Getting Around Florence

Hoof it!

Florence can and should be seen on foot. The city itself is so small that most destinations on your tourist checklist can be reached within a 20 minute stroll. Bring comfy walking shoes.

Buses

Orange ATAF buses circle around the city daily from 6 a.m. until 1 a.m. ATAF maintains over 50 bus lines in Florence. You can buy tickets at any newsstand, coin-operated ticket machine or tobacco shop (Tabacchi) before boarding.

A 90-minute ticket costs €2 when you buy it on board and €1.20 if you buy it earlier, or you can purchase a pack of four 90-minute tickets for €4.70. A 24-hour ticket costs €5, a three-day ticket is priced at €12 and a weekly pass costs €18. Be sure to use one of the on-bus orange machines to validate your ticket once on board. Penalties for riding without a validated ticket are stiff.

The ATAF information and ticket office is located inside the Santa Maria Novella Train Station. Bus maps are free. For more information, visit the ATAF Web site.

Taxis

Hailing a cab is not a typically Florentine pursuit. Many hotels and restaurants are tucked away along pedestrian-only streets or squares that are difficult or impossible to reach by cab. This said, Florence is well served by cabs. If you're traveling with loads of luggage (something we always discourage!), cabs are convenient.

Taxi stands are in and near major squares. You may also call a taxi from a restaurant or hotel (055 42 42 or 055 43 90). Taxis charge €.85 per kilometer, with a minimum fare of €2.64. Between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., the minimum price jumps to €5.70. Sundays and holidays, the minimum price is €4.48, with an additional, though minimal, extra charge for initial pick-up within the central city. Taxis charge €.62 per piece of luggage, and there is a four-bag limit. A customary tip for a taxi journey in Florence is 15%.

Bicycles

Bicycling has not really caught on here, which is a bit surprising given how bicycle-friendly Florence is. Alinari on Via San Zanobi 38/R rents bikes for between €2.50 and €3 per hour, between €12 and €18 per day and between €24 and €36 for a weekend rental, depending on the type of bike.

Scooters

If you want to look (and sound!) more like a Florentine, Alinari also rents scooters. A 50cc scooter goes for €10 per hour, €30 per day and €75 per weekend. The 125cc mopeds can be rented for €15 per hour, €55 per day, and €125 for the weekend. Vroom, vroom!

Related posts from our blog

• Florence’s New Pedestrian Zones: Where you can put your foot down
• Florence: A (free) medieval graffiti walking tour
• Florence: Using the Florence Bus System
• Florence Potty Talk: Finding the best public toilet
• Florence: Take a ride on the city’s new tramway

Updated and edited: June 2011