Traveling between Pisa and Florence

Two of the most beautiful art cities in Tuscany, Italy

Located at around 100 km from Florence, Pisa is one of the most charming cities in Tuscany. It is known worldwide for its Leaning Tower in ìPiazza dei Miracoliî (the Duomo's square, also called ìMiracles Squareî), perhaps the most remarkable bell tower in Europe.

Also located in the same piazza are the Cathedral of San Zeno and the Baptistery of St. John, superb examples of European Romanesque architecture. Next to them you can wander through the Camposanto graveyard, following a theological path.

Florence, the most famous of these two cities, is the capital city of Tuscany and one the most desirable destination for tourists in the world. It lies on the Arno River and is known for its history and its importance in the Middle Ages and in the Renaissance, particularly for its art and architecture. A centre of medieval European trade and finance, Florence is considered the cradle of the Italian Renaissance.

With its elegant squares, Renaissance palaces, academies, parks, gardens, churches, monasteries, museums, art galleries and ateliers, the historic centre of Florence attracts every year millions of tourists and has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982.

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (the Duomo of Florence), the Giotto's Bell Tower, the Uffizi Gallery, the Galleria dell'Accademia (Accademia Gallery), Palazzo Vecchio (Old Palace), Palazzo Pitti, Ponte Vecchio (Old bridge) and Santa Croce's Church are only a few examples of the magnificence of its architectural and artistic treasures.

Getting there and moving around

Arriving to Pisa is really easy. Many airlines operate frequent flights into Pisa, because of from here you can easily reach Florence by bus, by car or by train.

Pisa Airport

Galileo Galilei Pisa Airport is the main airport for domestic and international flights in Tuscany, Italy. It has a higher passenger transit number than Florence Airport, and this is for two reasons:

1. Pisa Airport has a bigger runway and this allows larger aircraft to land there. Over the last few years, Pisa airport has been selected as the Tuscan low cost hub for the low-cost airlines.

2. Both flagship and low-cost fly to/from Pisa connecting it and Tuscany to many national, European and international destinations.

Pisa Airport's official website: www.pisa-airport.com

Pisa-Florence by coach

An excellent bus network connects Pisa Airport to Pisa centre, Florence and the main Tuscan cities: Siena, Lucca, Livorno, Viareggio.

The coach transfer service is managed by Terravision, that every day leaves from Pisa International Airport to Florence Santa Maria Novella railway station.

Bus stop: Pisa G. Galilei airport, outside arrivals. The journey time is about 70 minutes

Terravision coach transfer service from Pisa Airport to Florence Station: www.terravision.eu

Pisa-Florence by train

Pisa Airport has its own train station, just outside the arrivals terminal.

The Airport is connected directly to Pisa Central Station and to Florence Santa Maria Novella railway station, in the centre of the city.

Train tickets can be bought at the Information Office in the arrivals hall. The railway terminal is located just outside the check-in hall.

Timetable and Rates on the website www.ferroviedellostato.it , the Italian national Railway Transport

Pisa-Florence by car

Pisa Airport has direct access to the Firenze-Pisa-Livorno dual carriageway (Pisa Centro - Aeroporto exit), to the Genova-Rosignano A12 motorway (Pisa Centro exit), to the Firenze-Pisa Nord A11 motorway (through the Pisa Nord linking stretch with the A12), and to road SS 1 ìAureliaî. Traffic nearly always flows smoothly on the entire road network.

Usually, the journey Pisa-Florence takes only an our.

Car Rental service The Car Rentals Terminal is directly connected to the Airport by a shuttle bus service. The shuttle bus stop is located just outside the Airport Arrivals area. The car rental companies operating at Pisa Airport offer a fleet of more than 1.500 vehicles including cars, vans, minibuses and campers.

Even if you arrive on the last flight, you will always find at least one company waiting for you and ready to meet your requirements. However, we recommend booking your car in advance.

Car rental companies:

AutoEuropa - www.autoeuropa.it
Avis - www.avisautonoleggio.it
EasyCar - www.easycaritalia.com
Hertz - www.hertz.it
Thrifty - www.italybycar.it

Chauffeur-driven cars companies:

Europcar - www.europcar.com
Sixt - www.sixt.it

Pisa-Florence by taxi

The Taxi service from Pisa Airport to Florence is run by CO.TA.PI (Pisa taxi cooperative). It operates Radio Taxi, which runs a 24-hour taxi service from the Airport; to simply book a taxi dial: +39 050 541600

The cooperative also offers a collective taxi, which runs to the Pisa Centrale railway station and the Leaning Tower of Pisa, for a flat rate fare (Ä5-7). The journey to the centre of Pisa takes 10 minutes.

Florence Airport

Located just at a very few distance from the center of Florence, the Amerigo Vespucci Airport lies between the "Firenze Nord" exit from the superhighway and Florence's industrial area near Prato.

The airport has good connections to the center of the city, which can be reached in about 15 minutes by taxi, and about 20 minutes by the Sita/Ataf service "Fly by Bus", between the Airport and Santa Maria Novella railway station.

Useful links:

Ataf Florence Transports: www.ataf.net
Sita Florence Bus: www.sitabus.it