Florence is one of those cities where you can walk almost everywhere, right up until the moment you are standing on cobblestones with two suitcases, it is 35°C, and your hotel is apparently “only 14 minutes away.”
That is when a taxi suddenly becomes very appealing.
Taxis in Florence are white, metered and regulated by the Comune di Firenze. Official taxis have a TAXI sign on the roof and identifying municipal markings and licence numbers on the vehicle.
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You can get a taxi from an official rank, call a radio-taxi company, request one through an app or, despite what you may read in some Florence guides, you can technically hail an available taxi in the street.
The part travelers really need to understand is the price.
Florence taxis do not simply charge one flat amount per kilometer. There is a starting fare, minimum fare, time-and-distance meter, and possible supplements for things such as luggage, additional passengers, nighttime travel and calling a taxi to your location.
Here is how it actually works.
How do you get a taxi in Florence?
There are four practical ways to get a taxi in Florence:
- go to an official taxi rank
- call a radio-taxi cooperative
- use a taxi app
- stop an available taxi passing in the street
For most visitors, a taxi rank or app is the easiest option.
Florence’s official tourism office lists taxi ranks around major points in the city, including Santa Maria Novella station, the Duomo area, Piazza della Repubblica and Santa Croce. It also lists the city’s main radio-taxi services and apps.
If you have just arrived by train, there is normally no reason to wander around looking for a taxi. Follow the TAXI signs outside Firenze Santa Maria Novella and join the official queue.
Florence taxi phone numbers
The numbers worth saving are:
Taxi 4242: +39 055 4242
Taxi 4390: +39 055 4390
itTaxi: +39 055 3131
Two of Florence’s established radio-taxi cooperatives are Taxi Firenze 055 4242 and 4390 Taxi Florence. Florence’s tourism office also lists itTaxi as an additional service operating in the city.
If you are using an international phone, keep the +39 country code.
You can also ask your hotel or restaurant to call a taxi for you. This is extremely normal in Italy and often easier than standing outside hoping an empty taxi appears.
What is the best taxi app in Florence?
Two useful apps for ordinary Florence taxis are:
appTaxi
and
itTaxi
Florence’s official tourism site lists both as ways of requesting a taxi.
appTaxi can give you an indicative fare estimate before requesting the car, and payment can also be handled through the app.
Using an app has one major advantage for visitors who do not speak Italian: you enter your pickup location and destination yourself.
No explaining Via della Scala over the phone while wondering whether your pronunciation has accidentally sent the taxi to another province.
Can you hail a taxi in Florence?
Yes, technically you can.
This is worth clarifying because many guides claim that taxis in Florence cannot be hailed from the street at all.
Florence’s municipal taxi regulations specifically state that, away from a taxi rank, a ride can be acquired when a passenger directly approaches a taxi driver “a vista” while the taxi is in transit.
That does not mean street hailing is the best strategy.
Florence is not New York. You will not see a constant river of empty taxis passing the Duomo waiting for someone to raise an arm.
In practice, use a taxi rank, phone or app when you actually need a car.
How much do taxis cost in Florence?
Florence taxis use official municipal tariffs.
The City of Florence’s published taxi tariff currently available is marked effective from 1 May 2024.
For an ordinary urban journey, the meter begins at:
Weekday: €3.80
Public holiday: €6.10
Night, from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.: €7.70
There is also a minimum fare:
Weekday minimum: €5.80
Public holiday minimum: €8.10
Night minimum: €9.70
After that, the fare increases according to distance and time. Traffic matters because the meter also takes waiting or slow-moving time into account.
This explains something that occasionally confuses visitors:
a Florence taxi does not start at €0.
Seeing several euros on the meter at the beginning of the journey is completely normal.
What are the extra charges for Florence taxis?
There are several supplements worth knowing about.
According to the city’s published tariff:
Luggage: €1.20 per piece, up to seven pieces
Fourth passenger and above: €1.20 per additional passenger
Radio-taxi or telephone call from Florence: €2.50
Radio-taxi call from certain surrounding municipalities: €5
The luggage, extra-passenger and specified out-of-city supplements fall within a maximum combined supplement set by the tariff.
