Coach Bus Parking & Drop off/Pick up Points

This information is for those groups of travelers coming to Florence from other parts of Europe or even Italy that need to arrive into Florence and know where to drop off and pick up their passengers as well as where they can park during your group's visit in Florence. All buses have to get a pass, at all times.

The information contained in this article is extracted and rewritten from details found on the "official" website which is supposed to be in English but is only partially translated, with many links being only in Italian. Due to multiple requests I've received for assistance in understanding the material, I've read the information myself and try to present the information in a more clear manner on this page. I hope it is of help!

First things first

All tourist coach buses need to obtain a bus pass to be able to enter into Florence and drop off and pick up their passengers and park in the coach parking areas.

--> You can no longer wait until you get to Florence to get the pass: since August 2020, the pass has to be purchased online ahead of time or otherwise you won't be able to enter into Florence.

If this is the first time you're coming to Florence and have never gotten a pass before, arm yourself with lots of patience to navigate that website. There is no English version, so if you can't do the process in Italian (registering first, then registering the details of the coach bus (censimento)), then the only thing you can do is email them at and see whether they can help you with the process directly: ztlbus@serviziallastrada.it).

In your request, attach a clearly legible copy of the vehicle's registration documents where this information is found: license plate number, owner, the length of the bus and exhaust emission class (Euro 0,1,2,3,4,5, etc., natural gas, electric). Indicate your contact telephone and fax numbers and your email address.

Once the coach bus is registered, you can then buy the bus pass online. You'll receive details once you're registered.

CHECK POINTS

The two checkpoints in Florence are still closed to the public, even if the health emergency has ended. Not sure whether they plan on reopening them, the main office at the Parterre also does not have hours to the public, you can only email or call.

Buying the right pass

There are several different bus passes available and these are divided according to WHERE you need to get to in Florence, as in how close you want the drop-off/pick-up point to be or whether you need to reach a hotel in a specific area. For example, the main passes are G, H, S, T, and P but there are also specific passes for reaching the Oltrarno area and others solely for reaching hotels in that specific area of the historical center. The easiest way to figure out which one you need is to look at the "MAPPE" or maps on this page: http://www.serviziallastrada.it/it/busturisticimenuhome2 and, from there, figure out which pass you need. Look at the drop-off points below if you don't need to enter the historical center but just need to do a drop-off/pick-up since they can also allow you to figure out which pass can reach those points.

As far as RATES for the passes, that depends on the size of the coach bus and the type of motor exhaust emission class. The most current rates can be found here on the SaS website.

Drop off and Pick up of Passengers

The following areas are designated as drop off/pick up "points" for your passengers (with the exception of via La Pira/Dogana which is a drop-off only area). All have marked spaces on the ground for stopping, and a maximum time for the stop allowed, after which coach buses need to proceed to the parking lots. You need specific passes to reach these points so that is where you need figure out which pass you need if you want to arrive and drop off/pick up at a certain area.

For example, these all need passes G, H, S and T:

• Lungarno Pecori Giraldi: all 24 hours, with maximum 10 minute stop.

• Via La Dogana: this is only for drop offs between 8am to 8pm (pick up of passengers is always prohibited) with a maximum of 5 minutes stop time. Transit to get there is this specific route: via Cavour (from Piazza della Libertà to Via della Dogana section), turn left on via della Dogana, stop and drop-off and then leave the area by turning left on via La Pira/via La Marmora to head back out of the center.

• Piazzale Michelangelo: within the marked spaces, all 24 hours, drop off and pick up with max 20 min stop, arriving through Viale Galileo.

• Viale Ariosto: on the "Mura" side (old wall) near the corner with Via dell'Orto, on the marked spaces on the ground with a maximum stop of 10 minutes allowed, all 24 hours.

• Piazza Vittorio Veneto: on left side, where the tram line passes, closer to the corner with via Solferino, you'll find marked spaces on the ground marked where you can stop 24 hours a aday, with a maximum stop of 10 minutes.

• if you need to drop-off/pick-up passengers at the Santa Maria Novella train station, there is a reserved lane you can access to arrive right next to it but you need special permission ahead of time to do so, which can be requested only after you have purchased your bus pass by sending a certified PEC email to: ztlbusfirenze@pec.it.

Parking Lots

As for parking spaces, coach buses can park in the following areas but make note that depending on your pass, you can reach some but not all, or access is limited by hours of the day. Also note that all these parking lots are not supervised so it is recommended no valuables be left on board.

• Viale XI Agosto called "Guidoni": 24 hours a day for G, H, S, T, R pass holders, and hours 9.00am-7:00pm for those with P pass

• Piazzale Campioni del 56 '- Primo Scudetto della Fiorentina (stadium area): at the corner with Viale Paoli on the marked spaces on the ground, 24 hours a day (not accessible during sporting events at the Artemio Franchi stadium) for holders of passes G, H, S, T.

• Via Palazzeschi: for pass holders G, H, S, T and R between 8am and 8pm, on the spaces marked on the road near the corner of via della Torre

• Viale Visconti Venosta: on the marked spaces from 8am to 8pm, all passes

• Piazzale Galileo: on the marked spaces on the ground, from 8am to 8pm, for G, H, S, T and R bus passes; you can reach this parking area from V.le Michelangiolo.

This information was all extracted from information found on the official site.

Last update: 01/09/2023