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Florence taxis are reliable, regulated and reasonably priced — but they’re rarely the right transport choice in a city this small. Most of the historic centre is easy on foot, the airport tram is dramatically cheaper than the taxi’s fixed fare of around €30 to FLR, and the local apps itTaxi and AppTaxi let you book a licensed, metered taxi from your phone. This 2026 guide explains when taxis make sense, how Florence’s metered fares and airport flat-rates work, the local taxi apps that work better than Uber, and the etiquette that prevents the most common scams.
Taxis are one of several options in our guide to getting around Florence, and the fixed airport tariff is explained in Florence airport to the city centre. Inside the walls, though, walking is almost always faster.
When to Use Taxis in Florence
Taxis make sense in five specific scenarios:
- Late-night returns after the last tram (around 00:30, or 02:00 on Friday and Saturday nights; check the last departure from your stop)
- Heavy luggage transfers when walking with rolling suitcases is impractical
- Mobility issues or rainy-weather days when walking distances are uncomfortable
- Outer-neighbourhood destinations beyond reasonable walking distance (Coverciano, Galluzzo, Castello)
- Time-pressed transfers like racing to a Frecciarossa departure or an early-morning flight
Taxis don’t make sense for: routine sightseeing transfers within the historic centre (walking is usually just as quick, and free), Cathedral-area to Pitti Palace (an easy walk), or routine airport transfers (the T2 tram is €2.00 and takes about 20 minutes, against a fixed taxi fare of around €30).
Florence Taxi Fares (2026)
Florence taxis use a regulated metered system with two main rate tiers plus several flat rates for specific routes.
Metered Fares
- Tariff 1 (urban, the standard tariff for trips within the city): distance charged in progressive bands from €1.10/km to €2.10/km
- Tariff 2: the extraurban tariff, for trips out of town
- Tariff 3: the shared-taxi tariff
- Starting fare and minimum: €3.80 start / €5.80 minimum on weekday days, €6.10 / €8.10 on Sundays and holidays, €7.70 / €9.70 at night (22:00–06:00)
- Waiting time: €30.10/hour in the first urban band, €37.70/hour in the higher bands, when stopped or in heavy traffic
- Luggage: €1.20 per piece, up to seven pieces
- Radio call from a phone booking adds €2.50 to the meter
Typical metered fares in central Florence:
- Cathedral to SMN station: €5–8
- Cathedral to Pitti Palace: €8–12
- Cathedral to Piazzale Michelangelo: €12–16
- SMN station to Cathedral: €5–8
- SMN station to Sant’Ambrogio: €8–11
- Cathedral to Fiesole: €25–30
Airport Flat Rates
Florence Airport (FLR) Peretola taxis use regulated flat rates between the airport and the historic centre:
- €28 weekday daytime (06:00–22:00, Monday–Saturday, non-holidays)
- €30 Sundays & holidays (daytime)
- €32 at night (22:00–06:00)
- Supplements: €1.20 per piece of luggage and €1.20 for each passenger beyond the third (capped at €14.40 in all)
- The flat rate covers the area inside the ring roads (viali), in either direction, and does not apply to destinations beyond them (Sesto Fiorentino, Scandicci, etc.)
The flat rate is posted on a small sign near the FLR taxi rank. If a driver tries to charge by meter on a centre destination, decline and confirm the flat rate before getting in.
How to Get a Taxi
Taxi Ranks (Stazionamenti)
Florence has dozens of designated taxi ranks throughout the centre. Look for white-and-blue signs reading “Taxi.” The major ones for tourists:
- Piazza della Stazione (Santa Maria Novella station main exit)
- Piazza del Duomo (Cathedral, north side near the Baptistery)
- Piazza della Signoria (south side near the Loggia dei Lanzi)
- Piazza Beccaria (eastern centre)
- Piazzale Michelangelo (sunset rank)
- Florence Airport (FLR) arrivals exit — regulated flat-rate rank
- Piazza della Repubblica (centre)
In Florence the usual way to get a taxi is to walk to an official rank or to book by radio, phone or app, rather than to wait for one to pass in the street.
Phone Booking
- 055 4242 — Florence radio taxi (SO.CO.TA.). The standard number; English-speaking dispatch available.
- 055 4390 — CO.TA.FI., the alternative radio taxi co-operative.
- 055 4798 — Another SO.CO.TA. booking number.
How quickly a phone-booked taxi arrives depends on how many cars are free at the time. The meter can already be running when the driver reaches you, since the drive to your pickup is charged, and the call itself adds a €2.50 supplement. Useful for planned trips like 04:30 airport transfers; less efficient for impatient walk-up needs.
