Genoa to Pisa: Trains, Coaches and Arrival

A direct train is the simpler choice for a central arrival in Pisa, especially with bags or children. From Piazza De Ferrari in Genoa, you can walk to Genova Brignole, take the train to Pisa Centrale and finish at Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II. A coach can suit a better departure or ticket price, but an arrival at Pietrasantina adds an onward journey before you reach the same square.

Train or coach?

Criterion	Train	Coach
Travel components, excluding boarding and departure waits	Centre-to-centre: about 2 hours	City-to-city average: 2 hours 15 minutes; Pietrasantina onward by bus: about 20 minutes
Changes	None on a direct train	Onward bus or taxi if arriving at Pietrasantina
One-way adult ticket cost	Intercity flexible Base: €21 (price list valid through 8 May 2026)	Coach: —; onward urban bus: €2.00 per person
Departure pattern	—	6 daily buses, route-wide
First departure	—	02:45, route-wide
Last departure	—	21:20, route-wide

Choose direct rail for fewer boarding steps. Choose the coach when its departure and complete cost suit you better. Include the onward ticket when comparing coach prices, particularly if you are travelling with bags or children.

The rail journey runs from Piazza De Ferrari to Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II via Genova Brignole and Pisa Centrale. The coach figures are Genoa–Pisa benchmarks, but your ticket determines the stops and departure. Boarding, departure waits and taxi collection add time.

Trains from Genova Brignole

From Piazza De Ferrari, the walk to Genova Brignole is about 1.2 km, taking about 16 minutes. Leave room to find your platform rather than arriving as the train departs.

Trenitalia operates Regional and Intercity trains between Genova Brignole and Pisa Centrale. The direct rail journey takes about 2 hours, though the duration depends on the service. Regional Veloce 12321 is the first direct departure in the timetable for 14 June–12 December 2026: it leaves at 07:20 and arrives at 10:43.

Intercity tickets include a compulsory seat reservation made at purchase, and the same rule applies to Frecce trains. Discounted Intercity offers may be available. At Brignole, match your train number to the departure display, then use the carriage and seat shown on a reserved ticket.

• Paper regional single ticket: validate it at a station validator before departure. If validators are missing or broken, tell train staff when boarding.
• Digital regional ticket (BDR): it activates automatically at the selected train’s scheduled departure time.
• Electronic regional ticket (BER): it is already validated and needs no further validation.

At Pisa Centrale, walk to Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II for your central arrival. The final leg is about 200 metres, taking about 3 minutes. The square is the start of the pedestrian approach along Corso Italia, so you can continue into the centre rather than arrange another vehicle.

Coach stops and boarding

FlixBus serves Genoa and Pisa, with Genova Duca d’Aosta and Pisa Parcheggio Pietrasantina among the route’s stops. Read both stop names on your ticket before choosing a departure: they determine where you board and where your onward journey begins. For the Pietrasantina arrival, you will need a bus or taxi to reach Pisa Centrale.

Show your electronic ticket or booking confirmation on your phone when boarding, either in the FlixBus app or as a mobile ticket. You do not need to print it. Have it ready before joining the boarding queue.

Included small bag, per passenger

1 bag; up to 7 kg; 30 × 18 × 42 cm

Included checked bag, per passenger

1 bag; up to 20 kg; 50 × 30 × 80 cm

Keep your phone and anything needed during the journey in the small bag rather than the checked luggage. At arrival, collect your checked bag before heading for the onward stop. An onward bus means another boarding step with your luggage, which is worth weighing against a direct train if you have several bags or are travelling with children.

Pietrasantina to the centre

From your Pietrasantina arrival, Autolinee Toscane Line 1+ connects Park Pietrasantina with Pisa Centrale. Allow time to collect luggage and reach the urban-bus boarding point. An alternative connection on Line 80 takes about 17 minutes over about 3.2 km to the station. Then follow the final walk to Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II described above.

Adult urban ticket

€2.00; valid for 70 minutes

Ticket bought from driver

€3.00

Line 1+ frequency

About every 10 minutes Monday–Friday; every 20 minutes Saturday–Sunday

First station-bound Line 1+ departure

06:14, weekdays except Saturdays

• Validate a paper ticket when boarding. If the validator is broken, write the boarding date and time on the single ticket and notify the driver immediately.
• Activate a digital ticket at the start of the first journey.
• For contactless payment, tap your card or device on the onboard validator and wait for the green “OK” screen.

A taxi is the easier onward option with awkward luggage or outside the bus service window. The road journey to Pisa Centrale is about 3.4 km and takes about 11 minutes, plus collection time. Expect roughly €10–€20 per vehicle, with night or holiday surcharges, luggage charges and traffic pushing the fare upwards. From the station, continue on foot to the same destination square.

Sources & fact-checking

Checks against the sources below cover: services and fares and charges.

• Bus Genova-Pisa da 10,98 € | Orari, Prezzi, Biglietti
• Bus from Genoa to Pisa – Affordable bus tickets
• FlixBus – General Conditions of Carriage
• Bus Genoa to London
• Delibera | Trenitalia
• Stazione di GENOVA BRIGNOLE — RFI
• Trenitalia — fares and charges
• Orario dei treni in partenza dalla stazione di Genova Brignole – RFI
• Viaggiare con il Regionale | Trenitalia
• Parte II – Trasporto Nazionale
• OSPEDALE CISANELLO-STAZIONE-TORRE-PARK PIETRASANTINA
• Autolinee Toscane — fares and charges
• 1+ OSPEDALE CISANELLO-STAZIONE-TORRE-PARK PIETRASANTINA timetable
• Travel info | Autolinee Toscane