How to get from Livorno port to station?

[graceinmelbourne]

We are planning to go to Florence from Livorno via train.

 

Are there taxis waiting that will be willing to take the short trip to the station?

 

How much does a taxi cost to get to the station?

 

Are there plentiful taxis available? We will be there in September.

 

Are there buses that take people to station?

 

Thank you.:)

[euro cruiser]

There will be taxis waiting at the ship; a taxi that can fit four to six people will charge about 20 Euro to go to the train station. This is by far your best option. Some have reported difficulty getting drivers to take the short trip to the station (they would prefer a longer fare), others have advised persistence as you will eventually find a driver who will take the job.

 

There will also be a shuttle bus into town, from which you will need to switch to a local bus, or grab a taxi, to the train station. This option is less than ideal, because you'll be part of a mob of 50+ people all doing this at the same time, trying to cram onto an already crowded local bus, then piling into the train station together.

[graceinmelbourne]

There will be taxis waiting at the ship; a taxi that can fit four to six people will charge about 20 Euro to go to the train station. This is by far your best option. Some have reported difficulty getting drivers to take the short trip to the station (they would prefer a longer fare), others have advised persistence as you will eventually find a driver who will take the job.

 

There will also be a shuttle bus into town, from which you will need to switch to a local bus, or grab a taxi, to the train station. This option is less than ideal, because you'll be part of a mob of 50+ people all doing this at the same time, trying to cram onto an already crowded local bus, then piling into the train station together.

 

Thanks for the helpful advice. I'll have to use my best persuasive Italian to get the driver to do the short trip.:)

[Keith1010]

When someone says the taxis will be waiting by the ship this needs to be clarified. This is a very large port and all of this depends on where your ship will berth and many times this varies by voyage. There is one area where you are indeed in walking distance of the town and can easily get a cab and there is another area where that is not the case. In the latter situation your cruise probably will have a shuttle but the drop off point will vary. One way you can find a cab but it might not be right at the berth.

 

Keith

[Bobal]

Thanks for the helpful advice. I'll have to use my best persuasive Italian to get the driver to do the short trip.:)

 

Grace, if you can speak Italian, I think it would help greatly. The key is to persuade a taxi driver to do the short journey to the station.

 

We always do our own thing and last time we were in Livorno we took the cruise shuttle into town and caught the train to Pisa. However, eurocruiser is correct in that it's not completely straightforward as it involves shuttle, local bus to the station, then train. For a trip to Pisa, which is only 20 mins away, this didn't matter. However we want to visit Florence next month and since the trains only run once an hour and the journey to Florence is 1hr 20m we want to get away as soon as possible.

 

I asked on this board whether people had recently experienced difficulties getting a taxi for short journeys as I know this is sometimes the case and the response I got varied - some did, some didn't. We're not prepared to take the risk so are reluctantly booking the ship's 'Florence on your own' excursion.

[graceinmelbourne]

Grace, if you can speak Italian, I think it would help greatly. The key is to persuade a taxi driver to do the short journey to the station.

 

We always do our own thing and last time we were in Livorno we took the cruise shuttle into town and caught the train to Pisa. However, eurocruiser is correct in that it's not completely straightforward as it involves shuttle, local bus to the station, then train. For a trip to Pisa, which is only 20 mins away, this didn't matter. However we want to visit Florence next month and since the trains only run once an hour and the journey to Florence is 1hr 20m we want to get away as soon as possible.

 

I asked on this board whether people had recently experienced difficulties getting a taxi for short journeys as I know this is sometimes the case and the response I got varied - some did, some didn't. We're not prepared to take the risk so are reluctantly booking the ship's 'Florence on your own' excursion.

 

As you are going in peak season than perhaps doing the ship excursion would be the safest option. I understand your reluctance though when you consider the price difference. I found a very detailed description on the train journey into Florence to Livorno on this site just in case you change your mind.

 

http://www.ftroute.com/liv_fir_liv.htm

 

Yes, I do speak some Italian as my parents are Italian but I will have to brush up. We will also have the kids with us and that might help persuade them especially if I get them to try some Italian also. How can they resist:)

[KirkNC]

We are going the taxi / train route in July. We are in port for 11 hours and the $99/pp transfer from HAL only gives you 5 hours in Florence :eek:. We can save all kinds of money and probably get at least 7 hours in Florence. I may be wrong but if you get off early enough the taxis should be willing to take you to the station as they can get back in plenty of time to get another fare.

 

Kirk

[graceinmelbourne]

We are going the taxi / train route in July. We are in port for 11 hours and the $99/pp transfer from HAL only gives you 5 hours in Florence :eek:. We can save all kinds of money and probably get at least 7 hours in Florence. I may be wrong but if you get off early enough the taxis should be willing to take you to the station as they can get back in plenty of time to get another fare.

 

Kirk

 

That's exactly what I am thinking. The key is to get up early on that day, have an early breakfast and get off ASAP. This might involve pushing over fellow passengers and some sharp elbows (joking:D) and then the taxis might be more willing to do the quick return trip to the station.

