How to get from Pisa Centrale Train Station to the Leaning Tower of Pisa

Pisa Centrale StationWhen you arrive in Pisa by train, it is still at least 1.5km from Pisa Centrale station to the Leaning Tower in Piazza dei Miracoli, which is probably where you are heading. You can either walk or take the local bus. Here are two possible walking routes, and information regarding the buses:

Pisa Centrale Station to Piazza dei Miracoli
ON FOOT: 
The most direct route from Pisa Centrale station is to head away from the station towards the big Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, at last visit still engulfed in construction work. Turn left here into Via Nino Bixio, and then right into Via Francesco Crispi. Follow this road to the river, go over the Arno river on the Solferino bridge, and then go straight down Via Roma which brings you directly to Piazza dei Miracoli and the wonders of Pisa! (see map below).
A longer but more interesting route is to take Corso Italia from Piazza Vittorio Emanuele. This pedestrianised shopping street leads to the River Arno where you cross on the Ponte di Mezzo. Then follow Borgo Stretto which leads straight ahead from the bridge. Turn left into Via Dini and follow this to Piazza dei Cavalieri. Go through the square and head past the little church of San Rocco, down Via dei Mille and then right into Via Santa Maria which leads to the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
SEE THESE TWO ROUTES ON THE GOOGLE MAP BELOW

View From Pisa Train Station to the Leaning Tower in a larger map

BY BUS

Bus Stop across the road from Pisa Centrale Train StationBefore you leave Pisa Centrale station, go to the news kiosk in the station foyer and buy a couple of bus tickets each, for the journey there and back to the Leaning Tower. At my last visit these cost €1 each.

The bus stop for buses to the Leaning Tower is directly across the road from the station, right in front of the Pisa Jolly Hotel. The bus you need is a LAM Rossa (rossa = red) bus. The Pisa LAM buses (LAM = Linea ad Alta Mobilità) are distinguished by colour instead of number, so look for the one that has the RED LAM sign on the front, although the Pisa buses themselves are usually orange. This bus stops very close to the Tower of Pisa (the bus stop is called 'Torre'). It takes about 10 minutes. On the way back from the Tower to Pisa Railway Station you can catch the same bus from the other side of the road.
An alternative, if you would like to do a little walking after visiting Pisa's Piazza dei Miracoli, is to walk to the River Arno (see map) and pick up the same Lam Rossa bus just before it crosses over the Ponte di Mezzo.