Yes, there is Uber in Florence, but not the UberX you use at home. Uber’s Florence page lists Comfort, Van and Black rides with professional drivers, plus Taxi and Taxi VAN, which book a licensed city taxi through itTaxi. For short hops around the center, a white taxi, the tram or a walk is usually simpler.
Below we explain what you will actually see when you open the app, what the official taxi fares are, how to get from the airport, and when it is worth booking a private transfer instead. Every fare and rule here links to the official page we took it from.
At a glance
- Uber options in Florence: Comfort (1-4 riders), Van (1-6), Black (1-4), Taxi and Taxi VAN via itTaxi, according to Uber.
- UberX: not on Uber’s list for Florence.
- Airport taxi to the historic center: fixed fare of €28, €30 on holidays, €32 at night, plus a €3 supplement for trips starting at the airport (Florence Airport).
- T2 tram, airport to city: about 20 minutes (GEST); the Florence urban ticket costs €2.00 (Autolinee Toscane) and lasts 90 minutes.
- Book a white taxi: city ranks, phone +39 055 4390, +39 055 4242, +39 055 4798 or itTaxi +39 055 3131 (Destination Florence).
- Private driver: worth it for groups, lots of luggage, late arrivals and day trips with several stops.
How does Uber work in Florence?
Uber works in Florence through premium and taxi options only. When you open the app in the city, Uber’s own Florence guide shows five choices:
- Comfort for 1 to 4 riders, described as rides with professional drivers.
- Van for groups of up to 6.
- Black, rides in luxury cars for 1 to 4.
- Taxi for 1 to 4, booked through itTaxi. Uber shows an estimate, but the final fare is set by the taximeter.
- Taxi VAN for up to 6, also through itTaxi and metered.
The same page says you can reserve a ride up to 30 days ahead. What you will not find is the cheap, peer-to-peer UberX that most American visitors expect, so the price on screen can be a surprise. Availability also varies: you may open the app late at night and see few cars nearby.
Is a taxi cheaper than Uber in Florence?
Often, yes, but there is no single answer because Uber prices change with demand while taxi fares are set by the city. Florence taxis run on the meter, with extra charges for night and holiday hours, trips outside the city limits, luggage and more than three passengers, as the City of Florence’s official tourism site explains.
Two routes have fixed taxi fares, which makes comparison easy. From the airport to hotels in the historic center (the UNESCO area) the fare is €28, €30 on holidays and €32 at night. Between Santa Maria Novella station and Campo di Marte or Rifredi stations it is €11, €13.20 on holidays and €14.60 at night (Destination Florence). Before you book an Uber for either trip, check its upfront price in the app against these numbers.
How do you get a taxi in Florence?
You can walk to a rank, call, or use an app. Official Florence taxis are white, and many accept credit cards (Destination Florence). Here is the order we suggest:
- Go to a taxi rank. The main ones are at the station, the Duomo, Santa Croce, Piazza della Repubblica and Santa Maria Novella.
- Call a radio taxi. CO.TA.FI on +39 055 4390 or +39 055 4499, SOCOTA on +39 055 4798 or +39 055 4242, and itTaxi on +39 055 3131 (Destination Florence). appTaxi describes 055 4242 as a 24-hour dispatch center.
- Use an app. appTaxi lets you choose a station wagon, set passenger and luggage numbers and pay by card (appTaxi). The itTaxi network is also bookable inside Uber as “Taxi”.
- Check the meter when you get in, and ask for the fixed fare if you are on one of the fixed routes.
Can you take an Uber from Florence Airport?
Yes. Uber’s Florence Airport page says you can request a ride when you land or reserve an airport pickup up to 90 days ahead, and the app gives you walking directions to the pickup spot after you request. For reserved Uber Black rides it says drivers wait up to 60 minutes after your flight’s arrival before late fees apply.
Before you do, compare it with the two official options right outside the terminal. Taxis wait in front of the terminal, and the trip to the city center takes about 15 minutes, according to Florence Airport. The T2 tram links the airport with the city in about 20 minutes.
