From the Colosseum to the leaning tower of Pisa, there are many reasons you may want to travel from Rome to Pisa. In this post we explain the 3 best ways to get there.

In this article we will discuss:

• Rome to Pisa by train
• Rome to Pisa by bus
• Rome to Pisa by rental car
• Rome to Pisa by airplane.

Rome to Pisa by train

This is our favourite option for two reasons: price and comfort. Italy has a very well developed railroad network with fast, modern, clean and comfortable trains. Trains in Italy have USB and normal (EU) power sockets and comfortable seats.

First it is good to know that Rome has several train stations from where you can depart. Tickets for trains in Italy can be booked ahead at the counters or machines in the train station, or conveniently online by clicking here.

There are several railroad companies operating in Italy using the same network, so it is good to pay attention to the company you book with. While TrenItalia is the main company, all are available in the trainline website and app which will also secure your tickets as a QR code to have them ready upon request. Make sure to travel with a ticket, as they are regularly checked.

There are two main options we recommend:

Option 1:

Direct Rome to Pisa with the Frecciabianca line, departing from Roma Termini station. This is a non-stop connection and while not the fastest with 2 hours and 56 minutes, it is still reasonably fast and on top saves you the hassle of connecting trains dragging your bags to another train.

It also offers beautiful views on Tuscany as it will partially follow the coastline. This line departs several times per day. There are more direct lines available but they are often more expensive and the ones stopping at every station can take up to 4 hours .

There are more direct lines available but they are often more expensive and the ones stopping at every station can take up to 4 hours. Therefore we strongly recommend to aim for the direct Frecciabianca train. You can see its departure times by entering you route here.

You can also take this line if you want to travel directly from Roma Fiumicino Airport to Pisa. You will have to travel to Roma Termini first with the Leonardo Express train, which runs every 20 minutes from the airport to Roma Termini. You can see its schedule here on the Roma Airport website.

Option 2:

Rome to Pisa with a transfer in Florence.

While only slightly faster and often a lot more expensive, you may like a short stopover in beautiful Florence on your way to Pisa. If you prefer to take a few hours in Florence, we can recommend this option.

The below example shows you this route. Whereas the initial part of the journey with the Frecciarossa fast-train has fixed seating and a non-changeable ticket, the second part of the journey does not. This means you can simply book this ticket and can take the next train when you are done sightseeing in Florence. They run regularly and your ticket is useable on any of them, as long as it is the same train number and route, on the same day.

This way, you will be able to spend a few hours in Florence without buying a separate ticket.

Other connections:

For other connections from Rome to Pisa, check Trainline to see the connections from the train station nearest to your accommodation in Rome.

2 useful travel-tips… keep reading below

Rome to Pisa by bus

While travelling by bus is not the fastest option, it can still be worth it if you like travelling by bus, or if you book last minute and the train tickets became expensive, (which they often do if you have to book late).

The cost of a bus from Rome to Pisa is 15-20 euros on average.

Busses depart from Roma Tiburtina bus station, and arrive in Pisa Pietrasanta bus station, which is about 1,4 miles or 3km from Pisa centrale.

Depending on traffic, the bus ride will take you approximately 5 hours for a direct connection.

By bus there are three main options:

Directly from Roma Fiumicino Airport to Pisa: 5 hours.

Flixbus from Roma Tiburtina bus station to Pisa, with a short transfer connection in Florence: 6 hours.

Marinobus from Roma Tiburtina bus station to Pisa, which is a direct connection: 5 hours.

Bus tickets in Italy can be booked via Trainline (click on the “bus” tab), or via Busbud. Both have several options available according to your needs.

Rome to Pisa by rental car

Italy has a great infrastructure, good roads and the drive from Rome to Pisa will take you about 4 hours depending on traffic. You can rent a car in several central locations or at Roma Fiumicino Airport, or Roma Ciampino Airport, with reliable providers.

Please note that dropping off a car at a different location than your pickup point, will always be at an additional charge with the rental car provider.

We can recommend comparing the best providers with rentalcars.com using our tool below. Simply fill out your pickup point and compare the best deals.

Rome to Pisa by Airplane

Why do we not consider travelling from Rome to Pisa by airplane? While there are not many flights available, there are few options and they are relatively expensive. A flight takes about 40 minutes. If you really need to travel by airplane, use Wayaway to get cashbacks and save money. Not familiar with Wayaway? For frequent travellers they offer a Plus subscription with cashback on flights, hotels and more.

Atlasyourself can offer you a 10% discount on the Wayaway Plus plan, which will allow you to get cashback on flights, accommodation and more! We have arranged a discount code for you: Use promocode ATLASYOURSELF to get 10% off on Wayaway Plus.

You may also want to read our article on how to travel Romania by car, or ways to travel in Turkey.