There is an easy way from the train station into Siena. There is an escalator across the street from the train station. It isn't very well marked but it is in the shopping mall directly in front of the train station. I hope this helps those using the 'search' function. I've mentioned it in several posts but I think I'm the only one here that knows about it. Other sites it's quite well known. Best of luck!
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
Thanks, Leslie, it doesn't get mentioned much here, but it works!
Posted by
OP
Atlanta, Georgia
565 posts
Thanks Zoe! The parking deck at the train station is also by far the cheapest place we have found to park. Don't tell anyone though :)
Posted by
Pacific Northwest
8 posts
Also, if anyone has the RS Italy 2015 guide book it's mentioned on page 261.
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8141 posts
The way to the mass transit system from the train station (out on the edge of Siena) is no secret.
The reason the bus is so popular is that it's a relatively short trip, and the bus goes straight south to Siena's city center.
The train takes longer as it has to go west (toward Pisa) before turning south to Siena.
Posted by
Los Angeles
1825 posts
If you will be renting a car in Siena you are best off staying outside the walls near the train station which makes arriving or departing by train a good choice. If you won't have a car and want to stay near the center than the bus is a good choice. Rick mentions all this in the 2015 book. We arrived by train and stayed at Hotel Italia (which my wife loved). It took about ten minutes to walk to the city center and was convenient enough for us. On our second full day in Siena we walked to Hertz and rented a car to tour North of the city returning and keeping the car overnight at the hotel. The next day we departed Siena and headed South.
Siena made a great base for a few days and was easy to have a car outside the walls. The train and looong series of escalators made access easy.
We did encounter one scammer on the escalators with some B.S. "children's charity" come on but he was easy to blow off.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32202 posts
Leslie,
I also knew about the Escalator, but I haven't used it yet so didn't know what the layout was. That was on my list of things to do on a future visit to Siena. Your tip about the parking in another Thread was a good one, as Siena is often a challenging place to find parking.