Santa Maria Novella to the Duomo: walk, bus, taxi
The Duomo is only about 800 m from Santa Maria Novella, so most visitors walk. The pavements are flat and the route is well signed, and a suitcase is not a problem. A taxi costs about 6 to 10 euros for the short ride, and the electric C1 bus for 2 euros saves little time. The tram does not go to the Duomo.
- Cheapest
- FreeWalk · 15 min
- Fastest
- 15 minWalk · Free
- Taxi
- €6–€10Official taxi · 15 min
Walk: about 15 min on foot, and it costs nothing.
On foot
Walk
15 min
For the groupFree
Walk
Free · about 800 m · flat, 15 minutes with a case
- Per person
- Free
- Door to door
- 15 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- Any time
- Board at
- Front exit onto Piazza della Stazione
- Suitcases
- Fine
Taxi
Official taxi
15 min
For the group€6–€10estimate
Official taxi
White Florence taxi · metered, minimum 5.80 euros
- Per person
- €6–€10 per vehicle
- Door to door
- 15 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- Rank outside the station
- Board at
- Taxi rank on the station forecourt, Piazza della Stazione
- Suitcases
- Carried for you
Bus
Electric bus C1
20 min
For the group€4
Electric bus C1
Autolinee Toscane · 2 euros · Via Cerretani and Via Roma
- Per person
- €2
- Door to door
- 20 min
- Runs
- 07:00–20:30
- Frequency
- every 10 min
- Board at
- Piazza Madonna degli Aldobrandini, a short walk from the station
- Suitcases
- Awkward
Every option in detail
On footWalk
- €0
- 15 min
- 24 hours
- → Piazza del Duomo
Leave by the main exit, cross the forecourt and walk along Via de' Panzani and then Via de' Cerretani to the Duomo. It takes about 10 minutes with a day bag and 15 with a wheeled suitcase. The pavements are flat but narrow in places, and in the afternoon they get crowded. Most hotels in the centre are within 5 to 15 minutes of the Duomo. This is the best option unless the weather is bad or your bags are very heavy.
BusElectric bus C1
- €2
- 20 min
- 07:00–20:30
- → Via Roma, by the Duomo
The C1 minibus runs through the historic centre and stops near the Duomo, but its nearest stop to the station is a few hundred metres away, so it saves almost nothing. A single costs 2.00 euros on the urban ticket, valid for 90 minutes, or 3.00 euros bought from the driver. Press reports give the C1 hours as 07:00 to 20:30. It can be crowded and has little space for large cases.
TaxiOfficial taxi
- €6–€10 per vehicle (estimate)
- 15 min
- 24 hours
- → Any address in the centre
There is no fixed fare in town, and the meter decides. The Comune's table sets a start charge of 3.80 euros and a minimum fare of 5.80 euros on weekdays, 8.10 euros on Sundays and holidays and 9.70 euros at night (22:00 to 06:00). A ride to the Duomo is short and normally comes out at about 6 to 10 euros with a bag or two. Taxis can enter the ZTL, so they drop you at the door. Book through the Radio Taxi numbers 055 4242 or 055 4390 if the rank is empty.
The same trip in a different situation
Arriving late at night
At 00:30 the C1 bus is long finished, because it stops at about 20:30. The walk to the Duomo is short and the streets are well used, but with a case a taxi is easier. The rank outside the station works through the night with a minimum fare of 9.70 euros after 22:00, and the same Radio Taxi numbers will send a cab if the rank is empty. The station building itself is open until about 01:30, so a late train still has a warm place to wait.
See the comparison →4 people, 4 suitcasesTravelling as a group of four
Four people on the C1 bus pay 8 euros in total, which is more than the taxi for the same ride. A taxi to the Duomo is about 6 to 10 euros for the whole car, so 2 euros or so each for four, and it drops you at the door. For a hotel in the centre within 15 minutes of the Duomo, walking is free. A taxi pays off only with heavy bags, bad weather or a hotel on a street with cobbles. A pre-booked car is not worth it for this trip.
See the comparison →Practical tips
- The taxi rank is on the station forecourt, Piazza della Stazione, outside the main exit. Radio Taxi can be called on 055 4242 or 055 4390.
- The tram stop Alamanni-Stazione is outside the station, but the tram does not reach the Duomo. T2 runs to the airport and T1 to Careggi.
- Left luggage is on the ground floor along platform 16, open 07:00 to 21:00, at about 10 euros per bag per day.
- The ZTL covers the historic centre. In the main sectors it is active from 07:30 to 20:00 on weekdays and to 16:00 on Saturdays, with extra limits on summer nights, so a car cannot drive to a hotel in the centre without a permit. Check the Comune di Firenze mobility page.
- Cameras at the ZTL gates fine unauthorised cars automatically, and the fine arrives by post weeks later. Taxis are allowed in, so a taxi or a walk is the safe way to reach a hotel in the centre.
- The walk to the Duomo is on pavements with kerbs, so lift the case at crossings. The route is Via de' Panzani then Via de' Cerretani.
Questions travellers ask
How far is Santa Maria Novella from the Duomo?
About 800 m, which is 10 minutes on foot with a day bag and 15 with a wheeled suitcase. The route is flat and follows Via de' Panzani and Via de' Cerretani.
How much is a taxi from Santa Maria Novella to the Duomo?
The meter decides, and the weekday minimum fare is 5.80 euros, with a start charge of 3.80 euros. Most rides to the Duomo cost about 6 to 10 euros. The minimum rises to 8.10 euros on Sundays and holidays and 9.70 euros at night.
Is there a bus from Santa Maria Novella to the Duomo?
Yes. The electric C1 minibus stops by the Duomo on Via Roma for 2 euros, and runs about every 10 minutes from 07:00 to 20:30. The nearest stop is a few hundred metres from the station, so walking is about as quick.
Does the tram go from the station to the Duomo?
No. The Alamanni-Stazione tram stop is outside the station, but T1 and T2 do not enter the historic centre. T2 goes to the airport. The Duomo is a 15 minute walk.
Can I drive from the station to my hotel in Florence?
Only if the hotel is outside the ZTL or you have a permit. The ZTL is active on weekdays from 07:30 to 20:00 and on Saturdays until 16:00 in the main sectors, with a fine and cameras at the gates. Ask the hotel before arriving.
