Travel between Rome and Florence
Travel between Rome and Florence is simple and a great way to see two of the most iconic cities in Italy. Jump aboard our handy guide today!
How to travel between Rome and Florence
Getting a train when planning to travel between Rome and Florence is simple. Trains are available to jump on throughout the day and you should never have to wait more than 10 minutes for the next departure. There are faster express options but you might want to consider booking these in advance in case they fill up.
If you’re looking to book a train journey, your best bet is ItaliaRail which has a great, fast interface that will let you book online instantly. There are those faster express trains between Rome and Florence, but if you prefer, you can jump onto a local train that takes a bit longer.
The express options are fast, economical and have comfy seats with plenty of room. Expect to find WiFi connections, plug sockets and plenty of food options via a cafe and/or vending machine. These trains also have toilets.
The local trains take a bit longer as they may stop at more stations along the route. Bank on these arriving in 3-3.5 hours, although some do take way longer. Check the train info and duration before you decide which one to travel on so that it fits in with your plans. Again, restrooms should be available and some trains have WiFi and electrical outlets, but these are nor guaranteed. However, you won’t find much in the way of food and drink onboard local trains.
Other options from Rome to Florence
If you decide to choose a bus, look at Flixbus, which offers buses along this route. Bus journeys take about the same amount of time as the trains (3.5 to 7 hours), and you’ll find snacks, WiFi and restrooms on board.
Car hire is another option, especially if you’re planning to visit other towns, or head into wine country. But if you’re only planning to spend time in Florence, it may not be worth your while. Most Florence hotels are located in a pedestrian-only zone, and even when there is parking, it’s hard to find and isn’t cheap. Driving to Florence from Rome takes just over 3 hours – and there’s a toll road along the way. There is an alternate route without tolls, but it takes longer, around 4 hours.
Flying via Alitalia is another choice – there are 4 flights between the 2 cities, tickets are reasonably priced and the flight only lasts 55 minutes. But if you tally up the time it takes to get to and from the airport after you’ve stood in a queue to get through security, it may not fit in with your plans, especially if you’re on a tight schedule, when an express train is your best bet.
Train schedules Rome to Florence
There are so many trains travelling between the 2 cities throughout the day, leaving around every 10 minutes or so, that you will be spoilt for choice. On weekdays, trains start at 5.35am and run till 8.55pm, while on weekends and holidays, there are fewer trains and they leave a little later in the morning, around 6am and don’t run as late – till 10.35pm. There are also 2 overnight trains during the week that depart 10 minutes after midnight and arrive in Florence at either 6.38 or 7.34am.
What does it cost Rome-Florence by train?
Ticket prices vary depending on whether you’re taking an express train or a local one. Local trains are cheaper - €14 to €23 – whilst express trains cost from €16 to €61. Trains are also cheaper in the mornings before 7am and most expensive in rush hour for business travellers. Plan your journey well and you'll find that travel between Rome and Florence will not cost you too much, and seeing another Italian city is definitely value for money!
If you’re travelling on an express train you have a choice of First or Second Class, but there’s very little difference. The seats in Second Class are comfy, they recline and you enjoy free WiFi and power outlets. In First Class you also have WiFi and power, but the seats are more roomy and you have more space to store your luggage. On some journeys you might even enjoy a welcome drink and snack. But the journey to Florence is a short one, so you don’t really need those First Class extras, and it’s a lot more expensive.
Purchase your tickets from Trenitalia or Italo at a selection of locations throughout Roma Termini station the day you travel, or buy them online 24 hours before.
Travelling on Italian time
Trains and buses in Italy are often delayed by a few minutes, especially during religious holidays like Easter and Christmas. Sometimes the delay is caused by worker strikes, but these are always announced 2 weeks prior, aren’t allowed to last longer than 24 hours and never occur in peak season (July, August, late December and early January or during Easter) and also don’t happen over elections. During strikes trains don’t come to a stop – there are just fewer of them.
If you miss your train because of a delay, you can still use your ticket on the next train, if that train is departing within an hour of the one you missed. But if you are going to miss the last train of the evening, try to let the conductor know, as he may be able to get the train to wait for you.
Train travel in Italy with Kids
Kids under the age of 12 have to travel with an adult. Those aged between 12 and 16 are permitted to travel without supervision if they have a consent form with them that’s been signed by their parents or a legal guardian. Check with the train company before travelling for any further legalities.
Each train company offers a special discount program for kids, as well as for families and seniors. On Italo’s Family program kids under the age of 3 travel free as long as they sit on an adult’s lap. If a family has 2 young kids, they will have to purchase a ticket for one of them. Families also get tickets together – and these are discounted if there are 2, 3 or 4 people travelling and at least one of them is over 18 years. When this happens, those under the age of 14 travel free. So if there are 2 adults and 2 kids under 14, for instance, you will only pay for the adults. Seniors have to book 3 days in advance to qualify for a discount of 40%.
