Florence to Assisi is about 171 km (106 miles), roughly 2 hours by car or private driver. By public transport the best option is a direct Regionale Veloce train from Santa Maria Novella, about 2 hours 40 minutes, then a 10-minute bus from Assisi station up to the old town. Assisi is in Umbria, so plan a full day.
Below we compare every way to make the trip with real times from the Italian rail network, the bus companies and the town’s official tourist site, explain the station catch that surprises first-time visitors, and show when one of our private day tours from Florence is the simpler way to see Assisi, Santa Maria degli Angeli and Cortona in one day.
At a glance
- Distance: about 171 km (106 miles) by road, roughly 1 h 57 min driving (Rome2Rio).
- Direct train: Regionale Veloce from Firenze S.M.N. via Arezzo, Terontola-Cortona and Perugia; the 08:02 arrives in Assisi at 10:41 (RFI timetable). No high-speed train runs this route.
- The station catch: Assisi station is in Santa Maria degli Angeli, on the plain below the hill town. The Assisi Link bus (line C) climbs to the center in about 10 minutes (Busitalia).
- Bus: FlixBus lists 3 rides a day, from 2 h 25 min (FlixBus).
- Driving: the old town is a limited traffic zone (ZTL); park in one of the Saba car parks outside the walls, from about 2 euros an hour (Visit Assisi).
- Basilica of San Francesco: free entry for individual visitors (official basilica booking office).
How far is Assisi from Florence?
Assisi is about 171 km (106 miles) from Florence by road, and the drive takes roughly 2 hours. Rome2Rio gives 106.3 miles and 1 hour 57 minutes for the car, with fuel and tolls estimated at 35 to 50 US dollars.
One thing worth knowing before you plan: Assisi is not in Tuscany. It sits in Umbria, on the slopes of Monte Subasio, so most Florence day-trip lists treat it as a long day rather than a half-day hop. The town, the Basilica of San Francesco and other Franciscan sites have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.
How do you get from Florence to Assisi? All options compared
The quickest door-to-door option is a car or private driver (about 2 hours); the cheapest is the direct regional train or FlixBus. Here is how the options compare, using only figures published by the operators or route planners linked in the table.
| Option | Time each way | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private driver | About 2 h, door to door | By quote, per car | Hotel pickup, any day; easy to add Santa Maria degli Angeli or Cortona |
| Car (self-drive) | About 1 h 57 min, 171 km | $35 to $50 fuel and tolls (Rome2Rio), plus parking | Park outside the ZTL; Saba car parks from about 2 euros an hour |
| Direct regional train + bus C | About 2 h 40 min + 10 min bus | $23 to $35 train (Rome2Rio) + 1.30 euros bus | Firenze S.M.N. to Assisi station; book the train to “Assisi Centro” to include the bus |
| Frecciarossa + FrecciaLink bus | Check the Trenitalia app | One combined ticket | Bus from Florence S.M.N. square via Perugia to Piazza Unità d’Italia, below the basilica (Trenitalia) |
| FlixBus | From 2 h 25 min | From $14.98 | 3 rides a day, first 09:00, last 17:20 (FlixBus); check the Florence stop on your ticket |
Is there a direct train from Florence to Assisi?
Yes. Direct Regionale Veloce trains run from Firenze Santa Maria Novella to Assisi, stopping at Arezzo, Terontola-Cortona and Perugia on the way. They take about 2 hours 40 minutes, and there is no faster high-speed option on this line.
These are sample direct trains from the official RFI station boards for Assisi in November 2026 (arrivals, departures):
| Train | Departs | Arrives | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regionale Veloce 4073 | Firenze S.M.N. 08:02 | Assisi 10:41 | The morning train out |
| Regionale Veloce 4078 / 4080 | Assisi 15:12 | Firenze S.M.N. 17:57 | An early return |
| Regionale Veloce 4082 | Assisi 17:21 | Firenze S.M.N. 19:52 | The relaxed return |
| Regionale Veloce 4084 | Assisi 19:17 | Firenze S.M.N. 21:50 | The last direct evening train |
Some trains on this line are marked to run only until 12 December, or not on Sundays and holidays, so check your exact date on Trenitalia before you go. Rome2Rio puts the regional fare at about 23 to 35 US dollars each way.
Should you book “Assisi Centro”?
