Rome to Florence by Train

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Are you planning a train train from Rome to Florence? You've come to the right place, as we know all the secrets for making this journey the most pleasant for you.

A travel between Rome and Florence is very popular among visitors to Italy. Whether you are staying in Rome and want to make a hop to Florence for one day, or you are staying there for a couple of days, it's important that your train travel is smooth and you find the most affordable tickets.

Frecciarossa trains at Roma TerminiFrecciarossa trains at Roma Termini

Which Rome to Florence train to choose

In Italy there are two companies that run trains between Rome and Florence trains - Trenitalia and Italo. Mostly, Trentitalia's trains from Rome to Florence are either Frecciarossa or Frecciargento. Sometimes, you can also find and Intercity or a combination of two regional trains with a change in another city (the travel time in this case is from 3.5 hours to 5 hours). 

We recommend taking Frecciarossa high-speed train (the fastest one), with journey time of only 1 hour and 36 minutes. The trains are comfortable, air-conditioned and have electrical outlets and free wi-fi. Trains also have cafe/restaurant as well as food cart that brings snacks/drinks to your seat. At the end of each car you'll find a restroom.

They even have "silent carriage" for those who want to work or travel in silence.

Italo trains are comfortable high-speed trains offering 4 seat classes: Smart, Comfort, Prima and Club Executive, equipped with reclining seats with tables, footrests and power sockets, free Wi-Fi and generous luggage space.

Drinks and snacks can be purchased from onboard vending machines. Passengers travelling in the cinema coach can enjoy entertaining multimedia.

Besides Frecciarossa trains, Trenitalia also offers Intercity trains, which are slower and stops many times along the way, making travel between Rome and Florence longer (from 2h 30 minutes to almost 4 hours).

Trenitalia trains are more comfortable, seats have more legroom, and bathrooms were larger.

Both Trenitalia and Italo trains have room for your luggage, either in the space above your head, which is safe as it closes, between seats if you carry a small trolley, or at the ends of your carriages if you have larger suitcases. These are unsupervised, so you might not want to pack your valuables even though it’s pretty safe. I myself left my luggage there more than once and never lost anything.

This being said, the ride is very short, and if you are going to arrive around lunchtime, you should better try one of the traditional restaurants in Florence easy to reach from Santa Maria Novella train station.

Where to catch Rome to Florence trains

Wondering from where trains depart in Rome? Roma Termini is the main spot, from where you can catch most trains, but they also stops also at Roma Tiburtina (situated to the east of the city)

Roma Termini Station is situated not far from the Colosseum and Via Nazionale, and is easily accessible by taxi or metro (both metro lines A and B stops here) from any other part of Rome. 

Once there look for train arriving and departing displays, to find out from which platform (binario) your train departs. This is usually announces approximately 10 minutes before departure times. To access the platform, you'll need to scan the ticket or show to the train station staff. 

Sometimes happens that trains are cancelled. In this case, go to the Trentitalia or Italo office to exchange your ticket for the new one (for the later train). Lines are usually long here, but they move quickly and you'll resolve your problem easily. The staff is polite and helpful and speaks English well.

Finding the most affordable tickets

For the most affordable Rome to Florence train tickets, we recommend to book them in advance. You can do this easily online, a couple of months before your travel (train tickets are released around 3 to 6 months in advance). 

Trainline is a great website for comparing all available trains and prices as well as book them in only a few clicks.

Once you choose Rome to Florence route, the date and time, a list of all available trains on that day will appear. Once you choose the desired train and ticket and pay online, your ticket will arrive to your email. 

Now, you have your ticket ready for your travel. Once on the train, you need to show the ticket to the train staff upon request. You can show it directly from the mail, in the app or print them out on A4 size paper.

Additional plus is that if you need to modify your ticket for any reason, you can easily do it online.

Buying your train tickets online allows you to purchase your ticket much in advance and find better prices and a wider choice of seats available.

Tickets with Trenitalia can cost as little as €12.90, but the price vary depending on the train, the class (Standard, Premium, Business or Executive), the type of the ticket and the time of the day you travel.

You can even find a seat in the Business class for €37.50 if you buy enough early. The prices with Trenitalia range between 50€ for the Standard ticket to 145€ for the Executive class.

With Italo Treno prices go from as little as €9.90 for the Smart fare to 120€ for the Salotto Executive Class. The middle fares include Prima and Club Executive and prices range between €55.90 and €75.90.

Bare in mind that in very high season, you may find limited seat availability on the train you want, so it's wise to book tickets in advance.

You'll be arriving to Santa Maria Novella Firenze train station

The Santa Maria Novella Firenze train station is where your train from Rome will be arriving. The historic centre of Florence, with the Duomo and Piazza della Signoria, is only 10-minute walk from here as well as the Arno River and Mercato Centrale (the largest market in the city).

Once you arrive to Florence's main train station, you'll find there anything you may need - from ticket offices (both Trenitalia and Italo), tourist information office, luggage storage, exchange office, ATMs, post office, cafés (for grabbing freshly baked pastry or schiacciata sandwich)...

Once you get off the train and leave the platform, use left exit to reach the taxi stand where you'll find taxis (note that taxi rides are fairly expensive in Florence; for 3-4 minute ride expect to pay around €15 or even more during the night).

Planning Your Travel to Italy

Best Rome Food Tours
Best Places to Stay in Rome
What to See in Florence