See Also
- Reserving Train Tickets in Italy
- An examination of hotels and resorts ideal for traveling families in Fiji
- My Favorite Places to Lodge in Venice
Table of Contents
How to get to Florence from Venice
- Booking Train Tickets in Italy: The best website for booking Italy train tickets is ItaliaRail.com. It’s the simplest website to use and usually offers the most affordable prices.
- By rail: Two train classes connect Venice and Florence – speedy express runs and slower regional options. Express trains offer the best choice for time-sensitive tourists, providing spacious seating, quick transfers (ordinarily under two hours), affordable pricing, effortless baggage storage, and amenities including wifi, electric outlets, a snack car or vending, and bathrooms built for wheelchairs. Local trains serve budget-minded passengers, as such tickets occasionally undercut express prices. Locals typically take three and a half to five hours, with overnight services extending over seven, so confirm journey durations before booking. Bathrooms appear on all trains, and some offer wifi and in-seat charging.
- By bus: Buses cost around the same as trains, and typically take somewhere between three hours forty-five minutes to four hours twenty minutes. Flixbus provides the speediest buses servicing this route. All buses include on-board Wi-Fi, snacks, and restrooms. Flixbus routes depart from Tronchetto, an artificial island connected by the #2 vaporetto water bus, and arrive at Piazzale Montelungo, the primary bus parking area behind Firenze Santa Maria Novella, the main train station in Florence.
- By road: Hiring a vehicle is a great choice if your trip to Florence incorporates a few day trips to other Tuscan cities or into the wine country. However, if most of your travel days will be spent inside Florence itself, then a car is more trouble than benefit, because of restricted and high-cost parking and the fact that most hotels in Florence are within the pedestrian-only zone. Driving via the most direct route (which has a toll road) takes barely under three hours; driving along the shore allows bypassing most tolls, but will take nearly five hours.
- By air transportation: There are no direct flights from Venice to Florence. All itineraries involve a stopover, generally in places like Zurich, Munich or Rome, resulting in a travel time of at least two hours and fifty minutes. This is not the best option due to the additional time spent getting to and from each airport plus clearing security – taking an express train is faster and more convenient.
Florence-Venice Train Schedules
Transportation departing from the Venezia Santa Lucia Station and arriving at the Firenze Santa Maria Novella (Firenze SMN, the primary train station in Florence) transpire every 10 to 25 minutes for most of the day, though transportation is less frequent in the early morning and late evening hours.
Both Italo and Trenitalia provide high-speed trains here (Trenitalia’s rapid line is termed Frecciarossa), though only Trenitalia offers the slower, local trains.
Travel between Venezia Santa Lucia and Firenze SMN stations by train begins at 5:05 a.m. daily and concludes at 7:42 p.m., though two local trains depart just after midnight with arrivals scheduled at 6:33 a.m. and 7:53 a.m. Both overnight train journeys necessitate multiple train changes along the way, meaning passengers are unable to sleep continuously throughout the ride. The train timetables remain uniform on weekdays, weekends, and public holidays.”
Florence-Venice Train Fares
Costs for train tickets from Venezia SL to Firenze SMN vary greatly, with express ticketing ranging from €15.90 for basic to €66 for first class. Regional rail tickets are around €20; all are the same type. Prices are lowest purchasing a few days in advance.
Express trains offer options for both first and second class seating, while local trains solely provide second class. The difference between classes is minimal on the express trains. Second class chairs are spacious, recline, and come with complimentary wifi and power outlets. First class seats are somewhat more substantial, generally incorporate added baggage storage, and sometimes feature a welcoming drink and snack. For such a brief trip, it’s not worth paying the upcharge for first class, since tickets cost two to three times as much, and the amenities are mostly equivalent.
Italo provides reductions for children, seniors, and families. Children under 36 months travel free without an assigned seat and sitting on an adult’s lap; if an adult travels with more than one infant, a second seat must be purchased. Italo’s Family program permits everyone in a family group to have designated seats together at a lower price: a reservation must be made for two to four individuals where at least one is over 18. In that case all children under 14 in that party travel free (infants under 36 months aren’t counted since they travel free anyway). Seniors receive a 40% discount when booking three days in advance.
Trenitalia allows children at or under 4 years old to ride free if they sit on an adult’s lap. Children from 4-11 are charged at half the adult fare and get their own seat. Seats can also be purchased for children under 4 at the standard child rate. (do this if using a car seat). Trains are rarely packed, so if the train begins moving and there are empty seats nearby, it is acceptable for the younger kids to use them. They also offer their Bimbi Gratis program, where children under 15 ride free. To take advantage of this, tickets must be bought two days in advance as part of a family group of 2-5 people, including at least one adult. Adult fares remain unchanged; only the child tickets are free.
