Heading to Florence, Italy, and wondering if your favorite car-sharing apps are available in the city? It makes sense to see if they are running where you are traveling too since they are so useful in your home town. This article will cover how Uber works in Florence and what you need to know before using it.
Short Answer: As of December of 2020, Uber is not available in Florence. Uber is in other cities in Italy and you can read about that in our main article on the subject – Is Uber in Italy?
Why Is Uber Not in Florence, Italy?
In the past, Uber was tested in Florence Italy but in the end, it didn’t make much sense. The city is majority pedestrian with a strong train system getting travelers in and out. You can walk from Accademia on one side of the city to the Pitti Palace on the opposite side in 20 minutes. While walking is easy in Florence there are some tips to make getting around easier that you can read about if you follow that link.
As you can see, it is pretty easy to get around Florence so the need for a ride-sharing app really wasn’t necessary. Uber’s business model relies on providing back to back rides for drivers and it really wasn’t possible in Florence.
NCC License
Also, in Italy you need a license known as “NCC” or Noleggio Con Duecento. It is not only difficult to get but expensive to obtain. A license could cost 100,000€ in a city like Rome. While Uber does exist in Rome, the licensee makes it more expensive.
Italy prefers the NCC system as it allows costs for services like this to be regulated and stay elevated. It is also sort of a buy-in union that protects jobs. If Uber was allowed to be used by anyone than all the people who bought these licenses would be out of a job – similar to the taxi drivers in NYC.
Guided Skip the Line Tours of Florence: Uffizi, Accademia, and more!
Our Florence Food tour is not only amazing but it explores Santo Spirito with a local foodie guide. You’ll eat Florentine classics including the famed Florentine Steak which makes the price great value. See the details.
Uber in Other Cities in Italy?
Yes, Uber is in other cities in Italy and you can read about that in our main article on the subject – Is Uber in Italy? From there you can check ahead to any city you are visiting.
Pro Uber Tip
We’d love to have you back to our site but if you want to check to see if Uber is in a city in the future simply open the Uber app and pick a location in that city. The app will let you know if that city is covered by Uber drivers.
