Transportation

Bus

A large network of bus routes serves Florence. Bus stops are marked by orange signs (Fermata), which show the bus numbers that correspond to that stop. These signs give information on the route and the directions the bus is heading. The train station is indicated by Stazione F.S.  Two main bus stops are the SMN train station and P. San Marco. It is possible to catch most bus routes from these two stops.

ATAF - All Florentine Bus Information can be found here.

Standard tickets cost € 1,20 for a 90 minutes ride. You can also buy a four-trip ticket for the price of € 4,70. There are tickets good for 24 hours, three days and seven days. They must be validated once on the bus!! All types of bus tickets can be purchased at most bars, Tabacchi and newsstands.
Send a message writing "Ataf" at the number 4880105, and you will receive the electronic ticket right on your phone at the cost of 1,20Euro. To apply for a student bus pass go to SALA CLIENTI ATAF c/o Stazione SMN – FIRENZE - monday-friday 7.30am-7.30pm, saturday 7.30am- 1.30pm. Or call the Infoline (everyday 6.00am – 9.00 pm): from a fixed phone call 800-424500, from your mobile phone call 199-104245. Please note that tickets must be validated once on the bus!
You can ask for free bus schedule at the ATAF Office, in  Piazza  Stazione or use the timetable search found on their website.

Taxi

Taxis are quite expensive. However, late at night they are the only public transportation available. Please remember that most of the time you will have to call a taxi by phone as in Italy, it is not customary to stop them on the street!

055 4242; 055 4390; 055 4798; 055 2001326 (whose drivers are only female)
Text: (insert address here).Firenze. to: (334)662-2550 or(333)807-7555
There are many Taxis stands around town located: in Piazza della Repubblica, Piazza San Marco, Porta Romana, Santa Maria Novella, Piazza Santa Trinita, and behind the Duomo Cathedral.

Bike

Many students prefer to buy a second hand bike to get around town. One-day bike rentals are also available through the City of Florence. You will need to leave a document and pay a small fee.

Should you decide to use the bike to move around Florence please be aware of the traffic, which can be chaotic. Always bring a strong bike lock with you as there are expert bike thieves around without a lock you may lose your bike!

Train

All Italian train information can be found at: www.trenitalia.com or www.italotreno.it

Posted in all Italian train stations there are large yellow and white timetables, located along or at the end of the platforms. One will be the ‘PARTENZE’ (departures) and the other ‘ARRIVI’ (arrivals). At the left of the timetable you will see the times of departures and arrivals of the various trains. You will then read across to see when and where the train will stop.
Tickets are best purchased at the train station or online; if you purchase your ticket on the train, or upgrade to another class, expect to pay a big Supplemento (surcharge).
Remember that in Europe, all trains run on a 24 hour clock or military time: for example, 2:00 pm is 14:00 and 12:30 am is 00:30.

Second class is automatically given when you buy your ticket unless otherwise mentioned. Second-class seats are usually perfectly comfortable, unless you want to pay for the upgrade, first class is not necessary.

Short distances do not normally have a restaurant car but vendors often pass through with overpriced drinks and coffee. The long distance trains have a pleasant buffet and restaurant car. Bringing your own fruit, sandwiches, and drinks is not a bad idea, and no one will object.

There are various kinds of trains in Italy:

To the Airport

There is a City Bus to reach the Peretola Airport (FLR). Its name is “VOLA IN BUS” (it has no number). The Bus-Stop is under the drive-through alcove of the Santa Maria Novella Train Station. The ticket is 4 euro: you can buy it on the bus only if you have the exact sum.

There is also a flat fee of 21€ to take a Taxi to the Florence Airport with an additional 1€ per bag.

 

To the Pisa Airport (PSA) there are multiple busses direct from SMN train station to the Pisa Airport for between 5-10€.

Rent a Car

There are many car rental agencies all over the city. To rent a car you must bring your driver’s license, passport and a credit card. A deposit is necessary. When you return the car your deposit will be refunded.
We suggest you use CITY CAR RENT, that is inside ‘La Stazione garage”, in via Alamanni 3/a, (just outside the Santa Maria Novella Train Station, “Alamanni” side). The staff is very friendly and they offer weekend rentals: tell them you are from Santa Reparata and ask for a discount.
Another rental agency is CTS, in Via dei Ginori 25, Tel: 055 218372. This is a travel agency specialized in students offers and they also provide a car rental service with special student prices. To be eligible for the offer, you will need to subscribe for the ISIC student card, which also offers very good discounts on flights.

Visiting Florence Surroundings

Places like Fiesole or Settignano can be reached by taking a city bus. To go to Fiesole you can take bus # 7, and to go to Settignano you can take bus # 10. They all depart from the train station or Piazza San Marco.

To visit places outside the metropolitan area you can use both train or regional coaches: SITA is the most convenient to reach the Chianti area and Siena because of its many departures throughout the day. The SITA coach station is located in Via Santa Caterina da Siena near the train station. LAZZI is another regional bus with 2 stations near the central train station.