What is the best way to get from Florence to Venice? Thank you!

Not sure what mode of transportation you are referring to (car, train, air), but I highly recommend the train. It's convenient and quick at about three hours point to point.

Best if it is a train. Costs?

You can search for times and fares at:

http://www.trenitalia.it/en/index.html

We are going to do this in December; go early one day; spend the night and return the next day. In Italy we almost always go by ES*. It is less than a 3hr train trip and costs about $26E one way 2nd class.

What is ES?

Hi tu,

The ES* trains are Italy's high speed trains.

I would take a train.

IMO, the best part about arriving in Venice by train is emerging for the first time from the Santa Lucia train station,and Venice is before you.
Sigh.

Just got back from a trip traveling by train from Milan to Florence to Venice and back to Milan...it's really a great way to go! Even the ES trains make 3 or 4 stops but you'll get there in about three hours and it's a LOT cheaper than parking your car near Venice!

train

Just make sure you have reservations, not only for the train, but also, a seat assignment. I didn`t know better, so we didn`t get a seat assignment, and we ended up sitting in the aisle with uncomfortable pull down seats, and we had to keep getting up, every time someone wanted to pass. There were teenagers who just couldn`t sit still. I don`t know why the parents didn`t make them stay in their seats, as it was an obvious nuisance to the aisle sitters.

ES stands for EuroStar, and they are the fastest trains in Italy. The trip between Florence and Venice is an easy one. We bought our tickets at the main station on Florence, a few minutes for the train was scheduled for departure.

The recommendation from Pat about booking a reserved seat is a good one, but doesn't apply to ES trains because all ES seats are reserved: when you buy your ticket you're also reserving your seat, on a particular train at a particular time, just as you do when you're booking on most airlines. Once the seats on ES trains are filled no more tickets are sold.

great, thank you all for yur helpful notes!