Livorno to Pisa and Florence

[warn62]

Please could anyone advise/help? Is it possible and how easy would it be to travel independently from Livorno to Pisa and Florence. Have read different advice. Would need to be back at port by 5.30pm

Any advice greatly received.

Thank you :)

[4cats4me]

Does your ship sail at 6 or 7? The rule of thumb if traveling independently at that port would be to arrive back to your cruise port at least 90-120 minutes before sailing. Florence is quite a distance from Livorno. I believe it was 90 minute drive to Florence

It is definitely doable by car, not sure of train, and we were in a private vehicle with eight of us and we left at 8 AM made it to Florence by 9:30 stayed in Florence until two drove to Pisa, arrived approx 3:00 , left Pisa around 430 I believe and we were back at the port by 5:30, and we sailed at seven.

We encountered no traffic in either direction so I don't know if we were just lucky or what

We traveled in mid October. If traveling in summer, I would think crowds will be much, much worse, thus, delaying travels a bit

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[euro cruiser]

It's fairly easy to take the train from Livorno to Florence and back, with or without a stop in Pisa. It's on the same train line.

[warn62]

Thank you both for your help and reply, much appreciated. Ship sails at 7.00pm so now thinking of tour to be on the safe side.:)

[4cats4me]

We used Romeinlimo tours. They were fantastic. They have share tours as well as private tours of 2,4,6, or 8. You pay at the end of the tour in cash. I think our van of 8 was around 560€, so each of us paid $75 US at the end (approx).

8 am to 5 pm. Cruiseline wanted $220-300 pp for the same exact tours, depending on if you did the big bus with 48 vs concierge style tours for 25. We were on Royal Caribbean.

I met people on our roll call and many people wanted to share with us, so that was a great way to make new friends. We structured the tour to suit our needs.

 

romeinlimo.com

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[reney313]

I recently booked through tuscany bus which is a larger motor coach bus, but the price seemed appropriate. We didn't want to do an actual "tour", so opted for trying to find transportation only. For Florence only, it was 30 Euro per person. I thought that was an appropriate price.

Timetable: Departure from Livorno 9.45AM, return from Florence at 3.45PM

This seemed to provide the most time in Florence. They did have a Pisa and Florence option, but it seems like there is a bit of walk in Pisa and it lessens the time in Florence. It was a hard decision as I'd like to see both, but in the end, for us, we decided we'd rather have the extra time.

 

 

I haven't taken the transportation yet but the reviews I read were favorable.

[4cats4me]

I recently booked through tuscany bus which is a larger motor coach bus, but the price seemed appropriate. We didn't want to do an actual "tour", so opted for trying to find transportation only. For Florence only, it was 30 Euro per person. I thought that was an appropriate price.

Timetable: Departure from Livorno 9.45AM, return from Florence at 3.45PM

This seemed to provide the most time in Florence. They did have a Pisa and Florence option, but it seems like there is a bit of walk in Pisa and it lessens the time in Florence. It was a hard decision as I'd like to see both, but in the end, for us, we decided we'd rather have the extra time.

 

 

I haven't taken the transportation yet but the reviews I read were favorable.

 

 

 

You made the right decision going to Florence only. With big busses, they simply can't get into the little streets to get you close to the attractions, so too much time is wasted in PIsa unless you are in a smaller vehicle, as we were. I know many people who've stated that they have to walk at least a quarter to a half mile to get to the tower when arriving on a big bus.

I don't know where the big busses drop off in Florence because we were in a smaller transport which brought us directly to the Accademia, and from there we walked a few blocks to the Duomo

We got started right at eight and made it to Florence before 9:30, and it was still quite empty. By 11:00, almost chaotic, it was so crowded.

We still enjoyed it immensely.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[euro cruiser]

I recently booked through tuscany bus which is a larger motor coach bus, but the price seemed appropriate. We didn't want to do an actual "tour", so opted for trying to find transportation only. For Florence only, it was 30 Euro per person. I thought that was an appropriate price.

Timetable: Departure from Livorno 9.45AM, return from Florence at 3.45PM

There are benefits to this type of arrangement and it makes sense for many people. It's certainly a price break vs. the transportation only excursions offered by the cruise lines.

