Re; Day Trip to Volterra from La Spezia

Using Google Maps to show travel times via different modes, you can expect a 5 hour round trip by car and a 9 hour round trip by public transport.

Not 9 hours, only 7! It's 3 hours one way from La Spezia Centrale (seriously?) to Volterra-Saline-Pomarance station.
Plus 30 minutes to go from the station to the actual Volterra: https://goo.gl/maps/ZDSznEYXpRB2

The problem is that this solution by public transport involves a 5:44 am departure from La Spezia. You must have deep Etruscan roots to do it.

Kathy, I think the larger issue here is that Volterra is not really a day trip from La Spezia. Anything involving 5-7 hours of transit wouldn't be for me, anyway.

In addition to the train connections that continue as far as Volterra-Saline-Pomarance station, there is often another morning train connection running just as far as Cecina and then a bus departing from Cecina to Saline (and then another bus to Volterra; 3 transfers total). Check train schedules for your actual travel date (but summer schedules for regional trains are not yet finalized) and see the bus schedule at http://www.volterratur.it/en/come/how-reach-us/ or the current PDF they link to. Buses are much more limited on Sundays.

Hi Dario :

We are early birds and can easily retire the night before by 8:00 pm. We can always take a nap on the train on the return.

The manager of our Bank visits Volterra every time she goes to Italy and tells us it's her favorite place. She loves the whole area and says it's a must see.

Thanks to everyone for the help!

We loved Volterra and spent three nights there. We also travelled to Volterra by bus from Lucca. We took a bus to Pontedera and then a second bus up the hill to Volterra. This was much easier than going to the far away "Volterra train station". There is also a train station in Pontedera but I don't know if it goes to La Spezia. When we left Volterra we took the bus down the hill to Pontedera and then took the train to Florence. There were several choices for times and each journey was not too long, maybe three or four hours. However, be prepared to ride with school children on the buses, especially the bus from Pontedera to Volterra. We found it all great fun and really loved the restaurants and Etruscan museum in Volterra. Spend a night if you can!

I just looked up getting to Volterra from La Spezia via Pontedera and it seems doable. It is only an hour and one half hour train ride from La Spezia to Pontedera and an hour bus ride up the hill to Volterra. You may have to wait for your bus but should be able to get there in about three hours. We bought our bus tickets from a Newspaper shop to the right of the train station (if you are facing the train station) when we got to Pontedera. The bus station is across the street from the train station. Have fun!

The manager of our Bank visits Volterra every time she goes to Italy and tells us it's her favorite place

So how does she get there?

This may be the ( rare) kind of occasion where a rental car is the best solution.

Or, where else are you staying, that might be closer?

Did you abandon Sicily for this trip?