DIY Pisa/Cinque Terre (Livorno)

[capecruzer]

I've come up with a proposed itinerary for our LIvorno stop on NCL (9am-8:30p).  I've scoured the posts and it looks like options for transfers from the port to the train include a bus or shuttle to centro ($6Euro) and then a 1.5m trek to the train station or a direct shuttle from the port to the train station at $25Euro.  Does anyone have experience with taking a taxi directly from the port to Pisa? Is my information correct that it is approximately $80USD and cabs are easy enough to grab right at the port, although they often don't want to go the short trip to the train station? Do cabs fit four persons/extra charge for more than two?

 

So, if we are able to get a cab direct to Pisa, is two hours long enough to explore a bit?  Would like to take the train to Cinque Terre, either Monterosso or Vernazza or both.  Is two hours enough for each of those locations or should we just do one and spend three hours in Pisa and three hours in Monterosso?  We will likely just DIY walking tours with coffee/snack in Pisa, lunch, drinks and the beach at another spot.

 

Any comments, recommendations, corrections are welcome and encouraged.  TIA.

[marazul]

35 minutes ago, capecruzer said:

I've come up with a proposed itinerary for our LIvorno stop on NCL (9am-8:30p).  I've scoured the posts and it looks like options for transfers from the port to the train include a bus or shuttle to centro ($6Euro) and then a 1.5m trek to the train station or a direct shuttle from the port to the train station at $25Euro.  Does anyone have experience with taking a taxi directly from the port to Pisa? Is my information correct that it is approximately $80USD and cabs are easy enough to grab right at the port, although they often don't want to go the short trip to the train station? Do cabs fit four persons/extra charge for more than two?

 

So, if we are able to get a cab direct to Pisa, is two hours long enough to explore a bit?  Would like to take the train to Cinque Terre, either Monterosso or Vernazza or both.  Is two hours enough for each of those locations or should we just do one and spend three hours in Pisa and three hours in Monterosso?  We will likely just DIY walking tours with coffee/snack in Pisa, lunch, drinks and the beach at another spot.

 

Any comments, recommendations, corrections are welcome and encouraged.  TIA.

A taxi for 4 people makes sense to go from Livorno to Pisa. You do know that there are no direct trains from Pisa to CT.  You have to change trains at La Spezia. The combined trains take from 1.5 to over 2 hours.  On the way back, you change at la Spezia for a train to Livorno.  That also runs about 1.5 to 2 hours.  You are going to spend 4 hours on the trains plus another hour getting to the train and waiting.  Your "practical" time in port is 10 hours.  Yes, you can do it, but  it is a lot of running around.  If you really do this, stay a maximum of 2 hours in Pisa and give yourselves more time in CT.  And take that taxi to Pisa to save you a lot of time.  In this case, time is more important than money.

[capecruzer]

Hmmm, I think I found trains that went directly from Pisa to Montessoro (1:10 and $15) and Montessoro to Livorno (1:28 and $12)?  I'll have to revisit that.  

[euro cruiser]

There are a few direct trains, but if a site is giving you quotes in US$ and/or using AM/PM times, you are on a reseller site.  Always check the actual Trenitalia site to be sure.

 

There is an IC train that departs Pisa Centrale at 13:42 (1:42 PM) and arrives to Monterosso at 14:53 (2:53 PM).

 

There is a return IC train that departs Monterosso at 17:07 (5:07 PM) and arrives to Livorno Centrale at 18:42 (6:42 PM).

 

That gives you about three and a half hours in Monterosso, maybe enough time to see one other village.  Note that the IC trains do not stop in any other CT village, so you'd need to get back to Monterosso to return (or to La Spezia, where you could also pick up this train).

 

The fare will vary based on when purchased, these seat-assigned trains use dynamic pricing.

 

Source material here:  EN - Trenitalia

[marazul]

@capecruzer

The question is what do you want to do in Pisa? If you take a taxi and get there by 9, do you want to be in Pisa for 4 hours? Maybe you want to climb the tower, go to the Cathedral, Baptistry and Camposanto and use the full 4 hours. Maybe you only want to see the tower.  If it is the latter (with hopefully a look at the cathedral), you can be done in less than two hours.  Then you would like to take an earlier train to Vernazza around 11 to 11:30.  After some time in Vernazza you could take the ferry or train to Monterosso, and later a train back to Livorno. 

You can buy tickets for any of the trains at the Pisa station.  It might not be a good idea to buy the Pisa-CT ticket ahead of time because it would not give you any flexibility. 

Edited May 11 by marazul

[euro cruiser]

Their ship doesn't even arrive in Livorno until 9, so best case is arriving in Pisa between 10 - 10:30.

[marazul]

11 hours ago, euro cruiser said:

Their ship doesn't even arrive in Livorno until 9, so best case is arriving in Pisa between 10 - 10:30.

Oops. I thought it arrived at 8. They really need to save time by taking a taxi to Pisa.

[euro cruiser]

I agree, the taxi to Pisa is a wise idea.

[Fairgarth]

17 hours ago, euro cruiser said:

There are a few direct trains, but if a site is giving you quotes in US$ and/or using AM/PM times, you are on a reseller site.  Always check the actual Trenitalia site to be sure.

 

 

Absolutely, always use Trenitalia's own website every time.  (Same for Italo)  Ignore the others.

 

But watch it, are you overdoing it?  Some years ago, we were staying in Florence and went to Cinque Terre for a day trip.  The train back to Pisa was over an hour late so we missed our connection to Florence.  No big problem, got the next one and arrived home at 10:30pm.  If our cruise ship was leaving without us I do believe some measure of panic would have been appropriate.  And, purely personal, I would choose Vernazza over Monterosso.

[capecruzer]

Thanks everyone!  I'll continue to research more and I'm sure I'll be back to get more of the detailed information you are able to provide!  Looks like it might be doable so I'll expend some more time with research.