Trains to Firenze Santa Maria Novella

Firenze Santa Maria Novella train station

Located in central Florence, Firenze Santa Maria Novella train station is in the perfect place to allow visitors to connect to the city’s top attractions. The 19 platforms see over 400 trains pass through every day, with more than 59 million passengers using this busy station every year. Thanks to high-speed trains, as well as good regional and national connections, getting to Firenze Santa Maria Novella is simple. From Bologna, the journey to Florence takes 35 minutes, Rome to Florence takes as little as 1h 20min, and Milan to Florence is 1h 40min. Although passengers can walk into the heart of the centre in just a few minutes, there are also buses, trams and taxis available from outside the station. The small Amerigo Vespucci airport lies only 4 km away and is easily accessible via one of the shuttle buses running every 30 minutes and taking around 20 minutes. The city has four stations in total, the others being Firenze Statuto, Firenze Rifredi and Firenze Campo di Marte.

Station details and facilities

Firenze Santa Maria Novella station is open daily from 04:00 to 01:00. Here’s a list of the facilities available at the station, shops and restaurants.

Ticket office: Trenitalia’s ticket office is located on the station’s ground floor and is open daily from 06:00 to 21:00. You can buy tickets for regional, national and international destinations, group travel and season tickets. Italo’s ticket office is right next to Trenitalia’s ticket office and is open daily from 06:55 to 22:35. A large number of ticket machines are also available at the station. ATAF’s (Florence public transport company) ticket office is located on the ground floor at Trenitalia’s ticket counters 8 and 9 and is open from Monday to Saturday from 06:45 to 20:00. Here you can buy tickets for local public transport in Florence.

Luggage storage: the train station’s luggage storage is provided by KiPoint and can be found on the ground floor, on the side of Piazza Adua. It’s open daily from 06:00 to 23:00, while the porter service is available every day from 08:00 to 19:00. Fares are applied to each bag and are calculated per hour.

Car rental: there are no rental counters inside the station but there are several within a few minutes’ walk from Firenze Santa Maria Novella. The Avis / Budget counter is located on Via Borgo Ognissanti 128, a 7-minute walk from the station and is open from Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 18:00, on Saturday from 08:00 to 16:30 and on Sunday from 08:00 to 13:00. The Hertz office is also located in Via Borgo Ognissanti 137 and is open from Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 19:00 and on the weekend, from 08:00 to 13:00. Finally, Locauto car rental is located on Via di Santa Lucia 16, a few minutes’ walk from the station, and is open from Monday to Friday from 08:30 to 19:00, on Saturday from 8:30 to 16:00 and on Sunday from 08:30 to 13:00.

ATMs and banks: Banca Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze is the only available bank at the station. Located on the ground floor on the side of Piazza Adua, the bank counter is open from Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 13:30 and from 14:45 to 16:15. There are also two Euronet ATMs in the basement in the shopping centre next to Feltrinelli bookstore and between Celio and Mango stores.

Bureau de Change: you can exchange foreign currency at the two Forexchange branches, one located in the basement of the shopping centre and the other on the ground floor. The counters are open daily from 07:00 to 21:00.

Post Office: Poste Italiane (Italian post office) is located on the station’s ground floor on the side of Via Alamanni and is open from Monday to Friday from 08:20 to 19:05 and on Saturday from 08:20 to 12:35. The Kipoint service centre is also on the ground floor and offers domestic and international shipping, registered mail, bills and utilities, packaging, mobile phone top-ups and stationery and is open every day from 06:00 to 23:00.

Information centre: Trenitalia’s information centre is in the gallery on the station’s ground floor and is open every day from 07:00 to 21:00. In addition, you can get more information about departure and arrival times and facilities at the information desks on central platforms 9, 10, 11 and 12.

Tourist information: At Firenze Santa Maria Novella train station there’s also a City Sightseeing Visitor Centre where you can ask for information about the main attractions of Florence and buy tickets for the double-decker buses.

Hospitality service and travel agencies: Agenzia365 is the network of travel agencies you can find in the main Italian train stations and is a partner of FrecciaViaggi. It’s located on the shopping centre’s ground floor and is open daily from 08:00 to 21:00.

Security: The Railroad Police Office is located at the platform level and is open at all times.

