rent a car or take train or both
 

We fly to Rome Dec 8th for a week and the want to travel to Siena and Florence, and then the towns of Tuscany. How long is it by car and train from Rome to Siena or Rome to Florence. Can we easily rent a car in Siena or Florence. Please guide us.

Rome to Florence is only a couple hour train ride. Take the train, it's dirty cheap. We took higher priced Eurostar but 2nd class and paid like US$20 a piece. For Tuscany, have the car, rent it in Florence.

Yes take the train to Siena or Florence and get your car there. Be sure to drive to some of the smaller hill towns like San Gimignano, Monteriggiano and Castellina in Chianti (two excellent restaurants in that town).

We picked up our car in Siena & dropped it in Orvieto. Both locations were easy, but not right at the train stations and not open very day. Just double check their hours & closing days. Driving between the two on the secondary roads to hill towns was easy! Buon viaggio!

One of my plans that I didn't do (rented a car & changed plans) but researched was this, except in the opposite direction. Rome to Siena by private bus/coach with reserved seats (2:40). Easier than the train plus drops you right inside Siena at the Piazza Gramsci www.lazzi.it/senaautolinee/index_e.htm <BR>Then a SITA Express Bus from (Piazza Gramsci) Siena to Florence (1:15).<BR>After Florence then rent the car to explore Tuscany. Having a car in Siena & Florence while sightseeing is costly & a parking hassle. Regards, Walter