Getting Your Bearings
Pisa is a compact city in Tuscany, straddling the Arno just before it reaches the sea. For a visitor, that compactness is the single most useful fact about getting around: the historic centre is small enough that walking is often the best answer, and the main sights, the riverside avenues known as the Lungarno, and the railway station all sit within reasonable reach of one another. The city's most famous sight, the Leaning Tower, sits at the northwest corner of the old centre rather than in the middle of it, so it's worth knowing which side of town you're heading for before you choose a mode of transport.
Walking
In the city centre, just walk. That's the practical summary: many streets are pedestrianised or otherwise closed to through traffic, and the centre is small enough that most visitors won't need anything else. The Leaning Tower area is walkable from the railway station too, though it's a longer stroll through a residential district that is uninteresting but safe.
Rail
Pisa Centrale is the main railway station, just south of the city centre. It's the hub for longer-distance trains, including the Rome–Genoa route, and most other destinations involve changing at Florence for the regional trains that run through Pisa Centrale toward Livorno or Viareggio. The station has a left-luggage service, useful if you want to explore between trains.
If your main goal is the Leaning Tower, Pisa San Rossore station is much closer, since the tower sits at the northwest corner of the old centre. San Rossore is on the branch line from Pisa Centrale to Lucca and Pistoia, with trains at least hourly.
Trams and the Airport Link
Pisa's automated people mover, the Pisamover, is a pair of cable-drawn trams shuttling between the airport and Pisa Centrale. It runs daily from early morning until midnight at frequent intervals, and the trip is quick. Buy tickets from the self-service machines next to the platform gates, not from Trenitalia machines or kiosks. The airport station is a short walk from the terminal; at Pisa Centrale, follow the signs through the subway to the Pisamover platform, where you'll also find the ticket machines. The two trams meet at a midway station that serves as a park-and-ride area.
Buses
City buses, known as LAM, run frequently during the day and then more sparsely into the evening. The most useful route for visitors is LAM Rossa, the red line, which links the railway station, the riverside, and the Leaning Tower. LAM Verde, the green line, runs near the airport.
Tickets for both LAM and out-of-town buses are inexpensive, with a discounted multi-trip pack available, and singles can also be bought from the driver at a higher price. Tickets must be validated on boarding and are then valid for a set period of time. For the airport, note that city buses don't reach the terminal itself; they stop on Via Sant'Agostino, a short walk north. That stop is often a better option than the Pisamover if you're heading to parts of the city away from the railway station, such as the Leaning Tower area. Buy tickets from the information desk in the arrivals hall.
Direct buses to Florence and Lucca also run from outside Arrivals at the airport.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are an expensive way to move around the city and aren't really needed in the centre given how small Pisa is. They make most sense if you're arriving at the airport and don't want to walk. A taxi from the airport to the city centre costs a modest flat-ish amount, and if you're heading to anywhere near the train station, a taxi only beats the Pisamover on cost when you're travelling in a group of three or more. Legal fares are published on the CoTaPi website. Pre-booked airport transfers are also available and can be convenient for large groups.
Bicycles and E-Scooters
Pisa has a public bicycle service called Ciclopi, which lets you pick up and drop off cycles at points around the city. There's a mobile app, but registration has to be done in person at one of the designated sales points, including the INFOPOINT in Piazza del Duomo in front of the Cathedral, a record shop on Via San Francesco, and a tobacconist in Piazza Solferino. Daily and weekly subscriptions are available and include a credit allowance, with unlimited free rides up to half an hour and escalating charges for longer use.
Electric scooters are also available as a convenient, eco-friendly option, with operators such as BIT Mobility and Helbiz running fleets across the city. All charge by the minute and require downloading an app to locate and unlock a vehicle.
Driving and Parking
Don't drive into the city centre. Many streets are pedestrianised or restricted to residents under camera-enforced limited-traffic zones that are easy to stray into accidentally. The streets you can drive are narrow, one-way, congested, and have next-to-no parking. Ask ahead at your accommodation about parking and permitted approach routes. For day-trippers, there is paid hourly parking close to the main sights. A car is genuinely useful for exploring the hill villages of Tuscany, so consider hiring from the airport and using public transport for Pisa, Lucca, and Florence themselves.
Arriving by Air
Pisa International Airport is the main airport for Tuscany, including Florence, with frequent flights by scheduled and budget carriers across Europe and beyond, though nothing direct to North America. It sits very close to the city centre, just south of the main railway station, which makes the onward journey short whichever option you choose.
- Pisamover tram: the fastest fixed link to Pisa Centrale, running from early morning to midnight at frequent intervals. Buy tickets from the machines at the platform gates.
- City bus: doesn't serve the terminal, but stops on Via Sant'Agostino, a short walk away. LAM Verde passes frequently during the day, with an evening line running less often. Often the better choice for the Leaning Tower area.
- Taxi: a reasonable option if you don't want to walk, and cheaper than the Pisamover for groups of three or more heading to the station area.
- Pre-booked transfer: convenient for large groups, with several companies offering fixed rates into the city.
- On foot: the railway station is a short walk and the Leaning Tower a longer but safe one, through a residential area.
- Direct coaches: buses to Florence and Lucca leave from outside Arrivals.
Arriving by Train or Coach
Pisa Centrale is the main railway station, just south of the city centre, served by Rome–Genoa trains and by regional services that usually require a change at Florence. Long-distance coaches connect Pisa directly with Milan, Genoa, and Rome; if you're heading to Florence, coaches aren't the best choice, since the pick-up and drop-off point is well out on the western edge of that city.
Practical Summary
For most visitors, the winning combination is simple: walk in the centre, use the Pisamover or a bus to get in from the airport, and use the train for day trips to Lucca and Florence. Keep a validated bus ticket for the LAM Rossa if you want an easy link between the station, the river, and the Leaning Tower, and leave the car for the Tuscan hills.