# bus stops on Routes #12 & #13 up to San Miniato & Piazzale Michelangelo



## logomaria (Mar 20, 2013)

we will be walking around central Florence, near Santa Croce, Uffizi, Palazzo Vecchio, etc, and want to take Bus #12 or 13 from that area up to Piazzale Michelangelo and San Miniato.  I can't seem to find out if there are stops and/or where they are in that part of Florence.  I am hoping we don't have to go back to the bus station to board. Can anyone confirm that there are several stops in the area around the river, either on north or south side, that we can find?  If so, where?  And are the scheduled stops frequent on those routes during the mid afternoon week days?  Thanks so much for any help!  Also any hints or suggestions regarding how best to include in our visit the church vespers with the monks chanting?


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## Lourdes (Mar 21, 2013)

If you go to the page on Piazzale Michelangelo here, there is a map at the bottom that shows the bus routes for #12 and #13.
If you're close to Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Vecchio, Santa Croce - the #13 is the one to catch. There are stops on Corso Tintori north of the river and then two on the southern side on lungarno Serristori.
If you're closer to the train station or near Pitti Palace/Porta Romana, then the better one to catch is #12 at Porta Romana. Both run often during the day, at least every 15-20 min at the very most in the afternoons.

As for San Miniato, you can see from this page that the Gregorian chant is at 10am and 5.30pm but I'd head up earlier so you can walk around beforehand. If you catch the #13, you can get off at Piazzale Michelangelo first and walk to San Miniato, but if you're on the #12, San Miniato will come up first... but it is really really close, so if you pass it up, just get off in Pzle. Michelangelo.


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## OCBLUE (Jun 10, 2022)

Lourdes said:


> If you go to the page on Piazzale Michelangelo here, there is a map at the bottom that shows the bus routes for #12 and #13.
> If you're close to Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Vecchio, Santa Croce - the #13 is the one to catch. There are stops on Corso Tintori north of the river and then two on the southern side on lungarno Serristori.
> If you're closer to the train station or near Pitti Palace/Porta Romana, then the better one to catch is #12 at Porta Romana. Both run often during the day, at least every 15-20 min at the very most in the afternoons.
> 
> As for San Miniato, you can see from this page that the Gregorian chant is at 10am and 5.30pm but I'd head up earlier so you can walk around beforehand. If you catch the #13, you can get off at Piazzale Michelangelo first and walk to San Miniato, but if you're on the #12, San Miniato will come up first... but it is really really close, so if you pass it up, just get off in Pzle. Michelangelo.


Hi Lourdes,  Your post above was helpful. But I have an additional question or two.  
We will be staying near Santo Spirito, and want to visit Piazza Michelangelo.

Question #1. It looks like we can catch Bus #12, at Piazzo Tasso (or Porta Romona) , and take it to Piazzale San Miniato Bus Stop (across the street from Piazza Michelangelo. Is that correct?

Question #2: How do we get BACK to Santo Spirito area?  Does Bus#12 continue (after Piazza Michelangelo) and go BACK in Reverse stops along the same route?  If not, does the Bus #12 take another route to get back to the beginning of the Route?  If so, can we stay on the bus, and take it all the way back to Piazzo Tasso (or Porta Ramona)?

Question #3: If Bus #12, will NOT get us BACK to Santo Spirito, is there a different Bus that will?

Thanks


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## Uomo Grasso (Jun 11, 2022)

In 2014 Lourdes taught us to use Google Maps to plot transportation. It is an excellent tool for navigating the bus system in Florence. Have you used that before?


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## OCBLUE (Jun 13, 2022)

Uomo Grasso said:


> In 2014 Lourdes taught us to use Google Maps to plot transportation. It is an excellent tool for navigating the bus system in Florence. Have you used that before?


Hi. Yes, I have used Google. It does not show full Route information. It is good for finding a specific Bus Stop.  You can even zoom in and look at a Street View. But it does not show directions of Route (or more accurately, it is unclear, at best, for finding which direction). Using Moovit App is better. But neither of them answer my question (what happens at the end of Route 12?  Does the Bus reverse directions and go back the way that it came from?  Are passengers allowed to stay on the bus, and take it all the way around again (and then get off on the Bus Stop where you started). Or, does the Driver advise everyone to get off the bus at the last stop?  Those questions can only be answered by someone who had been on the bus before, or who works for the bus company.


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## Lourdes (Jun 13, 2022)

Ciao!

Bus 12 and 13 here in town run similar route in opposite directions. So to get to Piazzale Michelangelo you might take bus 12; if you want to return the way you came, I would suggest crossing the street and at the bus stop on the other side take bus 13. Because of one-way streets the route will not match perfectly but the idea is to get you to around the same areas.

You can also take the same bus and continue in the same direction until you get back to your original bus stop.

Remember that bus tickets here in Florence work by TIME stamp: they are valid for 90 minutes from the time you got on the first bus and "activated" it or, using Italian terms, "validated", the ticket for use. The machines near the doors are for that reason: put your ticket in and date and time are printed on the ticket. You can then use the ticket for the next 90 minutes, so if you are ready to leave Piazzale Michelangelo check your ticket. If you still have time on the ticket, you can still use it. 

When you are the "end" of the line, the bus driver just turns off the bus and generally takes a break, usually off the bus so he or she can have a smoke or make a call. Break time will be around 5 minutes, sometimes less, sometime more. So if you want to keep on going, just stay on the bus. Once the driver returns, he just turns it back on and continues the route. 

