How to Get Around Florence: Taxis, Apps, Airport Transfers & the ZTL (No-Entry Zones)

By Ana Ka · Ana's Secret Guide to Italy

Published July 29, 2026

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Florence is one of the most walkable cities in Italy — most visitors barely need a taxi inside the historic centre. But navigating arrival at Peretola airport, getting luggage to a hotel outside the main zones, or renting a car to reach Tuscany are different stories. This guide covers exactly what to use, when to use it, what it costs, and the one driving restriction that catches more visitors than anything else.

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Best taxi apps in Florence: ItTaxi & AppTaxi

 

ItTaxi and AppTaxi are both reliable for getting a taxi in Florence, and both connect you to the city's official, licensed taxi companies rather than to private individual drivers — a distinction that matters, because you're dealing with regulated, accountable services. They work simply: request through the app, watch your driver approach on the map, and pay by cash or card when you arrive.

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Occasionally there'll be no drivers available, especially in peak season or late at night. If that happens, don't panic — just call one of the official taxi companies directly on the numbers below, and their English-speaking dispatch staff will send a car. And whichever way you travel, carry some cash: card payment should always work, but now and then a driver's machine doesn't, and euros in your pocket mean you're never stuck.

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→ Download ItTaxi · Download AppTaxi

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Calling a taxi directly, or hailing one at a stand

 

Florence's two official taxi companies, both with English-speaking dispatch:​​

Taxi 4242 — www.4242.it · +39 055 4242

Taxi 4390 — www.4390.it · +39 055 4390

 

Phone bookings get you a car code number so you can identify your taxi when it arrives, plus a small call-out fee on top of the meter.

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The app or a phone booking is usually the easier route — hunting for a taxi stand can eat time you don't have. But if you'd rather hail one the old-fashioned way, all the main and secondary taxi stands in Florence are mapped on the Florence Essentials Google Map. Stands shift location and availability by season, so the map stays more reliable than any static list.

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What about Uber?

 

Uber operates in Florence, but as Uber Black only — a chauffeured luxury sedan service, generally somewhere in the region of €50–90 to the airport, though it varies with demand and time of day. Standard UberX or Pool aren't available, due to Italy's strict local regulations limiting ride-sharing in cities. Given the price gap versus ItTaxi or a metered taxi, it's rarely worth it for getting around Florence.

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Florence Airport: getting to the centre

 

By taxi — a fixed rate, not the meter. Amerigo Vespucci Airport (FLR) to the historic centre runs a fixed rate: ​

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• €28 standard daytime

• €30 public holidays

• €32 nights (10pm–6am)

• Plus a small per-bag luggage supplement

 

This applies whether you flag a taxi at the rank or book through ItTaxi. In low season the airport is small and waits are short, but in summer or peak times (April–October, holidays), queues can build and you might wait 15–20 minutes for a car.

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By private transfer — Welcome Pickups. If you'd rather not think about queuing or navigating payment, Welcome Pickups is the option I point people toward — a private, pre-booked transfer where the driver tracks your flight, holds a sign with your name, and helps with bags from the moment you land. It costs noticeably more than a standard taxi, so for a solo traveler or couple happy managing their own luggage, I'd still say ItTaxi or a rank taxi does the job for less. It's worth the extra cost if you're landing in high season, traveling with lots of luggage, landing after a long flight and don't want to think about logistics, or heading straight out of Florence into Tuscany rather than stopping in the city first.

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By tram — the cheapest option. Florence has a tram line running directly between the Peretola airport and Santa Maria Novella train station downtown. A ticket costs €1.70 and is valid for 90-minutes. See our complete tram guide for schedules, routes, and luggage tips. It's the most budget-friendly option if your hotel is walkable from Santa Maria Novella train station or you don't mind a short taxi hop from the station.

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Driving in Florence? The ZTL rule that catches everyone

 

Avoid having a car in Florence — the city is walkable, parking is expensive and complicated, and the traffic stress isn't worth it. The one exception is if you're staying outside the historical centre... up in the hills of Fiesole, for example. But even there a car isn't necessary, as most hotels run a shuttle into town, and public transport is easy enough.

