Best way to transport in Italy
Oct 4th, 2011, 09:31 PM
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Best way to transport in Italy
Hi I'll be in Italy for a couple of weeks, and I'll start in Naples and then go to Rome, then Siena, Pisa, Florence and finally Venice. Which it's better by train, bus or car? Thank U
Oct 5th, 2011, 02:10 AM
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www.seat61.com/italy
Trains best the fast ones usually city center to city center.
Try the FrecciaRosa Naples to Rome 1 hour 15 minutes for me
last May 40 euros just buy a fast ticket at station hourly
was great FrecciaArgento to Florence Venice similar story...
You do NOT want to drive in Naples craziest folks in Italy.
Lots more expense with car rantal parking hassles in cities.
eurocheapo.com/italy good city guides.
Happy Travels!
Trains best the fast ones usually city center to city center.
Try the FrecciaRosa Naples to Rome 1 hour 15 minutes for me
last May 40 euros just buy a fast ticket at station hourly
was great FrecciaArgento to Florence Venice similar story...
You do NOT want to drive in Naples craziest folks in Italy.
Lots more expense with car rantal parking hassles in cities.
eurocheapo.com/italy good city guides.
Happy Travels!
Oct 5th, 2011, 05:16 AM
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Train is best especially between the larger towns/cities.
Siena's train station is not convenient to the historic center but there is good service. Take a cab and make arrangements for him (her) to pick you up so you can make your continuing trip.
I never used the bus but here's a site about getting to Siena-bus looks convenient: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/i...ting-there.htm
We strolled but it took us a good 40 minutes to walk down to train station if I recall correctly-my notes don't say how long it took.
Good luck!
Siena's train station is not convenient to the historic center but there is good service. Take a cab and make arrangements for him (her) to pick you up so you can make your continuing trip.
I never used the bus but here's a site about getting to Siena-bus looks convenient: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/i...ting-there.htm
We strolled but it took us a good 40 minutes to walk down to train station if I recall correctly-my notes don't say how long it took.
Good luck!
Oct 5th, 2011, 06:29 AM
#6
You would train from Naples to Rome.
Sena bus from Rome to Siena. The bus is as fast as the train, drops you in the city center and doesn't involve any changes (you have to make a change with the train).
http://www.sena.it/
From Siena to Pisa there is a once daily bus ( http://www.pisa-airport.com/aeroporto_di_pisa_196.html ), but it leaves early (about 7). I would go from Siena to Florence (use Sita bus this time).
http://www.sitabus.it/sita-toscana/F...-Siena2010.pdf
Just day trip to Pisa from Florence unless you have a reason to spend the night there. It's an easy 1 hour day trip by train (about 6€ one way).
Florence to Venice - train.
Sena bus from Rome to Siena. The bus is as fast as the train, drops you in the city center and doesn't involve any changes (you have to make a change with the train).
http://www.sena.it/
From Siena to Pisa there is a once daily bus ( http://www.pisa-airport.com/aeroporto_di_pisa_196.html ), but it leaves early (about 7). I would go from Siena to Florence (use Sita bus this time).
http://www.sitabus.it/sita-toscana/F...-Siena2010.pdf
Just day trip to Pisa from Florence unless you have a reason to spend the night there. It's an easy 1 hour day trip by train (about 6€ one way).
Florence to Venice - train.
Oct 5th, 2011, 07:49 AM
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Some people do, but I've always found it works fine for me just to turn up at the station and use a self-service machine to buy tickets for the next not-too-slow train. Saves panicking about getting to the station at a particular time ! And while you may save a bit by booking in advance, it seems a lot of hassle and just buying them on the day is still very cheap by British ticket price standard.
Oct 5th, 2011, 08:38 AM
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Cars are complete liabilities IME in all the cities you mention - large swathes of those cities are off-limits to private vehicles and parking can be problematic - many hotels do not offer it and expensive when found and then you should not leave any valuables in the vehicle when parked.
Trains are definitely the best for your plans - there are zillions of them all the time - never a problem getting on.
My decades of Italian rail riding makes me exhort the average tourist on the trip of a lifetime to pay extra and go first class - a much more relaxed ride - especially for folks hauling luggage around - much easier to store it in first class plus seats are significantly bigger as there are less of them in the same sized train car.
For lots of great info on Italian trains - check out www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel and www.seat61.com - if going first class or even 2nd class perhaps check out the Italy Railpass which lets you chose which trains you will take once there - www.trenitalia.com - the Italian Railways official web site has some nice discounted tickets but which are hard to change or refund it seems (conflicting info on this always when it comes up here) and which must be booked way in advance to guarantee as they are sold in limited numbers. So for fully flexible tickets the pass may, in spite of the Fodor's mantra that railpasses are ALWAYS a waste of money in Italy, be a good deal for you if you wish to have flexibility and not have to be on a certain train you booked weeks in advance and usually cannot change.
Trains are definitely the best for your plans - there are zillions of them all the time - never a problem getting on.
My decades of Italian rail riding makes me exhort the average tourist on the trip of a lifetime to pay extra and go first class - a much more relaxed ride - especially for folks hauling luggage around - much easier to store it in first class plus seats are significantly bigger as there are less of them in the same sized train car.
For lots of great info on Italian trains - check out www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel and www.seat61.com - if going first class or even 2nd class perhaps check out the Italy Railpass which lets you chose which trains you will take once there - www.trenitalia.com - the Italian Railways official web site has some nice discounted tickets but which are hard to change or refund it seems (conflicting info on this always when it comes up here) and which must be booked way in advance to guarantee as they are sold in limited numbers. So for fully flexible tickets the pass may, in spite of the Fodor's mantra that railpasses are ALWAYS a waste of money in Italy, be a good deal for you if you wish to have flexibility and not have to be on a certain train you booked weeks in advance and usually cannot change.
Oct 11th, 2011, 10:39 AM
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as someone who loathes moving lock stock and barrel to a new base if only wanting to spend a day in Siena or Pisa I would consider doing them as day trips from Florence - the bus is cheap and short and trains to Pisa go constantly as well. Pisa especially should be IMO a day trip from Florence - Siena could be a sweet hilltown base from which to hop by bus to other hilltowns.
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