Here is how the options compare on the fares that are actually published:
| Option | How you book | Published price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| T2 tram | Ticket machine, at app or contactless | €2.00 urban ticket, valid 90 minutes (AT) | Light luggage, hotel near a tram stop |
| White taxi | Rank outside arrivals, phone or app | €28 day / €30 holiday / €32 night to the historic center, + €3 airport departure, + €1.20 per bag (max €14.40 in supplements) (Florence Airport) | Couples and small families going to the center |
| Uber Taxi | Uber app, via itTaxi | Estimate in app, final fare by taximeter (Uber) | Visitors who prefer to stay in the Uber app |
| Uber Comfort, Van or Black | Uber app, now or reserved | Upfront price in app (Uber) | When you want a set price before you ride |
| Private driver | Booked ahead with a local company | Quoted per trip | Groups, lots of luggage, late arrivals, onward trips to Tuscany |
Arriving at Pisa instead? Our guide on getting between Florence and Pisa covers the train, bus and driving options, and the Florence Airport guide explains the airport itself.
Landing late, with kids or with lots of bags?
A taxi line at midnight is no fun with tired children. We can meet you at Florence Airport, the station or the cruise port with a Mercedes sized for your group, from an E-Class for 3 to a Sprinter for 8, with an English-speaking driver. See our Florence Airport transfer or ask for a quote.
Can I use my US Uber account in Italy?
Yes. You use the same Uber app and account in Italy as at home. If your home currency is USD, CAD, GBP or AUD, Uber may offer to charge you in that currency for rides in the eurozone, with a fee of 1.5% of the fare (Uber Help). You can switch your preferred currency back to euros in your Uber Wallet to avoid that fee, though your card may add its own foreign transaction charge.
When does a private driver make more sense than Uber or a taxi?
A private driver makes sense when the trip is longer, the group is bigger or the day has several stops. For a ten-minute ride across the center, a taxi or your feet will do the job, and we would tell you so.
Here is where a booked driver earns their keep:
- Groups and luggage. Uber Van and Taxi VAN take up to 6. Our Mercedes V-Class seats 7 and the Sprinter 8, so a family or two couples travel together with their suitcases.
- Trips out of town. Outside the city limits a Florence taxi charges an out-of-town supplement on the meter (Destination Florence), so a longer run to Siena, Chianti or a villa is easier to plan with a price agreed in advance.
- Day trips with several stops. Wineries and hill towns are often off the bus routes. With a private driver on our Chianti wine tours you reach them without changing buses; tastings and meals are booked and paid separately unless a tour page says otherwise.
- Cruise days. If your ship docks in Livorno, see our guide on Livorno to Florence and Pisa: a fixed pickup time matters more when the ship will not wait.
- The historic center. Florence’s ZTL limits which cars can enter, which is one reason visitors skip the rental car; our ZTL guide explains it.
Which option should you pick? What we would do
Here is the quick version we give friends visiting Florence:
- Two people, light bags, hotel near Santa Maria Novella: take the T2 tram from the airport.
- Two to three people going to a hotel in the historic center: take a white taxi at the fixed airport fare.
- You want everything in one app you already know: use Uber’s Taxi option and let the meter decide.
- Five or more people, a late flight with lots of luggage, or a trip into Tuscany: book a private driver in Florence ahead of time.
Frequently asked questions
Is UberX available in Florence?
No. Uber’s Florence page lists Comfort, Van, Black, Taxi and Taxi VAN, but not UberX. Taxi and Taxi VAN send a licensed city taxi through itTaxi.
How much is a taxi from Florence Airport to the city center?
Florence Airport lists a fixed fare of €28 to the historic center, €30 on holidays and €32 at night, plus €3 for trips starting at the airport and €1.20 per bag, up to €14.40 in supplements.
Which taxi app works in Florence?
appTaxi and itTaxi both book Florence’s white taxis, and the city’s tourism site lists itTaxi on +39 055 3131. Inside the Uber app, the Taxi option also books an itTaxi car.
Can I book an Uber in advance in Florence?
Yes. Uber’s Florence page says rides can be reserved up to 30 days ahead, and its Florence Airport page mentions airport pickups up to 90 days ahead.
Do Florence taxis take credit cards?
Many do. The City of Florence’s official tourism site says card payment is possible on many vehicles, and apps like appTaxi let you choose card payment when you book.
Is Uber available late at night in Florence?
Uber says it runs 24/7 but warns that early and late trips can mean longer waits. The 055 4242 taxi line is a 24-hour dispatch center, according to appTaxi.
Book a private driver from Florence
If you would rather skip the taxi line and the app roulette, we can help. We are a Florence-based private chauffeur service with English-speaking drivers and Mercedes cars and vans, from the E-Class and S-Class to the V-Class and Sprinter. We handle airport, port and station transfers and plan custom day tours around Tuscany.
Send us your flight or train details through our booking form, call (+39) 333 857 8412, or email info@mundolimousine.com, and we will reply with a quote.
