In this article we have collected the most important information about all types of buses available in Florence so that you can better plan your trip to one of the most interesting cities in Italy. You will learn about public transport buses, routes to airports and outlets, sightseeing buses, as well as flights from Florence to other cities in Italy.
Helpful advice: Before traveling to Florence, we recommend that you definitely install an audio guide around the city for the iPhone.
This is a ready-made audio tour of Florence, in which all objects are marked on a convenient map of the center and equipped with narrator stories in Russian. GPS will help you navigate the city easily, and the audio guide itself works even without the Internet.
In the trial free version, immediately after installation, the first 5 points of the route are available, and all 56 objects of the tour will cost only a few Euros - incomparably cheaper than city sightseeing tours. You can install the application on your iPhone here.
Public transport buses in Florence
Although only about 400 thousand people live in Florence, approximately 100 bus routes serve the city. The main public transport hub is Santa Maria Novella Station.
In the historical center of the city, only electric buses with a capacity of 12-15 people work: their small size makes it easy to move along the narrow ancient streets.
In total, there are 4 routes of electric buses: C1, C2, C3, D. Electric buses themselves do not stop at stops: they must be stopped by voting, and inside by pressing the special yellow button.
Only electric buses operate in the historic city center
Opening hours
Most buses start on routes from 5:00 in the morning and end around 22:00. The interval of movement is 10-20 minutes.
Bus schedules can be found at any public transport stop, and it will be different for weekdays (feriale) and weekends (festivo) days.
The yellow Sciopero poster means that the drivers of this route went on strike, therefore, it is worth taking care of finding another mode of transport.
Night buses in Florence
The movement period of night buses starts from 22:00 and lasts until 04:00 in the morning. They do not have an exact schedule. In total, there are 5 night bus routes in the city, they depart approximately every hour.
You can recognize the night bus by the number, which always starts with the numbers 6 or 7 and is surrounded by a black frame.
Bus stop at Santa Maria Novella Station
Public transport tickets
Bus tickets are sold at ticket offices of the ATAF carrier company, at newsstands and tobacconists, as well as special vending machines. If you see a building with the orange inscription "ataf" (it can be a bar or a hotel), then you can also pay for public transport here.
The purchased ticket can be used not only on the bus, but also on the tram. During the trip, the ticket must be composted - the ticket fare is at least 40 euros.
If you buy a ticket for 1.20 euros near the parking meter (for 100 minutes), you do not need to compost it.
There are several types of bus tickets in Florence:
- A one-time ticket (90 minutes) - 1.50 euros (for purchases from the driver - 2.50 euros, for payments via SMS 1.80 euros)
- Ticket for 10 trips / ticket for 10 people (10x90 minutes) - 14 euros
- For 24 hours - 5 euros
- For 3 days - 12 euros
- For 7 days - 18 euros
- Monthly ticket - 35 euros
Tickets for a day, 3 days and 7 days are registered, they must indicate the name of the owner. The commencement of a ticket is determined by the first composting, but the ticket ceases to be valid at midnight of the corresponding day (this applies to tickets for 3 and 7 days).
During the trip, the ticket must be composted
An alternative for multiple trips is AGILE electronic cards for 10, 20 or 30 euros, which are valid for a year from the date of first use. Traveling with such a card is cheaper by 20-30% compared to the cost of a regular ticket.
A night bus ticket costs a little more - 5 euros. You can also pay for travel via sms, in this case the ticket price will be 5.50 euros. Children up to 1 meter tall ride all public transport buses for free.
Sightseeing buses in Florence
Sightseeing buses in Florence can be an excellent substitute for public transport, as their routes cover all the main attractions, and the number of trips on a purchased ticket is not limited to 1, 2 or 3 days.
The cost of a 24-hour ticket is 23 euros, children from 5 to 15 years old get a 50% discount, and children under 5 years old ride this bus for free.
