Airport bus to SMN

Viaggio

New member
Is there any place to purchase bus tickets at the Florence airport for the Vola in Bus shuttle? I know I can buy it on the bus but I need round-trip and I believe the drivers only sell one-way. I haven't flown into Florence in many years and can't remember if there's a ticket machine or a shop in the airport that sells them.

Grazie mille!
 
You're right about the bus driver selling only one-way tickets.

There is a newspaper/book shop inside the terminal that you can stop at and find out if they sell them.
I haven't ever tried so do not know with certainty whether they sell ATAF tickets in general either.

The ATAF website actually says the VolainBus round-trip tickets are only sold at the ATAF point and ATAF cral office, neither of which is at the airport obviously (both at the SMN train station). I wouldn't be surprised if it was done on purpose, not to make sure you pay more, but because there is a lack of thought of providing better customer service and simplifying things when they can be done. An automatic ticket machine would be a great example, but again, their site says there are only two in the entire city, one at the SMN train station and the other in Pza San Marco.

What time do you fly in? Because the shops also close down pretty early, I believe everything is closed by 8pm.
 
Thank you so much for your reply!

I suspect you are correct about it being done on purpose - if you cannot purchase a ticket at the airport, you have no choice but to pay more for two one way trips.

Another question: I am making two trips to Italy this year and I will be passing through Florence around six weeks before the date when I need the Vola in Bus tickets. If I purchased a round-trip ticket at the bus station in advance, would it still be valid for use six weeks later? Or are the tickets only good for a certain amount of time?

Again, thanks for your help. :)
 
Yes, I do recommend you pass and get them at the SMN train station ahead of time. Last time I used them, they were the regular type that you stamp when you get on the bus, so there is no date or time pre-stamped on the ticket when you buy it.
But I have to admit I've always gotten the one-way tickets and not the round trip, for that reason, I would still suggest you stop by the ticket window at SMN train station (it is in the same ticket counter area as for train tickets) and ask. If there is no date on the tickets, then you can definitely get the round-trip one ahead of time :) Do let us know whether it works thus way!
 
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