Usually, yes. When you buy a Trenitalia ticket with “Assisi Centro” as the destination, the Assisi Link bus from the station to the old town is added for 1.30 euros, all on one ticket (Trenitalia Assisi Link). It saves you hunting for a newsstand when you get off the train.
How do you get from Assisi station to the town?
Take Busitalia’s Assisi Link bus, line C, from the forecourt outside Assisi station. It reaches the historic center in about 10 minutes and runs every day, roughly every 30 minutes through the day (Busitalia).
- Where it goes: line C runs Stazione FS, S. Francesco Assisi, Piazza Matteotti (Visit Assisi). Get off at the San Francesco stop for the basilica, or ride to Piazza Matteotti, at the top of town, and walk downhill.
- Ticket: the Assisi urban ticket costs 1.30 euros and is valid for 90 minutes; on board it costs 2.00 euros (Busitalia fares). You can also tap a contactless card on the validator.
- Taxi: Radio Taxi Assisi and itTaxi both serve the town (Visit Assisi); a taxi is the easier choice with heavy bags.
- Walking: possible, but it is a long uphill walk from the plain, so most people take the bus up and walk down at the end of the day.
Traveling as a family or a small group? Four train tickets, four bus tickets and a timed connection add up. Our English-speaking driver collects you at your Florence hotel and drops you right below the basilica, then picks you up again when you are done. See our private driver service in Florence or ask for a quote.
Is there a bus from Florence to Assisi?
Yes, two kinds. FlixBus runs a direct coach, and Trenitalia sells a train plus bus connection called FrecciaLink that drops you in the old town.
- FlixBus: 3 rides a day, the fastest in 2 hours 25 minutes, first departure 09:00 and last 17:20, from 14.98 US dollars (FlixBus route page). Rome2Rio shows departures from Villa Costanza, outside the city center, so check the stop on your ticket.
- FrecciaLink Assisi: a coach with Wi-Fi that leaves Piazza della Stazione at Santa Maria Novella, stops in Perugia and at Assisi station, and ends at Piazza Unità d’Italia below the basilica. It runs every day except 25 December 2026 and 1 January 2027, and is sold only with a Frecciarossa ticket (Trenitalia FrecciaLink). It suits travelers arriving in Florence on a high-speed train.
Driving from Florence to Assisi: ZTL and parking
Driving takes about 2 hours, but you cannot drive into the old town. Most of Assisi’s historic center is a limited traffic zone (ZTL), and only authorized vehicles may enter (Visit Assisi).
- For the Basilica of San Francesco: Saba Giovanni Paolo II car park, the closest to the basilica (Visit Assisi).
- For Piazza del Comune and the center: Saba Mojano or Saba Matteotti.
- For Santa Chiara: Saba Porta Nuova.
- Price: Saba lists its Assisi car parks from 2.00 euros for the first hour (Saba).
- Hotel guests: cars of guests heading to a hotel inside the zone may enter only to load and unload, for up to 60 minutes, after registering the plate with the hotel (Visit Assisi).
If you are renting a car in Florence, remember that Florence has its own ZTL too. Our guide to the Florence ZTL map and hours explains how to avoid a fine on the way out of the city.
What is there to see in Assisi?
Most visitors come for the Basilica of San Francesco, then walk the old town to Piazza del Comune and the Basilica of Santa Chiara. With a car you can add Santa Maria degli Angeli on the plain and the Eremo delle Carceri on Monte Subasio.
- Basilica of San Francesco: two churches built one above the other over the tomb of Saint Francis, with frescoes by Giotto, Cimabue, Simone Martini and Pietro Lorenzetti (UNESCO). Entry is free for individual visitors; groups must book (basilica booking office). Winter hours: Lower Church 06:00 to 18:30 (Wednesdays 17:30), Upper Church 08:30 to 18:00, tomb 06:00 to 18:15 (basilica.sanfrancesco.org).
- Piazza del Comune and Santa Chiara: the main square of the old town, then a short walk to the basilica of Saint Clare. The nearest car park to Santa Chiara is Porta Nuova (Visit Assisi).
- Santa Maria degli Angeli: the large basilica in the valley near the station, which you pass on the way in or out.
- Eremo delle Carceri: the hermitage above the town cannot be reached by public transport; you need a car, a taxi or a walk on CAI path 350 (Visit Assisi). This is where a driver makes a real difference.
