Time flexible train tickets from Milan to Florence?

Maybe you are referring to the Famiglia Ticket? To quote from the Trenitalia site: Offer for journeys by family groups made up of from 2 to 5 persons of whom at least 1 is an adult and 1 is a child of less than 12; this exciting solution includes the free place booking: 50% For children under 12; 20% for the other persons. The minimum price net of the discount is at least 10 euro for each passenger aged over 12, subject to the minimum fares applied on the trains used. The offer has limited seats availability. . . Trains you can use this solution on: AV, ES*, Frecciabianca, IC, ICN, Express, . . . Booking change You can apply for this once starting from the day of issuance until the train's departure time, for the places available under the Family offer: • online on this site; • at the self-service tellers in the stations; • by phoning the issuing agency or the Trenitalia Call Center (fee-paying numbers); • at the station ticket desks or the authorised travel agencies (for ticketless tickets only at the agency where the ticket was bought). The booking change is free. If there are no places available under the Familia offer, you can make the ticket change at the ticket desks and travel agencies. The same procedures also apply for the Ticketless , in which case you can ask for the change only with the ticketless procedure without the possibility of printing a card-ticket. Ticket changes
You can do so only once from the issue date until the train's departure. There is also a provision for boarding a different train on the same route without exchanging the ticket , but you have to pay the conductor the full fare. Read the whole explanation here: http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=91fb335a9a605210VgnVCM1000003f16f90aRCRD

Mel, what exactly are your plans prior to arriving in Milan? You mentioned "flight/buses", but only this one train trip? What are the flight/buses - flight to Milan, and bus from airport to Milano Centrale? IF your kids are 4-12: You could spend as little as 68€ for the 5 of you (advance purchase online), or as much as 300€+ walk-up fares. The Familia 20% is 155€. A suggestion is to book a train that's several hours after your flight lands (if you're arriving on a flight) - the train trip is only 1h40m, no train changes, and only one stop. This would give you time to get through passport control, etc., and make your way to the train station. You'd hopefully have time to get a snack/meal, some coffee, find an ATM, browse some shops at the station, stretch your legs, etc. Milano Centrale has a grocery store in the basement; great for picnic foods and drinks for the train ride. The kids can pick out some cool Italian candy ;-) There's lots of room in front of the station, in case the kids need to get out and move around a little - if they aren't passed out somewhere :-( And if this applies to your group, there's a McDonalds directly across from the train station - and apparently a new one AT the station that opened yesterday - plus Burger King)...Sometimes, the familiar is just what you need. IF you have lots of time to kill (a nice problem to have, sometimes), it can be fun to get out of the European stations and just gawk around a bit at the buildings, signs, and billboards. The kids can listen for the 'funny-sounding' emergency sirens...or just watch the trains do their thing inside the station. (cont.)

(cont.) Here is the Milano Centrale website. At any station, be aware of your surroundings - don't accept 'help' from anyone, and don't make eye contact with anyone trying to get your attention (while their buddy is taking your bag from you). Having said that, it's a huge but beautiful station, recently renovated...IF they've actually finished the renovations ;-) Do try to enjoy your surroundings, if possible. You'll have to decide your comfort level when buying tickets - they do sell out; try some sample reservations for a day or two out from now to see how fast they go.