Florence to Venice by train

Train service

Trenitalia

Trenitalia is Italy’s state-owned rail operator, running high-speed, intercity, and regional trains across the country and beyond.

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NTV

Italo (NTV) is Italy’s first private high-speed rail operator, offering a competitive alternative to Trenitalia since 2012.

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Train tickets

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Florence and Venice are connected by frequent, direct high-speed trains. Most travellers take Trenitalia or Italo, arriving in around 2 hours from Florence Santa Maria Novella to Venezia Santa Lucia. Regional trains are slower, taking up to 6 hours, but cost less.

• Journey time: Around 2 hours on high-speed trains; up to 6 hours on regional

• Distance: 204 km

• Operators: Trenitalia (Frecciarossa and Frecciaargento) and Italo

• Stations: Florence Santa Maria Novella to Venezia Santa Lucia (island) or Venezia Mestre (mainland)

• Advance fares: From around €19 on Italo, similar on Trenitalia. Prices vary by date and booking window

• Frequency: Around 50 or more combined daily services on this corridor

There are no overnight trains between Florence and Venice.

Which Venice station?

Two stations serve Venice. The difference matters, and choosing the wrong one wastes time.

Book Venezia Santa Lucia for the historic centre. The station is on the island. Step off the train and you are immediately beside the Grand Canal. The vaporetto (water bus) stop is a two-minute walk from the platforms.

Choose Venezia Mestre only if your hotel is on the mainland or you are changing trains. From Mestre, the island is a short train journey away. It is not a substitute for Santa Lucia.

Many booking pages show only “Venice” without specifying the station. Open the train details and confirm the station before you pay.

Train companies on this route

Trenitalia

Trenitalia is Italy’s state-owned rail operator. On the Florence–Venice corridor it runs high-speed Frecciarossa and Frecciaargento trains, plus slower regional services.

Frecciarossa trains are the fastest, covering the 204 km in around 2 hours. Frecciaargento trains also run this route at similar journey times. Both offer Standard, Premium, Business, and Executive class options, with a café car and power outlets at every seat.

Regional trains take up to 6 hours and often require a change at Bologna Centrale. They are unreserved, and there is no Wi-Fi.

Italo

Italo runs around 11 trains daily between Florence Santa Maria Novella and Venezia Santa Lucia. Journey times start from around 2 hours.

Italo offers three classes: Smart (standard), Prima (first), and Club Executive. All classes have leather seats, power outlets, and free Wi-Fi. Smart class has a size limit of 75×53×30 cm for bags. Italo operates only high-speed services on this route.

Which operator to book?

Both run direct trains at broadly similar times. Check both before booking. Trenitalia and Italo use dynamic pricing, so the cheaper option shifts by date. On some departures the difference is small; on others it is significant. Five minutes on each website is usually worth it.

Ticket types and fare rules

Trenitalia (Frecce trains)

Trenitalia sells high-speed tickets at three levels:

• Super Economy: cheapest, no changes, no refund

• Economy: changes allowed with a fee, no refund

• Base: most flexible; changes and refunds under certain conditions

Super Economy and Economy fares are limited. They sell out on busy dates, so book early if your plans are fixed.

Italo

Italo’s three fare tiers work on the same principle:

• Low Cost: cheapest, limited changes

• Economy: moderate flexibility

• Flex: changes and cancellations permitted

Regional trains

Regional fares are fixed and do not vary by booking window. Seats are unreserved. If you buy a paper ticket at the station, validate it at the yellow machines on the platform before boarding. Unvalidated tickets can result in a fine.

Booking tickets

Book directly at trenitalia.com or italotreno.com. Prices are the same as third-party booking platforms, though some platforms charge a small service fee on top.

At Florence Santa Maria Novella, self-service kiosks are available around the clock and accept credit and debit cards. The staffed ticket office also handles cash. Queues at the ticket office can be long during peak times, so allow at least 30 minutes if you are buying at the station.

Ticket prices

Italo advance fares on this route start from around €19 when booked early. Trenitalia starts at similar levels. Prices rise as the departure approaches and on high-demand dates. The gap between the cheapest and most expensive seat on the same train can be large.

Regional tickets have fixed fares and cost less, but the journey takes significantly longer.

Rail passes

Interrail and Eurail passes are valid on Trenitalia and Italo high-speed services. Pass holders must book a separate seat reservation for every high-speed journey. Do not board without one.

Seat reservation fees for pass holders on Italian high-speed trains (Frecciarossa, Frecciaargento, and Italo) are typically around €13 per journey. On regional trains, the fee is around €3. Fees can vary slightly depending on where you book. You can reserve via the operator’s website or at the station.

Before buying a pass, compare the total cost against a standalone ticket. On a short, single-leg route like Florence to Venice, a direct advance ticket often works out cheaper than a pass plus reservation.

Discounts

Both operators offer reduced fares for young travellers (under 30 on Italo), seniors, and groups. Italo’s Italo Più loyalty programme lets you collect points on journeys and redeem them against future bookings. Check the operator’s offers pages before you buy.

Train times

High-speed trains run from early morning to late evening. As orientation, the first departures are around 05:30 and the last services run until around 21:30 to 22:00. Schedules change seasonally and may differ at weekends and on public holidays. Check the live timetable for your specific date.

There are no overnight trains on this route.

Venice entry fee

Day visitors to Venice’s historic centre have been required to pay a tourist access fee on selected dates since 2025. The fee applies between 08:30 and 16:00 on affected days, which tend to fall in the busiest months.

The standard rate is €5 if you register four or more days in advance. Registering within three days costs €10.

Overnight guests staying in Venice (including on the islands of Murano, Burano, and Lido) are exempt, but must register for a QR code. Children under 14 are also exempt.

The specific days the fee applies change each year. Check the Venice municipality website before your visit to confirm whether your date is included.

Baggage

Neither operator enforces strict weight limits. Italo’s Smart class restricts bag size to 75×53×30 cm, with larger bags going in the luggage racks at the end of each carriage.

Foldable bicycles are permitted on Italo trains at no extra charge. Standard bikes are not.