Passenger lounges: the Freccia Club Lounge is located on the station’s ground floor behind Trenitalia’s ticket office and is open daily from 06:30 to 21:30. Inside the Lounge there’s also a ticket office that is open every day from 06:30 to 21:30. Entry is reserved to CartaFRECCIA Oro and Platino holders who have bought or intend to buy a ticket, Executive and Business tickets holders or 10-journey Carnet holders. CartaFRECCIA Base holders may enter by purchasing a semi-annual or annual season ticket or a 10-entry Carnet. In the lounge you can access free WiFi, newspapers and hot beverages. The Italo Club lounge is located on the station’s ground floor (on the Via degli Alamanni side) and is open every day from 07:15 to 20:30; the lounge offers the following services: ticket purchase, reception desk, arrival and departure boards, smartphone recharge area, WiFi connection and a digital newsstand.

Lost and Found: The lost and found service is managed by the City of Florence. It’s open from Monday to Friday from 08:30 to 16:00. To report a theft or loss of an item, contact the Railroad Police in the first instance.

Parking facilities: You can access the station’s parking lot from Piazza Adua, right outside the station. It has 35 car parking spaces and 80 motorcycle parking spaces and is always open. For more information about fares and facilities, check Firenze Santa Maria Novella parking page.

Travel assistance: Sala Blu (“Blue Room”) is on the platform level near platform 1 and provides information and travel assistance to passengers with reduced mobility. It’s open every day from 06:45 to 21:30. A member of staff will meet passengers at the station entrance and accompany them to the train or take them from one train to another. They’re also there to help carry bags and provide ramps for easy access to trains. Wheelchairs are also available upon request.

WiFi: the "Free WiFi FirenzeSMN" network will give you free access for 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can download the Around Station app and surf the Internet for free for as long as you like.

Shopping: you can find many clothes, accessory and footwear shops such as Alcott, Camomilla, Celio, Desigual and Mango in the basement of the shopping centre. On the ground floor on the Piazza Adua side, there’s a pharmacy that’s always open, as well as a kiosk (06:00 - 21:30). On the right side of the station, along Via Alamanni, you will find a Conad supermarket (08:00 - 20:30) and a flower shop (09:00 - 19:30).

Restaurants and bars: There are many restaurants and bars on the station’s ground floor and in the basement at the shopping centre, including Moka bar, McDonald's, Venchi, Tentazioni café and Rossosapore.

Public transport to and from the station

Firenze Santa Maria Novella train station is right in the centre of Florence meaning you can easily reach the main attractions of Florence such as Ponte Vecchio (“Old Bridge”, symbol of the city), the Duomo (the cathedral) and the Galleria dell’Accademia (Gallery of the Academy of Florence). You can get from the historic centre to other areas of the city by tram (T1 Scandicci - Firenze SMN) or buses operated by ATAF. 

You can also purchase the Firenze Card, which gives you access to 72 museums and unlimited travel on ATAF’s buses and trams. If you need more information about prices and validity, you can read the Firenze Card page.

Taxis to and from the station

Taxis are available in the square in front of the station. If you need to get to the station by taxi, you can call the numbers (+39) 055 4242 or (+39) 055 4390 or send a text or Whatsapp message to (+39) 334 6622550.

How to get to Florence Airport

The BusItalia company provides a bus service called Volainbus that connects the station with Florence Airport in 20 minutes, with departures every 30 minutes. Buses leave from Via Santa Caterina da Siena, just outside the station on the right. Tickets can be purchased at the station or at authorised retailers.

Main attractions near Firenze Santa Maria Novella train station

Arriving in Florence by train is the best way to take in its extraordinary cultural and artistic heritage. Stepping outside Firenze Santa Maria Novella train station, you will find yourself right in the heart of the city. A quick five-minute walk will lead you straight to Basilica di Santa Maria Novella a world-renowned church that’s adjacent to the station. Inside its pearly facade there is a plethora of treasures and monuments, including The Crucifixion by Giotto and the Gondi Chapel.

Novecento is located on the same square, offering a more up-to-date cultural experience, as it houses Italian art from the 20th century. After a couple more minutes on foot, you will stumble upon the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. It’s among the city's oldest churches, dating back to the 11th century.

Towering just behind it is the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, one of the city’s most famous landmarks. This magnificent cathedral has the largest brick dome ever built and has been deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural significance. Visitors might also have a look inside the Battistero di San Giovanni, just outside the cathedral. This is one of the city’s oldest buildings, dating back to 1059, and it has a shimmering gold mosaic ceiling.

If all that culture works up an appetite, you’ll find many restaurants to choose from in the city centre, particularly in the areas of Via del Moro and Via delle Belle Donne. Don’t miss your chance to have the famous bistecca alla fiorentina (Florentine steak) which is best served with a glass of Chianti. If that’s not to your taste then why not try crespelle alla fiorentina? It’s a crêpe stuffed with ricotta cheese, spinach and covered with béchamel sauce!