Ventimiglia station, where journeys from Nice change trains crossing from France into Italy.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons contributor (CC BY-SA 3.0) - verify photographer attribution on the file page before publishingNice to Florence by Train
An international route between France and Italy.
Reviewed by Eurotraintrip on 2026-07-30
- Duration
- 5h 45m – 7h 45m
- Price from
- 42 EUR
- Distance
- 405 km
- Operators
- SNCF TERTrenitalia RegionaleTrenitalia Frecciabianca/Intercity
- Frequency
- No single train covers the whole route - SNCF TER runs the Nice-Ventimiglia leg roughly every 30-60 minutes, Trenitalia Regionale/Intercity trains link Ventimiglia to Genova about every 1-2 hours, and Trenitalia's Genova-Florence services run roughly hourly
Compare and book Nice–Florence tickets
Check pricesWhat makes Nice to Florence different
- There's no single ticket or through-train for this journey: it runs via Ventimiglia, the rail border crossing between France and Italy on this coast, and then via Genova Piazza Principe - a minimum of two changes, sometimes three if the Genova-Florence leg routes via Pisa or La Spezia.
- Air Corsica flies Nice-Florence direct just three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) in about 1h10m - a genuine but limited alternative that makes this multi-change train route the more reliably available option on the other four days.
- The Nice-Ventimiglia leg alone runs along the Cote d'Azur/Italian Riviera coastline through Monaco-Monte-Carlo and Menton before crossing into Italy - SNCF has been working since December 2024 to push frequency on just this short cross-border segment toward a train every 15 minutes.
Nice station
Departs from Nice-Ville, built in 1867 for the PLM railway company in Louis XIII style with a facade of ornate balconies and a large clock; it's also the Cote d'Azur's main long-distance hub, so confirm you're on the Ventimiglia-bound TER platform.
Florence station
Arrives at Firenze Santa Maria Novella, a Rationalist-movement landmark designed by the Gruppo Toscano collective and inaugurated in October 1935 - a deliberately modern design dropped into Florence's historic center that was controversial at the time it was built.
Train vs. other options
Driving the roughly 430km via the A10, A12 and A11 autostradas takes about 5-7 hours depending on traffic, similar to the train's total time but with tolls and no coastal train window. Flying is limited to Air Corsica's three-times-weekly direct service, so on the other four days flying means routing through a hub airport, at which point the multi-change train is often no slower door-to-door.
Booking tips
- Book the France-to-Italy leg and the Italy-only legs separately: SNCF sells Nice-Ventimiglia, but Trenitalia can't issue a French ticket, so plan on at least two separate bookings.
- Build in a real buffer at each change - Ventimiglia and Genova Piazza Principe connections are rarely cross-platform, and a delayed TER from Nice can mean missing the next Trenitalia departure, especially since some Ventimiglia-Genova and Genova-Florence services run only every 1-2 hours.
- Regionale tickets on the Italian legs are unreserved and can't be locked in at an advance price - if minimizing total cost matters more than speed, compare Regionale options on the Genova-Florence leg specifically.
Good to know: Trenitalia and SNCF don't sell each other's legs, so a single search on either national operator's site will never show the full Nice-Florence itinerary - you piece it together across at least two booking systems.
While you're in Florence
Florence Cathedral's dome, seen at night from Piazzale Michelangelo across the Arno.
Photo: dllu / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)Florence is where you need reservations before you need a hotel: the Uffizi, the Accademia (for Michelangelo's David), and the Duomo's dome climb all run timed-entry systems that sell out days to weeks ahead in peak season, so book those before you lock in your train times.
Full Florence travel guide →Frequently asked questions
Is there a direct train from Nice to Florence?
No - there's no through train or single ticket. The standard routing changes at Ventimiglia (the France-Italy border) and again at Genova Piazza Principe, sometimes a third time at Pisa or La Spezia.
How long does it take to get from Nice to Florence by train?
Realistically around 5h45m to 7h45m depending on how well your connections line up at Ventimiglia and Genova.
Can I fly directly from Nice to Florence instead?
Yes, but only three times a week - Air Corsica runs a direct Monday/Wednesday/Friday service in about 1h10m.