Taxi vs Train for Italy Airport Transfers: Honest Comparison

The Leonardo Express is fast (32 min) and reliable. For a solo business traveller arriving at FCO with a carry-on, the train to Termini for €14 is hard to beat.

However, if your hotel is not near Termini — or if you are arriving with family and luggage — add the metro or taxi from Termini and the price difference narrows fast. A private transfer from €65 door-to-door, including no-surprise flight monitoring, beats the train-plus-metro option for most leisure travellers.

The Malpensa Express is a reasonable option: 40–51 minutes to Cadorna or Centrale, €13. But Malpensa serves two terminals, and the train only serves Terminal 1 — Terminal 2 users (Ryanair, easyJet) must take a shuttle bus first.

For private transfer: 50 min from €85, all terminals, no connections, direct to your hotel. For a family of four buying train tickets and a metro card, the price difference is minimal — and the convenience is night-and-day.

From Pisa Centrale (5 min bus from PSA), you can get a train to Florence Santa Maria Novella for around €9–12. With connections this takes around 1h 10m–1h 30m.

Private transfer: 75 min door-to-door, from €95. The train is cheaper for a solo traveller and reasonably convenient if you are not heavily loaded. For 2+ passengers, the transfer is competitive and considerably more comfortable.

There is no train from Naples Airport to the Amalfi Coast. The SITA bus from Amalfi town is slow, infrequent, and requires getting to central Naples first. A private transfer is the most practical and comfortable option.

NAP to Amalfi: from €140 (90 min). NAP to Positano: from €130 (80 min). NAP to Sorrento: from €110 (70 min). These are routes where private transfer is not just convenient — it is the only reasonable choice for travellers with luggage.

The ATVO bus to Piazzale Roma runs for €8 and takes 25 minutes. But buses are shared, luggage is awkward, and the timetable does not flex for delayed flights.

A private transfer to Piazzale Roma costs from €40 and takes the same time — but goes door-to-car-park, with your driver waiting regardless of flight delays. From Piazzale Roma, you board the vaporetto (€9.50) or a private water taxi (€80–120) to your hotel.