Getting around Prato
Prato is Tuscany's second-largest city and sits only a short distance from Florence, which makes it easy to treat as a day trip or a base. The city is compact enough that the historic centre can be explored comfortably on foot, while buses and trains cover the wider city and the surrounding towns. This guide covers the practical options: trains, buses, taxis, walking, and how to reach Prato from the nearest airports.
Trains
Prato is well served by rail, with three stations in the city. The main station, Prato Centrale, is a large railway station on the Florence–Bologna and Florence–Prato–Pistoia–Lucca–Viareggio lines. Prato Porta al Serraglio is the second station and the closest of the three to the old town — only about a five-minute walk from Piazza del Duomo. Prato Borgonuovo is a small station on the outskirts, served only by regional trains, on the Florence–Prato–Pistoia–Lucca–Viareggio line.
Services are operated by Trenitalia, and regional trains are the main type serving the city. Because Prato sits on the Florence–Bologna corridor, rail is a convenient way to connect with Florence and with towns along the Pistoia–Lucca–Viareggio route. If your destination is the historic centre, Porta al Serraglio saves you the walk from Prato Centrale, which is further out.
Buses and public transport
Local bus services are operated by Cap Autolinee Prato, part of the wider Tuscan regional bus network. The network is built around a set of bus rapid transit (BRT) lines branded LAM:
- LAM blu (blue): Repubblica – Centro Città – Maliseti
- LAM arancio (orange): Stazione Centrale – Piazza Carceri – Piazza San Domenico – Galciana
- LAM rossa (red): Galceti – S. Lucia – Centro Città – Paperino – S. Giorgio – S. Giusto
- LAM-MT viola (purple): Prato – Montemurlo – Montale – Oste – Agliana
- LAM-MT azzurra (light blue): Prato – autostrada A11 – Firenze, running to Florence via the airport
- LAM-MT azzurra (light blue): Prato – Poggio a Caiano – Comeana – Seano – Carmignano
All of these lines have a stop near the main train station, Stazione Centrale, and pass through the city centre and historic centre (centro città or centro storico), so they are a practical way to move between the station, the old town, and the suburbs. Route maps and timetables are available from the operator.
Other local bus lines also serve the Prato area, including routes linking the railway station with the Pecci Center and with surrounding destinations such as Galceti and Paperino. Buses generally run from early morning until late evening. Fares and ticket prices are not fixed here — check with the operator or a journey-planning app for current costs and how to buy tickets or passes.
Taxis and ride-hailing
Taxis can typically be found at Piazza Duomo, Piazza Stazione and Via Cavour. You can also call a taxi on +39 0574 5656. For a city of Prato's size, taxis are best thought of as a supplement to walking and buses rather than the main way to get around.
Walking
The old centre can easily be discovered on foot. This is the most rewarding way to see Prato's historic core, and it also means you can avoid the difficulty of driving and parking in the centre. Note that driving in the old centre is particularly awkward: the city walls, narrow streets and widespread pedestrian zones make navigating and parking there hard work, so arriving by train or bus and continuing on foot is usually the simpler choice.
Getting there from the airport
The nearest airports are Galileo Galilei near Pisa and Amerigo Vespucci near Florence.
From Pisa airport
The train station at Pisa airport is directly connected with Santa Maria Novella station in Florence and with Pisa Central Station, on the Pisa–Lucca–Pistoia–Florence line. By car, the airport is very close to the Pisa Nord motorway; from there you take the A11 motorway towards Florence, with the Prato Est exit reachable further along the route.
From Florence airport
Amerigo Vespucci Airport is located in Peretola and is close to the province of Prato. The airport is not directly connected to the railway line, so you reach Firenze Santa Maria Novella and Florence Rifredi stations by bus. There is also a direct bus service between the airport and Prato (Prato Central Station) operated by Cap Autolinee Prato. By car, the airport sits at the A11 motorway exit "Firenze Nord", a short drive from the Prato Est exit and a little further from the Prato West exit.
Practical summary
- For the historic centre: arrive at Prato Porta al Serraglio and walk — it is only minutes from Piazza del Duomo.
- For regional connections: use Prato Centrale, on the Florence–Bologna and Florence–Pistoia–Lucca–Viareggio lines.
- For local travel: the LAM bus lines all stop near Stazione Centrale and run through the city centre.
- For the airport: Pisa airport has its own station with direct trains towards Florence; Florence airport is reached by bus, with a direct Cap Autolinee Prato service to Prato Central Station.
- Taxis: available at Piazza Duomo, Piazza Stazione and Via Cavour, or by phone on +39 0574 5656.