How to Travel From Rome Italy to Livorno Italy

There are many travel options in Italy, where distances are relatively short and there are extensive public train and bus routes as well as highways, airports and maritime ports. Here are some of the transportation options between Rome and Livorno, a historic port city in the northern region of Tuscany.

Instructions

1. Follow the A1 autostrada that links Rome to Florence, 173 miles to the north. The trip takes about 3 hours, depending on traffic. Weekends and the month of August are particularly busy times on the autostrada. At Florence, take the A11 west for about 80 km, then change to the A12 south for the short trip to Livorno. Follow directions for "Centro" and watch for the blue "P" that indicates a parking lot or garage.

2. Take a train. Five direct trains leave from Rome's Stazione Termini to Livorno every evening beginning at 6 p.m. The length of the trip depends on the train class, with the fastest (and earliest) taking 2 hours, 11 minutes. The trains arrive at Stazione Centro in Livorno. Reserve your seats in advance. On the fast ES (Eurostar) and Intercity Plus trains, reservations are required. The Rome Livorno trains carry heavy traffic between central Italy and the north and are popular with tourists as well as Italian leisure travelers. Without a ticket, you may not find a seat and will be required to find standing room on the train. Before you board your train, validate your ticket by stamping it in the yellow validator machines. This allows use of the ticket for the time and date stamped. If a conductor finds a non-validated ticket, he will fine the passenger. Once you reach the station in Livorno, take bus number 1 for the town center and the port.

3. Travel by bus. There are many private bus companies in Italy that serve cities and towns of all sizes. Buses are primarily for local travel, however, and not convenient or efficient for longer trips between major cities. There is no national public bus service. Schedules change frequently. If you wish to take a bus (or "coach"), visit a travel agency to inquire about schedules and fares. You will be able to buy a ticket and in some cases arrange for a shuttle to the bus terminus. Most buses traveling long distances will leave from the vicinity of Rome's Termini station.

4. Take a flight. There are short-hop flights from Rome's Fiumicino airport to the Galileo Galilei International Airport in Pisa, the closest major airport to the city of Livorno. A shuttle bus will bring you to the central Pisa train station. From this point you can catch a train to Livorno. But the journey will consume most of your day and takes much longer than a simple direct train, bus or on many days even a car using the autostrada.

Tips & Warnings

• Travel is easiest during the week. Avoid weekends and the heavy holiday time of August. Roads will be jammed and train stations and airports will be chaotic. Some cruise-ship companies offer direct motorcoach service between Termini station to the port of Livorno, where many cruise ships call. Inquire at a travel agency about this quick and easy method of traveling between Rome and Livorno. If traveling by car, carry cash for autostrada tolls. Make sure your car has a full tank of gas--benzine or senza piombe for unleaded cars, gasolio for diesel cars.

• Trains reach the outskirts of Livorno, and you will need to catch a shuttle bus or taxi to reach the town center. The speed limit on all Italian freeways is 130 km per hour. Watch your valuables on trains and buses, and in all public stations.

References

• Ferrovie dello Stato
• Alitalia
• Autostrade per l'Italia