 

Why take the ships transfer when you get less time and have to pay more money.

 

When you get back can you let us know how you went with getting the train into Florence?

 

In case you missed it, here is a link which describes in great detail the journey into Florence via train from Livorno.

 

http://www.ftroute.com/liv_fir_liv.htm

[KirkNC]

Yes, I will be happy to report back. One good thing with cruising on HAL is we are younger and quicker than most of the other passengers :D. I had seen that link but thanks for posting it!

 

Kirk

[graceinmelbourne]

Yes, I will be happy to report back. One good thing with cruising on HAL is we are younger and quicker than most of the other passengers :D. I had seen that link but thanks for posting it!

 

Kirk

 

 

Thank you! I'm sure it would be most appreciated myself and others who are planning on taking the train. Have a fabulous cruise!:)

[euro cruiser]

One good thing with cruising on HAL is we are younger and quicker than most of the other passengers :D.

LOL! Charge!

[samavarcruiser]

We are planning to go to Florence from Livorno via train.

 

Are there taxis waiting that will be willing to take the short trip to the station?

 

How much does a taxi cost to get to the station?

 

Are there plentiful taxis available? We will be there in September.

 

Are there buses that take people to station?

 

Thank you.:)

 

There you go :)

 

http://wikitravel.org/en/Livorno

[graceinmelbourne]

There you go :)

 

http://wikitravel.org/en/Livorno

 

 

 

Thank you for the link. That's the first time I have heard of Bus number 1 taking which goes to train station from the port. Will have to look into that.

[Bobal]

Thank you for the link. That's the first time I have heard of Bus number 1 taking which goes to train station from the port. Will have to look into that.

I think that realistically you will need to get the shuttle bus into town. It's not really feasible to walk. It's a big industrial port and you could be docked anywhere and, from memory and from other messages I've seen on these boards, they will not let you walk out of the port. It's unlike most of the other ports we've been to. There will be a shuttle bus to take you to the centre. The bus drops you off at a town square in central Livorno behind the McDonald's. Go to the main street in front of the McDonald's and purchase a bus ticket from the newsstand. Then take the #1 bus to Livorno Centrale, the last stop.

 

When we were there we bought our tickets from a little newsagent just around the corner from the shuttle bus drop-off and were able to buy tickets for the train too, which saved some time at the station. The local newstands are used to people wanting to buy tickets and can speak good English - or certainly enough English to be able to sell you the tickets you want.

[flcruiselovers]

We just got off the Jade June 13 and we have a FREE train ticket from Livorno to Florence worth 13.20 euro for anyone that wants it. It expires July 17. Another option might be to rent a car. Avis and Hertz are set up right next to ship. We got a car from Avis and drove up to Cinque Terre and Lucca. I know the roads are well marked to Florence too. Not sure about parking in Florence but I am sure you could park somewhere and do Florence on foot once in the city. Reserve your car ahead of time and its much less..only $67 for us, including taxes. Rates at the ship were 100euro-$122. For the train tix..email us at sky561p@aol.com

[euro cruiser]

I know the roads are well marked to Florence too. Not sure about parking in Florence but I am sure you could park somewhere and do Florence on foot once in the city.

Yes, you can, just do your research ahead of time and know where the ZTL lines are. The signage has improved, but it's still easy to miss when you're in an unfamiliar place and/or don't read well in Italian. There are good sized parking lots outside of the zone and you can walk or take a bus in from there.

[cruiselover1250]

Can anyone tell me that once we get into Florence via train from the port, are the tourist spots all within walking distance of each other? Is there a need to hire a private driver or are the tourist sights all walkable? We're only in port for 12 hours, minus the time it takes to get from the port to the city. We're thinking of taking a train to Pisa, take some pictures, then taking the train to Florence. Will there be enough time to visit both Pisa and Florence and walk the tourist spots in Florence w/o a car?

[MaryPoppinz]

Can anyone tell me that once we get into Florence via train from the port, are the tourist spots all within walking distance of each other? Is there a need to hire a private driver or are the tourist sights all walkable? We're only in port for 12 hours, minus the time it takes to get from the port to the city. We're thinking of taking a train to Pisa, take some pictures, then taking the train to Florence. Will there be enough time to visit both Pisa and Florence and walk the tourist spots in Florence w/o a car?

 

Very much so. Having a car and driver in Florence would be counterproductive. Very easy to just walk from point to point in more-or-less of a circular pattern, starting at the train station. This isn't the best map, but it will give you an idea of just how compact it is. The train station is at the top left, the duomo is roughly in the upper middle, the Ponte Vecchio/Uffizi/Piazza della Signorella near the center, and the Pitti palace in the lower middle. The Accademia gallery is off the map, very slightly, to the upper right.

http://www.welt-atlas.de/datenbank/karten/karte-1-153.gif

[cruisemom42]

Can anyone tell me that once we get into Florence via train from the port, are the tourist spots all within walking distance of each other? Is there a need to hire a private driver or are the tourist sights all walkable? We're only in port for 12 hours, minus the time it takes to get from the port to the city. We're thinking of taking a train to Pisa, take some pictures, then taking the train to Florence. Will there be enough time to visit both Pisa and Florence and walk the tourist spots in Florence w/o a car?

