Located just a few miles from the city center, Florence's Peretola Airport (FLR) is a convenient gateway to Tuscany. With easy access by tram, taxi or bus, getting to and from the heart of Florence is simple and stress-free.
The airport serving Florence is Tuscany's second-busiest, behind the airport in Pisa. the Florence Airport Peretola, sometimes called Amerigo Vespucci Airport, is located a little over three miles from the city center in the small suburb of Peretola. Nineteen airlines serve Florence, connecting the Tuscan capital with 39 airports elsewhere in Italy and throughout Europe.
Florence's airport is small (there's only one terminal, one runway and ten gates), so it's easier to navigate than a massive international airport like the one in Rome. The small size does mean, however, that during busy times the lines to check in and go through security may be slow.
You have a few options for getting into Florence from FLR or vice versa.
Taxis aren't as numerous in the historic heart of Florence as in other popular Italian cities, since Florence's center is compact and small enough to be easily explored on foot for the most part. (Even the train station is close enough to the city center it's a reasonable walk if you don't have much luggage.) Taxis are an easy option for getting to or from the airport, though that also means it's the most expensive option. The roughly 20-minute trip to or from the downtown area has a fixed rate of €28 (except for holidays and nights).
The most efficient way to travel between Florence and its airport is by tram. Line T2 of the Florence Tramway connects Peretola Airport with the Piazza dell'Unità Italiana in the city center in about 20 minutes. Trams run between the hours of 5am and 12:30pm or 2pm, depending on the day. A 90-minute ticket is €1.70.
The network of Autolinee Toscane buses connects points all over Florence and the surrounding suburbs, including the airport. Many of the routes involve changing buses along the way, and the journey can take 45-60 minutes, so it's not a very convenient way to get to or from the airport. Bus tickets start at €1.70 if you buy them ahead of time, depending on where you're going. If you're buying a ticket from the bus driver, the price starts at €3.
Unless you're flying into Florence in order to head into the Tuscan hills, renting a car at the airport probably isn't a great idea. Driving in the historic center can be frustrating, and finding parking is an even bigger challenge. Not to mention the complex ZTL limited traffic zones where you'll run the risk of fines if you make a wrong turn. If your goal is to get away from the city and explore the countryside, however, renting a car is an excellent idea - and there are 11 car rental companies located at the airport.
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