Yes, the walk is 30 mins max. I think climbing the tower is worth the money, but that 17 euro ticket is expensive and doesn't get you into any other monuments. The climb is fun as you can really feel the lean of the tower as you go up and the views from the top of the duomo and the rooftops of Pisa are very good. As sammyfloyd says your best bet to go on to Lucca is to walk the 5 mins or so to Pisa San Rossore train station, which is on the Lucca line.

You can get all sorts of combination tickets at the site, including tickets to the Baptistery, the Duomo, and the Camposanto (monumental cemetery). The cemetery was amazing; I think it shouldn't be missed. We didn't climb the tower. Climbing things doesn't arouse much enthusiasm in me.

Hi,

For the bus to Lucca you need to catch the Vaibus no Q03, the bus stop is on Via Bonanno right on the corner of Piazza Daniele Manin as you exit the campo dei miracoli, where the leaning tower and duomo are. Tickets can be bought at tobacconists and news-stands costing 3 euro pp, you validate them in the yellow machine on the bus which is situated by the driver. Bus terminal is within the walls of Lucca on Piazzale G Verdi. There is a bus that departs Via Bonanno, Pisa at 11.12 hrs arriving in Lucca just before midday at 11.57hrs.

mesh

Urge you not to limit your visit to climbing the tower. Please visit the Duomo, the Baptistery and the Campo Santo. All are amazing, beautiful, memorable. if you've time, the little museum is also worthwhile.

Thank you all so much for your replies!

We've been told that catching a bus between Pisa and Lucca is a better choice as scenery is beautiful... and we plan to catch a train back from Lucca to Florence...

Thank you Mesh for instruction of where to catch the bus from and the time, we should make that bus no worries :)

And I think we will climb the tower - it sounds like a unique experience :) And hopefully we will have time to at least have a quick look around Duomo or Baptistery.. which would you recommend if we only have time for one?

Can't wait to be in Italy - 3 more weeks to go!!!!

hi mokomoko, do update on your trip as I will be making the exact same itinerary for a one day florence-pisa-lucca-florence! Still not very confident from pisa-lucca-florence, so please do update this bit if possible!

have a swelling good trip!/kit

Hi Milokitts, what are you not so confident about, please trust me either way- bus or train its easy, personally I don't favour one method over the other, whatever suits your timings is best, the bus to Lucca has a tiny advantage of arriving at the bottom of one of the main streets, the train outside the walls, but we are talking less than 10mins difference to reach the centre of town. Let us know if you have specific concerns I think we can ease them between us....