa airport to Florence
The most convenient way to travel between Pisa airport and Florence is by bus. The journey takes around 1 hour and 10 minutes. Companies like Terravision (€13,99 one way) operate according to the main airlines’s flight timetable, every day of the week they run several and regular journeys. Terravision has been active for many years now, and their stop is next to Santa Maria Novella train station in Florence city centre.
One word of advice – When you book a bus ticket to Florence, make sure to check where the final stop is, as some bus companies don’t get to the city centre.
Travelling by Train
There’s no direct train between Pisa airport and Florence. You can get the shuttle train Pisamover that takes you to Pisa Centrale station in 5 minutes (€6,50) and from there you can catch a train to Firenze Santa Maria Novella station (the journey takes roughly 1 hour). Bear in mind that there are no trains between 10:30pm and 5am.
Standard taxi rate from Pisa airport to Florence city centre starts at €190 (1 to 3 passengers plus bags).
BOLOGNA AIRPORT – Travelling to Florence from Bologna airport
Bologna airport is getting more and more traffic and attention since Bologna is gaining more interest from international tourists. It’s the 6th airport in Italy for number of passengers, with many international, including low cost, airlines, that have added Bologna to their destinations.
Bologna Marconi airport is located 100 kilometres north east of Florence, and it’s another good option when it comes to airports near Florence, as it’s well connected to Tuscany’s main city. If you’re planning to fly to Bologna, you have different options to travel to Florence.
The more convenient way is to book a transfer from Bologna Airport to Florence for example with Kiwitaxi. In this way you can forget all the hassle of travelling by public transport and if there’s a few of you, you can share the expense. The driver will drop you directly in front of the door of your hotel. The journey takes roughly 1 hour and 20 minutes.
If you opt for the public transport, remember the train requires 1 change. There’s the shuttle train Marconi Express that takes you from the airport to Bologna main train station. From there you can get the Freccia Rossa train, which is the fastest train to Florence Santa Maria Novella station (40 minutes). Consider that regional trains to Florence take longer.
There’s also one direct bus, the Appennino Shuttle, that takes you to Florence. It leaves from Bologna airport (to the left of the main terminal) and arrives near the Fortezza in Florence (Piazzale Montelungo), which is a good 10 minute walk to the Santa Maria Novella train station. Just consider time of arrival, location of your hotel and how much luggage you have before choosing this option.
READ ALSO:
* Florence in 3 Days: a Complete Itinerary
* Top 8 Day Trips from Florence, by car or public transport
* How to Get Around in Tuscany
