Are you planning to book the train from Rome to Florence and are not sure where to start? Train travel in Italy is pretty efficient and a popular option among locals, be it for holidays or for work. Here, we give you all the necessary tips for a smooth Rome to Florence train journey as well as how to find cheaper rates and where to book.
A must-see destination that will likely be included in your Italy itinerary especially if you are visiting for the first time, having a smooth train journey makes things all the way more pleasant. Whether you are just on a day trip or staying overnight and planning to spend one day or two days in Florence. If that’s a day trip, you might also want to book in advance your way back with a fast train from Florence to Rome.
Don’t forget to check out our comprehensive Italy travel guide for everything you need to know before and during your trip, including some language tips.
Train From Rome To Florence – Our Top Tips For A Smooth Trip
Train From Rome To Florence: What Companies To Choose
In Italy there are two companies that run the high speed train from Rome to Florence: Trenitalia and Italo Treno.
Trenitalia is the state-run railway agency and its bullet trains are called “Freccia”, which can be Frecciarossa, Frecciabianca and Frecciargento. Onboard, you have a snack bar, toilets and WiFi. Some Frecciabianca trains don’t have WiFi, usually the old ones. Trenitalia also includes regional and local trains and reaches all the Italian regions also stopping in small stations.
Usually, Trenitalia’s train from Rome to Florence is a Freccia, either Frecciarossa or Frecciargento, and they are the fastest. Sometimes, you can also find an Intercity or a combination of two regional trains with a change in another city. These take from 3 hours and a half to about 5 hours and a half.
Italo Treno is a more recent private company and has a more limited list of destinations. Usually, they stop in the main cities and they are gradually increasing their network.
I tried both and even though I had heard great feedback about Italo Treno, I myself still prefer Trenitalia. I found Trenitalia trains are more comfortable, seats have more legroom, and bathrooms were larger.
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Rome To Florence Train: Where To Take It From
You can take the train to Florence from Rome’s main stations such as Roma Termini and Roma Tiburtina. Rome has several other large train stations like Trastevere, Ostiense and San Pietro, so if you are staying close to any of them, to take the train to Florence you will need to get to Roma Termini.
Trenitalia usually leaves from Roma Termini, while Italo Treno leaves from both Termini and Tiburtina stations. Termini is a very big station and to access the platform you need to show your ticket and ID. Get there early enough to see what’s your platform from the big screen of the departures and then in case there is a line at your entrance.
If you are just landing and want to head directly to Florence, two high-speed trains per day go that route.
Train Schedule Rome To Florence
There are several trains departing from Rome to Florence every day. Italo Treno starts as early as 5.40 am from Termini station and stops at 5.50 in Tiburtina before carrying on towards Firenze Santa Maria Novella station. Trenitalia starts at 5.10 am from Termini station with the Frecciarossa bullet train.
The train schedule from Rome to Florence changes depending on the season and the day. During the week, there are more trains than at the weekend. We suggest you check closer to the planned date of your travel from Rome to Florence to see all the timetables.
Rome To Florence Train Cost
If you book a couple of weeks from a month in advance, you will find much cheaper train tickets from Rome to Florence. Trenitalia fares also change depending on the service (Standard, Premium, Silence areas, Executive, Working area, etc) and the offer (Base, Economy, Super Economy, Senior, etc).
Trenitalia has slightly higher prices and also better services and options, but for just an hour and a half train ride, you would probably just opt for the cheapest fares you can find.
A ticket with Trenitalia can cost as little as €12.90 for the first trains of the day to reach 31,90, 34,90 up to €44,90 on the later trains with the Frecciadays fares. Depending on the class and fare you choose (Standard, Premium, Business, Executive), the price will vary. Depending on the time of the day and the class, 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.
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Train Tickets From Rome To Florence: Where to Book and Where to Buy Them
The easiest way to book your train tickets from Rome to Florence is online. If you check out Omio, you will find prices and schedules for both Trenitalia and Italo Treno. Booking online allows you to purchase your ticket much in advance and find better prices and a wider choice of seats available.
You can also buy your train ride from the ticket office at the station but with the possibility of paying more. However, if you have just decided last-minute to take a day trip from Rome to Florence, go for it, it’s always worth it.
You are not going to find these tickets at the local newsagents scattered around the city, but in each train station, you will either find the ticket offices or vending machines for all tickets all over Italy.
Your Rome To Florence Train Journey: What To Expect
Onboard, there are snack bars as well as carts that sell food and drinks, but you can also bring your own food.
I rarely buy food and drinks on the train as they do not have much choice (I am a little fussy though, I always want whole-grain, sugar-free, etc.) and prices are high. Usually, I bring my own homemade meal or I buy something at the station rather than on the train. Both Termini and Tiburtina have excellent eateries and restaurants that provide takeaway services.
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.
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.
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Thanks for writing this! We had a trio planned to Europe (from NZ..We were actually supposed to be flying today ). We stopped planning a few months ago but this will certainly come in handy when we restart the planning!