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Roma / Rome to Firenze / Florence by train
How to take a rail journey from Rome to Florence/Firenze
The 'Frecce' trains operated by Trenitalia share the high-speed route between Roma and Firenze/Florence, with Italo trains.
They have similar speeds, so the differences between them are to do with the on-board experiences, check out the 'Trains' guides below; and the fact that tickets for the Italo trains and Frecce trains can be purchased from different online booking agents - it's a route on which you can save by booking in advance.
However, some trains from Roma to Firenze/Florence, the IC and RV trains, still take the older 'classic' route, so they're slower, because they don't travel at high speed and also make more station calls
If ticket price and not speed is your key criteria, you can usually save money by taking these trains and they're a cheaper option for rail pass users, but they are not as frequent as the high speed services.
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Routes
Option 1: taking the high speed Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia
Journey Summary
1hr 31min
Daily
Travel Information
The Frecce trains from Milano to Firenze/Florence head on to a swathe of other cities including Milano, Venezia, Torino, Verona, Bolzano and Bergamo
Most of these trains also call at: Roma Tiburtina
1 - 2 x trains per hour
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 4 months ahead of the travel date
The high speed train (AV) service between Roma and Firenze is provided by:
(1) these Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia
(2) alternative Italo trains
Tickets for the Trenitalia Frecce trains are placed on sale around 4 months in advance, but the Italo train tickets are made available around 5 months ahead.
Trenitalia does not sell tickets for the Italo trains - and Italo does not sell tickets for these Trenitalia trains.
Trains departing at different times can be cheaper than others leaving on the same day, so you may need to look through the day's departures to find the cheapest fares.
If you're booking no more than 4 months ahead and have no particular preference for the train that you will be taking, the price and departure times of the Frecce and Italo trains can be directly compared on Trainline or Omio, though look out for the fact that both of these services will charge a booking fee.
Alternative money saving options:
You can usually save money by avoiding the high speed trains when travelling from Rome to Florence/Firenze.
When the cheapest 'Super Economy' tickets are still available on the alternative Intercity (IC) trains those trains are usually the cheapest option of all.
However, those IC trains don't arrive at Santa Maria Novella station in Florence/Firenze city centre.
Though if you want to compare the price of the Intercity trains with both these Frecce trains AND the Italo trains, you will need to look up the journey on Omio or Trainline.
When the cheapest discounted tickets for the Intercity trains have sold out, the even slower Regionale Veloce (RV) become the cheaper option for a journey by train from Rome to Florence/Firenze.
If you will be buying tickets last minute at the station, you'll save by taking those RV trains.
Rail Pass Users:
If you will be travelling with a valid Eurail or InterRail pass, you will need to reserve prior to boarding these trains, either at the station (using a Trenitalia ticket machine or ticket desk) OR by booking them online.
How to book the rail pass reservations online is included on our guide to using rail passes in Italy.
Though rail pass users can save money by taking the Intercity trains or Regionale Veloce trains.
Rail passes aren't valid on the Italo trains.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Italiarail | from €19.90 | |
| Trenitalia | from €19.90 | |
| Trainline | from €19.90 | |
| Omio | from €19.90 | |
| SaveATrain | from €19.90 |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
The high speed line between Rome and Florence is more scenic than most high speed routes, it's not a beautiful journey, but there is a wow factor of travelling across the rolling landscape at more than 240 km/h.
The direttissima between Rome and Florence was the first high speed railway line to be built in Italy, so it has a slower maximum speed than the other Italian high speed lines.
This video, taken from a train travelling in the opposite direction, gives an idea of the journey experience.
Option 2: taking the high speed Italo trains
Journey Summary
1hr 32min
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination: Milano or Torino or Venezia or Bolzano (and others)
Some trains also call at: Roma Tiburtina
1 - 2 x trains per hour
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 5 months ahead of the travel date
The high speed (AV) train service between Milano Centrale and Firenze is provided by
(1) these Italo trains
(2) Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia
Tickets for the Trenitalia Frecce trains are placed on sale around 4 months in advance, but the Italo train tickets are made available around 5 months ahead.
Trenitalia does not sell tickets for the Italo trains - and Italo does not sell tickets for the Trenitalia trains.
Trains departing at different times can be cheaper than others leaving on the same day - so you may need to look through the day's departures to find the cheapest fares.
If you're booking no more than 4 months ahead and have no particular preference for the train that you will be taking, the price and departure times of the Frecce and Italo trains can be directly compared on Trainline or Omio, though look out for the fact that both of these services will charge a booking fee.
Rail passes are not valid on the Italo trains.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Italo | from €16.90 | |
| Omio | from €16.90 | |
| Trainline | from €16.90 | |
| Happyrail | from €16.90 |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
The Italo trains take the same route as the Frecce trains.
Option 3; taking an Intercity train
Journey Summary
2hr 50min
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination: Milano
These trains are more than an hour slower than the high speed Frecce and Italo trains between Roma and Firenze because they don't use the high speed lines between the two cities.
