Driving into Florence is just not something I want to do. Even if you could find your way easily into the city centre, parking is as scarce as hen’s teeth and expensive. The bus to Lucca stops almost at my door in Ponte a Serraglio and then in Lucca I walk a few metres to the Florence DD (direct) Lazzi bus. The bus to Lucca follows the Serchio river all the way and some of the views are spectacular.
Devil’s Bridge on the way to Lucca
As well as being very convenient, the bus ride into Florence and back is great. The direct bus whizzes along the autostrada and the scenery along the way is delightful. My favourite part of the trip is the area around Pistoia, where on either side of the highway there are plant nurseries. There are rows of perfectly manicured shrubs and trees being grown to be sold all over Italy and beyond.
late winter in the nursery
a nursery near Pistoia
from the bus window
The nurseries really look great in spring with the plants coming to life, getting ready to find a new home .
spring nursery
On a clear day you can see small villages tucked into the hills surrounding Florence.
the road to Florence
Keep an eye out for the old farm on the left just past the Alt Stazione before Florence. There is a large family of pigs, a couple of donkeys and chickens in a ramshackle cluster of sheds. I love the fact that this still exists so close to Florence.
The bus is definitely the best way to get from Bagni di Lucca to Florence. There is a train, but the station is a kilometre from Ponte a Serraglio and the local buses don’t always connect well. As well, unless you catch an express train, it can take almost 2 hours to reach Florence and the constant stopping can be a drag.
The best connections from the village and back are – 7.50am from Ponte a Serraglio, 8.55am from Lucca arriving in Florence at 10.10am. Coming back there is a DD at 3.40pm, connecting with the 5.10pm in Lucca and arriving in the village at 6.00pm. The 5.15pm from Florence connects with the 7.00pm from Lucca and arrives in Ponte a Serraglio at 8.00pm.
These times are the winter timetable. The summer times are slightly different. Always check the timetable as they are subject to change.
If you catch the 7.50am or the 5.10pm bus say hello to Massimo. He is almost always driving these buses.