 

The biggest downside is that the timing is set to accommodate as many ships as possible, so the departure is late and the return is early. DIYers who make the 8:12 train (quite possible for those with a 7 AM arrival to Livorno) are in Florence before that bus even leaves Livorno.

[Beanb41]

We are doing just what the OP wants to do. We are catching the 8.12 train to Florence, visiting Uffuzi and Accademia and the train back to Pisa at 2.30 pm. A quick dash to sea the tower then back on the train to Livorno at 4.30 arriving back in Livorno at 4.50 pm. We have prebooked and prepaid our train fares on line and our entry into the two museums. There isn't going to be time for mucking around but we have built in a bit of slack and time for some lunch

[samavarcruiser]

I recently booked through tuscany bus which is a larger motor coach bus, but the price seemed appropriate. We didn't want to do an actual "tour", so opted for trying to find transportation only. For Florence only, it was 30 Euro per person. I thought that was an appropriate price.

Timetable: Departure from Livorno 9.45AM, return from Florence at 3.45PM

This seemed to provide the most time in Florence. They did have a Pisa and Florence option, but it seems like there is a bit of walk in Pisa and it lessens the time in Florence. It was a hard decision as I'd like to see both, but in the end, for us, we decided we'd rather have the extra time.

 

 

I haven't taken the transportation yet but the reviews I read were favorable.

 

Larger motor coach buses are not allowed in down town Florence, I would check on a small private shared excursion!

[CruiseMH]

Pisa and Florence on one day will never be relaxing. ;)

The driving times,even with small vans are simply too long to be able to watch all attractions without being under time pressure.

So either FLorence only or Pisa/Lucca would be the better choice in my opinion.

I will do the Pisa/Lucca tour with tuscanybus for 28 Euros.

It will be a large motor coach,but the walking distances to the main attraction are only approx. half a mile.

[Hlitner]

I recently booked through tuscany bus which is a larger motor coach bus, but the price seemed appropriate. We didn't want to do an actual "tour", so opted for trying to find transportation only. For Florence only, it was 30 Euro per person. I thought that was an appropriate price.

Timetable: Departure from Livorno 9.45AM, return from Florence at 3.45PM

This seemed to provide the most time in Florence. They did have a Pisa and Florence option, but it seems like there is a bit of walk in Pisa and it lessens the time in Florence. It was a hard decision as I'd like to see both, but in the end, for us, we decided we'd rather have the extra time.

 

 

I haven't taken the transportation yet but the reviews I read were favorable.

 

You need to understand that there will be a lot more walking in Florence :). Buses can only get you near the central tourist area...but then you have to walk. Depending where you go in Florence, you could walk a dozen blocks...or miles. My objection to the bus line (you are using) is their schedule. 9:45 is actually pretty late to be leaving for Florence, which is normally about a 1:15 - 1:30 drive (one way) depending on traffic. So this means, assuming your bus leaves on time you will not even get to Florence until 11. If I was going from Livorno to Florence (and we have done it many times) we would be among the first off the ship, find a taxi to take us to the Livorno Centrale Station and usually make the 7:43 (arrives in Florance at 9:22) or the 8:12 which gets in Florence about 9:32. Return trains leave at 28 past each hour (figure about 1:20 for the journey) with an extra train at 5:00 pm. Our choice would depend when the cruise ship departs...and you do want to allow at least an hour in Livorno to get a taxi from the station back to the port.

 

The issue with that bus is that you are losing about 1 1/2 hours of pretty valuable time in Florence. We have spent many days (and nights) staying in Florence...and its a town worthy of many days...not just a few hours.

 

Hank

[Beanb41]

If one is making a once only stop in the Pisa / Florence area one has to bite the bullet and make the most of a day long visit. Sure many of the masterpieces in the area are going to be missed but when one only has time for a couple of snapshots one has to be selective. Our programme is going to be tight, will entail missing many historical places and artifacts but when we return home we will be able to ay we saw David, Bottecelli's Birth of Venus and the Leaning Tower in Pisa. Not much more could be expected in a day. Lunch will be on the run or on the train

[etw]

I would book a ticket with tuscanybus.com if you want to do both cities. They have great reviews and obviously cater to cruisers and know how to get you where you need to go and bring you back on time. I think it's 30-40 eur for a bus ticket. A private transfer is just so much money if you don't have a group of 8 or more that can share a small van.

