I wanted to get your advice on whether to rent a car from the Florence airport or take a train to Siena & pick up the car to tour Tuscany for 4 days. It is less expensive to pick up in Siena, but not sure how much the train ride is for 5 people from Flornece to Sienaso may work out to be the same difference. I am concerned about traveling with luggage in the car & we are staying in Siena. Also we are traveling middle of June, would you recommend a 5 day rail pass that can be used over the 15 days we are there or purchase train tickets as we go we go once we arrive?
Thanks for your help!
Dalena
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
The fare for the train ride to Siena from Florence is 6.10Euro according to www.trenitalia.com. You absolutely do not need railpasses in Italy. P2P is much cheaper. The trains run hourly during the day. The train station is about a mile from the city but there are taxis that can take you to your hotel. There also the SITA express bus that also runs frequently during the day (except Sunday). The bus drops you off at the city wall which is a lot closer.
If you are traveling elsewhere in Italy by train, you can buy all of your tickets in advance at any train station. Or, you can buy them as you go.
Posted by
Vidalia
113 posts
If you're going to rent anyway, I'd consider renting at the airport just b/c of the hassle of getting a cab and train with all the luggage, unless you're traveling really light. Plus, there may be a train change between Florence & Siena, can't remember. I would definitely rent a car to tour Tuscany - you cannot get to all the hill towns by train, and buses can be a slow and sometimes almost impossible alternative. I would NOT do a rail pass, tickets are quite cheap for the most part; you'll probably want to drive to the smaller towns. BTW, if you are looking for an untouristy hill town, I recommend Certaldo Alto. The train goes to Certaldo and you take a funicular to the top; lovely 'real town' with just one tourist sight to visit and an incredible view with the towers of S. Gimignano in the distance.