Please sign in to post.

Siena Bus/Train Station

I just booked a train ticket from Venice to Florence, and will transfer by bus from Florence to Siena. I heard and read that the bus station is much more central in town than the train station so we can get our rental car on Viale Europa. But as I indicated on a different post, the Florence-Siena bus routes are not on the website, and I was told not to worry as that is a huge route that is several times a day, so I was just keeping fingers crossed since I couldn't find the drop-off point in Siena.

However, I am second guessing that now, as I am trying to get a bus ticket from Siena to Rome, which IS on the Sena website. In trying to determine the best starting point - Colonna San Marco and Piazza Gramsci, those both seem several minutes away from the rental car agency, so not so convenient with 3 kids and luggage (and makes we wonder about my trip from Florence to Siena as I will have the same problem).

Does anyone know something that I can't see on Google Maps? A closer bus station? A better way to get from the rental car agency to bus station? I still think it's better than the train, but hard for me to tell.

Thank you.

Posted by
16893 posts

Are you staying at a location outside of Siena and coming in just to drop off the rental car? If so, you could drive the rental car to a more convenient drop-off, such as Roma Fiumicino airport, or Chiusi train station, or Orvieto (Hertz only) train station.

Posted by
7570 posts

From my recollection of several years ago, the two places mentioned in Siena are not really bus stations, more bus stops. In fact I do not believe there really is a bus station. Depending on the distance, taxi may be your only choice.

Posted by
169 posts

We are staying about 10 miles south of Siena, so will be just coming to drop off the rental car. I suppose my husband can drop the kids and I off at the bus area, drive to drop off the car, and then tax a taxi back to the bus area. I read on either this forum or a different one that the car rental spot and the bus station (area) were close together which is one reason I opted for a bus vs. a train in and out of Siena. Maybe that was a mistake.

We can't drive to Rome because we rented a fairly small car which won't fit all of our luggage. Our agriturismo will help us get our luggage from the bus, and then it will be the 5 of us in the car touring in the Tuscany area.

I did buy flex tickets if I need to change, so if anyone has an opinion, then I would be happy to hear other options!

Posted by
32214 posts

Marie,

" I suppose my husband can drop the kids and I off at the bus area, drive to drop off the car, and then tax a taxi back to the bus area."

Be sure that your husband doesn't pass through any ZTL areas when he's dropping you off at the bus station. I believe they're using automated cameras now, but I don't know where they're located.

Posted by
169 posts

Do you think it best that I avoid city center all together and just go on the train? Are the ZTL's easy to get around?

Posted by
32214 posts

Marie,

Under the circumstances, travel by train would probably be easier. Your husband could drop all of you at the station, return the rental car and then take a Taxi to the station.

The ZTL areas vary from one town to another, and the enforcement is sometimes with automated cameras. Florence is just about saturated with them, so it's difficult to get around them. Before making a decision, you could ask the rental firm for their suggestion on this.

For the trip from Siena to Rome, there are two main rail routes - one to Firenze SMN and then high speed to Rome, and the other via Chiusi or Grosseto, which usually involves at least one change. Either one is good, and I'd choose based on travel time, cost and number of changes. Check the Trenitalia website for details.