[warn62]

I would book a ticket with tuscanybus.com if you want to do both cities. They have great reviews and obviously cater to cruisers and know how to get you where you need to go and bring you back on time. I think it's 30-40 eur for a bus ticket. A private transfer is just so much money if you don't have a group of 8 or more that can share a small van.

Thank you so much for info, I will have a look now. I can't begin to tell you how many hours we have been researching websites and looking at different options.:)

[dogs4fun]

Just wondering - is Tuscanybus a relatively new option? I don't remember reading/hearing anything about it during our last cruise into Livorno (2014). Also, is the pick-up point in Livorno (rather than at the port) and you would still need to take the ship shuttle into town from the port? From their website, it looks like pick-up is in Livorno near the shuttle drop-off. Am I reading this correctly?

[warn62]

You need to understand that there will be a lot more walking in Florence :). Buses can only get you near the central tourist area...but then you have to walk. Depending where you go in Florence, you could walk a dozen blocks...or miles. My objection to the bus line (you are using) is their schedule. 9:45 is actually pretty late to be leaving for Florence, which is normally about a 1:15 - 1:30 drive (one way) depending on traffic. So this means, assuming your bus leaves on time you will not even get to Florence until 11. If I was going from Livorno to Florence (and we have done it many times) we would be among the first off the ship, find a taxi to take us to the Livorno Centrale Station and usually make the 7:43 (arrives in Florance at 9:22) or the 8:12 which gets in Florence about 9:32. Return trains leave at 28 past each hour (figure about 1:20 for the journey) with an extra train at 5:00 pm. Our choice would depend when the cruise ship departs...and you do want to allow at least an hour in Livorno to get a taxi from the station back to the port.

 

The issue with that bus is that you are losing about 1 1/2 hours of pretty valuable time in Florence. We have spent many days (and nights) staying in Florence...and its a town worthy of many days...not just a few hours.

 

Hank

Thanks for info - very valid point re time. We are early birds and like walking quickly! Do you know how quickly you can get off the ship? We dock at 7.00am but assume passengers with trips booked with NCL are allowed of first? Do you have any idea of cost of taxi from port to Livorno station? Thanks for your help - will be glad to get this port sorted!

[Beanb41]

Thanks for info - very valid point re time. We are early birds and like walking quickly! Do you know how quickly you can get off the ship? We dock at 7.00am but assume passengers with trips booked with NCL are allowed of first? Do you have any idea of cost of taxi from port to Livorno station? Thanks for your help - will be glad to get this port sorted!

 

The gangway is normally open about 20 minutes after berthing once gangways and photographers are out and set up. Not having travelled with NCL I wouldn't think they would be any different to any other cruise line. Those heading for cruise excursions on buses would just get in the queue and disembark as their buses are ready. Not all buses leave at the same time

[Hlitner]

Thanks for info - very valid point re time. We are early birds and like walking quickly! Do you know how quickly you can get off the ship? We dock at 7.00am but assume passengers with trips booked with NCL are allowed of first? Do you have any idea of cost of taxi from port to Livorno station? Thanks for your help - will be glad to get this port sorted!

 

Ships are usually cleared within 20 min of getting their gang plank out. So if you dock on time you would likely be able to get off the ship by 7:30. Since you dock (it is not a tender port) there will likely be a line of early folks waiting to get off. Once they clear the ship its simply a matter of how fast folks can walk off the ship (and get their cruise card scanned). Tours can delay things...but many times the independent folks who line up early will actually beat the tours off the ship. We have often made a train before 8.....but the real problem in Livorno is getting a taxi to take you to the train station. Most of the taxis will only want a full day hire and will refuse to do a short haul to the station (generally about 25€ for the entire taxi). So you want to be among the first off...head right over to the taxi queues, and make it clear you need a taxi to the local station (Stazione)...now! Be polite, but also a little assertive and keep asking for a taxi. Most of the time there will be at least one taxi that will take a load to the station (the more the better).

 

We do not cruise on NCL (gave them up many years ago) but there are often rumors that NCL sometimes has a shuttle bus directly to the station. We are skeptical...but have heard it said by a few. The normal shuttle bus goes from the port to a drop place about a mile from the station (not a great option) and those buses often do not even leave the port until around 8:30. So the trick with this port is trying to be off the ship fast (to beat the crowds) and have some luck with the taxis.

