How do we get to the castle on Tuesday, September 2?

We will have two shuttles leaving from the Florence Airport at 3:00pm. Johanna Boyce and Emily Volz are graciously serving as Shuttle Captains, making sure everyone gets aboard!

It is a 1 minute/50 meter walk to the pick up location from the tram and about the same from the airport.

Getting to the Shuttle from Florence’s Santa Maria Novella Train Station: Take the T2 tram from "Alamanni - Stazione SMN" (right outside the train station) to "Aeroporto Peretola"

  • Cost: Only €1.50

  • Time: About 20 minutes (trams run every 5-10 minutes)

  • Tickets: Buy at the ticket machines inside the tram stop (cash or card)

  • How to Find the Shuttle Pickup Location If arriving by tram: 

  • When you exit the tram at Aeroporto Peretola, keep the tram tracks behind you and turn left.

  • Do not cross the street—stay on the sidewalk with the guardrails.

  • Follow the curve down Via del Termine (away from the airport).

  • Follow the road around the curve, and just ahead, you’ll see a small square of grass with a billboard—this is the shuttle pickup location.

If arriving at the airport by plane:

  • After exiting the arrivals hall, head straight ahead through the parking lot.

  • For safety, you may want to turn left first to cross at the pedestrian crossing towards the tram station.

  • From the tram station, turn right and follow the sidewalk along Via del Termine until you reach the small grassy area with a billboard—this is where the bus will pick you up.

What to Do If You Arrive Early: If you arrive 20 minutes before the scheduled departure time:

  • At the Tram Station: While there are no benches or seating areas at the tram stop itself, you can find shaded spots nearby to wait comfortably.

  • Inside the Airport: There are seats, food, drinks, and air conditioning/heating for your comfort.

  • The shuttle will leave on time, so please be at the pickup spot to load at least 10 minutes before departure.

Helpful Tips

  • Give yourself extra time in case of unexpected delays.

  • If you’re prone to motion sickness, we highly recommend taking a motion sickness pill (such as Dramamine or travel sickness tablets) at least 30 minutes before boarding the shuttle.

Why are the shuttles picking up by the airport?

We know, it seems a bit annoying… especially if you are arriving in Florence early. It turns out that for vehicles of this size to go into the city proper it is a total pain. Our planner said that it requires extra permits and that the permits are usually done incorrectly resulting in delays, fines and everybody arriving to the castle late. They also told us traffic is a lot worse leaving downtown vs. leaving the airport area. So, they officially convinced us that picking up at the airport will be the easiest for everyone involved.