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But if you are driving in or through Florence, the ZTL (Limited Traffic Zone) is the single most important thing to understand, because it catches more visitors than anything else on Italian roads. Zona a traffico limitato is a camera-enforced restricted zone covering almost the whole historic centre, and Florence runs one of the strictest in Italy. A camera reads your plate at every entrance, there's no grace period for tourists, and the fine is automatic. It's active Monday to Friday 7:30am–8pm and Saturday until 4pm, generally suspended on Sundays and public holidays. On top of that, through the summer there's a separate late-night ZTL, roughly 11pm–3am from Thursday to Saturday, so a car that's fine to move at midnight in winter can trigger a fine at the same hour in July. Cross the line unauthorised and the bill — €80 to €335 per entry, plus your rental company's admin fee on top — lands by post months later, often after you're already home. Enter twice and you'll get two fines.

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Every ZTL gate has an electronic sign, and its colour tells you the exact state of the zone at that moment. Green means the restriction is off for that period, so the camera won't treat ordinary traffic as an illegal entry — you can pass without a fine, even if you're not registered or exempt. This is the state you want to see. Red means the restriction is on and the gate is enforcing. Drive through on red without authorisation and the camera reads your plate and generates a fine automatically, with no warning and no second chance.

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So, in practice: do not drive into the centre. If your hotel is inside the zone, give them your plate number before you arrive and have them register it on the lista bianca (white list) — they can authorise your entry, but only in advance. Paid parking garages inside the ZTL will do the same; when you enter, your plate is automatically registered, granting legal access for that entry. Always confirm they've actually added you to the white list, keep all your receipts, and if a fine does arrive, you'll have proof to dispute it — registration on the white list virtually eliminates this problem.

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And if you realise you've gone in by accident — this is the part worth knowing, because panic makes it worse. Don't keep circling trying to find your way out; every camera you pass is potentially another fine. Instead, drive straight into the nearest parking garage inside the ZTL and park. Ask them whether they can register your plate — some authorised garages can, and where they do it may help clear or contest that entry, though it isn't guaranteed, since the camera has already photographed your plate. Keep every receipt: if a fine does arrive later, that proof is what you'll use to appeal. And before you leave the garage, ask them for a route out of the city that doesn't cross another ZTL camera on the way.​

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Should you rent a car in Florence? What our 100K community discovered

 

​​If there's one thing every member who's spent real time in Florence agrees on, it's this... you do not need a car here. The people who know the city don't rent one, and locals who live nearby don't own one either. Inside the centre a car stops being freedom and turns into a nuisance: nowhere sensible to park, ZTL cameras waiting to fine you, and traffic that swallows the very hours you came to spend wandering on foot. Don't take only our word for it... here's what one member from Melbourne told us after trying it for themselves: "Just arrived in Florence expecting to rent a car for the week. After day one, we returned it. The city is so walkable, and parking was such a nightmare, we realized we didn't need it at all."​​​

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Quick Answers

 

Do I need a car in Florence? No. The city is genuinely walkable, parking is expensive and complicated, and the traffic stress isn't worth it. Use taxis or the app ItTaxi to get around.

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What's the best way to get from Florence Airport to my hotel? It depends on where your hotel is and how much luggage you have. If you're near Santa Maria Novella station, the T2 tram is cheapest (see our tram guide). For luggage, a fixed-rate taxi (€28 daytime) or ItTaxi app is straightforward. If you want someone waiting with your name on a sign, no logistics to manage, or you're heading straight into Tuscany, Welcome Pickups costs more but eliminates all the decisions.

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Which taxi app should I use in Florence? ItTaxi, hands down. It connects you to licensed official taxi companies rather than private drivers, which matters in an unfamiliar city. AppTaxi is a solid local backup if ItTaxi is busy. Both work like Uber — request, watch the map, pay by card or cash.