Italo and Trenitalia tickets can be procured at the ticket booths or offices designated at the Venezia Santa Lucia station on the day of travel. They can also be obtained online ( Trenitalia,Italo) 24 hours or more in advance of the train’s scheduled departure date.
Wait Times and Delays
Travel by train (and bus) in Italy sometimes involves brief delays of a few minutes. Delayed departures can transpire at any time but are most common around the major holidays of Christmas and Easter when passenger volumes are higher.
Delays can also come from employee demonstrations, though these are never without warning. All strikes must be declared two weeks ahead of time, cannot last more than 24 hours, and are never allowed in July, August, late December, early January, or around Easter or election days. If a strike happens, trains still operate but on a limited schedule.
If a delay results in a passenger missing a connecting train, their ticket can be used to board the subsequent departure within an hour of the first train`s scheduled time. The conductor may hold the last train of the evening if needed to make the connection.
Venice to Florence with Kids
In general, all children under the age of twelve must be accompanied by an adult. Young people ages twelve to sixteen may travel alone with a signed consent form from their parent or legal guardian. Contact Trenitalia directly for details on minors traveling without supervision.
Rethymno exhibits some similarities compared to Chania however on a smaller scale with less tourist development. The village possesses a rich history dating back to the Minoan era marked by monuments from mighty empires scattered throughout its historic downtown and harbor, like an imposing Venetian stronghold and domed Ottoman mosques. Rethymno Beach lies east of the marina, a pleasant stroll from the Old Town. Driving a short distance farther east results in even more soft sandy beach resorts at Spilies and Bali. Throughout summer it provides direct ferries to Santorini (twice per week) which makes it a convenient stop if visiting the Cyclades
Trenitalia offers youngsters aged 4 years or younger to ride free if seated on an adult`s lap. Children from ages 4-11 receive a 50% discount on standard fares and are allocated their own seating area. Purchasing standard child tickets for youngsters under 4 is also an option if utilizing a child safety seat. Trains are rarely at full occupancy, so if empty seats become available near the time of departure for younger children to occupy, it is acceptable. Their Bimbi Gratis program allows children under 15 to travel free of charge. To take advantage, advanced tickets must be bought two days prior as part of a family group of 2-5 individuals, with at least one adult present. Rates remain unchanged for accompanying adults; only child tickets are complimentary.
Food on Board or at the Station
Italo’s express trains to Venice provide onboard services with drinks and snacks available for purchase through automated vending machines holding coffee, soda, and dietary items. Each seat comes with a small individual table; groups of four share a larger communal table. Trenitalia’s Freccia lines feature dining cars serving Italian cuisine and a bar area; passengers can consume food either at one of the tables inside the dining car or at their seats.
The Venice train station has several dining selections, including two pizza eateries, a few cafes with grab-and-go pastries and sandwiches (one of which, Vyta, has a full bar), a chocolate shop, buffet, and even a Grom gelato shop (it`s a chain, but still one of the best gelaterias).
There are a few quality restaurants situated near the station, such as Osteria al Cicheto ( renowned for their Italian cuisine and wine pairings), Trattoria Il Vagone (seafood specialties), Trattoria Alle Lance (casual Italian fare), and Kome Sushi ( exceptional sushi though not the best service).
Location of the Train Stations
Venezia Santa Lucia Station is situated at the western end of the Cannaregio neighborhood with views overlooking the Grand Canal. The journey on foot or by vaporetto (water bus) to reach some of the city`s principal attractions such as San Marco Basilica, Palazzo Ducale, and Museo Correr takes approximately fifteen to thirty minutes. The Ferrovia vaporetto stop is directly in front of the station. Moving northeast, the Ponte degli Scalzi footbridge connects the station to the Santa Croce and San Polo neighborhoods. Traveling southwest, the Ponte della Constituzione footbridge leads to the western area of Santa Croce and the Piazzale Roma vaporetto stop and parking lot. Several exceptional hotels are located on or just across either of these bridges on the island. Some of the city`s finest restaurants and bars can be accessed across the bridges in the San Polo, San Marco, and Cannaregio neighborhoods.
Santa Maria Novella train station is in the center of Florence, within easy walking distance to all of Florence’s major attractions, including the Duomo, Uffizi Gallery, and the Accademia, though it is especially near to San Lorenzo Church, San Lorenzo Market, the Medici Chapels, and the Oficina Profumo. Several low-cost hotels encompass the station, with some of the city’s best eateries and bars within five to ten minutes on foot.
Venice to Florence by Train
