Lucca and Pisa DIY?

Has anyone visited Lucca by train with a short stop in Pisa either on the way out or on the return journey? Which order is better?

Did you have enough time in Lucca to make it worthwhile? We would like to cycle round the walls, then have a wander around and possibly lunch if there's time. Are we being too ambitious?

It depends on when you catch the first train out of Livorno and how long you're in port for. If it's 8:00 - 20:00 and you catch the train not too long after 9:00, you should be able to do it.

Our plan was to do Lucca first and then Pisa so that if we found that we were running out of time, an emergency taxi from Pisa would be less than an emergency taxi from Lucca!

As it turned out, we did only Lucca as it filled our day, with a nice leisurely lunch and we really enjoyed it. Pisa is really a 1-hour stop unless you're keen on climbing the tower.

We booked italytoursharing.com for both. If u let them know u want to just make a quick stop in pisa, they will accommodate. All u need is a pic, lol!!

Thank you for your help.

We should be in port from 0700 until late evening.

I should have mentioned that I'm asking for advice about DIY from Livorno...rather important!!

I should have mentioned that I'm asking for advice about DIY from Livorno...rather important!!

I too am interested in getting to Lucca. I assume it's the same as going to Florence, just get to the train station any way you can and hop the next train, right? Is there a Lucca Centrale station??

We have covered this many times and a search should bring up lots of posts. But lets go through it again. Your biggest problem is getting from the port to the Livorno Centrale Stazione (train station). Most taxis do not want to take the short haul but usually you can find one willing to do it for about 25€ (which you can split among all the passengers). Once at the station you can simply buy a train ticket to Lucca. You validate this ticket before you get on the train. The tickets are good for several hours, so once you get to Pisa (where you have to change trains anyway) you can simply get off and go to the Field of Miracles (a very long walk or short taxi ride). Then back to the station where you get the train to Lucca (which used to be on a track some distance from the station building (unless they have changed the tracks). Since you already have a validated ticket there is no need to re-validate when you get on the local train to Lucca. When you get to Lucca you can walk from the station to the walled city (you will see it once you exit the station).

You can also do this in reverse (if you please). Go to Lucca first (you still need to change trains in Pisa) and stop in Pisa on the return. Just leave yourself enough time. As to Pisa, DW and truly dislike this city (we have explored it on our land trips) except for the Field of Miracles (and the Tower). When we drove some other cruisers to Cinque Terre (Riomaggiore) they asked us to please stop at Pisa on the return. We did this and even our friends (their first visit) found 20 minutes to be more then enough in Pisa.

Hank

Are there always taxis on hand at the train station in Livorno (mid-afternoon) to take you back to the ship?

Are there always taxis on hand at the train station in Livorno (mid-afternoon) to take you back to the ship?

There are, but they will fill up fast when the train pulls in. Best to try to get off the train ASAP.

Hank, I've done the whole song and dance at Livorno and know about getting to the station, etc. I was just wondering if there is a 'better' station to alight in Lucca? Is the station outside the walls, or am I confusing that with the parking lots?

I checked the Trenitalia site and it looks like the regionales are the best choice, I'm fine with that. I don't know how we missed Lucca on our one month stay in Tuscany, but we did! Happy to have another opportunity to visit.

The only station in Lucca is located outside the walls (within sight and about a 10 min walk). Lucca is actually a pretty small town and has limited trains. The "stock" that runs between Pisa and Lucca (the only reasonable way to get to Lucca from Livorno) is usually a pretty old regional train that just runs back and forth between the two cities.

As to missing Lucca during a one month stay, count us in that club. We have spent a couple of long land trips in the region (with our own rental car) and never went to Lucca. To be honest, it was just not a priority and our location (usually around San Gimignano, Florence or Sienna) just did not encourage us to go to Lucca. There are just many other places we prefer when we have no port day time/distance constraints. But we have gone to Lucca twice during Livorno port days as it just makes a lot of sense for a train journey.

Hank

Has anyone visited Lucca by train with a short stop in Pisa either on the way out or on the return journey? Which order is better?

Did you have enough time in Lucca to make it worthwhile? We would like to cycle round the walls, then have a wander around and possibly lunch if there's time. Are we being too ambitious?

