Florence airport T2 tram: SMN, San Marco and late arrivals
Choose the right T2 stop from Florence airport, pay the correct fare, handle luggage and check whether a late flight can still make the last tram.
The T2 runs directly from Florence’s Peretola airport to San Marco–Università, serving Alamanni–Stazione SMN and Valfonda–Stazione SMN on the way. Older directions telling airport passengers to use the former Unità terminus are out of date: Unità is not served on the current airport route.
For most arrivals:
- Santa Maria Novella station or accommodation on its west side: use Alamanni–Stazione SMN as the practical default.
- Piazza Adua or Via Valfonda: compare Valfonda–Stazione SMN with Alamanni using the exact entrance address.
- Fortezza da Basso: compare Valfonda and Fortezza; the better stop depends on which entrance you need.
- Piazza San Marco, the Accademia area or the northern end of Via Ricasoli: stay aboard to San Marco–Università.
- After the final airport departure: plan another transfer rather than relying on the tram network’s later system closing time.
The Peretola Aeroporto stop is about a two-minute walk from the terminal, according to GEST’s airport guidance. Board a T2 tram signed San Marco–Università.
Which stop should you use?
| Destination | Usually the useful stop | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Firenze Santa Maria Novella railway station | Alamanni–Stazione SMN | Practical default for the station and Via Alamanni side |
| Piazza Adua or Via Valfonda | Valfonda–Stazione SMN | It may avoid walking around the station complex |
| Fortezza da Basso | Valfonda or Fortezza | Pin the entrance you need before choosing |
| Piazza San Marco and nearby university buildings | San Marco–Università | Current T2 terminus |
| Via Cavour near Piazza San Marco | Cavour or San Marco–Università | Compare the walk to the lodging entrance |
| Duomo, Piazza della Repubblica or another historic-centre address | Address-dependent | Compare the walk from Alamanni, Cavour and San Marco; there is no T2 stop at Unità |
GEST’s notice about the San Marco extension says Unità stopped being served on this routing and directs airport passengers to Alamanni, Valfonda and Fortezza for the central area. The extension opened to passengers in January 2025. The operator’s parent company gives an airport-to-San Marco journey time of about 35 minutes in its launch announcement; GEST describes the airport-to-central-area journey as about 20 minutes.
If a booking merely says “near SMN,” Alamanni is a sensible starting assumption, not a substitute for checking the address. Valfonda can be better for an entrance north or east of the tracks. For San Marco accommodation, remaining on the T2 avoids a change.
The last airport tram leaves before the system closes
The time that matters is the departure from Peretola Aeroporto, not the time service ends at the other end of the line.
| Night | Last T2 departure from Peretola Aeroporto |
|---|---|
| Sunday to Thursday | 23:58 |
| Friday and Saturday | 01:15 |
The first departure from the airport is 05:00 daily. Although the general tram service window extends to 00:30 on ordinary nights and 02:00 on Friday and Saturday, those times do not mean a tram leaves the airport that late. GEST publishes the direction-specific first and last departures on its current timetable page.
Judge a late arrival by when you can reach the platform, not the scheduled touchdown time. Passport control, baggage reclaim or a flight delay can make a tight connection impractical. Check GEST’s timetable and service notices again on the travel day when the margin is small.
Fare and payment
As checked on 31 October 2026, a Florence urban single ticket costs €2. It is valid for 90 minutes from validation or activation and covers Florence trams and urban buses. The fare is listed by Autolinee Toscane, whose ticket guidance explains the validity period and coverage.
At the airport, the straightforward options are:
- Tap aboard: tap a contactless credit, debit or prepaid card, phone or wearable on the onboard reader. Wait for the beep and green confirmation. One physical card or device covers one passenger. Autolinee Toscane notes that separate devices associated with the same underlying card may each be used by a different passenger; use the same card or device throughout that passenger’s trip. See its contactless instructions.
- Ticket machine: every tram stop has a machine selling single tickets. GEST says the machines accept Visa, VPay, Maestro and Mastercard, including contactless payment. Validate the paper ticket after boarding.
- at bus app: buy the Firenze urban ticket and activate it when boarding. A digital ticket that has not been activated is not valid.
For a group without a separate card or device for each traveller, buy the necessary tickets through an available ticket or digital option rather than repeatedly tapping one physical card.
Luggage rules are stricter than “whatever fits”
GEST’s tram rules allow each passenger to carry free of charge:
- one bag weighing no more than 10 kg; and
- measuring no more than 55 × 40 × 20 cm.
A passenger may carry up to two larger bags by buying one additional ticket for each bag, provided each is no larger than 80 × 45 × 25 cm and no heavier than 20 kg. A bag exceeding either maximum is prohibited. The tram has no dedicated luggage racks, and luggage must not disturb other passengers. These limits appear in GEST’s airport and luggage guidance.
A cabin bag travels free only if it meets both the size and weight limits. A suitcase exceeding the free allowance needs its own ticket if it remains within the larger permitted limits; include wheels and handles when checking its dimensions.
When a taxi is the practical alternative
A taxi becomes the clearer option when the last airport tram has left, luggage exceeds the tram limits, the final walk is unsuitable for a passenger’s mobility, or a group is heading to a doorway well away from the line.
The City of Florence’s tariff document, labelled as updated from 1 May 2024, lists a predetermined fare between Vespucci airport and hotels or private addresses within its mapped central area: €28, €30 on festive days and €32 at night. It also lists a €1.20 supplement per bag. The predetermined fare applies only to the defined central zone; other destinations use the applicable taxi tariff. See the municipal taxi tariff table and confirm the tariff displayed in the taxi in case of a later revision.
For an on-time arrival with luggage within the limits, the T2 is the direct public-transport choice. The useful decision is not simply “city centre”: match the lodging entrance to Alamanni, Valfonda, Fortezza, Cavour or San Marco, then check that the airport’s direction-specific last departure still works for the actual arrival.