Minibus Rental Across Italy

Coach Hire in Pisa for School and Club Trips

Pisa is small, but its coach rule is firm. Every coach goes first to the Pietrasantina check point, north-west of the Leaning Tower, even when the permit was bought online. From there most groups simply walk to Piazza dei Miracoli.

The Pietrasantina routine

Coaches may drive only on the designated bus corridors in Pisa's built-up area, and the way in is set: Via Aurelia, then Via Pietrasantina. The park-and-ride there is the check point and the coach park. It is open every day from 08:30 to 19:30, takes payment cards only, no cash, and asks to see the vehicle's registration document. Pisamo runs it for the city.

A coach arriving at night collects its permit after 08:30. If the group lands late, plan the first morning so the coach is not needed in town before the check point opens.

Setra 49-seat touring coach, exterior
Setra 49-seat touring coach, exterior

TS or TTS

The TS permit, for a day or 24 hours, allows driving outside the centre's restricted areas and parking at Pietrasantina. That covers most visits to the square. The TTS permit also allows entering and stopping inside the centre's zones, but needs authorisation in advance. Stays of 1 to 15 days can be bought at once.

If the hotel is in a central ZTL with camera gates, the hotel must also register the coach's transit on the city's portal beforehand. Give the operator the hotel's name early so nothing is missed.

Airports for groups arriving in Pisa

Stadiums and arenas a coach can reach

  • Arena Garibaldi - Stadio Romeo Anconetani — Home ground of Pisa SC, near Piazza dei Miracoli in the north of the city.

Coach day trips from Pisa

  • Lucca — about 19 km, about 35 min
  • Viareggio — about 23 km, about 40 min
  • Livorno (port) — about 28 km, about 40 min
  • Carrara (marble quarries) — about 54 km, about 1 h 5 min
  • La Spezia (Cinque Terre) — about 79 km, about 1 h 25 min
  • San Gimignano — about 78 km, about 1 h 50 min
  • Volterra — about 97 km, about 1 h 45 min
  • Firenze — about 100 km, about 1 h 40 min
  • Siena — about 127 km, about 2 h 35 min

Coach rules in Pisa that shape the day

  • Pisa International Airport "Galileo Galilei" (PSA) is about 5 km by road from Piazza dei Miracoli, about 15 min by coach in light traffic; Firenze airport (FLR) is about 93 km, about 1 h 30 min. Journeys take longer at peak times.
  • Coaches may not drive on any street of the built-up area of Pisa other than the designated bus corridors (corridoi per il transito degli autobus), with the exceptions in the city regulation. Every coach entering the city must first go to the check point at the Pietrasantina park-and-ride (parcheggio scambiatore di Via Pietrasantina), by the compulsory route Via Aurelia - Via Pietrasantina, even if the permit was bought online. The scheme is run for the city by Pisamo.
  • Permits: the TS permit (daily, 00:00-24:00, or for 24 hours) allows driving outside the PCU and ZTL areas and parking at Pietrasantina; the TTS permit also allows driving and stopping in the PCU and ZTL areas and needs a prior authorisation. Stays of 1 to 15 days can be bought at once. Permits are sold online (Pisamo web app or app) or at the Pietrasantina check point.
  • The Pietrasantina check point is open every day from 08:30 to 19:30 and takes payment cards only (no cash); the bus registration document must be shown. Coaches arriving at night (19:30-08:30) collect the permit after 08:30.
  • To set a group down inside one of the city-centre ZTLs with active camera gates, the hotel must also register the coach's transit in the city's ZTL portal beforehand, in addition to the permit.
  • Pisa Centrale is the main railway station, with trains to Firenze, Lucca, La Spezia, Livorno and Roma; the Pisa Mover shuttle links Pisa Centrale to the airport. Pisa San Rossore station is the nearest to Piazza dei Miracoli.
  • Under Article 142(3)(f) of the Codice della Strada (D.Lgs. 285/1992), buses and coaches with a maximum laden mass over 8 tonnes may drive at up to 100 km/h on motorways (autostrade) and up to 80 km/h on other roads outside built-up areas. Lower signed limits always apply.
  • Under Article 172(6) of the Codice della Strada, every occupant over three years old of a minibus or coach (vehicle categories M2 and M3) must wear the seat belt fitted to their seat while seated; passengers must be informed of this by signs or pictograms at each seat (Article 172(7)).
  • EU drivers' hours rules (Regulation (EC) No 561/2006) apply to coach drivers: at most 9 hours of driving a day (10 hours twice a week), a 45-minute break after 4.5 hours of driving and at least 11 hours of daily rest, recorded by the tachograph.
  • Most Italian motorways (autostrade) are tolled (pedaggio): the toll is paid at the toll stations or by electronic toll device, by vehicle class. Toll amounts are not given here.

Around the square and the river

The Tower, the Duomo, the Baptistery and the Camposanto are all run by the Opera della Primaziale Pisana; book group entry in advance with them. Piazza dei Cavalieri and the Lungarni are inside the centre zone, reached on foot or with a TTS stop.

Lucca, Livorno and the coast

Lucca is about 35 minutes away and Livorno, the cruise port, about 40. The marble quarries at Carrara are about 1 h 5 min. For the Cinque Terre the coach stops at La Spezia, about 1 h 25 min, and the villages are by train or boat. Florence is about 1 h 40 min.

Questions organisers ask

How far is the airport from the Tower?

Pisa International Airport lies some 5 km from Piazza dei Miracoli: about 15 minutes by coach. The Pisa Mover shuttle also links it with Pisa Centrale.

Can we fly into Florence instead?

Yes. Florence Airport is about 93 km from Pisa, around 1 h 30 min by coach. It suits a tour that starts in Florence and visits Pisa on the way to the coast.

Which station is nearest to the square?

Pisa San Rossore. Pisa Centrale, the main station, has trains to Florence, Lucca, La Spezia, Livorno and Rome.

Other group trips we arrange

Vehicles with a driver