How to Get Around Florence: Public Transport, Cards, and Subscriptions

Florence is one of the most beautiful cities in Italy, a must-see destination at least once in your lifetime! Its streets are rich in history, and every corner hides wonders, monuments, and galleries to visit. Fortunately, it is also a walkable city that is easy to explore, perfect for wandering on foot.Here's a guide on how to get around Florence: information, costs, and tips! Check out the infographic: How to get around Florence

The best way to explore Florence is on foot. The center is not extensive and it acts as an open-air museum, with the main attractions all close together! For an initial approach to the city, the recommendation is to take a free guided walking tour, to get oriented while also receiving practical advice from a local guide. Additionally, Florence is becoming increasingly bike-friendly, so a bicycle or an e-bike is also a recommended means of transport. In this case, taking a guided electric bike tour is useful to optimize your time and get familiar with the city's cycling routes.For attractions that are further away, there are city buses. A ticket costs €1.50 (valid for 90 minutes), but you can also purchase a carnet of 10 trips for savings. We recommend the tourist bus, perfect for enjoying a panoramic view of the city. If you will be using public transport frequently, the Florence Card+ may be convenient, offering free transportation for 72 hours.Driving and taxis are discouraged, the former due to the limited parking available and the presence of ZTL (Limited Traffic Zones) in the historic center, the latter for potentially high costs. However, a car is a good option for visiting the surroundings. If you do not want to rent one for a few days, consider joining organized tours that include transportation, such as a trip to Pisa, Siena, and San Gimignano, a Chianti excursion, or in Val d'Orcia with wine and cheese tasting.

With the understanding that Florence is a city perfect to explore on foot, if you stay in the city for a weekend or even a week, the best option is to purchase the carnet of 10 trips (€14.00). There are no daily or weekly tickets available for transport, only a monthly subscription.Additionally, Florence offers tourists the Florence Card, the city's museum pass. To move freely on public transport, you need to pair your Florence Card with the Florence Card+, allowing you to travel for free on buses and trams. You can download it directly on your phone via the dedicated Florence Card App or visit collection points in Florence to pick up the physical card, to validate on public transport. For more information, visit the official website.

Florence is served by the Amerigo Vespucci Airport, also known as Florence-Peretola Airport. It is located about 6 km from the city center, accessible via the convenient and fast T2 Tram line (15 min). Alternatively, you can also land at the Galileo Galilei Airport in Pisa, which is served by low-cost airlines and well connected to all Italian cities. From there, Florence is easily reachable by train.

The best way to visit Florence is to move around on foot. The historic center is very compact and the top attractions and things to do are all close to each other. Furthermore, this is also the best way to immerse yourself in the city's atmosphere: stroll through the streets to admire the wonderful historic buildings, enjoy a good gelato while walking across the Ponte Vecchio, and marvel at the beauty of the Duomo.For example, using the Duomo of Florence as a reference point, you will find some of the most beautiful attractions just a few steps away: Piazza Signoria (400 m), Ponte Vecchio (600 m), the Uffizi Galleries (650 m), or the Accademia Gallery (500 m).

Join a free tour: for an initial approach to the city and to settle in well in this wonderful Italian gem, we recommend participating on a free tour of Florence, where you can discover the most iconic places with an expert guide.

In Florence, as in the largest European cities, sharing services are becoming popular, ideal for getting around the city. One of the strengths of this service is that, for example, car sharing vehicles can enter Limited Traffic Zones. Bike sharing is also ideal for discovering the city, especially on beautiful spring and summer days. Let's take a look at the offered services in detail:

If you need to reach further attractions or feel tired, you can count on an efficient public transport system, consisting of buses and trams. The urban system, as of October 2021, is managed by the company Autolinee Toscane, which oversees urban and interurban bus services across the region.To move around the center, the bus is definitely the best solution, while the tram is the optimal choice for reaching the city from the airport, thanks to the T2 line that goes all the way to Santa Maria Novella, right in the center! Both buses and trams are equipped with accessibility features, making public transport suitable for everyone without barriers!For an initial approach to the city, we recommend getting around with the tourist bus, which has an open-top deck and will give you a different perspective of Florence. With stops near the main attractions, this is a great alternative, especially for reaching Piazzale Michelangelo and also for admiring the immediate surroundings of the Tuscan city.

The urban bus network comprises 43 daytime lines and also some nighttime lines, active until 3:00 AM. Tickets can be purchased before boarding at the designated automatic machines or at newsstands for €1.50, valid for 90 minutes. It is also possible to buy it on board from the driver, with a price increase to €2.50 (make sure to have the exact change). It must be validated once you board the bus, or you may face fines up to €50.00. If you are only stopping in Florence and not moving around the surroundings, you will rarely use the bus, as you can always walk.

The tram system currently consists of 2 lines, T1 and T2. The service is managed by the company GEST, tickets must be purchased before boarding from the designated automatic machines at a cost of €1.50 for 90 minutes, with the 10 trips carnet available for €14.00. We recommend using this means to move between Florence and the airport. The T1 Leonardo line connects the municipality of Scandicci with the Careggi University Hospital, while the T2 Vespucci line connects the airport to the city center, reaching the terminus at Unità.

If your stay is limited to Florence, driving is highly discouraged. This is because the center is compact and easily visitable on foot; for the more distant areas, there are various buses!Additionally, the historic center is a ZTL and violating the hours or zones can lead to hefty fines. Lastly, parking is not entirely economical, especially close to the center.However, if you wish to go on a road trip in Tuscany starting with Florence, we recommend exploring the city on foot first and then renting a car later. If you arrive with a car, look for accommodation that offers parking for guests and is located at the edges of the ZTL.

All of the historic center is a Limited Traffic Zone. The only ones allowed to access it are residents, taxis, and line buses. The entrances to the ZTL are marked by a traffic light: when the light is green, you can enter; when it's red, entry is prohibited, with hefty fines as a consequence. There are indeed several surveillance cameras that photograph cars and license plates, quickly identifying those who enter without a permit. The ZTL is active during the following hours: weekdays 7:30 AM-8:00 PM, Saturday 7:30 AM-4:00 PM.To circulate in the ZTL, daily permits are available for €5.00, issued by the company SAS Servizi alla Strada or the Municipal Police (for information, you can contact URP SAS at 055-40401, Mon-Fri 8:00 AM-5:30 PM). For all info and updates, check the official website of the Municipality of Florence.

If you arrive in Florence by car, make sure your hotel or B&B offers parking services. The city has a very small historic center, and finding a spot can be a challenge, even for residents! Therefore, the best solution is to seek parking in the more peripheral areas, where you can find both paid underground parking, private garages, free spots, and street parking for a fee. Prices range from €1.00/hour to €2.00/hour, and as you get closer to the center, the prices increase. For mothers with children up to three years, a special

"i love mom" permit is available for access and parking in the Controlled Parking Area ( ZCS), more info on the site serviziallastrada.it.Outside the ZTL area, there are Controlled Parking Zones (ZCS), divided into: