florence/pisa in one day?

What time can you disembarc and what time do you have to be back for departure? This can be done but you won't see much. You're looking at about 3.5 hours just on the train. Then, you are looking at 20-25 minutes each way from the Livorno train station to the ship. At Pisa, it's a 30 minute walk in and 30 minutes out to see the tower.

We disembark at 7am and need to be back on the ship by 6pm so we have 11 hours!

CLICK HERE to see the typical morning train schedule and fares from Livorno Centrale to Florence. Go for it. Note that if you ship docks on Monday, many of the best sites in Florence are closed.

thanks for the help! We are using the cruise as a quick intro to Italy for our kids so we'll do the "highlights" and let them return on their own time/dime!

I'm assuming we can walk from the port to the Livorno train station...I think you said 25 minutes. Also, is it recommended that we buy train tickets in advance or can we wait until we actually get there to purchase?

Pam, the train from Livorno to Florence, most from Florence to Pisa and from Pisa back to Livorno are local Regionale (R) trains. On the link above, you can see "R" in Train Category field. No seat reservations permitted on this class of trains. Although these are real trains, it operates like the MARTA in Atlanta. You buy your tickets at the station, get on and find your own seat. If no seats, you can stand. As with MARTA, the tickets have no train number or departure time on them. You can use them on any R train making that journey for a 60-day period. Since they are open tickets, be sure to validate them in the little yellow boxes in the train stations before boarding. The only advance sales available are on www.raileurope.com and they want $21 for a ticket that costs $9 at the Trenitalia train station.

One hint is that you won't be alone heading for the train station. As cruise ships disembarc, it's a crowd. If your ship docks earlier at another Italian port, or you are in Italy prior to boarding, jump into any train station and buy the tickets there. You can easily use the electronic ticket machine. As I said above, the ticket is an open ticket and good for 60 days on any R train making that run. When you disembarc at Livorno, you can avoid the ticket window and jump right onboard the train.

thanks so much - all great advice!

If I were you, I would skip Pisa. The only thing to see there is the tower!!!! Florence is loaded with things to do and see. I can't see doing both of these in one day just to say you've been to two Italian cities. Enjoy what Florence has to offer!!! Happy travels.

My husband and I and another couple are ariving in Livorno on the Summit on 8/11. I want to arrange for a car to maximize the time, and want to buy advance tickets to David, and see Pisa. Otherwise I want to walk around in Florence. I want to get off the boat as soon as we can (7) and get on at the last minute (6).

Anyone interested in sharing a car??

Just returned from a 3 week trip to Italy and spent 5 nights in Florence and did a daytrip to Pisa. I would pick one or the other but not both. If you go to Florence would you have reservations for any of the museums such as the Accademia or Uffizi?