Cruise Terminal to Livorno Centrale - Will it be a problem?

[deadzone1003]

We will be aboard the Westerdam that will be visiting Livorno in May. I have gone through various threads and most people have said to catch a cab from the cruise terminal to the train station. I had plan to take a cab to the train station and a train onto Florence, but a slight problem arises where there is another ship in port, the Adventure of the Seas, who appears to have the same hours as we do. So, it is theoretically possible that over 5000 people will be leaving at 7am to catch cabs (highly unlikely), but in this situation it will be alot more crowded than I expected. For those who have been in this crowded situation in Livorno, what have been your experience?

[euro cruiser]

We arrived in Livorno on a packed ship (NCL Gem) in July last year, alongside another huge ship. There were cabs waiting by the ship for those who wanted them, but most people who weren't on ship tours took the NCL bus into town. BIG MISTAKE. NCL leads you to believe that their bus (at 5 Euro per person) is the only alternative. It is only after you've bought the tickets that you realize a cab is an option. Go for the cab. If it turns out that there aren't cabs available for some reason, you can always fall back to the bus.

[GSPLover]

Go for the cab. Try to enlist others coming off the ship at the same time as you to join in and share. I don't thimk you'll find a shortage of cabs, especially if you are early of the ship.

[Fblack]

On our Westerdam stop in Livorno there was a shuttle to the center of town right at the pier. It is run by the town. According to the crew members, there is a lady who sits at a small desk and tells tickets. It's very cheap. Turns out we took the shuttle with a few crew members and never had to pay. For some reason the lady selling tickets was not there that day so the shuttle was free.

 

It drops you off a block from the church. The town was empty and also has nothing to do. We have an espresso in town.

[suec12]

FBlack - interesting - was the drop off near the train station?

[Fblack]

I am not sure where the train station is located. But the bus stop was a block form the church. In the photo below, I am standing with the bus stop at my back. Not sure if this helps.

[euro cruiser]

No, the drop off point is not near the train station, it is about a mile and a half away at Piazza del Comune (next to Piazza Grande). The train station is at Piazza Dante.

 

Below is a picture of the tourist info kiosk at Piazza del Comune, where they sell bus tickets. From the Livorno Now website: http://www.livornonow.com/about_livorno