Around the city, inside the camera zone
Florence's old centre is a ZTL, with cameras at every entry point. A hire car can't get in without a permit, but a licensed car with driver takes you right to your hotel door.
During the day the zone applies Monday to Friday 7:30–20:00 and Saturday 7:30–16:00. From early April to early October, a night window is added on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 23:00–03:00, and it takes in San Niccolò.
A permit issued by another city isn't valid in Florence. The city council is currently drawing up new rules for chauffeur cars from outside the area. That's why we need your hotel's address with the booking, not on the day of travel.
Santa Maria Novella station
The station car parks are on Piazza Adua and Via Alamanni. The easiest place to meet the car is FS Park SMN P2, at Piazza della Stazione, 6. It's open around the clock, the first 10 minutes are free, and the driver will message you beforehand to say exactly where to wait.
Next to the station, at the Fortezza da Basso, Pitti Uomo takes place on 12–15 January 2027. Hotels and cars get snapped up early for those days, so book with time to spare.
Tuscany for the day
Florence makes a fine base, and the hills around it are best explored with a driver. You taste the wine; they do the driving.
- Chianti. Two or three cellars, a lunch stop, back in time for dinner. A full day costs from €480 for up to 3 people, with 250 km included.
- Siena. Piazza del Campo, the shell-shaped square. 75 km, about 1 h 10 min, €150.
- San Gimignano. The town of towers, lovely at sunset. 60 km, about an hour, €105.
- Pisa and Lucca. 85 and 80 km, about an hour each, €145 and €140.
The sea: Cinque Terre and Forte dei Marmi
You won't need a car inside the Cinque Terre. The driver drops you in La Spezia or Levanto, you get between the villages by boat or local train, and in the evening the car is waiting at the end of your route.
La Spezia one way costs €255 in a saloon; a day there and back comes to €485, since the return leg is 10% cheaper. We also drive to the coast at Forte dei Marmi.
Livorno port
This is the closest cruise port to Florence. You can't walk out of it: a shuttle takes about 10 minutes to Piazza del Municipio, where your driver will be waiting. Send us your ship's name and arrival time.
Train or car: an honest view
To Rome and Bologna, the train is usually the better deal. The Frecciarossa reaches Rome in 1 h 32 min and Bologna in 37 minutes. By car it's €480 and about 3 hours to Rome, €150 and 1 h 20 min to Bologna.
For one or two people, we'd suggest the train. When there are three of you with suitcases, a door-to-door car becomes a sensible alternative.
Fares from Florence
Tap a row to book this route.
That's the price per car, not per person. Motorway tolls and luggage are already in it, and child seats are fitted free. A return trip booked together with the outward one is 10% cheaper.
How you're met at Peretola airport (6 km from the centre) is explained on the airport page.
A tram line is being built along the boulevard ring around the centre (the viali), so traffic jams there are more frequent. Allow a little extra time for the journey.
Questions
How much is a ride from Florence to Siena?
€150 in a saloon for up to 3 people, €195 in a minivan. The drive takes about 1 h 10 min.
Can I go from Florence to Pisa by car and come back?
Yes. One way is €145, about an hour. If you book the return at the same time, it's 10% cheaper.
Will the driver come to a hotel in the old centre during the day?
Yes, a car with driver can enter the ZTL. We just need the hotel's address when you book.
Do you meet cruise passengers in Livorno?
Yes, at Piazza del Municipio, where the port shuttle drops you.