Getting around Florence
The entire historic centre of Florence, which is a protected UNESCO heritage site, is a restricted traffic zone (in Italian, “Zona a Traffico Limitato” or ZTL) walkable in its entirely.
Pedestrians, bicycles, electric vehicles, motorcycles and scooters are allowed to enter the city, as well as visitors who need to reach by their car a hotel where they have a booking (check with the hotel staff). If you ask for directions, the answer will always be ‘a 15-minute walk’. However, if you don’t like walking or if you want to spare your energies, take advantage of the following options:
1. Taxi
Taxis cannot be flagged down as they pass you along the street unless their ‘taxi’ light is on. They are stationed at special taxi parking stands in most of the major squares, train stations and at the airport and can be requested by phone. Some taxi parking, like the one of Santa Maria Novella train station, are more crowded than others, we suggest you to be patient and stay in line. The main authorized taxi companies follow here, each of them offers fixed taxi fares to/from airports.
- TAXI FIRENZE 4242.IT
T: +39 055 4242 – www.4242.it
Taxipoints available on www.4242.it/portfolio/taxi-point/ - TAXI FIRENZE 4390
T: +39 055 4390 – www.4390.it
Or use the app www.apptaxi.it/firenze: available for iOS and Android, it has more than 4045 licensed taxi drivers
DON'T GET TRICKED
Fixed taxi fares to airports
From Amerigo Vespucci Airport to Florence (city centre): €22 (plus baggage supplements and extra fee for night or holiday travel).
From Florence (city centre) to Pisa: €140 / Bologna: €180 / Rome Fiumicino: €550 / Milan Linate: €550 / Milan Malpensa: €650
Fixed taxi fares to some destinations in Tuscany Pisa: €150 / Montecatini Terme: €90 / Siena: €120 / Livorno: €160 / Forte dei Marmi: €180 / Arezzo: €140 / Lucca: €140 / Empoli: €55 / Pistoia: €65 / San Gimignano: €100 / Volterra: €150 / Piombino: €300.
Fixed taxi fares to main Shopping Outlets The Mall: €65 / Barberino Designer Outlet McArthurGlen: €65
2. Bus / tram
There’s no underground in Florence and the old town is mainly served by regular bus and small electric buses. There’s only one local public transport company, ATAF (Azienda Trasporti dell’Area Fiorentina), both for buses and tram lines (the latter aren’t very useful for visiting the city centre, but good to reach certain destinations).
Many bus stops are equipped with displays that are very easy to understand.
In particular, we suggest you to try the very useful service ‘travel planner’ under the voice of menu ‘timetables and routes’, this feature is also available from the APP.
Infoline daily 6am-9pm.
Green Line (Toll-Free Number) T: 800 424500;
from mobile (Toll Number): T: 199 104245.
Tickets
The ordinary ticket (€1.20) is valid for 90 minutes from the moment you stamp it.
Beware, you should purchase your ticket before you get on the bus or the tram, and the first thing to do is to validate your ticket by using the onboard machines.
If you have an Italian mobile provider, you can buy your bus ticket through your mobile phone by simply texting “ATAF” to 4880105. The price is charged directly to your phone provider. Before getting on board, you should receive the confirmation message.
In case of emergency, you can buy a regular ticket from the bus driver at the more expensive price of €2, and no change is given.
The regular ticket can be used on buses, trams, and to go reach in-town train stations (the main one, Santa Maria Novella, but also Campo di Marte and Rifredi).
Available carnets: Ticket 2×90’ (€2.40); Ticket 4×90’ (€4.70); Daily ticket: 24-hour ticket (€5); 1-day ticket (€12); 7-day ticket (€18); Daily Family: one-day ticket for one family of 4 (€6).
Tips
Electric buses move around the historic centre and reach all the pedestrian areas. There are four lines: C1-C2-C3-D.
Route C1 is convenient for visiting the most important tourist attractions in Florence, Route D is convenient for visiting the Oltrarno areas (download the map)
Lines 12 and 13 (final stop: Piazzale Michelangiolo) are good to reach the panoramic venues
If you get lost, remember that the train station of Santa Maria Novella and Piazza San Marco are the two stops reached by nearly every bus line available in Firenze
Utilities
- ATAF Point-Customer Care Railway Station Firenze S.M. Novella – Offices no. 8 and no. 9.
Open Mon-Sat 6.45am-8pm. - Lost and Found on ATAF vehicles:
Mon-Wed-Fri 9am-12.30pm; Tues-Thurs 2.30pm-4pm.
Via Veracini, 5 (int. 5). T: +39 055 334802.
3. Other means of transport
VESPA SCOOTERS
Vespa scooters can access the ZTL areas, but you should always check if the street of your interest is reserved to public buses and taxis (check this family-owned scooter and car rental www.knowleggi.it).
MOBIKE BIKE SHARING
This ‘free-floating’ bike-sharing system allows you to book a bike via the free Mobike App (App Store or Google Play), identify the position of the bike nearest to you and then leave it in any authorised parking area in the city or in a bike rack.
Cost: €1 deposit, and €0.30 for every 30 minutes.
For more information, visit www.mobike.com
CAR SHARING
Parking and Limited Access Areas
When renting a car from the local car-sharing companies, please pay attention to the banners and parking. As mentioned before, several areas in the city are prevented from car access. This means that while accessing them, you are very likey to be punished with a high fare, even if using car-sharing.
Please pay also particular attention to parking: with car-sharing, you can park either in the paying lines or in the ones reserved for residents – not outside the lines though, as it will involve a fare – without the need to pay a toll.
PLEASE NOTE: While using a Enjoy car you are allowed to enter all Limited Access Areas in the city.
Useful information about cycling maps on www.becycle.comune.fi.it