Livorno has now a good shuttle.

[liverpoollad]

At last Livorno has put on a good shuttle service, Euro5 return to Piazza Grande & if you want the train station, just round the corner get the No 1 bus for Euro1.15. Much better than paying the $15 dollars the cruise line charges.

[diane.in.ny]

Thank you for posting this information

 

Good to know

[Hlitner]

Nearly forty years of extensive travel (and cruising to Livorno) makes me very skeptical. And here is why? What time does that shuttle bus leave each pier? How much time is wasted waiting for the shuttle...and then having to wait and catch a bus to the train station. Personally, if we can get a taxi (for usually about 5 Euros per person) from the pier to the train station...we can usually catch a train that leaves Livorno before 8 and are in Florence by 9:30. If one can do that on the shuttle to a local bus...to the station then we are fans. But otherwise, one may find themselves losing up to 2 hours messing with this shuttle/local bus/train option as opposed to a taxi directly to the station.

 

That being said, if one is simply taking a train to Pisa or Lucca then that shuttle option might be fine. If gong to Cinque Terre (La Spezia for starters) the shuttle idea is probably close to worthless (we prefer a rental car or excursion if going to Riomaggiore). Livorno is a somewhat complex situation enhanced by a local port authority that could give a hoot about cruisers. Folks need to act accordingly.

 

Hank

Edited January 30, 2016 by Hlitner

[Keith1010]

Thanks for sharing.

Keith

[les37b]

I presume the ships dock a fair distance from the exit of the port? What reason is there that you cant walk in or out? Why can taxis drive in and out and you cant walk?

 

Not expecting an answer (other than "thems the rules") but curious if anyone knows the specifics?

 

Is it actually very far from the train station?

 

This info is very concerning if you are getting off a ship carrying 4000 and above passengers. I can imagine once the last person leaves the gates in their taxi, its almost time to return! I expect its potentially difficult getting back in too?

 

Are any of these ports have similar issues for exiting too? Civitavecchia, Napoli and Messina?

Edited February 6, 2016 by les37b

[euro cruiser]

Livorno is a huge industrial port with multiple entrances and exits and no true cruise port. Cruise ships berth in a variety of locations throughout the port, so depending on where you are/which exit you are closest to, the distance to the train station is slightly more or less than two miles.

 

Pedestrians are not allowed to walk around in the port because of the trucks and equipment needed to move cargo. It's a safety issue you don't face at Civitavecchia or Napoli because they have specific areas for cruise ships away from the industrial sections (however, on particularly busy days at Naples cruise ships are sometimes berthed in the industrial part of the port).

 

Most people take the ship's shuttle or are on ship's excursions or have private pick ups already arranged so you really don't have thousands looking to get taxis at the same time. Hundreds yes, but not thousands.

Edited February 6, 2016 by euro cruiser

[KirkNC]

That's great, to me the biggest problem has always been getting back to the ship. I "assume" it will run both directions.

[John Bull]

I presume the ships dock a fair distance from the exit of the port? What reason is there that you cant walk in or out? Why can taxis drive in and out and you cant walk?

 

Not expecting an answer (other than "thems the rules") but curious if anyone knows the specifics?

 

Is it actually very far from the train station?

 

This info is very concerning if you are getting off a ship carrying 4000 and above passengers. I can imagine once the last person leaves the gates in their taxi, its almost time to return! I expect its potentially difficult getting back in too?

 

Are any of these ports have similar issues for exiting too? Civitavecchia, Napoli and Messina?

 

As Euro cruiser's post, no walking in/out of Livorno port is a safety/security thing, except for very small cruise ships which may be berthed in a different part of the port & handy to a gate.

There's been confusion on this forum about whether taxis are allowed to ply for hire at the pier. No problem for us a few years back, though there's often been a shortage of taxis - perhaps they've now been banned or more likely someone found no taxis & assumed they were banned. Certainly no problem returning to the ship by taxi.

The station is too far to walk.

But your fears about being delayed to the point where it's not worth getting off are waaaaay off-beam. :)

 

No ban that I know of for walking in/out at Civi, but there's a free port shuttle and some berths are a very long walk. Same at Barcelona except that the shuttle is payable.

 

No ban either at Naples.

We've berthed in the overflow berths near the car ferries with no such restriction. They're actually closer for those who want to walk to the rail station. Or there's a free shuttle from the overflow berths to the cruise terminal / fast-ferries for Sorrento & Capri - but for Princess the shuttle had a late start, so we walked from our berth in order to get an early fast-ferry - about a 15 to 20 minute walk.