I did that sort of thing, but took a taxi at the port to Pisa (1 hour) and then Lucca (3 hours). By pairing up with 3 other couples it came to about €30 pp. I really enjoyed both cities, but if I had my time again I would have asked for 2 hours at each to climb the tower and have a proper look at the baptistery and cathedral in Pisa. All the best, Tony

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We took the ship shuttle from the port to the main square. We then got bus tickets for the short ride to the train station. It sounds like a hassle but it wasn't... just make sure your off the ship first. We booked one way tickets, first was Livorno to Pisa main station. We took the public bus from there to tower etc.... we spent about 90 min walking around just to say we had been. We then walked the 5 min to Pisa San Rossere station which is really closer than the main station. From here, we got on the train to Lucca. You can see the walls once you exit the station... on the way back, we got tickets back to Livorno. We did Pisa first because the transfer at the main station was at least an hour and we found out we didn't have to go back to the main station to get the train because it stopped near the field of miracles. We were in port 7a-7p which was plenty of time. Def bike the walls and if your not afraid of heights, climb the tower! Lucca is beautiful

http://www.turismo.intoscana.it/site/en/highlights/A-garden-in-the-sky-the-Guinigi-Tower-in-Lucca/

We too missed Lucca on our Tuscany land trip...we focused more on the southern towns. Planning on going there next year on a cruise stop and doing the bike ride on the walls.

Thanks for posting all this....still debating whether to find a couple other like minded cruisers on a roll call to share a taxi there and back. I don't know how easy it would be to find a taxi in Lucca though.

Livorno is just so user vicious. Our ship will have a free shuttle into Livorno, so just doing the bus/train is also on option. It's just the transfer from shuttle to bus to train to another train seems like such a PITA, that I would gladly fork over more money for a taxi...at least for one way.

Hi, we went to Lucca from Livorno this past Tuesday. We got off the Emerald Princess soon after docking and it was easy to get a taxi to the train station.

On returning to Livorno train station, we took bus 1 to Piazza Grande, and walked the short distance to Piazza Municipale.

There were taxis there, and also the cruise ship shuttle back to the ship, which we took. The round trip shuttle was 5 euros but there was no one collecting the fee for the trip back.

Emerald Princess also had a round trip to the station for 12 euros but there is only one timed run to and from, and it was later than we wanted.

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Hi, we went to Lucca from Livorno this past Tuesday. We got off the Emerald Princess soon after docking and it was easy to get a taxi to the train station.

On returning to Livorno train station, we took bus 1 to Piazza Grande, and walked the short distance to Piazza Municipale.

There were taxis there, and also the cruise ship shuttle back to the ship, which we took. The round trip shuttle was 5 euros but there was no one collecting the fee for the trip back.

Emerald Princess also had a round trip to the station for 12 euros but there is only one timed run to and from, and it was later than we wanted.

 

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That sounds ideal.

Could you give me an idea of the time you disembarked and also when you returned to Livorno station?

We left the ship about 7:15 am, soon after it was cleared. Taxi to Livorno Centrale was 25 euros. Train to Lucca, changing at Pisa Centrale was about 10 euros return, less for children. We returned to Livorno Centrale about 3:30. Bought bus ticket from news stand, 1.20 euros. Bus 1 is just outside the train station. Get off the bus at Piazza Grande. Walk a block or 2 to Piazza Municipale. There were 2 shuttle buses back to the port, and also taxis.

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We left the ship about 7:15 am, soon after it was cleared. Taxi to Livorno Centrale was 25 euros. Train to Lucca, changing at Pisa Centrale was about 10 euros return, less for children. We returned to Livorno Centrale about 3:30. Bought bus ticket from news stand, 1.20 euros. Bus 1 is just outside the train station. Get off the bus at Piazza Grande. Walk a block or 2 to Piazza Municipale. There were 2 shuttle buses back to the port, and also taxis.

 

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Yes, good to know that you were able to get a taxi to the train station. We managed once before when going to Florence from Livorno. I think we'll give it a try...your method seemed to work well.

We left the ship about 7:15 am, soon after it was cleared. Taxi to Livorno Centrale was 25 euros. Train to Lucca, changing at Pisa Centrale was about 10 euros return, less for children. We returned to Livorno Centrale about 3:30. Bought bus ticket from news stand, 1.20 euros. Bus 1 is just outside the train station. Get off the bus at Piazza Grande. Walk a block or 2 to Piazza Municipale. There were 2 shuttle buses back to the port, and also taxis.

 

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Do you have to buy the bus ticket from the news stand or if it can be bought on the bus ?

