Nervous Traveler

Transport between Florence and Rome is very easy as it's one of the main routes in the country. As indicated on the Rome2Rio site, the train is the fastest mode of transport and it takes less than 2 hours if you get a Freccia or express train.

https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Florence-Italy/Rome

Once you arrive in Rome, there is the Leonardo Express to the airport, which takes less than an hour. (I'm rounding upwards in my time estimates to allow for the fact that you have to get yourself and your luggage to the proper platform etc.)

https://www.trenitalia.com/en/services/fiumicino_airport.html

However, the Florence-Rome trains only run a certain number of times per day. Depending how far in the future your tour takes place, you may not be able to tell the exact train schedule yet. Do you know what time of day your tour concludes in Florence?

What time is the flight? Where does it go? If to another Schengen country, you need to be at FCO 2 hours before; if a non-Schengen destination, 3hrs is the recommended time

The RS Heart of Italy tour?

If your flight leaves before 1 PM, you have good reason to be worried

The Trenitalia website shows frequent trains from Firenze Santa Maria Novella to Roma Termini, then change to the Leonardo Express train to the airport. Transit times vary. There is always a risk of a train strike, but they warn you in advance. What time is your flight out of FCO?

Change your flight ( or leave tour a day early)
You should be IN Rome the night before your departure no matter what time flight is

Getting to Rome from Florence is easy but trying to get there in same day as flight is very risky

Be sure to allow time to get your COVID test on day before your departure flight as well

How difficult is it to get to Rome from Florence?

Getting there very easy. The issues is all about timing.

What time are you cut loose from your tour? What time is your flight?

If you are done with the tour early, and your flight leaves late in the day, piece of cake. If either one of those is not true, then you may need to make some adjustment. Yes, ideally you should spend your last night "near" your departure airport, but trains are frequent and pretty reliable. If the timing allows, you might be OK. But if in doubt....look into moving your return flight out one day.

Like everyone else has mentioned, the key is when is your departure time? I make it a point to be at the Airport on my return home at least 3 to 3.5 hours early in order to be able to get everything done and be at my gate ahead of time. If your departure time is after 12:00 noon you should be able to make it if you take the early train. If the departure time is before noon I would go to Rome the night before and grab a cheap hotel near the airport that has a shuttle and save myself the stress of trying to make the flight all the way from Florence.

At least the train from Florence will get into the Termini station in Rome, and you’ll catch the Leonardo Express train to the airport at the same station. There are slower trains from Florence that make lots of stops along the way, and the high-speed trains from the two railways - Italo and Trenitalia. If needed, can you cut your last tour day short, to catch an appropriate train?

Or can you change your flight home to a flight the next day, hopefully without too much cancellation/change fee? If you’re stranded or delayed, at least you’re stranded in Italy! 😊

Can you change your flight to the following day? Or to fly out of Florence?

Assume you flew into Rome and are locked into a return ticket. For other readers, this is a classic example of where an open jaw/multi city ticket might have proved cheaper and quicker. Flying into Rome and home from Florence. BUT --- critical to know when your return flight from Rome is. Please tell us so we can offer better solutions.

If this is a Rick Steves tour it will end with breakfast on your last day, and your guide will help you figure out how to get to the station in Florence. You may end up sharing a cab with some tourmates. There is direct rail service between Florence's Campo Marte station (not SMN) and Rome airport (FCO), about a two-hour journey. For example, there appears to be a train tomorrow morning at 8:26 that arrives at the airport at 10:22. If your flight is in the afternoon, this should work for you. But don't linger over breakfast. ;-)

Another option, less appealing, would be a late evening train, perhaps after your farewell dinner, from Florence to Rome's Termini, a night in a hotel close to Termini, and then the Leonardo Express to FCO. That should work for a mid-morning flight. There's a Hilton at FCO if your flight is early morning, taking the Leonardo from Termini the evening before. But you wouldn't have booked a morning flight from FCO after a tour ending in Florence that same morning, I'm sure.

