Flying into Rome vs Florence

You have to figure out the true costs of each option.

Rome - you have the cost of getting to Termini (11e I believe per person via the Leonardo Express) and then the train to Florence. Assuming you take the fast Eurostar, this is I think 45e per person. Rome is a large airport which means it could take some time to get through passport control & customs (or not, depending). Then it's 30 minutes to Termini and about 1.5 hours to Florence, with overlap time. Then, of course, you have to do it all over again on the return trip.

Florence has the advantage of being a smaller (VERY small!) airport and then you would be right where you want to be.

It boils down to how many are in your party and what time the flights are at. You need a later flight home to have any hope of getting to the airport in time (unless you go to Rome the night before) and then you run the risk of the airlines changing the flight times and putting you in a risky position.

We once booked a roundtrip Seattle-Rome. Our trip began in Rome and ended in Florence, then we planned to take the train back to Rome the morning of our flight, which was at 1pm. This would have been tight, but doable I think. Except the airline changed our connecting flight in London so that it departed before our flight from Rome arrived. I was able to get them to route us out of Florence instead, but had they decided instead to move our first flight earlier, we would have had a big problem.

ETA: I should clarify that I don't necessarily think flying into Florence is the way to go. $500 is a significant savings. And as Greg says, the train is very easy. However, the logistics get more complicated if you fly in/out of Rome and there can be 'hidden' costs that are important to be aware of.

Hi Suzy - With a price difference that large Rome is the place to fly into. The train to Florence takes a bit over an hour and a half - site included!
The trains in Italy are actually quite fun to take
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=ad1ce14114bc9110VgnVCM10000080a3e90aRCRD
A word of caution - there will be those that come onto the site and go on and on about how difficult this might be for you - Not at all - very easy!! Don't be scared by the Negativists!!!!!!!!

Enjoy your time in Italy, Greg

If it's two or three of you saving a total of $500, then it's worth it. You'll probably be in Florence by early afternoon, just in time for a nap!
Four or more, saving a total of $500, then it's not worth it.
As other posters have noted, however, you will likely have to spend tyour last night in Rome. Don't rely on the train service to get you in from Florence the same day as your flight....too risky IMHO.

I should have clarified, there are two of us,we are open jaw out of Paris to SFO end of May- so not worried about Rome on the way out...train to Florence
seems pretty easy...purchase ticket when we arrive at
Rome train station? Or can you get a better deal if
we book in advance?
Thanks!

For two, it's worth it. You can't buy a ticket beforehand because the website won't accept U.S. card. But you'll have no trouble buying your ticket at the airport when you arrive.

And look at it this way, you get a train ride through Tuscany.

Yep, very do-able, and worth the savings. You'll spend about $80 pp for your tickets....and, as been noted, you can get them at the airport.
Altho you can't buy tickets with an American credit card on the Italian national rail site, you can use it for planning purposes...times, transfer in Rome, etc. Click here to see the site.

When you buy your train tickets at the airport - Leonardo Express plus Rome to Florence - be sure there's at least 25 minutes between trains. It's a brisk 10 minute walk from track 24, where the Leonardo Express arrives, to the departure tracks for the trains to Florence and you'll want to allow some additional cushion.