Is Assisi a day trip from Florence?
Yes, but a long one. By train you spend about 5 and a half hours traveling for the round trip, which leaves 4 to 6 hours in Assisi if you take the 08:02 out and the 15:12 or 17:21 train back. By car or with a driver the round trip is about 4 hours, so you get more time on the ground and can add a second stop.
Sample day with a private driver
- Pickup in Florence around 8:00. Your driver meets you at your hotel in a private Mercedes.
- Assisi around 10:00. Drop-off below the Basilica of San Francesco, the side closest to the Giovanni Paolo II car park, so you start with the frescoes before the busiest hours.
- Walk the old town. From the basilica along the lanes to Piazza del Comune and Santa Chiara, with lunch in town. Your driver meets you at the top of town, so you never walk back uphill.
- Afternoon choice. The Eremo delle Carceri on Monte Subasio, Santa Maria degli Angeli in the valley, or a stop in Cortona on the way back to Tuscany.
- Back in Florence in the evening, at your hotel door.
Meals, guided visits and any tastings are not included in our price; the basilica itself is free for individual visitors.
When does the train make more sense, and when does a driver?
If you are one or two travelers with light bags and a flexible day, the direct train plus bus C is good value and easy to follow. A private driver makes more sense when:
- you are a family or a group of 4 to 8, where several train and bus tickets add up and a single vehicle is simpler (our Mercedes V-Class seats 7 and the Sprinter 8);
- you want two places in one day, such as Assisi with Cortona or the Eremo delle Carceri, which the bus does not reach;
- you are moving hotels between Tuscany and Umbria with luggage, where a door-to-door private transfer avoids the station and the climb;
- you want to travel on 25 December or 1 January, when the FrecciaLink bus does not run.
If you are also planning other day trips, see our guides to Florence to Montepulciano and Florence to Pienza, both on the way south toward Umbria.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a direct train from Florence to Assisi?
Yes. Direct Regionale Veloce trains run from Firenze Santa Maria Novella to Assisi via Arezzo, Terontola-Cortona and Perugia. On the November 2026 timetable the 08:02 departure reaches Assisi at 10:41, about 2 hours 40 minutes. There is no high-speed train on this route.
How far is Assisi from Florence?
About 171 km (106 miles) by road, roughly 2 hours of driving according to Rome2Rio. By direct train allow about 2 hours 40 minutes, plus about 10 minutes on the bus from Assisi station up to the old town.
Is the Assisi train station in the town?
No. Assisi station is in Santa Maria degli Angeli, on the plain below the hill town. Busitalia’s Assisi Link bus (line C) runs from the station forecourt to the historic center in about 10 minutes, roughly every 30 minutes, every day.
Can you do Assisi as a day trip from Florence?
Yes, if you start early. By train you spend about 5 and a half hours traveling for the round trip, which leaves 4 to 6 hours in Assisi. With a car or a private driver the round trip is about 4 hours, and you can add Santa Maria degli Angeli or Cortona on the same day.
Do you need tickets for the Basilica of San Francesco?
No. Entry is free for individual visitors and no ticket is needed, according to the basilica’s booking office. Groups must book ahead. In winter the Lower Church opens 06:00 to 18:30 (17:30 on Wednesdays) and the Upper Church 08:30 to 18:00.
Where do you park in Assisi?
Outside the walls, because most of the historic center is a limited traffic zone (ZTL). The Saba Giovanni Paolo II car park is the closest to the Basilica of San Francesco; Mojano, Porta Nuova and Matteotti serve the center and Santa Chiara. Rates start from about 2 euros an hour.
Are entry fees and meals included in a private day trip to Assisi?
No. The basilica itself is free, but meals, guided visits, museum tickets and any tastings are paid separately unless we agree otherwise in writing when you book.
Book a private driver from Florence
Tell us your date, how many you are and whether you want Assisi on its own or with Santa Maria degli Angeli, the Eremo delle Carceri or Cortona, and we will plan the day from Florence with a private Mercedes and an English-speaking driver. Send a request through our booking form, call us on (+39) 333 857 8412 or email info@mundolimousine.com. Meals, entry tickets and tastings are not included unless we agree otherwise in writing.
More day trips from Florence: Florence to Siena, Florence to San Gimignano and our private tours from Florence.
