Siena Transportation

To get to Siena from Florence, we decided to follow the advice VTer leics had given me and went by bus. The SITA bus station is Florence is located right across the street from the Santa Maria Novella train station, on Via Santa Caterina da Siena. A one-way ticket to Siena costs 7.10 Euros, and the 75 minute bus ride through the beautiful Tuscan countryside was quite enjoyable and very comfortable. In Siena, the bus stops just within the city walls, not far from the Fortezza Medicea. Siena's main attractions can easily be reached on foot from the station, which is the biggest advantage of traveling to Siena by bus instead of by train (the train station being much further away). Buses between Florence and Siena run several times a day so there's no need to book your ticket in advance, but one thing to keep in mind for your return trip is that the last bus for Florence leaves Siena at 8:45 pm.

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Siena is not along the main train lines, so getting to Siena by train from Florence is a bit tricky - you change trains at Empoli. A faster, more direct way would be to take the SITA express bus from the main bus terminal in Florence (beside the main train station) on a quick 1 1/4-hour ride along very scenic hilly route. The bus ride costs about 7 euros as of November 2008.

SIENA

GENERAL
Don't expect any written information in english. Don't expect transport employees to speak more than rudimentary english. Expect delays, and count on the unexpected.

GETTING TO SIENA
Bus
Take the bus, it's by far the better option and costs about 6 euro. The bus station is close to the very heart of Siena.
From Florence, it's the SITA bus garage, a short walk from the Santa Maria Novella train station. If you're facing the station, below the big stairs, turn 90 degrees left, and approach the corner of the block. Continue down the street 20 m or so, and you'll see the garage entrance on your right. Buy a ticket for the "rapida" bus, it's faster than the "diretta". Validate the ticket in one of the machines before getting into the bus. Don't let anyone (except the bus driver, if he bothers) "help" you with putting the luggage in the storage compartment of the bus.
From Rome, get to Tiburtina bus station. You need to find the right ticket office for Siena, it can be a bit confusing. It's about 3 hours on the bus, if traffic is ok. You'll end up at the train station in Siena, see below.

Train
If you want to take the train, beware that Siena is not that well connected. You're likely going to have to change on the way. The train station is located outside town, it's a 15 min walk if you know where you're going, and pretty steep, to get into Siena centre. Better take a bus to reach the centre (see below), it's a bit slow but more comfortable, especially if you have luggage. Don't expect to see a lot of taxis - you might you need to call for one, which is going to be a hassle if you don't speak italian. However, if the time of day is right, you can always wait for a taxi dropping someone off. At peak hours, you will find a few taxis lingering.

Car
Arriving by car is probably the worst option. The city centre is closed for traffic unless you're a resident. Hotels in the centre do not have parking, although you could get away with dropping off luggage if you can show the police a hotel reservation. While there are a few big parkings just outside the city walls, you will have to walk a bit. Don't even consider a car if you're arriving during the Palio (horse race) days. If you're arriving on the south side, look out for the "Duomo" parking. From the north, the Fortezza is good. A convenient option is San Francesco, close to Porta Ovile (east side, roughly, not too far from the train station). Should you park there, you can take the escalators up and avoid a very steep walk. Parking is about 1.50 euro per hour. There are several free parking lots in the periphery, and you could take a bus to the centre.

IN/AROUND SIENA
Walking
Siena centre is not that big, and the best option is to walk. You'll be hard pressed to walk more than 30 min between any two city gates. However, beware that the town is very hilly, and walking can be tiring, especially if it's a hot day. Also, do get a city map, or you'll soon get lost in the maze that is Siena.

Bicycle
Riding anything with wheels in the very city centre is not allowed. While you're unlikely to get a fine for doing it, it's not going to be convenient. Steep cobbled streets and crowds make it a dubious choice.

Car
Unless you're a resident, the city centre is closed for traffic. Should you somehow end up within the city walls, get out. There's plenty of traffic police, and you will be fined. The red-and-white sign "traffico limitato" means that you should stay clear.

Bus
Don't bother with the few buses travelling around the very centre. Buses are a decent choice for going anywhere in Siena periphery (a special restaurant, the train station etc). Remember that you're supposed to get a bus ticket before getting on the bus. You can buy them in any place that sells tobacco (market with a distinct "T" sign on the street). Once on the bus, you need to validate the ticket in one of the machines. You could get on a bus without a ticket and hope for the best, but there are occasional controls, and the fines are pretty steep. When planning, do count on some time figuring out exactly what line you need to take. There are no easy maps, the system is quite confusing, and the bus drivers are not very helpful. Depending on where you are, there are no buses after nine-ten PM.

Taxi
You don't usually hail a cab on the street. Hotels and expensive restaurants will call for their guests. In the city centre, taxis pick up at Piazzi Matteotti (=Piazza della Posta), right outside McDonalds. Taxis are allowed to go nearly anywhere in the city centre. A rough price estimate is 1 euro per minute, and as long as you won't be leaving Siena it shouldn't cost more than 15-20 euro.

I learned from the locals that their preferred way to visit Siena and San Gimignano from Florence in one day is as follows:
Train Florence to Siena - during the day hourly at 40 minutes past the hour - journey time 1 hour 20 (take bus from station into town)

Bus Siena to San Gimignano circa 1 hour during the day hourly at 40 minutes past the hour - get bus at San Stefano - buy ticket in advance in underground ticket office

Bus San Gimignano to Poggibonsi 20- minutes 3 euros

Train Poggibonsi to Florence 1 hour

Streets are narrow, and buildings are high, so it is not too difficult to get lost in Siena. You will certainly always find your way out, but beware of the fact that it can be difficult to get your bearings. So, bring a map.

When going to Siena please don’t plan to drive into the city in your car. Basically all the streets are pedestrian only. Some taxi drivers or tour guides have special passes that allow them to drive into Siena. So if you drive on your own then be prepared to have to park out side the city walls and walk up to an hour to get to the city center. The way to avoid having to walk is to hire a tour guide to drive you into the city which I think is worth it especially if you have young kids or if you come during the summer when the crowds are like Disneyland.

Road distances to Siena from:
- Florence: 75 kms.
- Rome: 242 kms.
- Zurich (Switzerland: 657 kms.
- Madrid (Spain): 1.749 kms.

If you check the website, you'll find more info about other distances together with the best routes and driving times.

However, if you happen to be in Florence, I highly recommend to avoid the car and go by bus; it takes over one hour. In other cases, consider it by yourself.

Straight from Pisa airport goes a very convenient train to Siena. You must change the train at least in Empoli. Train with changing time takes about 1.45 hours to Siena.

You can even make a quick stop in Pisa - your train ticket is valid for 6 hours! Costs 6,70 €.

More info: http://www.ferroviedellostato.it/

This summer they will start a bus from Pisa to Siena (don't know when this new line is starting).