Going to Pisa by Train from Livorno

View of Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa (Via Santa Maria starts to the right of the green awning)It is quick and easy to get from Livorno to Pisa by train. The journey to Pisa only takes 15-20 minutes, trains are frequent, and it is cheap - only €1.90 each way per person.

Please see my article about travelling from Livorno to Florence for some general information about getting to Livorno Centrale railway station, buying train tickets, and not missing your cruise ship in the Port of Livorno!

Trains from Livorno to Pisa run at the following times (NB: trains are often bound for Florence - 'Firenze' in Italian - stopping in Pisa). Times updated 14th August 2011

NB. DON'T FORGET TO VALIDATE YOUR TICKET AT ONE OF THE YELLOW MACHINES IN THE STATION BEFORE YOU TRAVEL. There is a fine of 100 Euros if you are found travelling without a validated ticket. Validate before each journey.

Dep. Livorno Centrale: 0810 (Sundays only), 0812 (not Sundays or holidays), 0829 (not Sundays or holidays), 0910, 0930, 1000, 1010 (not Sundays or holidays), 1110, 1210, 1231 (Sundays only), 1310, 1343, 1400, 1410, 1416, 1505, 1510(not Sundays or holidays), 1543, 1600, 1610, 1710, 1748(not Sundays or holidays), 1800, 1805 (Sundays only), 1810 (not Sundays or holidays), 1827, 1905 (not Sundays or holidays), 2000, 2006, 2035 (Sundays only), 2110(not Sundays or holidays), 2112 (Sundays only), 2200, 2258

And back to Livorno from Pisa Centrale:

Dep Pisa Centrale : 0809, 0832, 0837 (not Sundays or holidays), 0912 (Sundays only), 0932, 1032, 1050, 1132, 1145, 1232, 1302, 1332, 1345, 1412, 1432(not Sundays or holidays), 1502, 1519(not Sundays or holidays), 1532, 1545, 1608 (not Sundays or holidays), 1632, 1732, 1745, 1821(not Sundays or holidays), 1832, 1902, 1932, 1956, 2032, 2109, 2137 (not Sundays or holidays), 2209, 2227, 2232, 2238 (Sundays only), 2245 (not Sundays or holidays), 2327

Gateway to Piazza dei Miracoli, PisaI haven't included InterCity or EuroStar trains here, as you have to pay a supplement to use these trains and can be fined if found on board without having paid this. It's not worth the risk unless you really have no alternative (nb. the Eurostar fare from Pisa to Livorno is 9.00 euros, compared to the 1.90 regular fare! If you really have to, you can pay this supplement at the ticket office).

The above times are the up-to-date summer 2011 times which are valid until the middle of September. However, please always check train times locally as I cannot be held responsible for changes to the above timetable.

For information about how to get from Pisa Centrale Station to the Leaning Tower, click here

When going to Pisa, allow plenty of time for your visit. Although Pisa is a small town, it still takes time to get from Pisa Centrale station to the Leaning Tower, whether by local bus or on foot. And you may find that you wish to spend more time than you thought in the town since it has many areas of interest besides the famous Piazza dei Miracoli and its Tower. In fact, going on your own means you can take time to enjoy areas that most day-trippers on organised tours miss.

Leaning Tower: to go up the tower it costs €15 euros. During high season it is best to make a reservation, as limited numbers of visitors are allowed to climb the tower at allotted times. You can make a reservation online from between 45 and 15 days before the date you wish to book for. There is a charge of 2 euros for this advanced reservation. Click here for a direct link to the online booking service.

Ice Cream Tip:  For some strange reason none of the shops or cafés around the main Piazza dei Miracoli sell decent gelato. It's all pre-packed, industrial stuff. To taste some good homemade Italian icecream in Pisa, you don't have to go far though. Just walk along Via Santa Maria for about 250m to the Orso Bianco Gelateria at number 54, on the corner of Piazza Cavallotti.