Looking back at your original questions, both buses have stops right around Piazza Tasso and it would be more convenient time-wise to take the #13 back rather than doing the whole circular route. Both have stops at the Piazzale AND San Miniato so you can get off at either. Just so it's clear, they are two separate stops, San Miniato is a little further behind the piazzale so you can get off there and first go see the church, then just walk down to the Piazzale, roam around, then from the Piazzale get the bus back.

The new AT Bus website uses Moovit for their own "trip planner" so maybe they are in partnership with them and time schedules are more up to date on there than on Google Maps, I haven't made a comparison yet. Will have to do that soon! Let me know if I answered all your doubts, and if you have any other questions, happy to help .


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## OCBLUE (Jun 13, 2022)

Lourdes said:


> Ciao!
> 
> Bus 12 and 13 here in town run similar route in opposite directions. So to get to Piazzale Michelangelo you might take bus 12; if you want to return the way you came, I would suggest crossing the street and at the bus stop on the other side take bus 13. Because of one-way streets the route will not match perfectly but the idea is to get you to around the same areas.
> 
> ...


Hi Lourdes,  Thank you for the reply. Some of what you said it great. However, I have a question about some of it.
We do think that we will take #12 to get from Santo Spirito area to Piazzale Michelangelo. We will probably get ON the #12 at "Pescaia Di Santa Rosa". It appears to be the closest to our Hotel.  We will get OFF the #12 at Piazzale Michelangelo.

However, you mentioned taking #13 to return back to our Hotel area. Maybe I was not clear that we are staying in Santo Spirito (on the Oltrarno side of the Arno). It looks like the #13 does not go to the Oltrarno side of the river. 

(Therefore, we are thinking that we will take the C4 Bus, which goes from BELOW (if you walk down) the Piazzale Michelangelo, and does go near Santa Spirito. We would probably get ON the #C4 Bus at "CELLINI" stop. And get OFF of the C4 Bus at FRESCOBALDI Stop.

You have more local knowledge, so please do correct me, if i am mistaken

Thanks

Here is the #13 Route below, and the #C4 Route


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## Lourdes (Jun 14, 2022)

You can also take the C4, especially as it will have you do the walk downhill and you'll get to see the tower of San Niccolo and the ramps around the tower. Also if the C4 gets you closer to where you are, or just goes through the Oltrarno and you need to get there after, then it would be a better choice. It will definitely get you to Santo Spirito but you had not mentioned that earlier.

However, just so it's clear, the #12 and #13 both do a round circuit, just in opposite directions. The part I traced in my last post is where they completely overlap. Neither line goes into the Oltrarno but they go right on the perimeter, on the street that goes from Porta Romana toward Via Pisana. You mentioned picking up the 12 around Piazza Tasso, that is why I was confirming you can get right back there if you catch the 13.


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## OCBLUE (Jun 14, 2022)

Lourdes said:


> You can also take the C4, especially as it will have you do the walk downhill and you'll get to see the tower of San Niccolo and the ramps around the tower. Also if the C4 gets you closer to where you are, or just goes through the Oltrarno and you need to get there after, then it would be a better choice. It will definitely get you to Santo Spirito but you had not mentioned that earlier.
> 
> However, just so it's clear, the #12 and #13 both do a round circuit, just in opposite directions. The part I traced in my last post is where they completely overlap. Neither line goes into the Oltrarno but they go right on the perimeter, on the street that goes from Porta Romana toward Via Pisana. You mentioned picking up the 12 around Piazza Tasso, that is why I was confirming you can get right back there if you catch the 13.


Hi Lourdes,  I forgot that you mentioned the Round Circuit. So, if we got on the #12, at Piazzale Michelangelo, you are saying that it would take us back to the spot near Santo Spirito where we started?  Do you think it goes over the river (somewhere) in order to get to its original starting point? And if we remained on, as it headed back to the original starting point, we could get back to Santo Spirito?

My apologies if I am repeating myself, or talking in circles. I am just trying to confirm you point about "round circuit". Since the #12 was close enough to Santa Spirito for us to START our journey up to Michelangelo, then per your theory, we COULD take it AGAIN (after we are done seeing Michelangelo)?


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## Lourdes (Jun 14, 2022)

I understand it isn't easy to see the route. The new site only seems to have the trip planner and suggest bus lines, but doesn't make it easy for you to see where each line goes.

In any case, I can confirm you can most definitely get back on bus #12 and continue in the same direction you were headed earlier. The route takes you back down on the other side of the historical center, along the _viali_ and toward Campo di Marte area, before heading to Piazza della Liberta and then back around the center before going back to the stop you got on. But it is a longer route to take back than if you went back more or less the same way you went up. You just have more streets to cover, considering you cross the river and do a circuit around the entire right bank of Florence  around the center.

Just also know that bus #13 goes to Borgo San Frediano just one street south of the route the #12 does.

Here is the #13 in that area - going from left to right, across the river and back up.



This is the route #12 takes below, from the north, crossing the river (same bridge, Carraia) and then taking Lungarno Soderini. The difference is that those streets are one-way streets so of course neither can overlap. Lungarno Soderini goes away from the center, Borgo San Frediano toward the center/Santo Spirito.



Hope this is clearer now!


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