Pisa & Florence from Livorno by train?

[sunsearcher59]

Hi we are hoping to go to both Pisa & Florence from Livorno by train in August. Can anyone tell me is this realistic?:confused:

 

I think I read a while ago that both are on the same line and you can buy a return ticket to Florence, stop at Pisa see the Tower re-board the next train to Florence all on the same ticket can anyone with better knowledge or memory confirm this for us?:)

[sunsetbeachgal]

Best to post this question on the Europe boards...good luck!

[Dorset Cruiser]

Easy to do. You do need to get off ship as early as you can and get a taxi to the train station. If you get the shuttle bus, it drops you in the centre of Livorno and you will have to get a very crowded number 1 bus back to the station. If you get an early taxi, you will beat the crowds. Best to look on the Europe boards for further detail.

[JimmyVWine]

I think I read a while ago that both are on the same line and you can buy a return ticket to Florence, stop at Pisa see the Tower re-board the next train to Florence all on the same ticket ...

 

IMO, the better option would be to go directly to Florence, and hit Pisa on the way back. That way, if you find yourself running out of time, you can skip Pisa without compromising your visit to Florence. Also, the lines for the things that you will want to see in Florence, (like the Academia where David resides) will be longer as the day goes on. Best to go straight there. There are no lines in Pisa, so crowds are irrelevant. You get off the train, walk 10 minutes to the Plazza to see the Tower, Duomo and Baptistry, and then head back to the train station. This can easily be done later in the afternoon, whereas if you wait to arrive in Florence around 11:00* or later, you will be way behind the curve, touring-wise. (*Not completely sure what time you would arrive in Florence if you headed straight there, versus going to Pisa first, as I haven't gone from a cruise ship. My train experiences between the Florence and Pisa were from a land-based vacation.)

[paul929207]

IMO, the better option would be to go directly to Florence, and hit Pisa on the way back. That way, if you find yourself running out of time, you can skip Pisa without compromising your visit to Florence. Also, the lines for the things that you will want to see in Florence, (like the Academia where David resides) will be longer as the day goes on. Best to go straight there. There are no lines in Pisa, so crowds are irrelevant. You get off the train, walk 10 minutes to the Plazza to see the Tower, Duomo and Baptistry, and then head back to the train station. This can easily be done later in the afternoon, whereas if you wait to arrive in Florence around 11:00* or later, you will be way behind the curve, touring-wise. (*Not completely sure what time you would arrive in Florence if you headed straight there, versus going to Pisa first, as I haven't gone from a cruise ship. My train experiences between the Florence and Pisa were from a land-based vacation.)

I agree. To me Florence is a wonderful site, while Pisa is OK.

[Dorset Cruiser]

I agree as well. Florence needs most time whereas Pisa was a bit of a let down for me, much too commercialised.

 

See if you can find the statue of the boar in Florence and give his snout a rub for luck:D

[Keith1010]

IMO, the better option would be to go directly to Florence, and hit Pisa on the way back. That way, if you find yourself running out of time, you can skip Pisa without compromising your visit to Florence. Also, the lines for the things that you will want to see in Florence, (like the Academia where David resides) will be longer as the day goes on. Best to go straight there. There are no lines in Pisa, so crowds are irrelevant. You get off the train, walk 10 minutes to the Plazza to see the Tower, Duomo and Baptistry, and then head back to the train station. This can easily be done later in the afternoon, whereas if you wait to arrive in Florence around 11:00* or later, you will be way behind the curve, touring-wise. (*Not completely sure what time you would arrive in Florence if you headed straight there, versus going to Pisa first, as I haven't gone from a cruise ship. My train experiences between the Florence and Pisa were from a land-based vacation.)

 

Excellent advice.

 

Keith

[srpilo]

I can't stress this enough, the afternoon traffic to return to the port of Livorno is VERY unpredictable and it's not unusual to have a hour or more traffic jamb just to re-enter the port area in the afternoons..

