Locals’ landlords keep dialing 4390 for Florence airport runs
Taxi 4390 is one of Florence’s two main dispatch numbers (the other is 4242) and is often the default for airport trips arranged by landlords and hotel front desks. Cabs drop you directly outside T1 at Florence Airport, Peretola, and the ride from the historic center usually takes 15–25 minutes depending on Viale Guidoni traffic.
Service runs 24/7, and fares follow the standard Florence taxi structure with extras for airport trips, night hours, Sundays/holidays, and large luggage pieces. From central Florence to FLR, expect a fixed airport supplement on top of the metered fare; ask the driver about the night or holiday surcharge before you pull away from Piazza della Repubblica or Santa Maria Novella.
There is no Uber-style app tracking here: when you call 4390, dispatch usually gives an estimated arrival time in minutes but not a live vehicle map. One Reddit user mentioned a 5 a.m. pickup that arrived roughly on schedule, but they had to watch the street rather than stare at a phone screen.
Regulars say the ride experience in the back seat feels basically the same as using 4242, right down to similar meter behavior and airport supplements. One traveler in a Florence Q&A thread summed it up by saying “4242 and 4390 are the two big taxi numbers,” and that their landlord always booked 4390 specifically for airport transfers.
Locals on Reddit tell visitors to follow their host’s lead: if your hotel in Oltrarno or an Airbnb near Sant’Ambrogio always calls 4390, stick with that, since they know which dispatch reaches that neighborhood faster. For a 7:00 flight out of T1, many regulars place the call 15–20 minutes earlier than strictly necessary to build a buffer.
Watch out for peak times: users report long waits after big events at Stadio Artemio Franchi or during heavy rain, when both 4390 and 4242 get slammed and queues can hit 20–30 minutes. Another small headache is drivers struggling with obscure Airbnb addresses on tiny side streets; having the exact street number and a nearby landmark like a piazza name saves a few extra minutes of circling.
Step-by-step from city center to FLR with Taxi 4390
- 1. Ask your hotel or host which number they prefer; if they say 4390, have them call or dial it yourself from your Italian mobile or hotel phone.
- 2. Request a pickup at your exact address, including street number (for example, Via dei Calzaiuoli 12) and mention you are going to “Aeroporto di Firenze, Terminal 1.”
- 3. Confirm with dispatch roughly how many minutes until the cab arrives and ask if night or holiday surcharges apply at that hour.
- 4. Wait outside at the agreed spot 5 minutes early, since there is no app tracking; watch license plates and the “TAXI” roof sign as cars pull in.
- 5. Once in the car, double-check the driver has started the meter and that they know you need the departures area at T1.
- 6. On arrival at FLR, pay the metered fare plus any listed airport, night, or luggage supplements; most cars accept cash in euros and a good number take cards, but ask before you shut the door.
- 7. Keep your receipt with the fare and taxi number printed on it in case you need it for reimbursement or to report any issue later.
One final tip: for early-morning flights, set your call to 4390 for at least 45–60 minutes before you want to be at T1, not 30, so traffic or a slow dispatch doesn’t eat your check-in window.