Which mode of transport and company Rome to Siena.

My recommendation is to rent 2 Economy (or 2 compact) cars to accommodate 6 people plus luggage.

Two cars give more flexibility, in case some in your party decide to do something different sometimes. Also, to rent a van costs as much as renting 3 economy cars, and negotiating a van through Italy’s ancient narrow street is not for the faint of heart.

I would also recommend to rent the two cars in Rome, and drive directly to your villa location from Rome. The drive is almost totally on a freeway similar to American interstate highways and you can be at your villa in less than 3 hours. The last portion to the villa I suppose is on a regular two lane highway, but I’m sure it won’t be a long stretch.

All rental car companies have numerous rental locations in Rome. The ones near the Tiburtina train station are near the A24/Tangenziale Est freeway entrance, but there are several locations that are similarly easy. Depending on which company you use, you can go to their website and see their Rome locations.

I generally use a consolidator to rent cars:
www.autoeurope.com
They work with the main rental car companies, such as Europcar, Hertz, Avis-Budget. They also offer the zero deductible insurance option through those companies, which I recommend since it’s only about $4 extra per day.

You can return the car anywhere in Tuscany, including Florence, at no extra drop off fee. Based on the company you choose from (Hertz, Europcar, etc.) and also the exact location of your villa, I can recommend the best drop off locations that you can choose from, before your Florence visit.

If you still prefer a bus, these are the options:

https://www.flixbus.com/bus-routes/bus-rome-siena

http://autolinee.baltour.it/Orari-autobus/Roma/Siena/81/87/111-1.html

I agree with Roberto that renting in Rome and returning in Florence will give you the most coverage in Tuscany. Alternative, you can rent in Rome and return in Sienna and take a train to Florence.

As for home many vehicles to rent, you can rent a mini-van which will hold 6 people and luggage as long as you have no more than 6 22-inch rollers and 6 backpacks. We drove through Tuscany in June in a Ford 7-passenger mini-van and navigated through the smaller villages, although finding a parking space small enough can be a challenge. The only draw back is that the person sitting in the back will have a suitcase next to them.

We rented through AutoEurope got a Ford Galaxy Automatic for 4 days for $490 USD. We did not get two cars because no one else wanted to drive besides by husband and I. If you drive, you will need to have an International Drivers Permit for each driver (can get at AAA).

Thanks Roberto. Sounds great! Where would you recommend dropping off in Florence.
Or if we decide to get Train from Rome to Florence and rent car there, where would you recommend getting it from for ease of getting out of city etc..

If your final destination is Siena area, I wouldn’t go all the way to Florence by train then back track by car to Siena. If you don’t feel like driving all the way from Rome, the next best alternative is to take a train to CHIUSI- CHIANCIANO in Chiusi Scalo. All companies have rental offices there near the station. From there you can drive to Siena area to your villa.

If you happen to rent from Hertz, the easiest locations coming from the south are Hertz FIRENZE SUD on Via Ambrosoli (A1 freeway exit FIRENZE SUD) or Hertz Via Del Sansovino (freeway exit FIRENZE SCANDICCI). All others are located in the city center at Borgo Ognissanti.

****If you happen to rent from Hertz, the easiest locations coming from the south are Hertz FIRENZE SUD in Via Ambrosoli (A1 freeway exit FIRENZE SUD) or Hertz Via Del Sansovino (freeway exit FIRENZE SCANDICCI). All others are located in the city center at Borgo Ognissanti.*

Where is this please? Sorry confused.

margot,

You may already know this but note that for driving in Italy, each driver listed on the rental form must have the compulsory International Driver's Permit, which is used in conjunction with your home D.L. These are valid for one year, and easily obtained at any CAA/AAA office (two Passport-sized photos required, which may be provided by the issuing office). Failure to produce an IDP if requested can result in fines on the spot!

You may also want to have a look at some of the other posts here concerning the dreaded Zona Traffico Limitato (limited traffic) areas that are becoming increasingly prevalent in many Italian towns & cities especially Florence, which is almost saturated with automated ZTL cameras. EACH PASS through one of the automated Cameras will result in a €100+ ticket, which you won't know about until several months after you return home! This website provides more information - http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/driving/traffic_cameras_speeding.htm

A GPS along with a good Map would also be prudent. Be sure to give some thought to the question of CDW and theft insurance. In Italy, buying CDW from the rental firm is usually compulsory, so coverage provided by credit cards may not apply.

“Where is this please? Sorry confused.”

In a previous post you asked for the best locations where to return your rental car in Florence. Those locations are in Florence. You can plot them on google maps, by entering the name of those streets.

Probably a bit late commenting here, but I used the Sena bus from Rome to Siena several times - albeit some years ago.
(it is the second link that Roberto posted). The bus is quite cheap at at < €20 for most trips, and has one great advantage over the train in that the bus stops at the top of the hill (rather than at the train station on the bottom) - so depending on the location of your accommodation it may work better for you. As stated by others, the ZTL in Siena is extensive, and parking is not cheap.