Going from Florence to Venice: guide to transportation

Most travelers visiting Italy for the first time stop in Florence and Venice. After all, they are two unique cities in the world, and among the richest in art and history in Italy. If you’ve ended up here you’re probably wondering, like many others, how to get from Florence to Venice (and vice versa). Don’t worry, you have many options available, and I’ll explain everything you need to know!

My name is Claudia and I am a local licensed tour guide in Florence, Italy! Learn more about me and my private tours in Florence.

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Where is Venice in relation to Florence?

Florence is located in the region of Tuscany, in central Italy. While Venice is instead in the region of Veneto, in the northeastern part of the country. Those are two very different areas, each one with its own food, dialect, art and architecture, and even with very different approaches to life, work and politics.

The distance between Venice and Florence is approximately 300 km (about 170 miles).

Here is a map that might help you to get the idea at first sight:

In order to cover that distance you have 4 options:

• Train
• Bus
• Rental Car
• Airplane

Is a day trip from Florence to Venice worth it?

This is a very frequent question, especially among travelers who have only a few days available to travel Italy. Unfortunately the answer is no, it’s not worth taking a day trip from Florence to Venice, and vice versa.

Both cities are too large, but above all too rich in things to do and see, to be visited in a single day. Also, since they are quite far away to each other, it takes at least 3 hours to go from one city to the other. With 6 hours needed just to get there and back, the time left available is really too little.

I recommend you to plan at least 2 days in each of these two Italian cities, but 3 days would be better.

If you still want to take a day trip to Venice from Florence or vice versa, take a look at these tours on Viator: in my opinion they are the best organised. They include transport, entrance tickets and guided tours. Tours last about 14 hours, which is a lot, but they are necessary to visit these places.

From Florence to Venice by train

This is definitely the best solution for a lot of good reasons. The train is the fastest option of all, and often the cheapest. In Italy there are high-speed trains that connect the two cities in 3 hours, they are very frequent and generally on time (but small delays are common).

There are two high-speed train companies in Italy:

• Trenitalia. High speed trains are called Frecce, but it also has slow regional trains. So when you do a search select “Frecce” from the drop down menu.
• Italo. This company only has high speed train.

Going from Venice to Florence with regional trains is doable, but honestly I don’t recommend it at all. It is true that they are cheaper than bullet trains, but the price difference is not so high as to justify such an uncomfortable journey. It takes at least 4 hours and you have to change trains twice, in Prato and in Bologna.

I also advise against Intercity trains, because they are more expensive than regional ones but just as slow. Furthermore, since they travel across the country from north to south making many intermediate stops, they always end up accumulating a lot of delays.

Some smart tips for booking trains in Italy:

Buy train tickets as soon as possible to find the cheapest fare.

Book from the official websites I linked before, if you don’t want to pay extra commissions to re-seller websites.

Remember that when you search on the Trenitalia or Italo websites, the names of the cities are indicated in Italian, so search for Firenze and Venezia, and not for Florence and Venice.

The main station in Florence is called Santa Maria Novella, while the most central station in Venice is called Santa Lucia. Both cities also have secondary stations, so be careful when selecting stations in the train company search engine.

By plane

There are direct flights connecting Florence and Venice, but I don’t recommend using planes for a few reasons:

The flight is very short, less than an hour. But considering the time it takes to check in your luggage and go through airport security, it takes much longer than by train or car.

There are no low cost flights between these two cities, so the plane is always much more expensive than the train.

Florence airport is small and has a short landing strip: in case of bad weather or strong winds, flights are cancelled, delayed or diverted to Pisa or Bologna, the two closest airports.

Bus between Florence and Venice

You can get from Venice to Florence by bus, but once again I advise against it. Prices are very cheap, especially if you book in advance, but that’s the only pro. Cons are that there are only two companies, Itabus and Flixbus, and neither of them is reliable. Buses are often late due to traffic, and sometimes are even canceled at the last minute. The bus journey takes at least 4 hours.

Also consider that the bus stations are always far from the center, and since wheeled vehicles cannot circulate in Venice, the bus stops in Mestre, and from here you will still have to take the train to Santa Lucia station.

Getting from Florence to Venice by car

If you have planned a road trip in Italy with a rental car, to reach Venice from Florence you will have to take the A1 toll highway (Autostrada) to Bologna and then the A13 to Mestre. The route takes about 3 hours, if there is no traffic. But there is often traffic, especially around Bologna. Along the Autostrada you will find the famous Autogrill, the Italian service areas with bar, restaurant, snacks and souvenirs (we all love Autogrill for their giant candy packs).

I recommend using Booking.com to find the best deal among the most reliable international car rental companies.

• Read my tips for car rental in Florence

Again, I remind you that there cars are not allowed in Venice! So with your rental car you can get as far as Mestre at most. From there you can reach Venice by train in about 10 minutes.

If you are staying in a hotel in Venice you will have to find a park in Mestre where you can leave your car. Or you can decide to stay in Mestre (which is much cheaper) and reach Venice by train for the day.

• Smart tip: if Venice is the last stop on your trip, you can return the rental car to Mestre and never have to worry about it again. Ditto if it is your first stop, in this case you will only rent it when you will leave Venice for the next stop.

Intermediate stops between Florence and Venice

Whether you travel by train or car, along the route you can decide to make an intermediate stop and visit one of the many beautiful cities of northern Italy, such as Bologna, Ferrara or Padua.

These three towns are located along the road (and along the rail line), require no detours, and are small enough to visit in a few hours. Although all three are so rich in art, history and great food, that if you decide to stop by for a few days, you definitely won’t be disappointed.

Modena and Parma are also beautiful cities, with historic centers rich in art and architecture. But they are above all famous among foodies for their typical products: Parmigiano Reggiano, balsamic vinegar, prosciutto and much more.

Modena and Parma are not exactly on the route between Florence and Venice, but they are quite close to Bologna, so they only require a small detour.

With a private transfer

If you have a lot of luggage, or if you just want to travel without fuss, you can book a car transfer with a private driver. Your driver will pick you up in front of your hotel or airbnb in Florence, and take you to Venice, taking care of everything, from your luggage to the itinerary. It is also an excellent solution for large families, just book a minivan.

• Private transfer from Venice to Florence (and vice versa)
• Private transfer from Florence to Venice with 2 hours for sightseeing (you can choose 2 stops of 1 hour each, between Ferrara, Bologna and Pomposa Abbey).