 

Hank

[QueenP]

Taxi drivers will try to persuade you to let them take you the whole way to Florence. Just be firm and say no, you are only going to the station. Train trip is comfortable and reasonably quick and you can easily walk to the centre of everything from the station in Florence. Just don't forget to get your ticket stamped in the yellow box on the platform. ..there were attendants there who showed us what to do.

 

Sent from my SM-J200Y using Forums mobile app

[John Bull]

 

We do not cruise on NCL (gave them up many years ago) but there are often rumors that NCL sometimes has a shuttle bus directly to the station. We are skeptical...but have heard it said by a few.

 

Hank

 

Yes, on returning to Livorno by train at the end of the day we looked around for folk to share a taxi back to our RCI ship. There was a crowd waiting at a bus stand on the station forecourt & we approached them - they were NCL passengers waiting for their ship's shuttle bus.

They declined to smuggle us onto their bus ;p

I don't know of any other cruise line which runs a shuttle to the station.

 

Ships' shuttles are always over-priced, and I'll wager that even NCL passengers would find it cheaper to share a taxi (they hold up to 8 passengers), but although we'd had no trouble sharing a taxi from the ship that morning Hank isn't the only one who's mentioned the difficulty in getting a taxi at the port.

So although ships' shuttles are over-priced you're only looking at a few dollars extra, and that would be the safest option for NCL passengers, subject to checking whether they still operate to the station and what time they start.

 

BTW, I don't understand posts on this thread about passengers on large buses having a long walk to Florence's historic centre. :confused:

They can be dropped right by the centre, same as the rail station. And all the sights, other than Statue of David which overlooks the city, are walkable.

It may be different with Pisa, though certainly local buses run past the Field of Miracles. From Pisa Centrale station it's about a 20 minute walk.

 

JB :)

Edited May 5, 2017 by John Bull

[euro cruiser]

BTW, I don't understand posts on this thread about passengers on large buses having a long walk to Florence's historic centre. :confused:

They can be dropped right by the centre, same as the rail station.

Private buses cannot enter the ZTLs in Florence. While technically they can use the road immediately adjacent to the Santa Maria Novella train station, as can cars, it's not a practical option due to traffic and restrictions against stopping for drop offs and pick ups. Tour buses use the Lungoarno area set aside for them, between Viale della Giovane Italia and Ponte S. Niccolo. From here to Santa Croce is a half mile walk, to the Ponte Vecchio it's three quarters of a mile, or to the Duomo it's a mile. I suspect the loudest complaints are probably from those racing to make a scheduled time at the Accademia to see David, that's a mile and a quarter walk from the bus drop off/pick up area.

 

Eight years ago I had a private bus driver pick up a group just a couple of blocks west of Piazza della Repubblica (because one of the passengers was in a wheelchair), they would not be able to do that today.

[LoveCruisinMoreskies]

If one is making a once only stop in the Pisa / Florence area one has to bite the bullet and make the most of a day long visit. Sure many of the masterpieces in the area are going to be missed but when one only has time for a couple of snapshots one has to be selective. Our programme is going to be tight, will entail missing many historical places and artifacts but when we return home we will be able to ay we saw David, Bottecelli's Birth of Venus and the Leaning Tower in Pisa. Not much more could be expected in a day. Lunch will be on the run or on the train

 

I'm thinking about doing this, if you could let me know how it ends up working out for you that would be great!

[carraizo99]

Did this with my wife and granddaughters last year and it was an adventure to say the least.

Getting to the train station at Livorno was easy since the ship provide a shutlle for a cost.

Stopped at Pisa first(error should have gone to Florence first) and then went to Florence. Everything went great until we had to get back on the train to return,they delayed it for 30 mins. Finally got on the train,wrong track they changed the # of the track. We had to run to a another track and get on a packed train returning to Livorno standing all the way. As you can imagine at the station at Livorno there were over 100 people waiting for a taxi to take them back to the ship,total caos. We walked a little and got a taxi a little further up, with only 20 minutes to spare before the ship left. I would go to Florence first and coming back decide

if there is time for Pisa.