I will be in Montepulciano in June and want to make a day trip to Florence. I do have rental car but am considering train to avoid parking and driving in Florence. I am trying to find out if driving to Chiusi and taking a train from there is best option. Can I leave car at station? Are there frequent departures? Are the trains non-stop? Can I buy tickets easily at station that day and what would be approximate round trip fare? Thanks for help.
Posted by
Austin, Texas, USA
536 posts
Not sure about all of your logistical questions, but I have driven in Tuscany and I have been to Florence. I agree that you would not want to drive to Florence. Driving in Tuscany is fairly easy and very scenic. I have parked at train stations before, but not sure about this one. I have bought tickets at train stations the day of many times and never had a problem. Florence always has many trains coming and going so you should have options. I would check a timetable for what your options are before you go. You could also google that particular train station and find out about the parking. Good Luck!!
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15137 posts
You should drive to Florence instead. I'll make it very easy for you. Take the A1 North at Bettolle (that's the closest entrance to Montepulciano). Get the toll ticket at the booth, follow directions to FIRENZE (north). Exit at the FIRENZE SUD freeway exit. Hand the ticket to the toll collector at the booth, and pay toll. Proceed on that sort of freeway (actually called via Marco Polo). Pay attention now. After the toll booth, about 2km past that toll booth, you exit in VIALE EUROPA. The exit has small signs pointing you to BAGNO A RIPOLI. There is also a P (Parking) sign called Europa (Parcheggio Scambiatore). Exit there and turn right (basically toward Bagno a Ripoli). 300 ft after you turn right (you are on viale Europa) you will see on your left a Volkswagen Dealership. Next to it, there is a Pay Parking Lot. It's a carpool/pay lot for commuters. Park there, it's pretty cheap. After parking walk back on viale Europa in front of the VW dealership. That's where you take the City Bus. You take bus no. 23, it will take you right in the middle of everything.
To get back there from downtown, take the 23 bus back to SORGANE. you can take it from Piazza San Marco, or from the Train Station, or from via de' Tintori. Another option: Exit on the 2nd exit of Viale Europa (instead of Bagno a Ripoli the sign will say Viale Europa). Basically it's the same exit but it puts you going toward the city center. After 0.5 km you'll see a Holiday inn/Esso gas station. turn right before the holiday Inn (on via Olanda). On the back side of the holiday inn there is a Piazza called Piazza Francia. meter parking there (also cheap). the 23 bus passes there too. there is also a taxi stand. From there to downtown the 23 bus takes 15 min. (that neighborhood is my old stomping ground where I grew up)