Florence-Siena train
Trenitalia trains run between cities every hour. Departure and arrival stations are conveniently located in the center of the cities. The trip will be comfortable: the trains in Italy are clean and modern, air-conditioned and equipped with toilets.
- Schedule: 16 direct trains and 15 with one connection depart daily, approximately every hour; the first at 6:20, the last at 21:38
- Travel time: 1 hour 25 minutes on average
- Cost: adult 9,5 €, child 4,8 €
- Departure station: Firenze S. M. Novella
- Arrival station: Stazione Ferroviaria Siena
- Schedules may vary from season and holidays, so check the Trenitalia website for exact departure dates and times and ticket prices
- How to use Trenitalia trains
Bus Florence — Siena
Buses of two companies run between the cities, the schedule is quite full and you can choose the time of departure at almost any convenient moment. The fleet is usually new and the highways are smooth and fast.
Tiemme buses
Tiemme has comfortable buses and frequent services. You can buy tickets online, at tourist kiosks or more expensive from the driver.
- Timetable: buses run from 06:45 to 21:16. On weekdays and Saturdays — every 15—45 minutes; on Sundays and holidays — every hour or two.
- Travel time: 1 hour 15 minutes on average
- Cost: 8,4 €
- Departure station: FIRENZE AUTOSTAZIONE, Via Luigi Alamanni, Firenze
- Arrival station: PIAZZA GRAMSCI, Via Federigo Tozzi, Siena
- For the exact schedule and tickets, visit the Tiemme website
Marozzi buses
The company offers new double decker buses. There are two trips per day. It is recommended to buy tickets in advance, tickets cost 5 € more from the driver.
- Schedule: 2 buses depart daily — at 20:15 and 22:45
- Travel time: 1 hour 10 minutes on average
- Cost: 7 €, if you buy round-trip tickets — 6,5 € each (10% discount)
- Departure station: via Detti (trnv. T1) Nenni-Torregalli
- Arrival station: P.zza Rosselli (Staz. FS)
- Exact schedule and tickets on Marozzi's website
How to buy bus and train tickets Florence — Siena
It is more profitable and convenient to buy tickets in advance: if you buy for the bus from both companies, the ticket will cost more. I recommend buying tickets online. If you don’t want to struggle with the Italian language on the carriers' websites, you can use ticket aggregator websites: the ticket price will be the same, but buying in Russian is much more convenient.
I recommend websites for buying tickets:
- By bus: Busfor
- By train: ItaliaRail, TrainLine and Rail Europe
- All travel options: Omio
Florence stations on the map
The Marozzi bus departure station is a little away from the city center. The other stations are located in the heart of the city and are easily accessible on foot from anywhere in the historic center of Florence.
Siena train stations on the map
All stations in Siena are some distance from the center. The Tiemme buses are closest to the pedestrianized part of Siena.
By car to Siena
The distance of 76 km between the cities can be covered in less than an hour if you have a car. You can rent a car, book a shuttle service or try to hitchhike.
Cab Florence — Siena
International Uber works in Florence but not in Siena, so you can’t use it to get between cities. However, you can order a cab on the spot or book a personalized transfer.
- Prices for Kiwi transfers start from 200 € per car (4 passengers).
Searching for fellow travelers
I haven’t hitchhiked, but I know people who have. It is an option for extreme travelers who are not afraid to stay on the road in case of force majeure. For the more cautious, there’s BlablaCar.
- BlaBlaCar. It makes sense to look for a traveling companion only for the nearest dates (1—2 weeks), it is unlikely to be possible to plan a trip 1—2 months in advance.
- Hitchhiking. To catch a car, it is recommended to drive to the outskirts of the city where the Raccordo Autostradale Firenze — Siena highway starts and make a sign that says SIENA. The best places to look for cars are gas stations, large roadside cafes and areas where drivers slow down (highway entrances, interchanges, toll booths).
Rent a car in Florence
Renting a car is not always expensive, especially when you are not traveling alone. For example, in Florence, the average price of renting a car for one day is 30 €, but you can rent a car from 500—1000 rubles per day. It can be more profitable than traveling by train back and forth, even alone. Gasoline consumption and toll roads should be added to the rental price.
I prefer to choose and book a car through international aggregators: they have more choice than local rental companies. To rent a car, you need an international driver’s license (Russian ones are fine) and a credit card (you need to show it at the rental office).
- When comparing car rental prices in Italy, I use the following aggregators: Rentalcars, Auto Europe, Economybookings, DiscoverCars
