Florence Hop On Hop Off Bus: Lines, Stops and Tickets

When the bus makes sense

The bus earns its money on three trips. The ride up to Piazzale Michelangelo saves you a steep climb. The scenic route out to Fiesole through the Tuscan countryside would otherwise need a separate bus trip. And if your hotel sits near Piazzale Galileo or the station, the bus drops you at the door of the main sights without map reading. Families with pushchairs and travellers who cannot walk far get real value from unlimited rides over 24 to 72 hours.

Commentary in 8 languages and the free app-based walking tour add a light layer of guiding you would not get on a city bus.

When walking wins

Central Florence is compact and walkable. Travellers on a Florence forum point out that the walk from the Accademia to Piazzale Michelangelo takes about 30 minutes, and they suggest city bus 12 or 13 or a taxi as alternatives for that climb. The Duomo, the Uffizi, the Ponte Vecchio and the station all sit close together. If your days are spent in that core, the bus loop adds little you cannot cover on foot.

For a family over several days, the hop-on hop-off ticket needs to be used often to pay for itself.

The verdict

Buy the 24-hour ticket if you want the Piazzale Michelangelo and Fiesole views without the climb and plan to use it more than twice. Skip it if you are fit, central and happy on your feet. A middle path: walk the historic centre and ride the 24, 48 or 72-hour ticket on one dedicated viewing day.

Ticket price

The listing sells the Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour: 24, 48 or 72-Hour Ticket at $25.00 per person, valid for 1 to 3 days depending on the duration you choose, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. The ticket covers unlimited rides for 1, 2 or 3 days.

Children ride free at the youngest ages: the operator gives a free ticket for children from 0 to 4 years. Keeping your ticket also gives a 10% discount on your next City Sightseeing trip, which matters if you plan to use the same network in another city.

The comparison

A single urban ticket covers the ride, children under 11 travel free, and a 10-ticket kit is sold for repeat trips, according to Destination Florence. A taxi costs more than either but takes the least time.

For one trip up to the viewpoint, public transport is the cheaper choice. The hop-on hop-off ticket at $25.00 only wins if you ride it repeatedly, want the Fiesole scenic loop too, or value the commentary, wifi and live bus tracking.

Line A

Line A is the city line. A full loop takes about 60 minutes. It starts at Piazzale Galileo Capolinea, which is AT stop 0583, and circles the main sights, including the stop for Piazzale Michelangelo.

The full stop-by-stop list and route map are published by the operator as downloadable files, so check them before your first boarding.

Line B

Line B is the long scenic line. A full loop takes about 120 minutes, roughly twice Line A. It leaves the city on a scenic road through the Tuscan countryside and reaches the hillside village of Fiesole, which is the main reason to ride this line. Give it a full afternoon if you want to hop off in Fiesole and look around.

Line A times

Line A starts at 09:00am and the last bus leaves at 05:45pm, with a bus every 25 minutes. From 2 November the first bus moves to 09:20am, the last to 04:40pm and the frequency drops to every 40 minutes. From stop #1 Piazzale Galileo the first bus passes at 09:42am, moving to 10:00am from 2 November, and the last passes at 06:27pm, moving to 05:22pm from 2 November.

Line B times and the winter caveat

Until 1 November Line B departs at 12:00pm, 2:00pm and 4:00pm. From 2 November the first bus is at 11:20am and the last at 03:20pm, with the full loop still taking about 120 minutes. In winter Line B only operates on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays and from December 20th to January 6th.

Plan the Fiesole loop for a day when Line B actually runs.

Traffic delays

The operator warns that due to heavy traffic, delays and inefficiencies may occur. Build slack into any plan that chains a Line A stop to a Line B departure, and use the Sightseeing Experience app to see live bus positions and waiting time at each stop instead of waiting blind.

Getting the map

City Sightseeing lists the timetable and map in the useful files section of its Florence page as free downloads. A generic route map PDF found elsewhere may be out of date, so treat the operator files as the master copy. Once you are in Florence, the Sightseeing Experience app shows live bus positions and waiting time at each stop, which is more useful than any static map on the day itself.

Included in the ticket

The operator lists free wifi on board, access to the Sightseeing Experience app, the app-based walking tour in 5 languages and assistance on board as inclusions. Pre-recorded commentary plays in 8 languages: Italian, English, Spanish, Chinese, French, German, Russian and Portuguese. Children from 0 to 4 years travel free.

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before applies to the ticket listed here.

What costs extra

Museum and church entries, meals and any guided interior visits are not part of the bus ticket. Attractions at the stops price their own admission separately. If you want a human guide inside the Uffizi or the Duomo, book it separately through the florence city tours catalogue.

A simple rule

One day in Florence with a single ride up to Piazzale Michelangelo only needs the 24-hour ticket. Two or three days with the Fiesole scenic loop and a second ride across town justify the longer options, because the extra days cost less than buying two separate 24-hour tickets. Remember Line B runs thinly in winter, so a winter visitor may get no extra value from day two and three.

The ticket is usually non-transferable, so it is tied to you and not shareable between travel companions on different days.

A good fit

Travellers who cannot manage the climb to Piazzale Michelangelo or Fiesole get the clearest benefit. Families with pushchairs appreciate the open upper deck and the hop-on hop-off freedom around nap times. First-time visitors on a one-day blitz like the commentary in 8 languages and the easy orientation loop.

Buses generally offer wheelchair access, ramped entrances and dedicated wheelchair spaces.

Skip it if

Fit travellers sleeping within the historic centre can walk everywhere that matters. If your Florence days are museum-heavy, you will be indoors while the bus loops above. In that case put the money toward entries or a guided walk from the florence city tours catalogue instead.

Boarding and vouchers

You can join the tour from any stop along the route. Exchange your voucher with the driver at any stop, and both mobile and paper vouchers are accepted. Tickets bought online are delivered instantly and shown as a mobile voucher, so there is nothing to collect. The ticket is flexible and valid within 5 days of the date chosen at purchase, which protects you if your arrival slips a day.

The Sightseeing Experience app shows live bus positions and waiting time at each stop, plus the walking tour in 5 languages.