How to Travel From Venice to Florence

Go by train. The Santa Lucia train station in Venice is located right on the Grand Canal in the heart of old Venice. Trains for Florence depart multiple times daily, and the trip takes about three hours. Many of the trains stop in the beautiful medieval city of Bologna, which is well worth visiting on an extended stop over and is situated just outside the foothills of the Apennines in close proximity to many trails. Fares range from $35 up to $100 depending on sitting class and the type of train. Check raileurope.com for exact times and fares.

Take the bus. Long-distance bus travel as a form of public transportation is not very common in Italy but there are a number of private charter and tour bus companies that do the route between Venice and Florence and stop in many of the natural and cultural treasures of Italy along the way, such as Il Parco dello Stirone, a national park with peregrine falcons and impressive canyon formations. Check with a travel agent to book a bus tour between Venice and Florence.

Rent a car. Cars are readily available for rent in central Venice or at the Marco Polo airport and the the total distance between Venice and Florence is 207 kilometers, or 130 miles. There are many interesting towns on the four hour drive and before you hit Florence the road winds up into beautiful mountainous terrain. The highway is a four lane autostrada (limited access highway) that is well paved and can be quite busy at times. Driving between Venice and Florence allows you to see some of the natural beauty of the Appenines that is not accessible by other means, like Suviana Lake where you can camp or stay in a rustic hostel.

Put up a thumb. Hitchhiking between Venice and Florence is relatively easy as it a very well-traveled route by both tourists and various commercial interests. Make sure you familiarize yourself with some basic Italian conversational phrases so you can explain to your ride what you are doing, although even just a sign that reads "Florence" should suffice. Italians generally drive fast, so this may be the fastest option of travel between the two cities although it can also be the slowest and most pleasurable as you may be able to see local sights not usually on the tourist agenda. The opportunities to explore nature en route are endless, and you will surely get many local suggestions on places to hike, camp, bike or do water sports from friendly Italians who are generally proud to share their knowledge of their beautiful homeland with visitors.