This is why two apparently similar taxi trips can have slightly different totals.
If you walk directly to a taxi rank with one small bag, your fare can differ from someone who calls a taxi to a hotel while traveling with four people and several suitcases.
It does not automatically mean either passenger has been overcharged.
Why does a taxi cost more when you call one?
Because the official tariff includes a €2.50 radio-taxi or telephone-call supplement for pickups in Florence.
This catches travelers surprisingly often.
You ask your hotel reception to call a taxi.
The taxi arrives.
You get in and the total is slightly higher than expected.
The immediate conclusion is sometimes, “The driver started the meter before picking us up.”
There may be a much simpler explanation: you requested a dispatched taxi, and the official tariff allows a call supplement.
Knowing this before you get in saves a lot of suspicious staring at the meter.
How much is a taxi from Florence Airport to the city center?
Florence has a predetermined taxi fare between Florence Amerigo Vespucci Airport and addresses within the designated central area of the city.
The official fare is:
€28 during normal weekday hours
€30 on public holidays
€32 at night
The fixed fare applies between Florence Airport and hotels or private destinations within the defined central area, and in the opposite direction.
But this is important:
€28 does not necessarily mean your final bill will be exactly €28.
The official tariff separately lists €1.20 per piece of luggage, additional-passenger supplements and a €3.10 supplement for departures from Florence Airport.
So if you land at Florence Airport, get into a taxi with several suitcases and see a final total above €28, that alone does not mean you have been scammed.
How long is a taxi from Florence Airport to the city center?
Florence Airport is surprisingly close to the city.
The airport’s 2026 passenger guide gives an approximate taxi journey time of 15 minutes between the airport and central Florence.
Naturally, Florence traffic has opinions of its own.
At busy times, allow longer.
Taxi or tram from Florence Airport?
If you are staying near Santa Maria Novella or another convenient T2 stop and do not have difficult luggage, the tram is dramatically cheaper.
Florence’s T2 line connects Florence Airport with Santa Maria Novella and continues through the city center toward Piazza San Marco.
As of August 2026, a standard Florence urban ticket costs €2 and is valid for 90 minutes in Florence.
For one person with a carry-on:
The tram is hard to argue with.
For four people with luggage, a tired child and an apartment inconveniently located from the tram:
The taxi begins to make much more sense.
Transport decisions in Italy are rarely about discovering the universally “best” option.
They are about deciding which inconvenience you prefer.
Are there taxis at Florence Santa Maria Novella train station?
Yes.
There is an official taxi rank at Firenze Santa Maria Novella, Florence’s main railway station.
If you arrive with substantial luggage, follow the station signs for TAXI rather than accepting offers from random people approaching passengers.
Before getting into the queue, however, check where your hotel actually is.
Many hotels around Santa Maria Novella, San Lorenzo and the Duomo are only five to fifteen minutes away on foot.
The calculation changes when you add luggage.
Florence’s historic center looks wonderfully compact on Google Maps.
Google Maps is not dragging your suitcase over the paving stones.
Fixed taxi fares between Florence train stations
There is also an official predetermined fare between Santa Maria Novella and Florence’s other major railway stations.
The published municipal tariff gives the following price between Firenze Santa Maria Novella and either Firenze Campo di Marte or Firenze Rifredi:
€11.60 weekday
€13.90 public holiday
€15.40 night
Possible luggage and extra-passenger supplements remain separate.
This is useful if your long-distance train arrives at one Florence station while your connecting train departs from another.
Do Florence taxis accept credit cards?
Card payment is widely available, but I would still make your preference clear when requesting the taxi if you are relying entirely on a card.
Florence’s tourism office says credit cards can be used in many taxis, while taxi apps such as appTaxi allow passengers to arrange electronic payment through the app.
A useful sentence is:
“Posso pagare con carta?”
Can I pay by card?
Or remove the discussion completely and request/pay through an app when that option is available.
I would still carry a small amount of cash in Italy.
