Head directly to the heart of the Renaissance after you land in Italy. Learn about taking the train from Rome Fiumicino Airport to Florence.
The largest and busiest airport in Italy, particularly in terms of international traffic, is Rome’s Fiumicino Airport (FCO). The airport is actually 22 miles (35 km) from Rome’s city center, but because it’s such a busy airport it has its own train station.
The FCO station connects frequently with central Rome with a few options, and from Rome, you can get anywhere else in Italy, including Florence. The Rome-to-Florence route is popular, and likely the first train ride you will take from the moment you land in Italy.
Frequent Trains from Rome Fiumicino Airport to Florence
Upon arrival at Fiumicino, you can choose either the Leonardo Express, a Regionale FL1 train, or a high-speed Alta Velocità (AV) train. The AV train is ideal if you’re not planning to spend any time in Rome and want to get straight on to Florence from the airport.
The AV trains are Frecciargento, the mid-range of the AV line, which leaves from FCO twice per day, at 11:08 a.m. and 3:08 p.m. They do stop along the way in Rome, but you don’t need to change trains. This trip takes 2 hours and 24 minutes, and ticket prices range from $28-34.
There are many more trains that will get you from FCO to Florence each day, but these require a train change in Rome. The Leonardo Express offers non-stop service all the way to Roma Termini station. This trip takes 32 minutes, and the trains leave the airport every 15-30 minutes throughout the day. The FL1 trains connect the airport with other stations in Rome, including Tiburtina and Ostiense. These are commuter trains, therefore they make more stops en route, but the trip is still just over 30 minutes. The first trains bound for Rome from FCO leave the airport at 5:57 a.m., the last at 7:57 p.m. Ticket prices from FCO-Rome range from $17-21.
Once in Rome, you can take a direct Trenitalia AV train from Roma Termini to Firenze Santa Maria Novella (abbreviated to SM Novella). This 143.5 mile (231 km) distance is covered in as little as 1.5 hours. Some of the AV trains also depart from Roma Tiburtina, which cuts ten minutes off the journey time. There are 68 trains on this route from Termini alone per day. The first train leaves Termini for Florence at 6:20 a.m., the last at 8:50 p.m., and ticket prices range from $20-50 on this route.
Italo trains leave from Roma Ostiense for SM Novella. This trip takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes, and there are seven departures per day.
Note that weekends and holidays typically mean less frequent service and sometimes longer travel times.
Direct Trains from Rome Fiumicino Airport to Florence
As mentioned, there are only two direct trains from Rome’s Fiumicino Airport to Florence each day, and those are Frecciargento trains. These leave the airport at 11:08 a.m. and 3:08 p.m. All other trains will require a change en route at one of the train stations in Rome.
Train amenities
The typical train for this route are all equipped with air-conditioning and power outlets in your seat for your convenience. There are both 1st-class and 2nd-class cars. First class passengers get a free drink and a choice of newspaper. A cafe car is available to all passengers.
Rome Fiumicino Airport, Rome, and Florence Train Stations
The airport’s train station is called Fiumicino Aeroporto which is located inside the Fiumicino Airport. The station is opposite of Terminal 1, and if you did not land at Terminal 1, there is a free shuttle connecting all the terminals. There is another station named Fiumicino in a nearby town, so make sure not to get the stations confused!
Rome's Termini is the city's largest station, and also a major transportation hub within Rome. Many bus lines stop right outside the station, and there is a Metro station inside Termini.
Roma Tiburtina and Roma Ostiense are also connected to the city's Metro system, and are both served by a number of city buses.
Florence's Santa Maria Novella, is the city’s main train station. It is close to the historic center, and is a major hub for city and regional buses, making it easy to get to and from the station if you're traveling light.