How to get from Rome to Florence

Rome and Florence sit on Italy's main north–south high-speed line, so the train is the default choice for almost every traveller. The table below gives the shape of each option; treat all prices and times as 2026 estimates and confirm at booking.

Two operators run high-speed services on this route: Trenitalia's Frecciarossa and Italo. Both serve Rome and Florence, arriving at Firenze Santa Maria Novella, which is a short walk from the Duomo and the main hotel district. Check which Rome station your train uses before you set out.

The cheapest fares are the advance, fixed-time ones. Buy a week or more ahead and a one-way ticket can cost about the same as a budget lunch; buy on the day and you may pay several times that (check). Flexible fares cost more but let you change trains. Seat reservation is included with the ticket (check).

At Roma Termini, allow 15–20 minutes to find your platform and get through the gate; the station is large. At Firenze Santa Maria Novella you are already in the centre, so no onward transfer is needed unless your hotel is on the far side of the river.

Intercity trains take roughly 2h45 to 3h30 (check) and cost less than walk-up high-speed fares, but they are slower and less frequent. They can be useful if high-speed trains are sold out on your date.

Long-distance coaches run between Rome's Tiburtina bus station and Florence's bus terminal near the station (check). They are the cheapest option, often €10–€30 (check), but the trip takes 3h30 to 4h30 depending on traffic and stops (check). For a short hop like this, most travellers find the extra time is not worth the saving.

Driving takes about three hours on the A1 motorway (check), plus fuel and tolls. It only makes sense if you are heading on into Tuscany, and even then you must park outside the historic centres: both Rome and Florence have camera-enforced restricted zones (ZTL) where a wrong turn brings a fine by post months later.

Book directly with the operator: Trenitalia for Frecciarossa and Intercity, Italo for its own services. Both sell online, in apps and at station machines. Third-party sites add a fee and can complicate changes, so use them only if you want to compare in one place.

For the lowest price, book as early as your dates are fixed. High-speed fares on this route are released months ahead and rise in steps as the train fills. If you are travelling in a group, book together so you sit together.

Tickets are tied to a specific train on the cheap fares. If you miss it, you generally need to buy a new ticket, so leave a buffer if you are arriving in Rome by air the same day.

Rome has more than one station. Most high-speed trains leave from Roma Termini, but some use Roma Tiburtina; check your ticket before you set out. Both are on the metro and bus network, so getting there is easy.

In Florence, Santa Maria Novella is the central station and the tram and buses leave from outside. If your hotel is in the historic centre, you can walk in ten to twenty minutes.

Luggage space on high-speed trains is generous but not unlimited; keep bags with you where possible. On busy holiday weekends, trains sell out, so book earlier than usual.

If you are continuing north, the same line carries on to Bologna and Venice, and Florence is a good base for day-trips to Pisa and Siena.

The high-speed line runs north from Rome through the Tiber valley and across the Apennines, with the main intermediate stop at Bologna on some services (check). Florence is the first major Tuscan city on the route. On a clear day the Apennine section is the scenic part of the trip; the rest is fast and largely in tunnel or cutting (check).