If you’ve booked with Trenitalia the rules are slightly different. Kids under the age of 4 travel free and have to sit on an adult’s lap. You can buy them a seat if you wish at the standard rate for children – a good idea if you want them to travel in a car seat. Of course, if there are empty seats on the train when you’re travelling, the kids are allowed to sit on those seats. The Trentalia program is called Bimbi Gratis that permits kids under the age of 15 to travel free. This program comes into play if you are a family travelling together of between 2 and 5 people that includes at leasts one adult and book 2 days before you travel. The adult will have to pay the normal adult rate, but the kids will travel free if they are under 15 years.
Food onboard or at the station
Italo express trains feature vending machines with coffee, snacks and sodas. Seats all have a table, and groups of 4 seats include a larger table to share.
Before you leave the capital city and travel between Rome and Florence, you can stock up at the 3-story mall at Roma Termini station. There are restaurants on all 3 floors (Underground, Platform, which is ground level, and the First Floor), all located closest to Piazza Cinquecento. There’s also a grocery store on the Underground level and numerous good restaurants just before you enter the station.
Location of the train stations
Roma Termini is located downtown – it takes less than half an hour to walk there from various major sights, including the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and Colosseum, if you’ve just arrived in Rome and have some time for sightseeing.
When you get to Florence, you’ll find Santa Maria Novella is in the heart of Florence. You can walk to most of the city’s major sights such as the Duomo, the Uffizi Gallery and the Medici Chapels. You’ll find various budget hotels around here and if you’re looking for something to eat or drink, many excellent bars and restaurants are just a 5-minute walk from the station.
Rome to Florence by train
Roma Termini station is the largest in Rome’s main train station. Here, trains depart from 28 platforms located in the back of the station on its Platform or ground level. The ticket offices are also on this level, as is Left Luggage and assistance for the disabled. The signs and maps are all written in both English and Italian. You’ll find maps prominently displayed to help you orientate yourself, otherwise check out an online map on romatermini.com. Everything on the maps is colored to make it easier, so restaurants are in bright orange, grocery stores and other food stores are in dark green, clothing stores are dark purple and all other shops are in blue. All the restrooms are one level down, on the Underground level.
If you enter the station through its main entrance on the ground level, you’ll find a large display with info on train arrivals and 2 other screens on the left listing departures. Follow this link to a map of the station.
If you haven’t purchased a ticket yet, buy one at the self-service kiosks instead of standing in a long queue at the ticketing office. At the kiosk, you can either choose a one-way or a round-trip ticket. There are a few payment choices. Use the green light to pay with a credit card, choose right of the keypad for contactless cards and if you’re paying with coins or Euro notes, pay in the upper right. Your ticket will appear in the plastic window at the bottom.
Remember, if you buy tickets at the station the day you’re travelling, you won’t have as much choice and the tickets will be more expensive than if you buy in advance. This is why it’s a good idea to buy your tickets beforehand online. This way, you pay with a credit card or PayPal and receive an e-ticket that you’ll need to show to the personnel on the train.
There’s a choice of tickets – Smart, Comfort, Prima and Club Executive, with Smart the basic ticket. Comfort offers bigger seats but all tickets include seats that recline and have footrests, tables, WiFi and power outlets. Comfort includes welcome drinks and snacks and if you book Club Executive you can use the lounge at the station before boarding. Smart is the best option as the Rome to Florence journey isn’t a long one.
Once you have your ticket, it’s time to get to the platform listed on your ticket – these are located behind the ticketing offices. On the platform itself you’ll see a number of electronic displays detailing trains and their departure times as well as if there are any delays.
Before you board the train, remember to validate your ticket in one of the machines. To do this, make sure you insert it face down so that the machine can stamp it. Electronic tickets, as mentioned, will need to be kept handy so that you can show them to the officers once you board the train.
When you’re looking for the platform, be sure to note the train number on your ticket. Now that you’ve found your train, you’ll see that the carriages are lined up to their numbers. Your carriage number is on your ticket. Seat numbers are listed above each window and you’ll see that, like on an airplane, you can store luggage above your seat. The power outlets are found below the table in front of you.
There is more luggage storage available at the end of each carriage, and large pieces are stored between carriages, where you’ll also find the restrooms. If you’re travelling with a baby or a wheelchair, you’ll find special stations for you towards the middle of the train.
When you arrive in Florence, you’ll find that Firenze SMN station offers a number of shops and restaurant as well as a mini mall on the Underground level. The station’s main exits are situated either straight ahead or to the left after Platform 16. Taxis will be available outside the station, but if you’re staying in one of those booked in the pedestrianised city center, you could even walk there.
On your way back from Florence en route to the airport?
If you return to Rome from Florence by train on your return trip home, you can drop your luggage and go sightseeing before heading for the airport. All you need is to leave your luggage at the baggage drop. Take a look at the map and you’ll find the blue “Deposito Bagagli/Left Luggage” sign. Follow the blue signs until you get to Left Luggage, which will be on your left, with buses, tourist info and car rental and a medical center located around the corner. At Left Luggage you’ll see green and white machines on the wall next to the glass window – these are the 2 ticket validating machines. There’s also an ATM machine and Left Luggage is just past that. Take a number from one of the 2 kiosks to reserve your space in line. Drop offs are to the left whilst if you’re picking up your luggage you will go to the right. Wait for your number to be called for service.