| Travel distance | 101 miles |
|---|---|
| Fastest time | 02h 34m |
| Daily trains | 12 |
| Ticket from |
For many travelers, an Italy itinerary includes a stay in Florence with a trip to the Cinque Terre - five charming fishing villages on the Ligurian coast that have become immensely popular for their hiking trails.
It can appear that driving would be faster, covering the 101 miles (163 km) from Florence to Riomaggiore in less than two hours, but driving requires you to navigate some winding roads toward the coast. Also, you can’t drive into or park in the Cinque Terre towns themselves. The train may take a little longer, but it eliminates much of the hassle.
Trains from Florence to Cinque Terre-Riomaggiore
There are at least 12 trains departing Firenze Santa Maria Novella station headed for Riomaggiore in Cinque Terre each day, from early morning to late afternoon. All of them require at least one change en route, as there are no direct trains from Florence to Riomaggiore, the southernmost of the five Cinque Terre towns.
Some routes from Florence to Riomaggiore require one change along the way, while others require two changes. The one-transfer itineraries involve a change in La Spezia from one Regionale train to another. The two-transfer itineraries involve you taking a Regionale train to Pisa Centrale, an InterCity train from Pisa to Levanto, and another Regionale train from Levanto to Riomaggiore.
The journey time can be from 2 hours and 39 minutes to 3 hours and 25 minutes, with some of the two-transfer routes taking less time than the one-transfer routes. Tickets cost $19-28.
Note that weekends and holidays typically mean less frequent service and sometimes longer travel times.
Direct Trains from Florence to Cinque Terre-Riomaggiore
There are no direct trains from Florence to Riomaggiore in the Cinque Terre.
Amenities on Trains from Florence to Cinque Terre-Riomaggiore
There are sometimes 1st class and 2nd class cars on Regionale trains, but not always. Because reservations are not required on these trains, you simply find an available seat on a car in the appropriate class for your ticket. There is no food service or cafe car on these trains, and although they are supposed to be air-conditioned it isn’t always functional.
The primary train station in Florence is Santa Maria Novella, a great example of Italian modernism from the 1930s. It's one of Italy's busiest stations, with 160,000 people passing through it every day. The station gets its name from the Santa Maria Novella church across the piazza from the entrance.
The train station in Riomaggiore is near the start of the famous Via dell’Amore, the first part of the hiking trail that connects the five Cinque Terre villages. The base of the street that serves as the center of town is about a 5-10 minutes walk from the station.
