We, 3 ladies, will be going to Italy for the first time in October, spending 4 days each in Venice first, then Siena & lastly, Florence & need help for the best way to get to Siena from Venice. I've read to train it from Venice to Florence, but from Florence to Siena - what's the best?? We also want to avoid renting a car while in Siena, but want to see Volterra & Montepulciano with no time restictions - any suggestions for us? Love this helpline - I've learned so much. Thanks in advance to you all.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
Any train that you take to Siena from Venice will require a train change at Florence. The run from Venice to Florence is a popular high-speed train run although local trains do run on the same tracks. The 1-hr run from Florence to Siena is a local train run. Thus, the train change in Florence.
Note that the train station in Siena is about a mile mostly downhill from the city but there are frequent local buses at the train station to take you to the city wall.
One alternative is to take the SITA Rapido (Express) bus from Florence to Siena. This bus does take you to the Siena city wall but the in Florence, the SITA bus station is about 1/4 mile from the train station. Included in that 1/4 mile is the crossing of a very busy multi-lane street. With traffic lights, it's quite safe. However, with luggage, you need to decide whether its better to stay on the train all the way and take the local bus to the city wall or walk a 1/4 mile and take the SITA bus to the Siena city wall. Your choice.
From the nice train station in Siena, you can take a 1hr train to Montepulciano for about 5Euro.
For Volterra, I believe that there is a bus from Siena to Volterra but its not a direct bus. You'll have to change buses at Colle. There is a train run but you'll change trains 1-2 times before being put on a bus for the final leg. Plus this train journey takes 4hrs.
Posted by
Wichita
831 posts
Rosemarie,
Venice to Florence is easy on the train see http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html
From Florence to Siena you can take the train about an hour and a half. The train station in Siena is about 2 km from the old town. Or you can take the the bus see http://www.sitabus.it/sita-toscana/Firenze-Siena07.pdf
In Florence the bus station is the next building to the train station but you will have to negotiate a few steps and cross a busy street about 200 meters of walking. In Siena the bus leaves you at Piazza Gramsci basically the top of the old town.
There is no train station in Volterra or Montepulciano although there is a station called Montepulciano it is not near the old town to get there you need to take a bus see
http://www.trainspa.it/EXTRAURBANO.htm