But they can be much cheaper, particularly when the cheapest 'Super Economy' tickets have sold out on the Frecce trains.
If you will be a using a rail pass, you can avoid the €10 rail pass reservation fee payable on the Frecce trains.
2 x trains per day
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 3 months ahead of the travel date
Take these Intercity trains from Roma to Firenze/Florence and you can usually save at least €15 in comparison to taking the faster Frecce or Italo trains.
Though if you want to easily compare prices with both of these services, you will need to look up this journey on the Trainline or Omio websites.
There are two options for booking tickets for these Intercity (IC) trains; but on both specifically select Firenze S.M.Novella as the 'to' station, if you will be heading to the city centre.
The ticket will then also be valid on the Regionale train on from Rifredi station to S.M.Novella station.
(1) If you will be travelling to Roma Tiburtina on the metro, search for 'Roma Tiburtina' as the departure station on the ticket booking websites - it will make these IC trains easier to find.
These trains are typically scheduled to depart from Roma Tiburtina at around 12:40 and 16:31.
(2) Or book from Roma Termini as your departure station, your tickets(s) will then include both the train from Roma Termini to Roma Tiburtina AND the train on to Fireze Rifredi station
Using Eurail or InterRail Passes:
If you will be travelling in Italy with a rail pass, you have three options when taking the train from Rome to Florence/Firenze.
(1) Pay the €10 rail pass reservation fee which is charged to travel on those Frecce trains.
(2) Avoid those fees by taking these IC trains; and then take a Regionale/Regional Veloce train from Firenze Riferedi station to Firenze S.M. Novella station.
Though if you'll want the peace of mind of remaining in the same seat for journey to Firenze Rifredi, you can pay the optional €3 rail pass reservation fee.
(3) Avoid paying any additional rail pass reservation fees and arrive at the main city centre station by taking the Regionale Veloce (RV) trains
Rail passes aren't valid on the Italo trains.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Trenitalia | from €12 approx | |
| Italiarail | from €12 approx |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
Departing from Rome
Note that there aren't any Intercity trains from Roma Termini, the main railway station in the city, to Florence/Firenze
These trains have travelled north from Napoli, so they call at Roma Tiburtina station, which is some distance from the north of the city centre.
Accessing Tiburtina is particularly straightforward if the starting point of your journey is located along line B of the Roma Metro, take trains heading to Rebibbia.
This metro line also serves Termini, but it will typically be a time saver to make the transfer at Tiburtina, though the connection isn't step-free.
If you will be travelling with a Eurail or InterRail pass, you can hop on a Regionale train from Termini to Tiburtina station.
Arriving in Florence
Note that these IC trains arrive at Firenze Rifredi station and NOT the main city centre station - Firenze S.M. Novella.
If you take these IC trains then on arrival in Firenze/Florence the best option for reaching the city centre, is to take one of the frequent Regionale trains from Firenze Rifredi to Firenze S.M. Novella station.
However, it's possible to save money on Rome to Florence train journey and still arrive at S.M. Novella station.
The alternative Regionale Veloce (RV) trains will also be much cheaper than the high speed trains and in common with them, they also provide a city centre to city centre service.
Option 4: taking the Regionale trains
Journey Summary
3hr 48min
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination: Firenze S.M.Novella
If you want to travel direct from the city centre in Rome to the city centre in Florence by train, these trains are a much cheaper alternative to taking the high speed trains between the two cities.
Because in common with those trains they arrive at main station in Florence; Firenze S.M. Novella.
The alternative Intercity (IC) trains are faster on the 'classic' railway line, but they arrive at Firenze Rifredi station.
Therefore much of that time saving of around 50 mins by taking the IC trains, is swallowed up by having to change trains at Firenze Rifredi station; and then taking another train to Firenze S.M.Novella.
7 x trains per day
Tickets
Book early and save: No (not on these trains)
Tickets will cost the same price if purchased at the station immediately before departure.
If you will buying at the station on the day of travel then it's likely that you will save around €25 by taking these trains and not the high speed trains.
And unlike the Intercity trains these trains are city centre to city centre.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Trenitalia | from €21 approx |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
As seats can't be reserved on these trains, aim to be waiting on the concourse at Roma Termini, ticket(s) in hand, when the binari (track/platform) that the train will be departing from is confirmed.
If you want to buy tickets at Roma Termini. then it's a good idea to be at the station a minimum of 40 mins before the train departs.
Buying tickets from a Trenitalia ticket machine is usually quicker than purchasing at the ticket office, but at busy times there can be lengthy queues for the machines.
Also these trains tend to depart from tracks/platforms, which are more distant from the main concourse.
On particularly busy trains, finding a spare seat at Roma Tiburtina can be a lottery, so this is a journey on which boarding at Roma Termini is recommended.
Don't forget to stamp your ticket before boarding these trains.
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