Italy   / Leonardo da Vinci International Airport

Leonardo da Vinci International Airport funnels over 40 million passengers a year through a sprawling multi-terminal complex, and the arrival flow tests patience even on a good day. Immigration queues for non-Schengen arrivals hit 30-45 minutes during the morning transatlantic wave; baggage carousels add another 15-20 minutes; and by the time you clear customs, the SIM-card kiosk line has grown to match. An eSIM purchased before departure eliminates that final wait — your phone connects the moment you switch off airplane mode, and you walk into arrivals with train schedules, rideshare pins, and hotel confirmations already loading.

The first decision most Florence-bound travelers face is transport: Leonardo Express to Roma Termini (32 minutes, departures every 15 minutes from 05:38 to 23:23) followed by Frecciarossa or Italo high-speed rail to Firenze Santa Maria Novella (1h 25m to 1h 40m). That entire booking chain — checking live platform assignments on the Trenitalia app, comparing Italo fares, messaging whoever's meeting you in Florence — depends on data. Airport WiFi exists but competes with thousands of other arrivals, requires registration, and drops signal in the lower-level baggage hall. Your eSIMno plans for Leonardo da Vinci International Airport, Florence, Italy sidestep all of it: Vodafone and Wind Tre macro coverage blankets every terminal, every pier, and the underground people-mover corridor to Pier E.

Beyond the airport, the same plan keeps working. The Frecciarossa maintains cellular signal across the Rome-Florence high-speed corridor; Florence's compact historic center — from Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore to Ponte Vecchio — stays covered; and if your trip extends to Venice or the Amalfi Coast, the data follows without a top-up or a second SIM. One purchase, one install, and connectivity is handled from wheels-down at Fiumicino to wherever the itinerary leads.

FCO operates four passenger terminals, though T2 sees limited use and T5 closed in 2022. Most international arrivals funnel through Terminal 3, with intercontinental wide-body gates clustered on Pier E — accessed via a free underground people mover from the main T3 security area (3-minute ride, add 15-20 minutes total from check-in to gate). T1 handles ITA Airways Schengen and SkyTeam short-haul; the two terminals connect via an 800-meter indoor corridor with moving walkways.

Late-Night Logistics

The Leonardo Express ceases at 23:23; after that, the Cotral night bus to Roma Tiburtina departs roughly every 75 minutes overnight. Taxis remain available 24/7 at the official rank outside T3 Arrivals. If you're overnighting near the airport, the Hilton Rome Airport and Hilton Garden Inn connect via covered walkway from T3.

Onward to Florence

Roma Termini is 32 minutes by Leonardo Express. From Termini, Frecciarossa and Italo high-speed trains reach Firenze Santa Maria Novella in under two hours. Mobile tickets from either operator display QR codes your phone's screen can show at the platform gates — no paper printout required, but you'll need data to pull up the code if the email hasn't cached.