From Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II in Pisa, you can reach Piazza Napoleone in Lucca by regional train, E3 bus or taxi, with a walk at either end. The train is the straightforward choice when its departure suits you. The bus brings you closer to the destination square, while an arranged taxi can suit a group carrying bags or travelling late.
Train, bus or taxi?
| Criterion | Regional train | E3 bus | Taxi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ride and walks, excluding waiting, ticket purchase and boarding | about 42 minutes | just under an hour | about 38 minutes |
| Vehicle changes | None | None | None |
| One-way price | — | €4.60 per adult | Usually about €60–€90 per vehicle |
| Service pattern | Multiple weekday and weekend departures; days vary by train | 10 listed Monday–Friday; 6 Saturday; school-calendar variations | Arranged pickup |
| Last departure from Pisa | 23:07 daily | 19:30 Monday–Friday, with school-calendar conditions; 18:30 Saturday; no Sunday service | By arrangement |
Choose the regional train for a simple central-Pisa journey when its departure suits you. E3 is worth considering when its departure fits your plans: the shorter arrival walk is useful with bags, but gaps between buses can outweigh that advantage.
The totals cover travel from Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II to Piazza Napoleone, including both walks and the ride. Allow extra time to buy tickets, reach the platform or boarding stop and wait for departure. The taxi total also includes walking to the station pickup area, not collection from the starting square.
A taxi costs much more for a solo traveller, but sharing the vehicle makes it more attractive for a group. An arranged pickup also gives you an alternative after the last train. Make sure the vehicle can carry everyone and their luggage.
If you are starting at arrivals rather than in central Pisa, Pisa Airport to Lucca transfers covers the airport connections you need.
Regional train from Pisa Centrale
From Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, walk towards Pisa Centrale: about 200 metres, taking about 3 minutes. Trenitalia’s regional service takes you to Lucca without changing trains. Match your chosen departure to the station display, including the platform and Lucca stop, rather than relying only on the train’s final destination.
There are multiple departures on weekdays and weekends, with operating days varying by train. Fit your journey to a particular departure rather than treating this as a turn-up-and-go service. The rail leg takes about 29 minutes. Buying beforehand lets you arrive ready to find the platform, but advance purchase does not reduce the standard distance-based regional fare.
- Paper regional ticket: validate it in a station validator at Pisa Centrale before departure. It is valid for 4 hours from validation, unless the applicable regional fare provides otherwise.
- Digital regional ticket: buy it no later than 5 minutes before scheduled departure. Activate it using check-in in “My Trips”, available from 00:00 on the travel date until your selected train’s scheduled departure. It is valid only for the train or trains checked in, until their scheduled arrival.
Lucca station is outside the city walls. Head into the historic centre towards Piazza Napoleone, rather than expecting the train to leave you in the square. The final walk is about 750 metres, taking about 10 minutes, so keep your bags manageable for this part of the journey.
E3 bus from Sesta Porta
For the bus option from Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, walk to Sesta Porta: about 350 metres, taking about 5 minutes. Autolinee Toscane’s E3 runs directly to Lucca Piazzale Verdi. Board at the Sesta Porta stop on Via Cesare Battisti, 53, looking for E3 and the Lucca Piazzale Verdi destination.
- Name
- Sesta Porta bus terminal
- Location
- Pisa, Province of Pisa Maps
- Essential fact
- A bus terminal in central Pisa.
The bus ride takes about 44 minutes. Its departures have gaps rather than a consistent interval, so choose a departure before setting off for the stop. The first Monday–Friday departure during school term is 08:05, subject to school-calendar exceptions.
- Validate or activate your ticket when boarding.
- With onboard contactless payment, wait for the validator’s green confirmation screen.
- Buy an SMS ticket at least 2 minutes before boarding.
- If a faulty validator cannot stamp your paper ticket, write the boarding date and time on it and notify the driver.
At Piazzale Verdi, you arrive inside Lucca’s walls, on the western side of the historic centre. Walk onwards to Piazza Napoleone, about 550 metres and about 7 minutes away. This is also the final walk for taxi passengers dropped at Piazzale Verdi.
- Name
- Piazzale Verdi bus station
- Location
- Lucca, Province of Lucca Maps
- Essential fact
- The bus station at Piazzale Verdi in Lucca.
The shorter arrival walk makes the bus appealing if you want less walking with luggage. Balance that against the departure gaps: a convenient train can be a better choice than spending your time waiting at Sesta Porta. Keep your ticket accessible through the ride, rather than packing it away with your bags.
Taxi pickup and price
For a taxi, start again from Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II and use the station pickup area in Piazza della Stazione beside Pisa Centrale, reached by the same approach as the train. Agree the precise meeting point with your driver, rather than waiting in the taxi-only lane or rank in the starting square.
The road leg from the station area towards Piazzale Verdi is about 35 km and takes about 28 minutes. Traffic and waiting for a vehicle add to your elapsed journey. From Piazzale Verdi, follow the final walk to Piazza Napoleone described above.
The usual price range in the comparison is for the vehicle, not each passenger. A larger vehicle, late travel and traffic can raise the cost, so agree the fare basis and luggage capacity when arranging pickup. Sharing suits a group whose bags fit in the vehicle, but a solo traveller pays the whole fare. Arranging collection is particularly useful after rail departures finish.
Sources & fact-checking
Checks against the sources below cover: services and fares and charges.
- Comune di Pisa — service
- PISA-S.GIULIANO TERME-S.M.GIUDICE-LUCCA | Autolinee Toscane
- E3 Pisa-S.Giuliano Terme-S.Maria Giudice-Lucca timetable
- Autolinee Toscane — fares and charges
- Informazioni per il viaggio
- Regione Toscana — service
- Orario regionale digitale – Toscana, timetable 257 Pisa Centrale–Lucca
- Trenitalia — fares and charges
- Viaggiare con il Regionale
- Digital Regional Ticket
