Public transport Tuscany

The Italian rail network is reasonable and train travel between cities is definitely possible. Visit the website www.trenitalia.com to purchase tickets and consult the timetables. The best trains to take, even if a little more costly are Le Frecce, highspeed trains between the major cities. The type of train is indicated by the following symbols:

Eurocity (ETR) and EuroNight (EN) – international connection with Switzerland, Austria, France, Germany.

Frecciarossa, Frecciabianca and Frecciargento (Le Frecce) - fast train between Italy's major cities. These cost extra and seats must be reserved. High speed trains, very comfortable but more expensive.

Intercity (IC) and Intercity Notte (ICN)– train between Italy’s medium and major cities. They connect about 200 train stations (leaving from Roma, Ancona, Reggio Calabria/Sicilia, Lecce, Taranto, Torino, Genova, Milano and Napoli). If you want to travel for a lower cost but slower than Le Frecce, these trains run a few times per day but do long trips and take you to almost any town. Reservation are needed.

Regionale (R) and Regionale Veloce (RV) - travel within and between regions. Slow trains which stop at every station within a region e.g. from Florence to Siena, it stops at all stations in between, even the tiniest towns.

The following expressions are useful to understand what is happening in the station:
treni in arrivo - arrivals
treni in partenza - departures
binario - platform
in orario - on time
in ritardo - delayed

If you are travelling with a Regional Train ticket (without reservation), please make sure you stamp your ticket at one of the machines on the platform before boarding.

In big cities, e.g Rome and Milan, bus, metro and tram tickets are valid for a certain period of time normally 75 minutes, so you can get on and off as many times as you wish within the period indicated on the ticket. The same ticket will allow you to use all public transport within the one city, however only one metro ride is allowed. When in Rome and Milan, you can buy a special 24hour ticket which offers a full day’s travel on buses, metro and trams.

Bus tickets (i biglietti dell’autobus) must be purchased before boarding the bus. Tickets can be purchased at:
il giornalaio or l’edicola - newspaper kiosk
la tabaccheria - tobacconists
il bar - some bars
il capolinea - bus terminals
The types of buses you can catch include l’autobus (an orange city bus) or il pullman (a coach - usually blue - which is used for travel out of the urban area to the near by towns and villages).

At the bus stop (la fermata dell’autobus), board the bus via front door and rear doors, above which is written ‘entrance’ (l’entrata) and descend the bus via the central door, above which is written ‘exit’ (l’uscita).  Make sure that on boarding you stamp your ticket in the machine near the door.

To obtain on-line bus tickets between major cities and regions visit www.busweb.it

C’è un treno per Roma?  - Is there a train to Rome?
Quando parte il treno per Roma?  -  When does the train to Rome leave?
Parte alle dieci. - It leaves at ten o'clock.
Quando arriva a Roma?  - When does it arrive in Rome?
Arriva alle tre. - It arrives at three.
Che tipo di treno è?  - What kind of train is it?
Devo cambiare treno?  - Do you have to change trains?
Quanto costa un biglietto di solo andata per Roma?  - How much is a single ticket to Rome?
Quanto costa un biglietto di andata e ritorno per Roma?  - How much is a return ticket to Rome?
Vorrei un biglietto di solo andata per Roma.  - I'd like a single ticket to Rome.
Vorrei un biglietto di andata e ritorno per Roma.  - I'd like a return ticket to Rome.
Da che binario parte il treno per Roma?  - What platform does the train to Rome leave from?
Buon viaggio!  - Have a good trip!