 

 

You do not want a car in Florence. The central area is almost all pedestrian and it is pretty compact and walkable. That said, trying to do justice to Pisa and Florence in one day is tough. If you get the earliest possible start and limit your time in Pisa to merely having a quick look at the leaning tower and the Field of Miracles, you can do it. In Florence, you won't have time for the Uffizi, but if you want to go to the Accademia and see Michelangelo's David, you should reserve tickets in advance. If you do that, it won't take too long.

[Bobal]

In Florence, you won't have time for the Uffizi, but if you want to go to the Accademia and see Michelangelo's David, you should reserve tickets in advance. .

 

cruisemom, having seen your posts on here I know you're an expert so may I ask you a question? We will be arriving in Livorno in July and were planning to go to Florence and had planned to reserve tickets for the Accademia. However, I now understand that Voyager will sometimes be docking in La Spezia due to the high traffic in Livorno. I really don't want to travel from La Spezia to Florence but would do something different, therefore I don't want to book the tickets just in case. Do you have any idea of how long the wait would be if we didn't prebook tickets. Thanks

[cruisemom42]

cruisemom, having seen your posts on here I know you're an expert so may I ask you a question? We will be arriving in Livorno in July and were planning to go to Florence and had planned to reserve tickets for the Accademia. However, I now understand that Voyager will sometimes be docking in La Spezia due to the high traffic in Livorno. I really don't want to travel from La Spezia to Florence but would do something different, therefore I don't want to book the tickets just in case. Do you have any idea of how long the wait would be if we didn't prebook tickets. Thanks

 

 

Here's an option that might work: if you prebook the tickets by calling the museum, you do not have to pay for them until you pick them up. Thus, there's absolutely no penalty to reserving them. There is a small service charge per ticket; I think it was 3 euros when I did it (but in my opinion worth it to have the reservations).

 

In July, I imagine the line to get into the museum without a reservation will be quite long.

 

Here is the number I called: 011-39-055-294-883 I think the 011 has to do with calling from the US, so you may not need it if you're calling from the UK. Also, remember to call during the museum's open hours (i.e., time in Italy not time where you are.)[/COLOR]

[penny1]

I don't know what ship you are on but Ruby Princess offered a round trip shuttle to the train station for 14 euros pp. The shuttle left at 7:20 AM & returned at 5:00 PM. We were able to catch the 8:10 train to Florence. There were 5 of us & it was worth the cost to not have to worry about a taxi that would hold 5 or try to get 2 taxis or taking the other shuttle & then the bus. The shuttle buses were the last buses in line & had a small sign in window saying "train shuttle" or something like that instead of Princess Tour #. We almost didn't find them in time. You bought your ticket at the bus. This was a service provided by a local company so might be offered on other cruise lines.

 

Gail

[knot knormal]

We have been to Liverno twice in the past two years. Once, RCCL, taxis were available to go to the train station, the last time, HAL, there were taxis there, but every one of them refused to take us to the train station. Instead, we had to take the ship's shuttle to town, then bus, then train to Florence. The tobacco shops, marked with a "T" sell bus and train tickets, if they are open. The second time we got off the ship at 6:30 AM, had to wait on the shuttle, then bus (paid on bus), and bought train ticket at the station - still made the 8:10 AM train to FLorence!

[MaryPoppinz]

I don't know what ship you are on but Ruby Princess offered a round trip shuttle to the train station for 14 euros pp. The shuttle left at 7:20 AM & returned at 5:00 PM. We were able to catch the 8:10 train to Florence. There were 5 of us & it was worth the cost to not have to worry about a taxi that would hold 5 or try to get 2 taxis or taking the other shuttle & then the bus. The shuttle buses were the last buses in line & had a small sign in window saying "train shuttle" or something like that instead of Princess Tour #. We almost didn't find them in time. You bought your ticket at the bus. This was a service provided by a local company so might be offered on other cruise lines.

 

Gail

 

Did you know about this in advance or arrive in Livorno and find the shuttle? I guess what I'm after is whether the cruiseline was making the availability of a shuttle (or not) known to passengers so they knew to skip the shuttle to the piazza or to skip a taxi to Livorno Centrale?

[graceinmelbourne]

Did you know about this in advance or arrive in Livorno and find the shuttle? I guess what I'm after is whether the cruiseline was making the availability of a shuttle (or not) known to passengers so they knew to skip the shuttle to the piazza or to skip a taxi to Livorno Centrale?

 

 

Good question. I wonder if that private shuttle bus is always there when cruise ships are in port.

 

14 euro per person is a bit steep though. Taxis are 5 euro per person so would be much cheaper if you can get them to take you.