Not because every taxi demands it, but because having €20 or €30 tucked away has solved more Italian travel problems than almost any app on my phone.
Does Uber work in Florence?
Yes, but Florence Uber is not necessarily the Uber experience you are used to at home.
Uber operates in Florence, including Uber Black, which uses licensed professional drivers and is generally positioned as a premium service rather than the inexpensive UberX model many travelers expect.
Uber and Italy’s itTaxi network also renewed their partnership in 2026, with Florence included among the participating cities. Depending on your location and the services currently displayed in the app, taxi-integrated options may therefore appear as well.
The practical advice is simpler:
If you want a normal Florence taxi at municipal taxi rates, start with a taxi rank, appTaxi or itTaxi.
If you already have Uber installed, open it and compare the options and price displayed before booking.
Do not assume Uber will automatically be cheaper.
Are taxis expensive in Florence?
For very short trips, taxis can feel expensive because of the starting fare and minimum charge.
But Florence is also compact.
That means you generally do not need a taxi for routine sightseeing.
You should not plan to take a taxi:
Duomo to Uffizi.
Uffizi to Ponte Vecchio.
Ponte Vecchio to Piazza della Signoria.
That would be missing the point of Florence slightly.
You walk those.
Taxis become useful when the journey involves something Florence walking is less charming about:
- suitcases
- airports
- early departures
- late nights
- limited mobility
- heavy rain
- accommodation outside the historic core
- Piazzale Michelangelo when your legs have officially resigned
Use taxis strategically rather than as your default method of sightseeing.
Your feet will usually be faster in the center anyway.
Can taxis drive into Florence’s ZTL?
Florence’s historic center is covered by a Zona a Traffico Limitato, or ZTL, where access for ordinary private vehicles is heavily restricted.
Licensed taxis operate as part of the city’s public transport system and can reach many places that would cause problems for visitors attempting to drive a rental car into central Florence.
That does not mean a taxi can physically stop outside every accommodation.
Florence also has pedestrian streets and restricted areas, so occasionally the closest possible drop-off point is around the corner.
If your apartment is down a tiny medieval lane barely wide enough for two people carrying gelato, do not expect the taxi to perform architectural miracles.
How do you recognize an official Florence taxi?
Official Florence taxis are white.
The city’s taxi regulations require them to carry:
- a TAXI sign on the roof
- identifying municipal markings
- the Comune di Firenze emblem
- a taxi licence number
- the licence number visible from inside the vehicle
At the airport and railway station, use the official taxi queue.
There is no reason to accept an unsolicited ride from someone wandering through arrivals asking whether you need a taxi.
A genuine Florence taxi is not difficult to recognize.
Should you ask for a taxi receipt in Florence?
You can.
Florence’s taxi regulations provide for passengers to request a receipt, and the vehicle should also display tariff information and information about where complaints can be made.
If something about your fare genuinely seems wrong, keep:
- the taxi licence number
- the time and route
- the receipt
- the amount paid
Do not base the complaint solely on what Google Maps predicted the journey “should cost.”
Google Maps does not calculate Florence’s taxi supplements.
Do you tip taxi drivers in Florence?
Tipping a taxi driver in Florence is not required.
There is no American-style expectation of adding another 15 or 20 percent.
If the fare is €18.40 and the driver was helpful, rounding up to €20 is perfectly fine.
If you paid the exact metered fare, that is also perfectly fine.
Tipping is appreciation, not an additional compulsory tariff.
Can you book a larger taxi in Florence?
Yes, but request it rather than assuming the next car at the rank will fit everyone.
If you are traveling with five or six people, lots of luggage, a wheelchair, a stroller or another special requirement, tell the radio-taxi operator or select the appropriate vehicle through the app when possible.
Remember that the municipal tariff includes a €1.20 supplement for each passenger from the fourth passenger onward.
A larger group may still find a taxi economical compared with buying several individual transport tickets or arranging two separate vehicles.
Are accessible taxis available in Florence?
Yes.
