It’s that time of the year when snow-capped mountains linger on the mind. If you don’t have a car, access to the perfect slopes feels like mission impossible. Thankfully, here’s how you can go on a ski holiday from Florence without a car. Remember to check local forecasts to ensure there’s sufficient snow at your intended destination.
By coach
Abetone
Abetone is local to Florence in northern Tuscany. Running every Saturday and Sunday through March 20, take the Autolinea della Neve bus service operated by Copit from Florence’s piazzale Montelungo (with stops in piazza Puccini and viale Guidoni by Florence Airport) to Abetone. Departing at 7am and returning at 5pm. 22 euro return, 17 euro for groups of 5 and more as well as students under 26. Tickets must be booked in advance from largo Fratelli Alinari 10.
Further afield
From the Flixbus stop at Villa Costanza, coach services run most days to Oulx, Trento, Bolzano, Courmayeur and Aosta. It’s an excellent alternative to avoid being limited by the train services that only operate on the weekends. All locations have options for a direct journey from Florence, except Oulx, which requires one transfer in Milan. Coaches to Trento and Bolzano take a surprisingly short 4.5 to 6 hours, while Aosta takes a minimum of 7 hours, Courmayeur 8 to 9 hours, and Oulx 11 hours. Night buses operate for trips to Aosta, Courmayeur and Oulx to save a day travelling and gain some extra time on the slopes.
By train
Trentino–Alto Adige
Links from Florence to the Trentino–Alto Adige region via train make the cities of Trento and Bolzano reachable within only a few hours. Direct trains from Florence to Trento take under three hours and take only slightly longer to Bolzano, bringing you to the heart of the mountains and the many ski resorts near both cities, including Monte Bondone, Andalo and Fai della Paganella.
Also accessible along this route is the popular resort of Madonna di Campiglio, which has a direct train from Trento. The whole journey takes five hours in total and requires only one change. Similarly, the resorts in Sëlva di Val Gardena, Santa Cristina and Ortisei have direct links at the weekend to Bolzano and are reachable from Florence in less than five hours. Alternatively, Canazei, Vigo di Fassa, Moena and Cavalese, with their abundant choices for skiing and winter sports locations, can be reached within a similar amount of time, by changing once at Ora, which has direct weekend connections to Florence.
Piedmont
Trenitalia has restarted a direct train link between Florence and the Piedmontese towns of both Bardonecchia and Oulx during the weekends, taking you to within a striking distance of Colomion ski resort. The journey takes just over four hours and, with no changes, is a comfortable and accessible option.
Aosta Valley
Slightly further north is the town of Pila in the Aosta Valley, made reachable by a cable car from the nearby town of Aosta. The train to Aosta takes five hours from Florence, with one change at Turin, and runs on Fridays and Saturdays for a weekend getaway. Similarly, the popular Alpine resort of Courmayeur is connected to Florence through a single change at Turin, and provides easy access to the ski resorts at the base of Mont Blanc.
Lombardy
Aprica has become a convenient option with the Trenord’s Snow Trains campaign, combining train travel with a shuttle bus to the resort and a ski pass. The ticket includes a return journey from any Lombardy station to Tresenda Aprica Teglio station, a return shuttle from the station to the ski resort, and a one- or two-day ski pass. The initiative runs until April 14, 2024, so if you make your way to Milano Centrale, the rest will be taken care of.
