We were planning on taking the train from Florence to Rome for our trip in May, but I'm considering a private driver instead. There are four of us to split the cost, and I assume a private driver will still be more expensive than the train. (I haven't checked prices yet.) I also assume that it would be a really interesting drive. Since we won't be able to really spend much time outside of cities, it seems like it would also be a good way to see just a little bit more of rural Italy than we'd see from a train.

How long would this drive take?

Autostrada - about 3 hours.
Non-Autostrada (through Tuscany) - about 5-6 hours.

You'll want to make it an all-day trip so you can "see just a little bit more of rural Italy than we'd see from a train."

if there's other drive time info you'd like, you can check out www.mappy.com

Hi G,

>..a good way to see just a little bit more of rural Italy than we'd see from a train. <

Have you considered:

taking a daytrip by train from Rome to Orvieto?

taking the bus from Florence to Siena?

taking the no. 7 bus from Florence SMN up to Fiesole?

visiting San Gimignano from Florence via http://www.sangimignano.net/bus?

taking the bus from Rome to Siena(http://www.senabus.it) and then the SITA bus to Florence?

We already have a day tour planned for Piensa and Val d'Orcia. So this drive would be in addition to that.

have you considered just renting a car on your way out of Florence and driving yourself?

then you can enjoy stopping along the way and actually seeing some Tuscan towns.

Yes, it would be an adventure.
If you don't want to drive into Rome, many posters here suggest returning the rental in Orvieto and taking the train into rome.
We have driven into Rome twice. the first time got very lost, the second time miraculously did not get lost.

I suggest to you to take Via Cassia From Florence to Rome, is the old street named by the ancient roman ones. It pass by chianti area, Siena, crete senesi, lake of Bolsena and upper Lazio ... it's very beautiful have a trip between those beautyful medieval and naturalistic scene.

Only one thing ... to appreciate the trip it take about one day (5/6 hours of driving)

I've made this itinerary the last summer with motorbike ... it was really fantastic.

Have a nice trip

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