Florence taxi cooperatives offer vehicles for passengers with reduced mobility, but these are something I would request specifically rather than expecting an adapted vehicle to be waiting at the front of every taxi rank.
The municipal regulations require taxi drivers to assist passengers with disabilities and state that wheelchairs, guide dogs and other necessary mobility aids are transported without an additional charge.
Florence’s tariff also includes a 15% reduction for qualifying passengers with disabilities, while the city’s tourism office confirms the availability of this reduction.
If you need an adapted vehicle, call ahead and explain exactly what is required.
What is Taxi Rosa in Florence?
Florence also has Taxi Rosa, a discounted nighttime taxi initiative for women.
The official tariff provides a 10% discount for women traveling between 9:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m.
It is one of those Florence transport details that exists but many visitors never hear about.
If it applies to you, ask for it when requesting your taxi rather than assuming the discount will magically introduce itself.
The easiest way to use taxis in Florence
For most visitors, I would keep it simple.
If you see an official taxi rank, use it.
If there is no rank nearby, open appTaxi or itTaxi.
If the app is not cooperating, call +39 055 4242 or +39 055 4390.
At Florence Airport, know the central fixed fare before getting into the car.
At Santa Maria Novella, check whether your hotel is actually far enough away to justify a taxi.
And when looking at the final price, remember that Florence taxis have official supplements. A €28 airport fare plus luggage and airport charges is not the same thing as a €28 final total.
Frequently asked questions about Florence taxis
How do I call a taxi in Florence?
Two of the main Florence taxi numbers are +39 055 4242 and +39 055 4390. The city tourism office also lists itTaxi at +39 055 3131.
What color are taxis in Florence?
Official Florence taxis are white and have a TAXI sign on the roof, municipal markings and a licence number.
Can you hail a taxi in Florence?
Yes. Florence’s taxi regulations allow an available taxi in transit to accept a direct street request from a passenger. In practice, using a taxi rank, phone or app is usually much more reliable.
What is the taxi app for Florence?
appTaxi and itTaxi are both useful for requesting taxis in Florence.
How much is a taxi from Florence Airport to the city center?
The predetermined fare between Florence Airport and the designated central area is €28 on a normal weekday, €30 on public holidays and €32 at night, before applicable extras such as luggage.
Is the €28 Florence Airport taxi fare the final price?
Not necessarily. The official tariff lists additional charges including €1.20 per piece of luggage and a €3.10 airport-departure supplement.
How long is a taxi from Florence Airport to downtown?
Florence Airport’s 2026 passenger guide gives an approximate journey time of 15 minutes, although traffic can make the trip longer.
Are taxis available at Florence train station?
Yes. There is an official taxi rank at Firenze Santa Maria Novella, Florence’s main railway station.
Do taxis in Florence take credit cards?
Card payment is widely available, and taxi apps can also provide electronic-payment options. If you need to pay specifically by card, it is sensible to mention that when requesting the taxi.
Is Uber available in Florence?
Yes. Uber operates in Florence, including Uber Black. Uber’s partnership with itTaxi also includes Florence, although the ride products shown can depend on current availability and location.
Is Uber cheaper than a taxi in Florence?
Do not assume it will be. Uber Black is a premium licensed-driver service. For an ordinary city journey, compare the price shown in Uber with a standard Florence taxi before booking.
Do you tip taxis in Florence?
You do not have to. Rounding up the fare for good service is appreciated but optional.
Do Florence taxis charge for luggage?
Yes. The published Florence tariff lists a €1.20 supplement per piece of luggage, up to seven pieces.
Do Florence taxis charge extra at night?
Yes. The nighttime tariff applies between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., with a higher starting and minimum fare.
Are taxis the best way to get around Florence?
Usually not for ordinary sightseeing.
Central Florence is compact and best explored on foot. Taxis are most useful for airport journeys, luggage, late-night trips, reduced mobility and destinations outside the easily walkable historic center.
In Florence, the taxi is there for the moment when “Italy on Foot” has become “Italy on Foot While Carrying 23 Kilos of Luggage.”
Those are two very different holidays.