 

 

Anyone returning by taxi or rental car needs to take this into consideration when timing their return to the ship.

Srpilo

[estebofarr]

The trains also go on strike frequently.

[moorerf]

Agree with last post...italian trains are notorious for striking at the drop of a hat or running late due to a slowdown or unplanned strike..keep all this in mind when planning your day...also in summer lines are LONG at sites in Florence and in some cases you need reservations just to get in without hours of waiting. this will take some careful planning and finger crossing to make it all happen and not miss the ship good luck

[cathi]

In October we did this same trip but instead stressing over trains and traffic, we booked a private operator to take us. They even bought the tickets for Accademia for us in advance so we would not have to wait in line. We booked so last minute that he couldn't get us tickets for the Uffii Gallery -they were sold out a month before!! There are lots of companies who will do this. Just do a search on the net! Oh and we not only had a fabulous day in Florence -even got to climb up in the Duomo- but also had time in Pisa on the way back.

[euro cruiser]

Agree with last post...italian trains are notorious for striking at the drop of a hat or running late due to a slowdown or unplanned strike..keep all this in mind when planning your day...

And here we go again, another unsubstantiated "knowing" slam. Notorious among whom?

 

Here are the facts, for those who choose to deal with them vs. rumor, innuendo, and "friend of a friend" accounts. It is exceedingly rare for there to be a strike that is not planned and announced well in advance. This information is readily available from two different Italian government web sites (I have posted links to them numerous times, I'm not at my computer at the moment and am unable to do it again right now).

 

Even if you have personal experience with a strike (as I have), just because it happened when you were there does not mean it happens all the time, or even "at the drop of a hat". I know it's tempting to project our own experience and assume that what happens to us is what always happens, but it's just not true.

 

And why do some of us find it so easy to be cynical and derisive about the people and places we travel to see?

[euro cruiser]

The trains also go on strike frequently.

See my previous post, this is just not true.

 

Perhaps it would help if you could quantify "frequently". If it happens 10% of the time, is that frequent? Is 5% frequent? The actual number is less than that, but why bother with facts?

[we12brich]

And here we go again, another unsubstantiated "knowing" slam. Notorious among whom?

 

Here are the facts, for those who choose to deal with them vs. rumor, innuendo, and "friend of a friend" accounts. It is exceedingly rare for there to be a strike that is not planned and announced well in advance. This information is readily available from two different Italian government web sites (I have posted links to them numerous times, I'm not at my computer at the moment and am unable to do it again right now).

 

Even if you have personal experience with a strike (as I have), just because it happened when you were there does not mean it happens all the time, or even "at the drop of a hat". I know it's tempting to project our own experience and assume that what happens to us is what always happens, but it's just not true.

 

And why do some of us find it so easy to be cynical and derisive about the people and places we travel to see?

 

Here are the websites for planned strikes in Italy (you can use google chrome which automatically translates them from Italian to English)

 

Strikes are planned in advance and are posted on these official sites: http://www.commissionegaranziasciopero.it/ and http://www.mit.gov.it/mit/site.php?p=scioperi

[estebofarr]

I agree, the strikes are announced in advance. My comment was only to point out if the op doesn't hire a private tour for the port date, they need to check about the strikes.

[srpilo]

And here we go again, another unsubstantiated "knowing" slam. Notorious among whom?

 

Here are the facts, for those who choose to deal with them vs. rumor, innuendo, and "friend of a friend" accounts. It is exceedingly rare for there to be a strike that is not planned and announced well in advance. This information is readily available from two different Italian government web sites (I have posted links to them numerous times, I'm not at my computer at the moment and am unable to do it again right now).

 

Even if you have personal experience with a strike (as I have), just because it happened when you were there does not mean it happens all the time, or even "at the drop of a hat". I know it's tempting to project our own experience and assume that what happens to us is what always happens, but it's just not true.

 

And why do some of us find it so easy to be cynical and derisive about the people and places we travel to see?

 

Well put IMO

 

 

 

Srpilo