FCO to Siena area Argotoursim location - how to

First, what does the working farm recommend ? It is possible to do it by train with a couple of changes. Go to trenitilia.com for schedules.

The farm doesn't really have a suggestion. They suggested the driver from Siena. I've navigated the train system in the past but I guess I'm more curious to know if folks have tried any of these options to travel from the airport to the Siena area and if so how much of a pain in the neck is it? Is it worth nearly $500 each way to get a driver? Is the drive difficult and could I manage it with a 'co-pilot' to supplement the GPS?

Thanks!

I'm assuming you'll need your own rental car while staying at the agriturismo, so I would suggest taking the train from Rome to Arezzo (or even to Siena) and pick up your rental car there, and then drive the rest of the way.

Check car rental prices on:
www.autoeurope.com
or
www.gamut.com
They are consolidators that usually get a better rate with the major rental companies.

Your pick up location should be:
Leonardo Da Vinci - Fiumicino Airport
or
Any city/downtown location inside Rome, preferably near Tiburtina station or Termini station. Tiburtina is very easy to get out of town. Nearly all car rental companies have offices at or next both stations.

The city location generally yields better rental rates than the airport pick up (because of high airport fees in Europe). However factor in the cost of going from the airport to the downtown location, which is Euro 50 by taxi. If the renting from the airport is less than or not much more than 50 euro above renting from the city, then you might as well pick up from the airport, that way you can get on the freeway immediately right there at FCO and head to Siena without having to deal with city traffic. Follow directions to A1 freeway to FIRENZE (Florence). You will exit at Bettolle and take the superstrada to Siena from there.

You should drive the rental car from your pick up location (airport or Rome city center) to your agriturismo near Siena. You will almost certainly need a car if you are staying at an agriturismo, because they are almost always located in isolated locations in the countryside that are rarely (if ever) served by public transportation.

I don't know where your agriturismo is located exactly (you can post it here if you want), but the drive to Siena is super easy: 100% freeway driving once you enter the freeway in Rome.

Keep your car for your entire stay at the agriturismo, then drive back to Rome and return it at the Tiburtina station. Use a taxi to go from the Tiburtina station to your hotel in Rome for your last night.

Take a GPS with you (purchase and load European maps on it first). Midsize car models will likely have their own GPS, but compacts and below rarely do. You can rent a GPS from the rental car company but it's 15 euro a day ($20), therefore with the money you would pay, you can probably buy one at home (if you don't have one already).

Going to Siena from FCO using trains is not convenient because you need to change trains twice (with luggage is a hassle). Since you will need a car at the Agriturismo, you might as well rent from the start in Rome.

Thanks for the feedback! We're headed to Spannocchia, which is apparently an easy shot to Siena. Roberto, I have seen you post about using Gemut.com before but this AM when I tried them the site seemed to be taking a nap; I'll try again later. I have previously read that renting from the airport is more expensive but considering the schlepp and hassle factor my thought was that it might be worth it headed out to Siena and then as you mentioned, dropping the car off at the outlying locations with the taxi to the hotel. GPS is already on the packing list with an update to make sure all is well on that front! Thanks again!

Yes.
One also has to consider the cost of taking the taxi from the airport to the rental office in the city (about 50 euro by taxi), therefore renting at the airport may not be much more expensive after all. And getting on the freeway at the airport is a breeze.

Roberto - thanks for the info the getting on the freeway from the airport is 'breeze' as I had begun to wonder about that. Yippee!

Since you are going to Chiusdino, SW of Siena, from FCO it's probably faster to go straight up the coastal route via Civitavecchia-Grosseto using the A12 freeway to Civitavecchia then the Via Aurelia (SS1/E80) via Grosseto. Also cheaper because the Via Aurelia has no tolls. From the airport drive in the directions of Rome on the freeway, but shortly after take the turn off to the freeway A12/E80 north to Fregene/Civitavecchia. Stay on the E80 all the way past Grosseto.

Printing now Roberto - Thank you!