Italy--Rome to Florence

It's been a few years since we were in Italy, but we twice took the train from Florence to Rome. The fast train only takes 90 minutes and costs up to 40 euros, depending on which train you choose.

http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en

Oh my, yes of course, take the train! Don't think I've ever heard of anyone even contemplating flying from Rome to Florence :-)

Absolutely, take the train! It's not nearly far enough to fly, and you get on one train right in the middle of Rome, and get off right in the middle of Florence versus dealing airports which are far from the city centers.

90 minutes between Roma Termini and Firenze Santa Maria Novella stations.

Yes it does have an airport, to the north of town.

By the time you will have reached FCO airport, Ciampino is even slower, and begun the checking in procedure to fly, even before reaching the gate, your non stop train will have deposited you in the centre of Florence at station Santa Maria Novella.

And the train is cheaper. And more comfortable. And you can carry on as much luggage as you can carry.

Yes, there is an international airport in Florence, however if you happen to be visiting Rome, it is much faster, more convenient and cheaper to take the high speed train, as noted above. The train ride is only 90 min and there 2 to 3 trains every hour.

To answer Tim's question, yes there are cases where it makes sense to fly between Florence and Rome. That is to catch a connection at Rome Fiumicino (FCO) with Alitalia. Alitalia is in fact the only airline flying that route (3 times a day). For example if you want to catch a morning Alitalia flight from FCO to North America, you can take the earliest Alitalia flight from Florence (departing at 7:30am from FLR and arriving at FCO in about 50 min) and be on your America bound flight at FCO with any flight leaving after 9am. Your baggage would have been already comfortably checked in in Florence, therefore you don't need to be there at FCO 2 hours before.

That feat would be impossible with a train since the earliest a train can take you from Florence to Fiumicino is about 9:30am, and that would not be sufficiently early to check in for a morning flight to North America.

But if you are not connecting from/to flights, but rather you are already downtown Rome visiting, then it makes no sense to fly.