Arriving in Florence by train

How to get to Florence by train and the services at the Florence train station

Most Florence-bound trains roll into the Stazione Santa Maria Novella, which you'll often see abbreviated as S.M.N. (tel. 055-288-765 or toll-free in Italy 848-888-088; www.trenitalia.it).

The station is on the northwestern edge of the city's compact historic center, a 10-minute walk from the Duomo and a 20-minute walk from Piazza della Signoria and the Uffizi. The best budget hotels are immediately east of there around Via Faenza and Via Fiume.

Services inside the station

Useful Italian

ticket - biglietto
train - treno
train track - binario
station - stazione or ferroviaria

» more

The train information office is near the opposite exit, to your right (west).

Walk straight through the central glass doors into the outer hall for train tickets at the biglietteria.

At the head of Track 16 is a 24-hour luggage depot where you can drop your bags while you search for a hotel.

Tips & links

Train station info

Piazza Santa Maria Novella
tel. +39-055-288-765
www.trenitalia.it

  • Florence rail station
  • Firenze Santa Maria Novella: Grandistazioni.it, Piazza S. Maria Novella (in the NW corner of the center)
  • Bus to center: C2 (but it's just a few blocks; you can walk)
  • Bus to Oltrarno: 11, D

Other useful links
Nearby
Be sure you get off at the Firenze–Santa Maria Novella station

Some trains stop at the outlying Stazione Campo di Marte or Stazione Rifredi, which are both also called "Firenze" and are both well-worth avoiding—unless you enjoy being stranded out in the sticks. Although there's 24-hour bus service between these satellite stations and S.M.N., departures aren't always frequent and taxi service is erratic and expensive.

Avoiding traffic

You can avoid the manic traffic on the piazza out front and get to the more pedestrian-friendly far side of the square by exiting the train station to the left, then turning right and heading down those stairs you see in front of you. They lead to an underground passageway, lined by a few shops, that pops you up on the far side of the piazza. (Hint: If you over-packed and are struggling with your luggage, know that one of the exits has a ramp up rather than stairs).

How long does Florence take?

Planning your day: Florence would well be worth a week, but you can still fit a lot into just a day or three.

To help you get the most out of your limited time in the Cradle of the Renaissance, here are some perfect itineraries, whether you have one, two, or three days to spend in Florence.

» Florence itineraries

Florence tours

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Santa Maria Novella station

Piazza Santa Maria Novella
tel. +39-055-288-765
www.trenitalia.it

  • Florence rail station
  • Firenze Santa Maria Novella: Grandistazioni.it, Piazza S. Maria Novella (in the NW corner of the center)
  • Bus to center: C2 (but it's just a few blocks; you can walk)
  • Bus to Oltrarno: 11, D


Useful links

Florence tourist information
Via Cavour 1R
tel. +39-055-290-832
www.firenzeturismo.it

Sightseeing
  • Florence rail station
  • Firenze Santa Maria Novella: Grandistazioni.it, Piazza S. Maria Novella (in the NW corner of the center)
  • Bus to center: C2 (but it's just a few blocks; you can walk)
  • Bus to Oltrarno: 11, D
  • Car resources
  • Emergency service/tow: tel. 803-116
  • Highway agency: Autostrade.it (traffic info, serivce areas, toll calculator, weather)
  • Italian automotive club (~AAA): Aci.it
  • ZTLs: Ztl-italia.blogspot.com (lightly outdated, but handy, links to cities' traffic-free zones)
  • Transport Florence—Livorno cruise terminal
  • Viator.com (private car: 90 min, €40–€260)
  • Trenitalia.com (train: 68–100 min, €9.10) + Livorno port-station transfer (€1 bus; €20–€30 taxi)
Train tix

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