Train from Rome to Florence

Leonardo Express gets you from airport to Termini in half hour. Add at least an hour for bags and immigration. If you want to cut it close, I would want at least 2.5 hrs from landing to train.

If it were me, I would stay in Rome overnight. Tons of hotels within a few blocks of Termini.

This may help. The link is to the Leonardo Express website. Also, this Rome to Florence info might help.

Have you traveled much in Europe? How long is your flight? I don't see how you could get to Termini before at least 8:00 pm with catching the 9:00 pm train more realistic. By the time you get to Florence and make it to your accommodation, you'd be pushing midnight.

How long is your trip? My suggestion would be to spend the night in Rome, get up the next morning and stroll for a bit, then take a mid-afternoon train to Florence. You could arrive at your hotel at check in time, then freshen up, stroll for a bit, then have a nice dinner.

We will be in Italy between 9/1 - 9/15. We are trying to split one week in Florence/Tuscany and one week in Puglia, so I was trying to maximize the time in Florence, but I could easily take an early train out the next morning.

I can’t imagine it taking that long. Even when checking bags it rarely takes me more than 30 minutes to get out of an airport. I’d check the schedules and plan on going. Would not buy in advance in case of delay, just to know the times.

After our arrival in Europe, we always try to get a little nap before going out and getting a bite to eat. Then we wake up the next a.m. ready to go.

You should take the Leonardo Express to Rome Termini and get a room in a nearby hotel. Then head north in the a.m. You'll have plenty of time in Florence.

These are great responses so want to get your ideas on another Rome train trip.
We are flying into Rome at 8am on the Thursday before Easter. I’ve looked at the train schedules and know there are lots of options to get to Venice. There are a few questions for your input please.
1. We are seniors and will be traveling light. Will the upcoming holiday that weekend present issues?We are more concerned with easy, rather than less expensive. So with that in mind, should we buy the train tickets at FCO all the way to Venice or just the Leonardo Express ticket to Termini then once we get there buy the second leg ticket. We aren’t familiar with trains so don’t want to have to run for a train if we buy a specific ticket with a short connection time. Is it better to wait for the direct train FCO around 2pm that we can stay on the whole time?
2. Need to eat somewhere. I need to eat regular meals and will be carrying snacks, but I don’t want to wait until Venice to get a “ real meal” in case the plane food leaves me feeling empty. So again are the options at Termini better than close to whichever airport Terminal we land at before the train?

@ncangelose

don’t want to have to run for a train if we buy a specific ticket with a short connection time

Since there is free wifi at FCO airport, you can buy online when you are at the airport. Install Trenitalia's app now and get used to it. Once you are in Rome's airport, make two separate transactions and pick the time of transfer you prefer.

If you want to get tickets at a counter, at the Airport station the assistant will sell you a through ticket to Venice. There is no need to make two separate purchases and two lines, just tell them you want a longer time to transfer. Same at the ticket machines.

are the options at Termini

These days at Termini there are more bars, restaurants and pastry shops than tracks: https://www.instazione.shop/roma-termini/bar-e-ristoranti

I bet there is a similar page listing all places selling food on the airport's official site.

@nicolegarcia77: I heartily agree with those suggesting that you overnight in Rome and make your way to Florence the next day. In the 25+ times that I've flown into FCO, sometimes I've made it through immigration and baggage claim quickly and others I've been held up at either (or both) points. I think it's an unnecessary risk to try to catch a train to Florence the evening that you land. Also, if you don't purchase your tickets in advance, you risk not getting tickets, although, admittedly, you have a better chance in September than during the spring and summer.

@Dario,
Your response was so helpful! I feel a lot less anxious and I appreciate you taking the time to answer.