Pisa to Florence Day Trip: Train, Timing & What to Pre-Book

Pisa and Florence are 80 kilometres apart by rail and connected by a frequent, cheap, and reliable train service. For travellers staying in Pisa - or using Pisa’s airport as their gateway - Florence is the obvious day trip. For travellers based in Florence, Pisa is the easy half-day excursion. Either way, the logistics are straightforward. Florence guided tours from day-trippers based in Pisa can be pre-booked to make the most of limited time in the city.

The train: your options

All trains between Pisa and Florence use Pisa Centrale (the main station, 15 minutes’ walk from the Leaning Tower) and Firenze Santa Maria Novella (Florence’s central station, in the heart of the city).

Service	Journey time	Approximate price	Frequency
Regionale Veloce (RV)	55–65 min	EUR 9–12	Every 30–60 min
Regionale (R)	75–85 min	EUR 7–9	Every 30–60 min

There are no high-speed Frecciarossa or Frecciargento trains on this route - the line between Pisa and Florence passes through the Apennine foothills rather than the main high-speed corridor. The Regionale Veloce is the fastest practical option.

Trenitalia tickets can be bought at the station (cash or card), at automated kiosks, or online via the Trenitalia app or trenitalia.com. Regionale tickets are fixed price and do not require a reservation - you can buy them on the day. Stamp (validate) your ticket at the yellow machines on the platform before boarding; on-board fines for unvalidated tickets are approximately EUR 50 as of 2026.

Trains typically depart Pisa Centrale at 7:08, 7:38, 8:08, 8:38, 9:08 etc. - roughly every 30 minutes through the morning. Check current schedules at trenitalia.com before your visit, as engineering works occasionally cause rerouting on this line.

What to book before you go

Florence’s most popular sights sell out weeks ahead in peak season. If you do not pre-book, you will spend your day in queues or be turned away entirely.

Uffizi Gallery - Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo. Book at uffizi.it. Timed entry approximately EUR 25 (full price); EU citizens aged 18–25 approximately EUR 2. The online booking fee is approximately EUR 4. Book 2–4 weeks ahead for July and August.

Accademia Gallery - Michelangelo’s David. Book at gallerieaccademia.it. Approximately EUR 16 plus booking fee. A 30-minute slot is sufficient - the David is in the Tribuna at the far end of the main hall, and most of the other rooms are of secondary interest.

Duomo complex - the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, dome climb, Baptistery, and bell tower. Book at ilgrandemuseodelduomo.it. A combined pass covering all elements costs approximately EUR 30 as of 2026. The dome climb (463 steps, Filippo Brunelleschi’s engineering masterwork) is the essential ticket - book the earliest available slot.

Note that you cannot book the Uffizi and the Accademia for the same morning without rushing - allow 2.5–3 hours for the Uffizi, 45 minutes for the Accademia.

A suggested day itinerary

Depart Pisa Centrale: 8:08am

Arrive Firenze SMN approximately 9:10am. The station is central - the Duomo is a 10-minute walk north, Piazza della Repubblica 5 minutes east, the Uffizi 15 minutes south.

9:30am–12:30pm: Uffizi Gallery

Enter at your booked time slot. Spend 2.5–3 hours. Prioritise: Botticelli rooms (10 and 14), Leonardo room (15), Michelangelo’s Doni Tondo (room 41), Titian and Caravaggio in the final section. The café on the third-floor terrace offers views of Piazza della Signoria.

12:30pm–1:30pm: Lunch in Oltrarno

Cross the Arno via the Ponte Vecchio. The Oltrarno neighbourhood south of the river is quieter and less tourist-facing than the historic centre.

• Trattoria Sostanza (Via del Porcellana, 25) - one of Florence’s oldest trattorias, famous for its butter pasta and bistecca. Lunch approximately EUR 25–35 per person. Reserve ahead.
• Il Latini (Via dei Palchetti, 6) - communal tables, no reservations, substantial Tuscan fare. Arrive at opening (12:30pm) or expect a wait. Approximately EUR 20–25 per person.
• For a faster option: the Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio (further east, 20-minute walk from the Uffizi) has a food hall with local stalls and lower prices.

1:30pm–2:30pm: Ponte Vecchio and Piazza della Signoria

The Ponte Vecchio is lined with goldsmiths and jewellers - browse without obligation. Piazza della Signoria has the open-air Loggia dei Lanzi with original sculptures by Cellini, Giambologna, and others. The Neptune Fountain and copies of Michelangelo’s David and Donatello’s Judith are in the square itself.

2:30pm–4pm: Accademia Gallery or Duomo complex

Pick one. The Accademia is quick (45 minutes) but the David alone justifies the visit - the scale and condition of the marble are more impressive than photographs suggest. The Duomo dome climb is longer (allow 90 minutes including the cathedral interior) but gives the best elevated view of Florence.

4pm–5pm: Piazza Santa Croce or Boboli Gardens

Santa Croce basilica contains the tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli. Entry approximately EUR 8. The Boboli Gardens (behind Palazzo Pitti, in the Oltrarno) are the formal gardens of the Medici - entry approximately EUR 10, free to wander and rest.

Depart Firenze SMN: 5:30pm or 6pm

Trains back to Pisa run until late evening. Buy your return ticket at the station or via the Trenitalia app. Allow 20 minutes from Piazza della Repubblica to the station.

Practical notes

Luggage storage: If arriving at Pisa airport and heading directly to Florence, the station at Pisa Centrale has left-luggage facilities (approximately EUR 6 per bag per day as of 2026). Firenze SMN also has luggage storage near the ticket hall.

Walking distances: Florence is a compact city. Everything in the historic centre is within 20 minutes’ walk of the station. Comfortable walking shoes are non-negotiable - the streets are stone-paved.

Heat: In July and August, the midday heat in Florence (often 33–37°C) makes walking between sights genuinely uncomfortable. Prioritise indoor museum time between 11am and 3pm.

Combined tickets: If you plan to visit the Duomo complex and the Palatine Gallery in Palazzo Pitti on the same day, check for multi-entry options on each museum’s website. The city museums (Bargello, Palazzo Davanzati, Museo di San Marco) use a shared ticketing system.

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Florence from Pisa is one of the easiest day trips in Italy. The train is reliable, the city is walkable, and even a single museum visit justifies the 55-minute journey. See our day trips from Pisa for alternatives, including Lucca and Cinque Terre. If you are using Pisa as a base, our Pisa hotels guide covers where to stay.