In the cabin of the tour bus there is always Wi-fi and an audio guide
In the cabin of the tour bus there is always Wi-fi, as well as an audio guide in 8 languages, including Russian. In the summer, you can admire the city from the open top area of the bus.
Depending on the season, sightseeing buses start moving at 9: 00-10: 00 in the morning. The last bus leaves from Santa Maria Novella station on one of the two available routes at 17: 30-19: 30. It will take no more than 15-30 minutes to wait for the bus at the stop.
Find out more details and purchase tickets for sightseeing buses in Florence on this page.
Buses to Florence from airports
The distance from Peretola Airport (also known as Amerigo Vespucci Airport) to the city center in Florence is only 4 km.
The airport and the city are connected by regular bus services: every half hour from 05:30 to 20:30 and every hour from 20:30 to 00:30 Busitalia buses (Vola in bus) leave for Florence.
Buses will take you to the central square at the main railway station in 20 minutes and 6 euros (round trip - 10 euros). At the airport, the stop is at the end of the terminal on the right side of the exit.
Terravision buses can get from the airport to the city
From the same stop you can get to Florence by Terravision bus.
In fact, this bus goes through Florence to Pisa airport, but it costs less than the Vola in bus: 4.99 euros instead of 6.00 euros (despite the fact that you have to pay for the ticket in full even if you are not going to go to Pisa; tickets can be purchased online).
Buses begin at 03:30 and end at 17:00. Florence takes about half an hour. Find out more details and purchase tickets on the official website of the carrier.
By the way, BlogoItaliano regularly uses Terravision buses in Rome and Milan. For how to buy tickets on the bus company website, see the short video below.
For more details on how to get from airports, read our detailed articles:
- Pisa Airport and how to get to Florence
- Florence Airport and how to get to the city center
Buses from Florence to other cities in Italy
The most convenient way to travel around Italy is by train, but buses, although less convenient, often come out much cheaper.
Among the many existing carrier companies, Russian-speaking tourists increasingly prefer Fliхbus buses. Carrier prices are one of the cheapest, there are many flights, and thanks to the convenient application and the Russian version of the site, tickets are easy to order and pay online.
Flixbus intercity carrier rates are among the cheapest
The main Flixbus bus stops in Florence are Villa Costanza and Piazzale Montelungo. You can check the current schedule and ticket prices to Italian cities on the official website of the carrier.
Buses to Florence Outlets
BlogoItaliano wrote in more detail about the peculiarities of the countryside outlets of Florence in a separate article, so now we focus exclusively on buses to the largest.
To get to one of Florence's most popular outlets Barberino, you need to take the shuttle bus at Maria Novella Station. See the stopping place on the map below.
The cost of such a trip is 13 euros for an adult, 8 euros for adolescents 14-16 years old, children under 14 travel for free. You can buy tickets on this site so as not to run around in search of a ticket office on the eve of departure.
Buses depart towards the outlet at 9:30, 11:30, 14:00 and 16:00. Return flights from outlet to Florence are available at 13:00, 15:00, 18:00, 20:00. Travel time is about 30 minutes. On the shuttle bus you can get a 10% discount coupon for upcoming purchases.
In the direction of Barberino from the bus station there is also a bus number 301 - at 8:30 and 12:25. The cost of a city bus is 9 euros, the journey will take from half an hour to an hour.
If you are going to The Mall Outlet, there is a daily bus service from the Busilalia / Sita stop on Via Santa Caterina da Siena 17, not far from the main station.
The shuttle bus to Barberino Outlet stops at the train station
The outlet’s official website has an official schedule, it differs in summer and winter, but in any case it is always at least 15 flights per day. The fare is 7 euros one way, 13 euros both ways. You will spend a little less than an hour on the road.
Now you know the main details about all the main buses in Florence. Save this article for yourself. in a social network so as not to lose and easily find it in the future.
Useful articles about Florence
- 5 most interesting excursions in Florence
- 5 best hotels in the center of Florence, where they speak Russian
- What to see in Florence in 1 day: itinerary
- Prices in Florence: how much money to take with you on a trip
