Getting from Milan to Florence (and Vice Versa)

As much as I might really like the city of Milan, I know it’s not to everyone’s taste, especially if you’re in Italy for a relatively short vacation and you’re more interested in Medieval Tuscan villages or Colosseum-sized Roman ruins.
But if you’re finding a better selection of discount tickets to Milan than you are on cheap flights to Rome, you might be better off flying into Milan and then making your way immediately to one of the cities on your itinerary.
One of the cities that’s often on an Italy itinerary is Florence, and it’s actually fairly easy to reach from Milan, so it’s not a bad starting point for a trip to Italy if you fly into Milan.
And if you’re not flying out of a different city, you can stay in Milan for a day at the tail end of your trip if you like, to see the highlights without spending too much time there.
Here are your options for getting from Milan to Florence.

Taking the Train from Milan to Florence

Even before the newer high-speed trains in Italy connected the cities of Milan and Florence, I still said the best way to get from one to the other was by taking the train. Now, on a Frecciarossa high-speed train, the trip is that much faster, and more highly recommended.
Two companies run high-speed trains on this route: Trenitalia, with its Frecciarossa, and the private operator Italo. Italo’s fastest trains make the trip in 1 hour 43 minutes and Trenitalia’s Frecciarossas in about 1 hour 54 minutes, and between the two companies there are several departures an hour from Milano Centrale for most of the day. Most stop in Bologna along the way before arriving at Florence’s Santa Maria Novella station, a short walk from the Duomo.
Fares work like airfares. Italo advertises seats from about €18 in 2026 (see Italo and Trenitalia). To give you a real-world picture: for a Tuesday in early October, searched in mid-September 2026, most Frecciarossa fares were between €37 and €61, and the price climbs as the date gets closer. Buy a couple of weeks out and compare both companies, because on any given hour one of them is usually cheaper. Every ticket is for a specific train with a reserved seat. Even if you have an Italy rail pass you’ll need to buy a seat reservation as well, and passes aren’t valid on Italo.
There are slower options, too: regional and Intercity trains with a change or two take five and a half hours or more for a saving of only a few euros (about €26 to €30 on the same October day). That only makes sense for rail pass holders who want to avoid reservation fees, or for people who want to stop in Bologna, Parma or Piacenza along the way.
Which would I take? The first Frecciarossa or Italo of the day after you land, booked as soon as you know your flight times, with enough slack for a delayed arrival at Malpensa.
>> Learn more about taking the train from Milan to Florence

Driving from Milan to Florence

There are, I’m beginning to begrudgingly accept, more and more places in Italy where having a car at your disposal is really advantageous for truly getting off the tourist path and exploring places many people miss. But when it comes to connecting big cities like Milan and Florence, you’re going to have to produce a very good reason for driving between them before I’ll admit it’s a better option than taking the train.
According to my favorite driving planning site for Europe, Via Michelin, the drive from Milan to Florence is more than 315km and, with no traffic issues, will take you about 3 hours 20 minutes. The recommended route essentially takes you along the same path the Frecciarossa train travels, from Milan southeast to Bologna, and then a turn almost due south to Florence.
If you’ve got plans to drive all over Tuscany, I can understand wanting a car from the start of your trip. And I’d still suggest that you at least look into taking the train to Florence and then renting a car somewhere outside of Florence when you’re ready to hit the back-roads of Chianti. Driving in Italy isn’t complicated by definition, but when you’re talking about driving in congested cities like Milan, or cities that have historic centers that are inhospitable to cars like Florence, it can make driving (not to mention parking) an exercise in frustration.

Taking the Bus from Milan to Florence

I’m a big fan of public transportation. I love the Milan Metro, and have used the buses in Florence to get up to Piazzale Michelangelo. Regional buses in Italy stay inside their own regions, but Milan and Florence are linked by the national coach networks, FlixBus and Itabus. FlixBus listed about 21 trips a day in September 2026, taking from 3 hours, with fares starting around $14 on its site. That’s a little over an hour longer than the fast train, so the bus is worth it if you’re booking late and the train fares have jumped. Check the stops before you book: in Milan most coaches use Lampugnano bus station (on metro line M1), and in Florence they often stop at Villa Costanza, a motorway coach park at the end of the T1 tram line, rather than next to the main station. More on how the coach companies work in my guide to long-distance buses in Italy.

Flying from Milan to Florence

If your itinerary calls for you to leave Milan for Florence immediately upon arriving at whatever Milan airport you fly into, then it might seem to make sense to look into flying from Milan to Florence. Florence has an airport, which is about 15 minutes away from the city, and Pisa’s airport is another popular way into Tuscany. But don’t count on a flight between Milan and either one: with the train taking under two hours from Milan Centrale, it’s a logical-sounding theory that doesn’t pan out when you look into it. (Alitalia, which used to fly these domestic routes, stopped flying in 2021; ITA Airways replaced it.)

And now that you’re in Florence…

Almost everyone I’ve ever talked to who came back from a visit to Florence has said, “Oh, I could have spent weeks there and not seen everything.” You may have weeks planned for your stay in Florence, but even if you don’t you can see the highlights of the city in a well-planned few days. And then, like all those other people, you’ll just have to plot your next trip to this beautiful city.
Here are some links to help you plan your trip to Florence:

• Here’s my overall Florence travel guide, from which you’ll find links to many other Florence articles I’ve written.
• Chances are good you’ll know precisely what to do in Florence, but if you need help here’s my list of things to do in Florence, my suggestions for the top 10 things to do in Florence, and a list of free things to do in Florence to help you stretch your budget.
• There are several great hostels in Florence (I visited and reviewed many of them), including some hostels near the Duomo.
• If hotels are more your style, there are also plenty of hotels in Florence near the Duomo, as well as Florence hotels with a view of the river, just like in the movie!
• Here are some things you should know about Florence before you go.
• If you’re staying in Florence for awhile and want a brief change of scenery, here are some options for day trips from Florence.

photos, top to bottom, by: ccblaisdell, sammydavisdog, House Of Sims, fairbrand, anne.oeldorfhirsch, bongo vongo