Taxis in Florence?
 

I am strongly encouraging friends who will be visiting Florence to give up the nutty car rental idea. They want to be able to visit places beyond walking distance of the centro storico, which I approve of naturally, and they think it's unworkable without relying on buses. We're talking Piazzale Michelangelo, maybe Forte di Belvedere. I'd appreciate some expert advice on recent taxi rates for these routes, or shorter ones, like from the train station to Santa Croce. It seems to me to be a much more civilized way to experience the city. Thanks very much for helping me in my crusade.

I don't remember what a taxi costs, but Florence is so small, it can't be much. And I surely do support your recommendation that friends not rent a car to drive around Florence. Most of us who rent there, for purpose of "doing" Tuscany, etc., breathe a sigh of relief when we've exited the city in our rental car.

Deja vu?

I'm a pretty good city driver, but would not want to drive there. It's just craziness. Just there this month and a taxi from train station to Piazza Della Signoria was about $6 for 4 with our luggage too. Santa Croce is just a few blocks beyond that. We took a walking tour that went up to Piazzle Michelangelo and it was glorious! A must-do on my list!

Hess.....re-thought my earlier response. let them rent a car in Florence. Think of how hilarious the stories would be when they got back (tickets, wrong turns, pedestrians and scooters everywhere, fender benders). You could smugly listen with that unspoken "I told you so" face LOL.<BR><BR>Would be better than the ordinary vacation slide show most people bring home.

In Italy taxi fares are very costly and the shorter is the trip the more costly they are (I mean, you pay more for a long trip, but there is a fixed tariff for the mere fact that you are stepping on the taxy and an addictional fare for each 10 secondos of trip, you end up with a expansive fare for a long truip and an outrageous fare for a shor trip). The Public transportation system in Florence, and, generally speaking, northern Tuscany is reliable and cheap, so I strongly recommend it. Also, if your friends are staying for a few days in Florence, they should consider buying "carta arancio", a card that for 21 euros will allow them on every mean of transportation available (buses, trains etc. but not taxis) in the whole florence and Prato area.<BR>http://www.comune.firenze.it/