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That said, don't rely on the app alone in high season. As one member from Toronto put it: "Why does ItTaxi sometimes show no drivers available, especially in summer? I booked in advance and still couldn't get one during peak tourist season." In peak months demand outstrips the number of licensed cabs, so have a backup: know your nearest taxi rank, or ask your hotel or restaurant to call one for you — a phone call to the dispatch line often turns up a car the app says isn't there.

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Is Uber available in Florence? Yes, but only Uber Black — a chauffeured luxury sedan, generally in the region of €50–90 to the airport and variable with demand. Standard UberX or Pool aren't available, due to Italy's strict local taxi regulations. Given the price gap versus ItTaxi or a metered taxi, most people skip it.

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How much does a typical taxi ride cost in Florence? Inside the centre, expect €8–15. Airport to the centre is a fixed €28 (daytime), €30 (holidays), or €32 (nights). Always confirm the meter is running on metered rides, and always carry cash as backup in case the card machine doesn't work.

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What is the ZTL and how do I avoid a fine? The ZTL (zona a traffico limitato) is a camera-enforced restricted zone in the historic centre that's active Monday–Friday 7:30am–8pm and Saturday until 4pm. Driving in without a permit gets you fined €80–€335, issued by mail months later. Don't drive into the centre at all. If your hotel is inside the zone, provide your plate number in advance so they register it on the white list. If you park at a garage inside the ZTL, they'll register your plate automatically — always confirm they've done it and keep your receipt.

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I accidentally drove into the Florence ZTL — what should I do? Don't keep driving around trying to get out; each camera you pass is potentially another entry. Head straight into a parking garage inside the zone and park. Ask whether they can register your plate — some authorised garages can, which may help you clear or contest that entry, though it's not guaranteed once a camera has caught you. Keep your receipt, ask for a route out that avoids other ZTL cameras, and if a fine does arrive, use that proof to appeal.

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Can I take a taxi on Sundays or public holidays? Yes, taxis run every day. Sunday rates are the same as weekday ones. The ZTL is suspended on Sundays and public holidays, so if you're driving, those are the one days you can enter the centre freely (though blue-line street parking is still metered).

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What if the taxi driver's card machine doesn't work? Carry euros as backup. Card payments should always work, but in practice sometimes machines don't function properly. Having cash means you're never stuck.

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Do I need to reserve a taxi in advance? For most situations, no. ItTaxi gets you a car in a few minutes inside the city. If you're arriving at an awkward time (very late at night) or traveling in a large group, phoning ahead to Taxi 4242 or Taxi 4390 is safer. For airport pickups specifically, just use the rank or ItTaxi — the airport is tiny and cars are always there.

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Is Welcome Pickups worth the cost? If you're travelling solo or as a couple and happy managing luggage yourself, no — ItTaxi or a rank taxi does the job for less. But if you're a family, travelling with lots of luggage, or landing after a long flight and just want someone to handle everything, Welcome Pickups earns its price by eliminating decisions entirely. You're paying for peace of mind, not transport. Welcome Pickups is also the airport transfer our community recommends most consistently — the name that comes up again and again from members who've used it. 

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What about luggage storage before my 3pm check-in? Most hotels will store bags for free or a small fee. For independent apartments or if you need a dedicated service, Radical Storage has lockers near Santa Maria Novella station and other central locations — book online and drop bags for as little as a few euros per item.

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Do I tip taxi drivers in Florence? Tipping isn't expected, but a small tip is appreciated if the driver helps with luggage or provides extra assistance.

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Continue exploring Florence

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→ Florence Tram Guide: Getting from the Airport to the Centre

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→ Best Time to Visit Florence: Weather, Crowds & Seasons

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→ Ana's Florence Map: Restaurants, Parking & Essentials

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About the author

Ana Ka is the founder of Ana's Secret Guide to Italy, a Florence-focused travel publication and 100,000-member community, writing from years of firsthand experience in Florence and Tuscany.

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Some links in this guide may earn us a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

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