Florence is a walking city at heart — most of the main historic sights sit within a compact centre — but for reaching the train station from the airport, crossing to the Oltrarno, or getting to outer neighbourhoods, the city's tram and bus network is useful and straightforward. ATAF (now integrated with the wider Tuscany mobility network) runs buses across the urban area, while two tramvia lines handle busier corridors.
The Tramvia: T1 and T2
Florence's modern tram system is called the Tramvia and currently operates two main lines, with further extensions under long-term planning.
Line T1 (Villa Costanza – Careggi) runs roughly north–south, connecting the Santa Maria Novella railway station with the university hospital area at Careggi in the north. It passes through the central stops at SMN (the main station) and through inner northern suburbs. This line was the first to open and is well established.
Line T2 (Aeroporto – Piazza dell'Unità Italiana) connects Florence Airport (Peretola) to the city centre, terminating near the main railway station at Santa Maria Novella. This is the most useful line for visitors arriving by plane — the journey from the airport to the centre takes around 20 minutes and runs frequently. It opened in 2019 and has made airport access much easier.
The two lines share a section of track through the centre and interchange at Alamanni-Stazione, right outside Santa Maria Novella. Trams are modern, low-floor vehicles with air conditioning and space for luggage — notably more comfortable than fighting city traffic in a taxi during rush hour.
ATAF City Buses
The ATAF bus network covers the broader city and its surroundings. Key routes for visitors include those serving Fiesole (a hilltop town above Florence accessible by bus from Piazza San Marco), the Piazzale Michelangelo viewpoint, and the Galluzzo area in the south.
Central Florence is a Limited Traffic Zone (ZTL), meaning private vehicles need a permit to enter. Buses are exempt and can travel through areas where cars cannot, making them particularly useful for reaching certain inner-city destinations. However, the dense historic centre is small enough that walking is almost always faster than waiting for a bus.
The electric minibuses (lines C1, C2, C3 and D) are designed for the narrow medieval streets and serve areas the trams cannot reach, including circuits through the Oltrarno district. They are small, frequent and a genuinely pleasant way to navigate the back streets.
Tickets and passes
ATAF tickets are valid across trams and buses within the urban zone. The system has been integrated into the wider Tuscany Mobility (AT Bus) network for regional travel, but for city journeys the core ticket types are:
- 90-minute ticket: valid from first validation for unlimited transfers within 90 minutes on trams and buses.
- 24-hour pass: unlimited travel for the rest of the day — worth it if you are making several journeys, particularly if you arrive by tram from the airport.
- 3-day pass: useful for short stays if you expect to use the network regularly.
- 10-trip carnet: sold at a small discount versus single tickets.
Buy tickets at tram stops (machines at every stop), at tobacconists, or via the AT Bus mobile app. You can also buy on board some buses, but often at a slightly higher price. Validate your ticket in the machine immediately on boarding — inspectors work the network regularly, and fines are issued even for honest mistakes with unvalidated tickets.
Getting from Florence Airport to the city
Florence Airport (Amerigo Vespucci / Peretola, FLR) is about 5 km northwest of the centre. The T2 tram is the easiest option for most visitors: it departs from a stop directly outside the terminal and reaches the Santa Maria Novella station in roughly 20 minutes. Trams run frequently during the day.
The Volainbus shuttle bus also connects the airport to Santa Maria Novella in a similar time and is an alternative if you miss a tram or are travelling at night. Taxis wait outside arrivals and are metered, with fixed rates available for the city centre.
Note that Pisa Airport (Galileo Galilei, PSA) is also widely used for flights marketed to Florence. The distance is around 80 km, and the typical connection is a regional train from Pisa Centrale to Florence Santa Maria Novella in about 50–70 minutes. This is perfectly manageable but adds travel time that the comparison websites often understate.
Getting around on foot and by bike
For the historic centre — the Duomo, Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio, the Bargello, Santa Croce — walking is almost always the best option. The entire old town fits within a 30-minute walk from corner to corner, and much of it is pedestrianised or has restricted traffic. Flat shoes and a paper map work better than a phone in the narrow streets.
The city has a bikeshare scheme (Mobi), with docking stations near major public transport hubs. Cycling within the historic centre can be frustrating due to crowds and cobblestones, but the route along the north bank of the Arno and through the Oltrarno is genuinely enjoyable.
Day trips from Florence by public transport
Florence sits on a main rail corridor and day trips by regional train are easy. Siena is reachable by coach (about 1h20, SENA/FlixBus) — the drive and coach route is faster than the train in this case. Pisa is about an hour by train. Lucca takes around 90 minutes. Arezzo is on the main Florence–Rome line and reachable in under an hour. For routes crossing the Apennines, Florence is often a key junction on the journey east.
Tips for getting around Florence
- The T2 tram to the airport is the single most useful line for visitors — faster and cheaper than a taxi.
- Electric minibuses C1–C3 are ideal for crossing the Oltrarno without a long walk.
- Santa Maria Novella station is the main interchange for trams, buses and trains — everything connects here.
- Buy a 24-hour ticket if you plan to travel from the airport and make any other journeys the same day.
- Bike hire is widely available near the station for anyone wanting to explore the broader city.
Frequently asked questions
Does Florence have a metro or underground?
No, Florence does not have a metro. The city has two tram lines (T1 and T2) and a bus network managed under the AT Bus system. The compact historic centre makes an underground less necessary than in larger Italian cities.
How do I get from Florence Airport to the city centre?
The T2 tram runs from the airport terminal directly to Santa Maria Novella station in about 20 minutes. It is frequent, inexpensive and the easiest option for most visitors.
Can I use the same ticket on trams and buses in Florence?
Yes. A single ATAF/AT Bus ticket is valid on both trams and buses within the urban zone for 90 minutes from validation. Transfers between modes do not require a new ticket within that window.
Is it easy to walk between sights in Florence?
Yes — the historic centre is very compact. Most major sights (Duomo, Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria) are within a 15-minute walk of each other, and much of the area is pedestrianised or has very limited traffic.
Sources and further reading:
- ATAF / AT Bus — route maps, timetables and ticket information.
- Tramvia Firenze — official network map and tram line information.
- Florence Airport (Amerigo Vespucci) — transport connections at aeroporto.firenze.it