Pisa's Aeroporto Galileo Galilei (code: PSA) sits roughly 28 kilometres south of Viareggio — close enough that every transport option gets the job done, far enough that the wrong choice on a rainy Tuesday will cost an hour and your composure. Four routes exist. We have taken all four, some of them many times, and we rank them below with the prices that held in April 2026.
A note on arrivals: PSA is small. From gate to kerb is rarely more than twelve minutes. Factor that in when reading timings.
1. By train, via Pisa Centrale
The rail route is the default. It is also the one most likely to go sideways.
From the airport terminal, the PisaMover people mover runs every eight minutes between the airport and Pisa Centrale station. The ride takes around eight minutes and costs €5 one-way. It is a short, automated shuttle — no staff, no drama. At Pisa Centrale, a regional Trenitalia train covers the 20-odd kilometres to Viareggio in roughly 20 minutes, with tickets usually around €3.60. Departures run every 30 to 60 minutes depending on the hour; the schedule thins noticeably after 21:00.
Total time, if the connection at Pisa Centrale is clean: 30 to 40 minutes. Total cost: about €8.60.
The problem with the train is that it depends on the transfer working. We have seen flights land at 22:05, PisaMover run normally, and passengers sprint across the underpass at Pisa Centrale only to watch the last Viareggio regional pull away at 22:14. There is no 23:00 service to chase. Strike days — Trenitalia publishes them in advance — also compress the timetable without warning.
That said, on a calm weekday afternoon, train is the honest choice. Seventh-floor buildings in Viareggio are visible from the window halfway along.
2. By regional bus
The cheapest option and the most overlooked. Autolinee Toscane, the regional operator, runs coach services from the stop outside PSA's arrivals hall toward the coast. Some runs terminate at Viareggio directly; others require a change, which is where the route earns its reputation for being a false economy.
Fares sit between €3 and €5 depending on routing. Journey time is 45 to 60 minutes in the direct case, longer with a change. Frequency is lower than the train — think hourly at best, with substantial gaps at midday and after 20:00. Tickets are bought from the Autolinee Toscane app or from the airport's newsstand; buying on board costs more and the driver will not make change for a fifty.
The bus is a reasonable choice for the budget-constrained traveller with light luggage and an afternoon arrival. It is a poor choice with a heavy suitcase, a child, or any flight scheduled close to the last direct departure.
3. By airport taxi
The white municipal taxis at PSA are metered but the run to Viareggio is long enough that most drivers will quote a flat fare before departure. Expect €70 to €90, occasionally more with late-night surcharges or oversize luggage. The ride takes around 30 minutes off-peak. On a Friday in August, add fifteen.
Taxis wait in a clearly marked rank outside the arrivals door. There is no ride-hailing equivalent operating legitimately at PSA — Uber does not work here in any useful sense, and the sporadic grey-market offers inside the terminal are best ignored.
The airport taxi is the option travellers choose when they have not planned, and the option they complain about afterwards. It is rarely the worst choice. It is almost never the best.
4. By pre-booked private car
The category with the least drama and, for many travellers, the best price-to-effort ratio. A pre-arranged transfer is a flat fare — usually €45 to €70 depending on vehicle class and season — with a driver meeting arrivals holding a sign with the passenger's name. The car goes door-to-door; the journey is roughly 30 minutes.
The math is obvious on paper. A family of three with two suitcases pays €8.60 × 3 = €25.80 by train but loses an hour to the PisaMover–Pisa Centrale–regional chain, with a real risk of a missed connection. That same family in a pre-booked sedan pays €55 flat, arrives in 30 minutes, and knows in advance who is driving. Travellers short on patience tend to book a transfer from Pisa airport to Viareggio before they leave home — a flat fare, a driver at arrivals with your name on a card, no change at Pisa Centrale at 11 p.m. with a roll-aboard.
The failure mode here is the booking platform. A reputable operator confirms the driver's name, licence plate and phone number at least 24 hours before the flight; if those details do not arrive, the service is suspect. Price itself is a poor indicator — the cheapest listing is often the one that misses the pickup.
Which to pick
| Mode | Price | Duration | Frequency | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Train (via PisaMover) | ~€8.60 | 30–40 min | Every 30–60 min, thins after 21:00 | Default for daytime, solo travel, light luggage |
| Bus (Autolinee Toscane) | €3–5 | 45–60 min | Roughly hourly | Cheapest; fine for patient travellers |
| Taxi (white, metered) | €70–90 | ~30 min | On-demand at rank | Serviceable fallback, rarely the first choice |
| Pre-booked car | €45–70 | ~30 min | Booked in advance | Best for families, late arrivals, heavy bags |
A rough decision grid:
- Landing before 20:00, travelling alone, carry-on only: take the train.
- Landing before 20:00, on a budget, no tight schedule: take the bus.
- Landing after 21:30, or two-plus people with checked bags: book a car in advance.
- Landing after midnight: you almost certainly need a taxi or a pre-booked car. The train is gone.
For further reading on what to do once the onward train has, in fact, been missed: see our entry on Viareggio Station & the Coastal Line. For a sensible half-day out that makes the effort of getting here worthwhile, start with Lucca as a Half-Day Trip. For a flat, shaded ride from the station back toward the sea, see The Pineta di Ponente Cycle Route. Third-party context on the Versilia coast is summarised well by Lonely Planet's Versilian coast pages.