What is the best way to Siena from Rome - train or bus? Also, after Siena I will be in Montefollonico and want to
know the best way to venice. Should I go back to Siena and then take fast train or...

thank you

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kim,

I would guess train is best - but I am not sure. Have a look at the schedules to see where you have to change trains and how often they run:
http://www.fs-on-line.com/
http://www.raileurope.com/

The best way is via the bus. With the train you need to change at Chiusi which is a PITA with luggage. The bus from Stazione Tiburtina to Piazza Gramsci (inside Siena) is 2 hours 45 minutes. If you take the train you end up at the train station which is outside of the city and you would then need to take a bus or taxi from there. Cost was Lit. 29.000 (the schedule I have was printed at the end of last year and does not have euro prices)

If you are arriving at the airport you would need to take the train from Fiumicino to Stazione Tiburtina and this leaves every 15 minutes.

HTH, and if you need times, let me know.

Cristina

From Montefollonico to Venice - there is direct train service from Arezzo - no change needed in Florence.
I think it's around 4 hours.

FWIW, I once took what amounted to a "commuter bus" in the other direction, from Siena to Rome. It took roughly 3 hours including rush hour traffic -- left at 6am, arrived a bit before 9am. Don't remember the price. Relatively painless.

David

Cristina, what does this mean "With the train you need to change at Chiusi which is a PITA with luggage."?

A stupid question perhaps, but are there restrooms on the bus? Are the buses comfortable?

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a PITA

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Sounds like something you'd stuff a falafel in, but I think that she means "a pain in the ass", no?

The bus I took was your basic European style coach -- pretty comfortable. Don't remember if there was a bathroom in the back or not......

PITA - that's a good one!! I thought it was a type of train or even a bus. I never really got the hang of these web expressions. It was years before I could make a smiley face without wincing

On the bus...
The local buses are called SITA. (Christina honey- did you make a typo? I love it being a "pain in the ass"! LOL.)I haven't the foggiest what that stands for. They are wonderful- with restrooms,comfy seats, air conditioning, chatty locals, and a handy "Jesus Bar" for grabbing onto when the bus careens around a curve in the road.
My favorite part of one of our trips on the commuter bus into Florence was the local people yelling at the poor novice driver who scraped against buildings in San Casciano. Great fun.

Nope no typo, meant pain in the arse :-) The big blue buses are SITA yes but the one that goes to Rome are the SENA line. Their site is www.senabus.it but last time I looked it was under construction.

The biggest problem with Siena is getting here. So many times it is easier to take a bus than the train because you have to change trains at Grosseto, Chiusi, Florence, etc. In a couple of years (well they say 1 but we know how Italians are)the airport in Siena (a small one) will start being used for national flights. I can't wait. It will be so much better than getting up at 3 am. to catch the 6:30 flight in Florence.

My recommendations are to take the bus if going to/from Florence, Rome, Venice as well as most of the smaller towns in Umbria and Tuscany.
http://goeurope.about.com/library/weekly/bls_siena_info_getting_to.htm?once=true& This is at about.com and gives the how tos of getting to Siena.

HTH,
Cristina

We are travelling at the end of March (March 21) and want to go from Rome to Florence and also want to see Sienna, Assisi and some of Tuscony as well as the Amalfi coast.
Would you recommend that we drive from Rome to Florence so we can stop along the way in Sienna and Assisi?

Driving from Rome to Florence with stops in Siena and Assisi would have to be longer than a one day drive. You could hop on the Autostrada from Rome, exit for Siena (it would be about 2 - 3 hours from Rome to Siena), spend a few hours in Siena, then drive on the 222 through Chianti to Florence. That would be a nice day trip.

To get to Assisi from the Autostrada would probably take you about 2 hours out of your way - one hour there, one hour back (maybe less). You need a good amount of time for Assisi because there is so much to see and the town is large.

If you have a few extra days, you could drive from Rome to Assisi, via Todi and see some of southern/central Umbria. Spend a night or two in Assisi. Then drive over to Siena for the day and end up in Florence.

You know that the Amalfi coast is south of Rome right? About a two hour drive.

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it would be about 2 - 3 hours from Rome to Siena

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IMO, closer to 3 hours.

Yes, Pamela, we'd need more specifics to make better recommendations. Will you have time to stop in Siena and/or Assisi for a day or more? That would be best. If you're just driving up on your way to Florence, I agree with Pauline, Siena is a better choice and it wouldn't work for you to try to see some of both towns in one day.

And right, Amalfi is totally in the other direction. So what's your time frame like?