Taxi Apps
Several apps work in Florence, all booking from the regulated taxi fleet:
- itTaxi — Italian taxi-network app that covers Florence. Metered fares; map-tracking; pay in app.
- AppTaxi — Italian taxi app linked in Florence to Radio Taxi 055 4242. Similar functionality, with card payment in the app. Useful if itTaxi is showing long wait times.
- Free Now (formerly MyTaxi) — Pan-European taxi app; works in Florence with full feature set.
- Uber — Uber Black (luxury sedan with chauffeur) is available; €40–60 typical Florence ride. Check the app for any other options.
The local apps (itTaxi, AppTaxi, Free Now) book licensed Florence taxis on the city’s regulated meter; AppTaxi, for one, connects to Radio Taxi 055 4242. They simply digitise the booking, payment and tracking.
Uber Black quotes a price for each trip in the app, so compare it with the taxi fare before you book. Worth it for travellers who specifically want English-speaking drivers, fixed-price quotes upfront, or a slightly nicer vehicle.
Payment
- Cash — universally accepted. Carry small bills (€5, €10, €20) for typical fares.
- Credit/debit cards — confirm with the driver before getting in, or book through AppTaxi, which takes card payment in Florence.
- Apps (itTaxi, AppTaxi, Free Now) — pay in-app, no cash needed, automatic receipt
- Receipts — always available on request (“una ricevuta, per favore”)
If a driver claims “card machine broken” — politely insist or get out at the next opportunity. This is occasionally a tactic to push for cash payment without receipt. Modern Florence taxis have working card readers as a regulatory requirement.
Tipping Florence Taxis
Tipping is light:
- City rides: round up to the nearest euro. €8.50 fare → pay €9.
- Airport transfers: round €28 → €30 or €31 if the driver helped with luggage.
- Long-distance rides (Florence to Siena, etc., €100+ fares): 5–10% optional
- Exceptional service (driver helped with multiple bags up stairs, took scenic route at your request): €2–5 additional
Tipping isn’t expected and Italian taxi drivers don’t depend on tips for income. A small rounded-up gesture is appreciated; 20% American-style tipping is unusual.
Common Taxi Scams to Avoid
Florence taxis are mostly legitimate; the few common scam patterns:
“Broken Meter” Scam
Driver claims the meter is broken and quotes a flat rate well above the metered fare. Defence: always insist on the metered fare; refuse to ride if the driver won’t run the meter. Working meters are a regulatory requirement in Florence.
“ZTL Detour” Charge
Driver claims they need to take a long detour around the ZTL and charges extra. Defence: licensed taxis are allowed into the ZTL, and the metered fare already accounts for the route taken. The driver legally cannot charge “extra” for the route. If you suspect deliberate over-routing, photograph the meter at start and end, and report via the radio taxi service or local police.
“Card Machine Broken”
Tactic to force cash payment without receipt. Defence: insist on card payment or note that you’re documenting the cash transaction. All Florence taxis are required to accept cards.
Airport Flat-Rate Confusion
Driver tries to charge the meter rate above the airport flat rate (around €30), claiming the flat rate doesn’t apply to your destination. Defence: the flat rate covers every address inside the ring roads (viali), which takes in the historic centre (Cathedral block, Santa Croce, Oltrarno, Pitti area, etc.). Confirm the fare and your address before getting in.
Luggage Overcharging
Driver charges €5 per bag instead of €1.20. Defence: the regulated supplement is €1.20 per piece of luggage, for up to seven pieces.
If you encounter a serious scam, ask for a receipt showing the taxi number, the route and the amount, and note the taxi number yourself before taking it up with the radio taxi service (055 4242) or the police. Florence’s taxi fleet is licensed and trackable; complaints are taken seriously.
Late-Night Taxi Service
Florence’s radio taxi lines take calls around the clock, so late at night it pays to ring ahead (055 4242) rather than count on a car waiting at a rank.
Late-night fares (22:00–06:00) start at €7.70 on the meter, with a €9.70 minimum, against €3.80 and €5.80 on a weekday daytime. The distance rates themselves stay the same.
Pre-book your 04:30 airport transfer the night before — calling at 04:00 trying to find a taxi rarely works.
Accessibility
Florence’s taxi fleet includes accessible vehicles for wheelchair users. Pre-book via 055 4242 (Florence radio taxi) and specifically request “taxi accessibile” or “taxi per disabili.” Ask the dispatcher about availability and how much notice to give. Rides are charged at normal metered rates, and Radio Taxi 4242 offers a 15% discount for eligible disabled passengers.
Standard taxis can usually accommodate folded wheelchairs in the trunk plus one wheelchair user in the back seat with a transfer.
