How to travel from Milan to Florence? Let’s analyze the best ways to get from Milan to Florence, two of the most visited cities in Italy
Do you want to know how to get from Milan to Florence? In this post we will explore the best options to travel from Milan to Florence by train and bus in one of the busiest routes in Italy.
Milan to Florence: The route
Milan (Milano) is the wealthiest city in Italy, and Florence (Firenze) is one of the cultural capitals of the country. The distance between Milan and Florence is of 311 km (land travel) and you have plenty of options to cover it.
Milan is the capital of the Lombardy region, while Florence is the capital of Tuscany. If you are traveling to Northern Italy they are both definitely worth visiting, however for different reasons.
While Milan is a great place for shopping, in places like Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Florence is a cultural center and the birthplace of the modern Italian language. If you want to book tours and activities in Italy, check GetYourGuide.
The road and the railways connecting Milan and Forenze are quite excellent. That includes high speed railways, which make the trip between the cities fast and soothing by train.
Regardless if you are taking the car, bus or train, you might want to consider a stay in Bologna, which is just half way between the two cities.
Milan to Florence by train
The most convenient way to travel from Milan to Florence is by train. There are a number of reasons for choosing the train, but the main one is travel time.
You can get from Milan to Florence (or vice versa) in about 1 hour and 40 minutes. There are no connections and that applies to FrecciaRossa and Italo, which are high speed trains. If you want something cheaper, regional trains will also cover you on this route, but the traveling time jumps to 4-5 hours.
FrecciaRossa and Italo trains depart from Milano Centrale Station and arrive in Firenze (Florence) Santa Maria Novella Station.
How to buy train tickets in Italy
You can buy train tickets in Italy both online and offline. However, it is advisable to book in advance to get the lowest possible fares. The best options for buying train tickets between Venice and Verona are:
Trainline – One of the best websites to buy train tickets in Italy and elsewhere in Europe.
Trenitalia.com – The Italian national railway company.
Milan to Florence by Bus
Another option is to get between these two cities is by bus. This is by far the cheapest option but it also has a number of disadvantages.
While the price is very appealing, the journey times are considerably longer than by high speed trains. Traveling by bus from Milan to Florence will take from 3h15 min to 4h40 min, depending from where the bus departs and the time of the day.
Another disadvantage of the bus is that in many cases the bus stations are rather far from the city center in Milan. That is the case if your bus departs from Lampugnano or Sesto San Giovanni.
How to buy bus tickets from Milan to Florence
The best options for buying bus tickets between Venice and Verona are:
GoEuro – As mentioned above, this is a great guide to public transport all over Italy and Europe.
Flixbus – one of the biggest bus companies in Europe.
Flights from Milan to Florence
There are no direct flights between Milan and Florence. That is mostly because of the relatively short distance between both cities and the excellent infrastructure surrounding them.
If you are flying into Italy though, your best option will be flying to Milan first, then go to Verona. Milan is serve by three airports (Malpensa, Linate and Orio al Serio – that one in Bergamo). For that reason the availability of flights is far great in Milan than in Florence.
If you are flying to Italy compare and book flights using Jetradar.
Getting around Italy by car
Renting a car can be a great option to travel around in Italy. One of the advantages of renting a car is that rental car prices in Italy are quite affordable, with prices below most European countries.
While road conditions in this route are pretty good, city traffic in Italy is usually pretty reckless.
If you want to rent a car in Italy check RentalCars.com.
Hotels in Milan
Hotel Milano Navigli – a reasonably priced hotel in the Navigli area, a privileged location in Milan.
Hotel Ritter – an affordable hotel at a prime location, just next to the Parco Sempione.
Hotels in Florence
Hotel Rosso23 – a reasonably priced option in the Santa Maria Novella area, close to the train station.
Four Seasons Hotel Firenze – one of the most luxurious options to stay in Florence.
Other resources for travelling in Italy
If you are traveling to Northern Italy you might want to check some of our other guides to Italy. Check where to stay in Milan and the best places to stay in Florence. You can also read our post on how to travel from Verona to Milan.
Are you already in Italy or traveling to the country soon? Leave your thoughts and questions in the comment box below.