The reality is that a person can leave the tour on the last day as early as they would like. Your good-byes to other tour members will really be made at the dinner the night before. I wouldn't panic quite yet. While you will want to give yourself plenty of time, you can adjust the time that you get up and start to the airport to meet any timing needs.

Indeed, but that doesn’t change the fact that Florence is two hours from Rome.

I would want to be in Rome the night before my flight out. I would see, as someone else has mentioned, about changing your departure flight by one day.

If this is an RS Tour, the last day is breakfast only. Ask the hotel for a "brown bag" breakfast and leave as early in the morning as you can. Good luck and safe travels!

Trenitalia runs two direct Florence-FCO high speed trains each day, the one that departs from SM Novella leaves at 11:48 and calls at FCO station at 14:07.

Just a reminder that trains can be delayed. I side with those who are advising to get to Rome the night before your departure.

Definitely get to Rome the night before. It will make your life so much easier. No need to have "one last breakfast" then have to worry about making a flight the same day out of Rome. You can take a later train from Florence to Rome, stay at or near the airport, and sleep easy knowing you won't be stressed with a lot of "what ifs" the next day.

Thank you for all of your replies. In answer to your questions...
Yes, it is a Rick Steves' tour that I am taking. My flight from Rome leaves at 3:00 pm and it is possible to leave early on the last day of tour (all that happens is breakfast). Does any of this make a difference?
Argh, it looks like spending the night before the flight in Rome would save me a lot of anxiety.

Thanks for the extra information. Probably Heart of Italy? That was my first RS tour and itmwas excellent!!

If you can put off your return flight by one day I would. It would be a shame to miss the farewell dinner. It’s a nice time to tie up the tour and say goodbye to your travel friends.

Or if your airline will allow a change, see if you can fly out of Florence.

The 'good news' is Trenitalia is showing 5 departures from Florence ( between 8-9 AM) that have one change and get to FCO before noon.

You could attend the final dinner and be on your way bright and early the next morning with a reasonable expectation of success.. That is to say there are transportation options available that work, but it does not take a big bump to upset the cart.

You would be better off if you could either fly from Florence or push the flight from Rome to the next day

I'm usually not very risk adverse and could see myself planning something similar. However, on my last trip through Florence, there was some kind of train traffic control meltdown and the long distance trains were all VERY delayed, over 2 hours for most! Italian trains are not quite the same as Swiss or German even on the best days. If you can move the flight or leave for Rome the prior evening, you really should.

Being someone who really, really doesn't like the idea of having to buy a costly, last-minute replacement airline ticket, my policy is to plan to use public transportation to the airport on departure day but make sure I'm within an affordable cab ride of the airport, just in case. Florence to Rome doesn't fit that criterion.

Having been many many trains in Italy, I’ve never once been on one that was late.
However, there’s always a first time.
I would book an evening train to Rome from Florence, stay in a hotel near Rome’s Termini Station, (so you don’t have to get a late night cab to one further away), have a little walk around in the morning, then get the Leonardo Express train from Termini to the airport .
There are plenty of evening trains to get you into Rome before midnight, both Trenitalia and Italo.
You will feel less anxious, and won’t have to rush, and you will easily make your flight.
People here can help you choose a safe hotel in Rome.
Do let us know what you choose to do, and I hope you have a wonderful trip!

I would appreciate suggestions for a hotel near Termini Station.

Hotel Sonya
https://www.hotelsonya.it/en/

I’ve done that trip many times and it’s not difficult at all. I would suggest giving yourself plenty of extra time as I have had delays a couple of times. Don’t be nervous. I’ve found it’s much easier to fly home from Rome or Milan. I remember being nervous every time I tried a new experience overseas for several years. After some time I realized all of those “first time” experiences were great and I had nothing to fear from future ones. Just be flexible and be determined to have a good time. Happy travels!