 

All just what we've experienced

 

JB :)

Edited February 6, 2016 by John Bull

[syesmar]

While the taxi option is preferred, last time we were in Livorno there were none to be found! On our first visit, getting a taxi was easy. Worked like a charm, no problems at all. But in the summer of 2014, we saw none! Others had similar experiences, told here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2175286

[les37b]

While the taxi option is preferred, last time we were in Livorno there were none to be found! On our first visit, getting a taxi was easy. Worked like a charm, no problems at all. But in the summer of 2014, we saw none! Others had similar experiences, told here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2175286

 

Thanks very much for that. Some very useful information. I cant believe some of the patronising comments posted in that thread.

 

From the post below, ive gained the most info, so certainly worthwhile reposting for the useful links. My first trip, the Silver Wind berths near the exit which can be wakked (though Silversea will provide a free shuttle for sure). The second in August, the Carnival Vista will be in the no walk zone. I resent paying the $12 per person (so $60 to travel a mile) so pleased ive asked and found the info. Sounds a nightmare, but hey ho.

 

Anyway, heres the post

 

To (hopefully) clear some confusion.

 

The majority of berths at Livorno (42 to 47) require a bus to take you out of the port, because the berths are in the industrial area. There are some berths near the ferry terminal that are used by smaller cruise ships where you can simply walk out (61-62). You can see on the timetable which berth your ship is allocated - http://www.portolivorno2000.it/en/cruises/timetable and a map of the berths here - http://www.portolivorno2000.it/en/port

 

For most of the cruise ships that require a bus to get out of the port, the bus drops you outside the tourist office here - https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=43.550689,10.308983&num=1&t=h&z=20 and it would be a 2.4 km walk (30 minutes) to the train station. There are buses that run to the station from there (Bus 1) that takes about 10 minutes, and runs about every 15 minutes. You need to buy a ticket before you get on the bus from one of the news stands/tobacconists, and then validate it on the bus.

 

There is an hourly train from Livorno to Florence (08:12, 09:12. 10:12, etc plus an 08:52) that costs €9.20 each way (there is a very occasional faster and more expensive service). You must validate your ticket in one of the yellow boxes on the station before you get on the train. The train take about 90 minutes. You can see the times here http://www.trenitalia.com/ (put in Livorno Centrale to Firenze S. M. Novella)

 

More information here - http://www.livornonow.com/travelling_to_florence_by_train_from_livorno which also mentions a direct bus service to Florence - http://livornonow.com/direct_bus_service_from_livorno_to_pisa_and_florence

[les37b]

As Euro cruiser's post, no walking in/out of Livorno port is a safety/security thing, except for very small cruise ships which may be berthed in a different part of the port & handy to a gate.

There's been confusion on this forum about whether taxis are allowed to ply for hire at the pier. No problem for us a few years back, though there's often been a shortage of taxis - perhaps they've now been banned or more likely someone found no taxis & assumed they were banned. Certainly no problem returning to the ship by taxi.

The station is too far to walk.

But your fears about being delayed to the point where it's not worth getting off are waaaaay off-beam. :)

 

No ban that I know of for walking in/out at Civi, but there's a free port shuttle and some berths are a very long walk. Same at Barcelona except that the shuttle is payable.

 

No ban either at Naples.

We've berthed in the overflow berths near the car ferries with no such restriction. They're actually closer for those who want to walk to the rail station. Or there's a free shuttle from the overflow berths to the cruise terminal / fast-ferries for Sorrento & Capri - but for Princess the shuttle had a late start, so we walked from our berth in order to get an early fast-ferry - about a 15 to 20 minute walk.

 

All just what we've experienced

 

JB :)

 

Thanks John. As mentioned above, my first is in berth 64 so would be fine to walk out... but will take the ships free courtesy bus. The second was in berth 47 so will be "hit" by these regulations. I resent that charge big time. Its a profit making exercise by the port... though who knows if the cruise lines have their snouts in that trough too! $60 to travel a mile and be left needing transport is actually disgraceful in my opinion. Im none too keen on the $50 taxi return to the train station either, so im now considering a private tour from the port instead. It might cost more overall, but it wont leave a bitter taste in my mouth that ive just had a gun put to my head! Dramatic choice of words I know, but I cant see how they can justify, that expense. On my second trip, there will be 4000 pax. If say only half take that bus, it doesnt take a mathematician to work out how lucrative this little ruse to run back and forth for a couple of hours. A nice little earner! lol

Edited February 7, 2016 by les37b