Rome Florence Train: Time, Price and Other Ways

Rome Florence train: the short answer

The fast train is the best way to get from Rome to Florence, and it takes about 1 hour 30 minutes. Trenitalia says its Frecciarossa trains take just over 1 hour and a half. It also says there are over 100 connections a day.

Italo is the second high-speed operator. Italo's own page says you can travel between Rome and Florence in just 1.5 hours.

Florence is a big day out, but it is not a Rome day trip in the usual sense. The train ride alone takes about three hours there and back. Most readers do better with one night in Florence.

Time: train vs bus vs car

The train wins on time, and Italo's quickest ride is 1 hour 20 minutes. That figure is for the Florence to Roma Termini direction on Italo's Florence page. Trenitalia gives 1.30 hours for the Frecciarossa.

Trains run from early morning to late evening. Trenitalia lists Frecciarossa departures from Rome from 5:10 to 21:48. From Florence they run from 6:00 to 22:14. Hours and the number of trains can change at weekends and in some periods of the year.

The bus is slower, going by the operator's own page. FlixBus gives its shortest Rome to Florence trip as 3 hours 10 minutes, on a route of 276 km, with 31 trips a day at the minimum. That is about twice the train time.

We found no official driving time, so we do not give one. A road trip also adds time you do not control, such as traffic and parking. The train time does not change with the road.

Key Takeaway The fast train from Rome to Florence takes 80 to 90 minutes. The bus takes at least 3 hours 10 minutes on FlixBus's page. We found no official car time.

Price: train vs bus vs car

The train has the one published fare, and Italo shows Rome to Florence tickets from €14.90. Italo's Florence page lists this as a starting price, so the fare for your date and your train can be higher. Trenitalia's Rome to Florence page gives no fare.

The bus has a lower starting fare. FlixBus shows Rome to Florence tickets from €7.98, and says the price depends on your travel date, time and how early you book. Italo's page does not say how train fares change with booking time, so compare your date on both.

For a car, the cost is fuel, motorway tolls and parking. We found no official toll or fuel figure we could cite, so we give none.

On the train, Trenitalia says Frecciarossa has free Wi-Fi and an onboard food service. Italo also lists a day return offer with discounts of up to 50%, which suits a same-day trip. Check the conditions on Italo's page.

A train ticket is per person, and a car is per car. For two or more people, add up the car costs before you compare.

Pro Tip Compare the same date on both train operators before you buy. The cheapest fare on Italo's page is a starting price, not a promise for every train.

Stations and arrival: train vs car

The train drops you in the middle of Florence, and a car does not. Italo describes Florence Santa Maria Novella as one of the main railway hubs of central Italy.

In Rome, Italo trains leave from Roma Termini in the city centre and from Roma Tiburtina in the northeast. Tiburtina is easy to reach by metro line B, according to Italo's Rome page. Check which station your ticket names. Our Rome public transport guide shows how to reach either one.

A car brings city rules. Rome restricts traffic in its centre on set hours, as the city mobility agency explains. Many Italian cities do the same, so ask your hotel about parking and restricted zones before you drive in.

Rome-based day trip or Florence: a tour vs the train

Florence on your own by train is simple, so a tour is not needed for the trip itself. Once you arrive, Italo says the station is in the historic centre, about 15 minutes' walk from the cathedral. A Rome-based day trip is the easier choice if you want one full day without planning a train. Things to Do in Rome's count of GetYourGuide listings in October 2026 found 15 day trips from Rome, from €24. See all the daily tours from Rome if you want to compare them.

We do not offer Florence tours or tickets here, so the picks below all start in Rome. For each one, check the meeting point, what is included and the cancellation terms on the listing before you book.

For a taste of the hills between Rome and Tuscany, the Orvieto and Bagnoregio day trip with wine and lunch is run by City Wonders Ltd. It is from €94 per person for about 12 hours. It is rated 4.6 from 1,569 reviews, and it has free cancellation as listed.

If a long train day feels like too much, the Villa d'Este and Hadrian's Villa Tivoli day tour is run by Enjoy Rome. It takes from 1.5 to 7 hours, depending on the option, and it is from €65 per person. It is rated 4.5 from 2,490 reviews. See our Tivoli day trip guide for how it works.

If you change your mind about Florence, the Pompeii, Amalfi Coast and Positano day trip is run by City Wonders Ltd. It takes 12 to 13 hours and is from €109 per person. It is rated 4.6 from 7,351 reviews. The meeting point is Piazza del Popolo, and hotel pickup is not included. Read our Pompeii day trip guide first.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026.

The best day trip is the one that still leaves you time to enjoy the place.

When the train is the wrong choice

The train is the wrong choice if you want to stop in small Tuscan towns, because it runs between big city stations. A car suits that plan, and you then need to learn the parking and traffic rules first.

The train is also the wrong choice if you only have one day and hate early starts. Three hours of travel leaves little time for Florence. A Rome-based tour keeps your day in one place.

Last, the car numbers in this guide are missing on purpose. We found no official page for a driving time or tolls. Check your rental company for the latest figures, and the operator for current bus fares.