Travelling by train
Main Station: Firenze Santa Maria Novella (SMN)
- High-Speed Trains (Frecciarossa, Italo): Connect Florence to Rome (~1.5 hours), Milan (~2 hours), Venice (~2 hours), Bologna (~40 minutes).
- Regional Trains: Connect to Pisa, Lucca, Siena, and other Tuscan cities.
- From SMN to City Center: The station is in the city centre; most attractions are within walking distance.
Booking:
- Trenitalia (www.trenitalia.com) or Italo (www.italotreno.it) for high-speed trains.
- Regional trains can be bought at the station or online.
Travelling by plane
Main Airport: Florence Peretola Airport (FLR)
- Location: 5 km northwest of Florence city centre.
- Airlines: Serves domestic and some European routes (e.g., Air France, Lufthansa, KLM, Vueling, ITA Airways).
- From the Airport to City Center:
- Taxi: ~15-20 minutes, €20-25.
- Tramvia (Tram): Line T2 to “Unità” stop (~20 minutes), then walk or transfer to bus.
- Bus: Volta bus line to Santa Maria Novella (SMN) train station (~25 minutes, €1.50).
Alternative Airports:
- Pisa Galileo Galilei (PSA): ~80 km west of Florence.
- Train: Pisa Mover shuttle to Pisa Centrale, then regional train to Florence SMN (~1.5 hours, €8-15).
Please note that there is no direct train from Pisa Airport (PSA) to Florence. To travel by train, you must first take the PisaMover shuttle (a 5-minute ride) from the airport to Pisa Centrale train station, and then take a regional or high-speed train to Florence Santa Maria Novella (SMN), which takes about 50-60 minutes.
- Bologna Guglielmo Marconi (BLQ): ~100 km northeast.
- Train: High-speed train to Florence SMN (~40 minutes, €10-20).
To reach Florence by train, you must first take the Marconi Express monorail (a 10-minute ride) from the airport to Bologna Centrale (main train station), and then take a high-speed train (Frecciarossa or Italo) to Florence Santa Maria Novella (SMN), which takes about 35-40 minutes. There are no trains that bypass Bologna city centre.
Accommodation (recommended options)
Grand Hotel Mediterraneo ****
Firenze, Lungarno del Tempio, 44 - 50121
+39 055 660241
Tourist tax: €7 per person per night
B&B HOTEL Firenze City Center ***
50121 Firenze, Viale Giovanni Amendola, 34
+39 055 2343201
Tourist tax: €6 per person per night
Hotel Jane ***
Firenze, via Orcagna 58
+39 3273167555
Tourist tax: €6 per person per night
Hotel Bologna **
Via Orcagna 50 – Florence (2 stelle)
E-mail: info@hotelbolognafirenze.it
Web Site: www.hotelbolognafirenze.it
Phone: +39 055 678359
Tourist tax: €4.5 per person per night
Robert Kennedy House of Human Rights
Via Ghibellina 12/A - Florence
Email: intlhouse@rfkitalia.org (booking via email recommended, mention of participation at regional forum hosted by the City of Florence for dedicated rate).
Phone: +39.55589250
Website: https://www.rfkinternationalhouse.org/en/where-to-sleep-in-florence