Assisi to Orvieto?

Start with Rome2rio.com for comparing all types of transportation - best could mean fastest, cheapest, fewest connections, most comfortable - subjective decision.

Funny you should ask - I did that very thing in May. It's about 2.25 hours on the train. I took a taxi from the historic center of Assisi to the train station (about €10, I guess) but there is regular bus service. When you get to Orvieto, take the funicular up to the town (be sure to get to Orvieto before it stops running - around 8 p.m. I think). Then you can either wait for the shuttle bus to take you to the Duomo (the center of everything in Orvieto) or you can walk it in about 15 minutes (or a short taxi ride). There's a train from Assisi about once an hour, but you will have to transfer in Terontola-Cortone or Orte.

If you are only staying for a night or two in Assisi you can leave your luggage at the train station and just take an overnight bag (Assisi is all up-and-down with hundreds of stairs).

If you're staying in Orvieto for 2-3 days, you may want to buy the Carta Unica at the newstand in the train station. That includes a round-trip ride on the funicular and shuttle bus.

Assisi and Orvieto are two of my favorite spots in all of Italy (among many others!). I would love to return and spend a few days exploring each, as well as other towns and rural areas in Umbria. If you need a butler to handle your bags, please send a ticket. After that, will work for room and board!

Good choices. Those are two of the most beautiful towns in Italy. And the hours for the funicular are 7:00 am to 8:30 pm. (There are buses that run later, but the funicular is the most convenient.) Do stay in the upper town in both of those locations. That's where the historic center and 90% of the charm is.

If you want a little taste of each, check out some the pictures and short video clips I took:
Orvieto - May 2011 and Assisi - May 2008

I loved Assisi so much I'm going back next year for a two-week language course at a school in town. Can't wait!

I too love Orvieto. There are a couple of especially popular bed and breakfasts in town.

Tuscany and Umbria are best seen from behind the wheel of an automobile. Many turn in their Hertz rental car across the street from the train station prior to getting on the train. Orvieto is especially popular as it's just a 70 minute ride into Rome.

The ticket you buy for the funivia in Orvieto is also good for the bus ride to the center of the city - either of two buses will get you to Piazza del Duomo but one takes a longer route through most of the town.