Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
this tunnel, especially the surface point near the church.) You come out on the other side of
the square; head down Via dei Panzani, which leads directly to the Duomo.
By Bus
The bus station is next to the train station, with the TI across the square. Exit the station
through the main door, and turn left along the busy street toward the brick dome. The train
station is on your left, while downtown Florence is straight ahead and a bit to the right. For
more information on buses, see here .
By Car
The autostrada has several exits for Florence. Get off at the Nord , Sud, or Certosa exits and
follow signs toward—but not into—the Centro .
Don't even attempt driving into the city center. Florence has a traffic-reduction system
that's complicated and confusing even to locals. Every car passing into the Zona Traffico
Limitato (ZTL) is photographed; those who haven't jumped through bureaucratic hoops to
get a permit can expect to receive a €100 ticket in the mail. If you get lost and cross the line
several times...you get several fines. The no-go zone (defined basically by the old medieval
wall,nowaboulevardcirclingthehistoriccenteroftown—watchfor ZonaTrafficoLimitato
signs) is roughly the area between the river, main train station, Piazza della Libertà, Piazza
Donatello, and Piazza Beccaria.
Parking: The city center is ringed with big, efficient parking lots (signposted with
the standard big P ), each with taxi and bus service into the center. Check
www.firenzeparcheggi.it for details on parking lots, availability, and prices. From the free-
way, follow the signs to Centro, then Stadio, then P . I usually head for “Parcheggio del Par-
terre,” just beyond Piazza della Libertà (€2/hour, €20/day, €65/week, open 24 hours daily,
tel. 055-500-1994, 600 spots, automated, pay with cash or credit card, never fills up com-
pletely).Togetintotown,findthetaxistandattheelevatorexit,orrideoneoftheminibuses
that connect all of the major parking lots with the city center (see www.ataf.net for routes).
You can park for free along any suburban curb near a bus stop that feels safe and take
thebusintothecitycenterfromthere.Checkforsignsthatindicateparkingrestrictions—for
example,acirclewithaslashthroughitand“ disparigiovedi, 0,00-06,00”means“don'tpark
on Thursdays between midnight and six in the morning.”
Free parking is easy up at Piazzale Michelangelo (see here ) , but don't park where the
buses drop off passengers; park on the side of the piazza farthest from the view. To get from
Piazzale Michelangelo to the center of town, take bus #12 or #13.
CarRental: Ifyou'repickinguparentalcarupondeparture,don'tstrugglewithdriving
into the center. Taxi with your luggage to the car-rental office, and head out from there.
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