We took the ship shuttle from the port to the main square. We then got bus tickets for the short ride to the train station. It sounds like a hassle but it wasn't... just make sure your off the ship first. We booked one way tickets, first was Livorno to Pisa main station. We took the public bus from there to tower etc.... we spent about 90 min walking around just to say we had been. We then walked the 5 min to Pisa San Rossere station which is really closer than the main station. From here, we got on the train to Lucca. You can see the walls once you exit the station... on the way back, we got tickets back to Livorno. We did Pisa first because the transfer at the main station was at least an hour and we found out we didn't have to go back to the main station to get the train because it stopped near the field of miracles. We were in port 7a-7p which was plenty of time. Def bike the walls and if your not afraid of heights, climb the tower! Lucca is beautiful

 

http://www.turismo.intoscana.it/site/en/highlights/A-garden-in-the-sky-the-Guinigi-Tower-in-Lucca/

Would love to also climb Leaning Tower of Pisa, but don't want to waste precious port time waiting in lines. Instead, I'd rather climb the Guinigi Tower as I've heard the views are better and you can easily buy the ticket there with little to no lines the day of the visit. Was this your experience as well?

I'll be there in early November and wondering what lines are like as opposed to high season. We're in Livorno 7am-7pm. If I could climb both, that would be great.

Getting tickets to Guinigi tower was easy, no lines. I had to hug the wall going up the stairs since it's open/hollow in center of tower. I don't like heights but the views at the top were pretty amazing. Even with 5-6 other people at the top, it was hard to move around because of the narrow pathways and the tree. There really was no crowds at all in Lucca which was nice. We were there on Oct 3.

I can't comment on climbing the tower of Pisa however I've read you can book reservation in advance.

Getting tickets to Guinigi tower was easy, no lines. I had to hug the wall going up the stairs since it's open/hollow in center of tower. I don't like heights but the views at the top were pretty amazing. Even with 5-6 other people at the top, it was hard to move around because of the narrow pathways and the tree. There really was no crowds at all in Lucca which was nice. We were there on Oct 3.

 

I can't comment on climbing the tower of Pisa however I've read you can book reservation in advance.

There is railing and the stairs are wide enough for 2 people no problem. However, a few things stood out. Being afraid of heights I noticed the stairs were just attached to the side of the wall, no support under them which freaked me out. Most of the tower is hollow so you can easily see down thru the thin open rails which is why I walked close to the wall. Just google guinigi tower stairs... and know its not a closed in tower stairs to the top. It was just too open air for me but I did it by walking quickly. Going down was harder than going up.

Do you have to buy the bus ticket from the news stand or if it can be bought on the bus ?

There is a T shop across the street from where the shuttle drops you off. It's on the way towards the public bus stop at Piazza Grande. It's all about a 5 min walk total not counting the time it takes to get your ticket. Make sure you buy a ticket for the trip back and validate it on the bus.

There is railing and the stairs are wide enough for 2 people no problem. However, a few things stood out. Being afraid of heights I noticed the stairs were just attached to the side of the wall, no support under them which freaked me out. Most of the tower is hollow so you can easily see down thru the thin open rails which is why I walked close to the wall. Just google guinigi tower stairs... and know its not a closed in tower stairs to the top. It was just too open air for me but I did it by walking quickly. Going down was harder than going up.

Hi, we went to Lucca from Livorno this past Tuesday. We got off the Emerald Princess soon after docking and it was easy to get a taxi to the train station.

On returning to Livorno train station, we took bus 1 to Piazza Grande, and walked the short distance to Piazza Municipale.

There were taxis there, and also the cruise ship shuttle back to the ship, which we took. The round trip shuttle was 5 euros but there was no one collecting the fee for the trip back.

Emerald Princess also had a round trip to the station for 12 euros but there is only one timed run to and from, and it was later than we wanted.

 

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A couple of years ago, we bought the RT ticket from the ship to the train station to go to Florence. As you said, it's a timed ride that runs only once on the day. People on the train tried to get on that timed shuttle back to the ship from the train station and were denied because they hadn't bought the RT ticket from the ship and didn't have a ticket stub. It was getting late and they were lucky there were taxis to get them back to the ship on time!

I like the idea of taking a shared taxi to the train station for the earliest possible start to Lucca for a half-day, then go by bus from the train station to Piazza Grande/Municipale for a quick look around, and then return to the ship at our leisure.

When you took the shuttle back to the ship from Piazza Municipale, the bus driver didn't ask you for a ticket stub? Wondering if you just got lucky.:)

Do you know how much the taxis were charging from Piazza Municipale to return to the ship?