Florence Survival Guide

Travelling overland can be a very pleasurable way of getting to and travelling around Tuscany. Italy's state railway (Ferrovie dello Stato, or FS) has a train for every type of journey, from the quaintly, maddeningly slow locali (stopping trains) through various levels of rapid intercity service to the luxurious, superfast Eurostar, which rushes between Italian cities at a speed to match its ticket price. The network between large cities is very good, but journeys to towns on branch lines may be quicker by coach (bus).

Florence and Pisa are the main arrival points for trains from Europe. The Galilei from Paris and the Italia Express from Frankfurt travel direct to Florence. Passengers from London have to change in Paris or Lille.
From Florence, there is also a direct train link with Pisa's Galileo Galilei airport, which can be very useful.
Europe-wide train passes, such as EurRail (US) or InterRail for those under 26 (Europe), are accepted on the FS network. You may have to pay a supplement, however, to travel on fast trains. Always check first before using any private rail lines.

Trains from all over Italy arrive at and depart from Pisa Centrale and Florence's Santa Maria Novella station. Eurostars (Italy's high-speed trains) also use Santa Maria Novella. If you are planning to travel around the country, the Trenitalia pass is valid from four to ten consecutive or non-consecutive days in a two-month period for unlimited travel on Italian trains.

Booking is obligatory on the Eurostar and on some other intercity services, indicated on the timetable by a black R on a white background. The booking office is at the front of Florence station. Alternatively you can book on the FS website (www.trenitalia.com). Users must first register on the site, then follow the instructions on how to book and pay for seats. Tickets booked online can be delivered by courier for an additional charge, or picked up for free at a self service ticket machine in stations offering this service.

Always buy a ticket before you travel. You can also purchase you ticket on the train, but you will be charged the price of a full fare ticket, plus a 25 fine. You can upgrade to first class or sleeper by paying the conductor.
If the ticket office is busy, try one of the self-service ticket machines found at most stations. They accept coins, notes and credit cards. The instructions are very easy to follow and com in six European languages.
If you are travelling no more than 200km (124 miles) with the region, you can buy a short-range ticket (biglietto a fasce chilome-triche) from a station newsstand. The name of your station of departure will usually be stamped on the ticket, but if it is not, write it on the back. You must then validate the ticket by stamping it in one of the gold-coloured machines situated at the entrance to most platforms. These machines must also be used to timestamp the return portion of a ticket.
Both the outward and return portions of a return (round-trip) ticket must be used with three days of purchase. Singles (one-way tickets) are issue in 200km (124 mile) bands and are valid according to band: for example, a ticket for 200km lasts for a day, a ticket for 400km (248 miles) lasts for two days, and so on.
All intercity trains charge a supplementary fee (supplemento) even if you have an InterRail card. This includes the Eurostar and Eurocity services. The cost depends on how far you are travelling.

During the summer months, long queues often form at the station's main ticket office, so it is worth tackling the self-service ticket machines or booking a ticket through a travel agent. The left-luggage office (deposito bagagli) is on platform 16, as is the Polfer, the railway police. For timetable information, you will need to queue at the staffed information booths. Take a ticket and wait for your number to be shown. There are usually some staff available who can speak English and French. Alternatively, you can consult the electronic timetable on the automated ticket machines.