Taxi vs Other Florence Transport
- vs Walking: Taxis lose for most centre-only trips, where walking is usually as quick and costs nothing. Taxis win for outer-neighbourhood and late-night returns.
- vs Tram: The T2 tram beats taxis to FLR airport (€2.00 and about 20 minutes to the station area, vs a fixed fare of around €30). For Piazzale Michelangelo, bus 12 is €2.00 vs €15 taxi.
- vs Uber Black: Compare Uber’s in-app quote with the taxi fare. Uber Black wins on app convenience, fixed-price upfront and English-speaking drivers.
- vs Rental car: Taxis avoid the ZTL parking nightmare. Worth €15 a few times a day vs €30 daily parking + driving stress.
License & Regulation
Florence taxis are licensed by the Comune di Firenze. Identifying features:
- White vehicles with rooftop “TAXI” illuminated sign
- Yellow license plates (Italian taxi-specific) at front and rear
- License number displayed inside the cabin (small plate on dashboard or sun visor)
- “Servizio Pubblico” sign on the side door
- Driver photo ID displayed on dashboard
“Pirata” (unlicensed) taxis exist but are rare in central Florence. Don’t accept rides from drivers who approach you on the street outside official ranks; legitimate taxis don’t actively solicit passengers this way.
Insider Tips
Tip 1: Download itTaxi or Free Now app before arriving in Florence. Booking via app eliminates language confusion and gives map-tracked arrival.
Tip 2: Don’t count on hailing a taxi from the street — head for an official rank or book by radio or app.
Tip 3: Confirm the airport flat rate (€28 weekday daytime, €30 Sundays and holidays, €32 at night) before getting in for FLR transfers.
Tip 4: Carry small euro bills (€5, €10) for cash-only situations. Coins for the €1 luggage charges.
Tip 5: Late at night, call the 24-hour radio taxi line (055 4242), or use its online rank finder to see where the nearest rank is.
Tip 6: Always ask for a receipt (“una ricevuta”) if you’ll claim the fare on travel insurance or business expenses. Drivers must provide them.
Florence Taxi FAQ
How much do Florence taxis cost?
On the standard urban tariff the meter starts at €3.80 on a weekday daytime, with distance charged in bands from €1.10/km to €2.10/km. Typical centre rides €5–14. Airport flat rate €28 weekday daytime / €30 Sundays and holidays / €32 at night. Night fares (22:00–06:00) start at €7.70, with a €9.70 minimum.
Does Uber work in Florence?
Uber Black (luxury sedan, €40–60 per ride) is available; check the app for any other options. The local apps itTaxi, AppTaxi and Free Now book regular metered taxis.
Can I pay with credit card?
Yes — all licensed Florence taxis are required to accept Visa and Mastercard. Confirm before getting in if you’re concerned about an older driver. Modern fleet vehicles support contactless. App-booked rides pay in-app automatically.
How much do I tip a taxi in Florence?
Round up to the nearest euro. €8.50 → pay €9. €12.50 → pay €13. For airport transfers with luggage help, €2–3 additional. Tipping is optional, with no fixed rules.
Are taxis available late at night in Florence?
Yes — the radio taxi line (055 4242) runs 24 hours, so call ahead rather than relying on a car waiting at a rank. Night fares (22:00–06:00) start at €7.70 on the meter, with a €9.70 minimum.
Should I take a taxi from Florence Airport?
Usually no — the T2 tram is dramatically cheaper (€2.00 against a taxi fixed fare of around €30) and takes about 20 minutes to the station area. Take a taxi if you have heavy luggage, mobility issues, a late-night arrival after the last tram (around 00:30, or 02:00 on Friday and Saturday nights), or pre-booked private transfer arrangements.
Can I hail a taxi on the street?
Most people pick a taxi up at an official rank (Stazione, Duomo, Signoria, Beccaria, Piazzale, Repubblica) or book by radio or app, so head for a rank rather than waiting for one to pass.
Which Florence taxi app is best?
itTaxi serves Florence and is a good first download. AppTaxi (linked to Radio Taxi 055 4242) and Free Now are good alternatives if itTaxi shows long wait times. Fares are regulated whichever you use; a taxi booked by phone or radio adds a €2.50 call supplement.
Florence taxis are a niche tool: airport-rate transfer with heavy luggage, late-night returns when the tram has stopped, mobility-friendly transport for outer destinations. For most centro-storico activity, walking remains faster and free. Download itTaxi before arrival for English-speaking dispatch and digital payment, save 055 4242 for emergency phone bookings, and you’ll have reliable backup transport when you actually need it — without paying for it on routine sightseeing days.
