venice - siena - montepulciano - rome - April 2023

Trenitalia
https://www.trenitalia.com/content/tcom/en.html
They also have an easy to use app

Schedule will be updated Dec 12 but you can look now for same day of week to see what to expect
Schedules don’t change much

1 change- Venice (Venezia Santa Lucia)- fast train to Florence (SM Novella) then change to regional to Siena (or you can take bus to Siena from Florence which drops you in center rather than outside of town where train station is)

You can chose whichever train you like to Siena. Your regional ticket is good for 4 hours.

I'd just pick up in Siena and return to Chiusi. You don't have to return to same place.

We always book thru AutoEurope.com- a US based consolidator with excellent customer service, usually best rates.
All drivers must have an IDP- International Driving Permit which you can get at your local AA for about $20.

Do your homework regarding driving in Italy- ZTLs, speeding, parking etc.

Some very good and comprehensive advice from Christine.
Not much to add except to point out that another reason to consider booking with AutoEurope is because they offer a clear explanation of insurance options and costs - an important consideration since the usual credit card coverages don't apply in Italy (though some premium cards do).

thank you both. im probably going to call autoeurope, when I put siena as pickup and chiusi as drop off nothing came up. worst case scenario i could just take train/bus from siena to chiusi to pick up car.

thank you both again for your sound advice.

It may just be too early to see offerings/rates for next May

The are extremely knowledgeable and helpful so a call can’t hurt!

You might also check the autoeurope.eu website as well as AutoEurope.com. Can sometimes find better deals there.
If Siena to Chiusi won't work you could consider collecting the vehicle in Florence and driving down to Siena along the very scenic Chiantigiana road. You can then park cheaply in the underground lot at the train station, or alternatively at a lot near the stadium that many here recommend.
Unless you're very comfortable driving a manual shifter I suggest paying a little extra to ensure that you get an automatic- it'll save you a lot of aggravation.

Great advice on here already. I just have a question. Why skip Florence? You could take an early fast train from Venice to Florence, have the day in Florence and take a late afternoon train to Siena. According to the Trenitalia app there are multiple train times and the fare is only around 9 euros. Just a thought :)

hey Rena, i've actually been to Florence before and we rented an AIRBNB in Siena so we are skipping Florence this time. thanks again everyone for your solid advice :)