pre-purchase bus tickets necessary?

The route is a major highway. I would not call it twisty but I hate giving advice on this sort of thing as it is so personal. I would book in advance.

Hi Beth,

You might want to consider going by train from Rome to Florence, then switching to bus to Siena. The trains are nice for travel, and you would avoid the motion sickness from windy roads. And, there's bathrooms on the trains and you're able to get up and walk around. (I don't remember bathrooms on the bus.)

Rome-to-Florence by train + bus to Siena (1 1/2 hours train; 1 hr. by bus)
Original bus from Rome to Siena (3 1/2 hours)

I have never heard of bathrooms on buses or trains. They would take up take up too much space, and the water would slosh out of the bath whenever the bus or train went round a corner.

Some long distance buses have toilets, but I would avoid them unless you were (a) a midget, (b) a contortionist and (c) desperate.
All long distance trains, and some local trains have toilets. Modern trains have wheelchair accessible toilets. Short distance trains (say less than 30 minutes) often don't, and métros never.

P.S. A bathroom = a room with a bath in it. Look it up in a dictionary.

Don't beat up on American language. We do everything to avoid calling a toilet a toilet. It is a restroom, necessary room (earlier), potty room, bathroom - anything but toilet.

Good one Chris and Frank! I have never understood the American aversion to calling a toilet a toilet.

I would stick with the bus and put on the ear patch. No need to change trains and it drops you off in a much more central location in Siena than the train. Also, despite what Jean said, the bus only takes 2hours and 40 minutes. Go to www.sena.it to book.

Thanks for the helpful feedback!........bus......with reservations.......and no room with a bath. Got it!