Rome to Siena–Most Comfortable Option Bus or Train
 

I have looked at various posting for the options from Rome to Siena. There appears to be 2 options by train or bus. My hotel is on the outskirts of Siena so I will only need to get to the train station not the center of Siena. The bus was my first thought but after reading other postings I noticed comments that the Tiburtina bus station is not the easiest to navigate and may be more congested.

I see the train has a switch in either Florence or Chiusi. Is one easier than the other?

I have looked at both the Sena bus schedule and train schedules so they appear to be about the same travel time.

I am traveling with the a senior so looking for the best option that wouldn’t involve a lot of walking. Train or Bus? Florence or Chiusi if using the train?

Thanks everyone.

regional trains IME can be dicey in Italy - and those are all regional trains to Chiusi I believe and many from there to Rome. They can be crowded at times - like on this very line between Siena and Chiusi-Chianciano Terme station at one stop a swarm of school kinds swarmed aboard making it SRO for a few stops - no fun for me at least being surrounded by loud typical teens

and some are what the old Soviet Union called 'hard class' hard metal seats - and some are rather more modern.

I'm a train nut and would always take the train but in this case I am not sure the train is more comfy than a bus - of course the major diff on trains being you can freely get up and walk around - easier to go to the loo, etc.

For lots of great info on Italian trains check out these IMO fantastic sites - www.seat61.dcom; www.ricksteves.com and http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id12.html.

easier switch in hectic hectic Florence's main station or in the sleepy Chiusi-Chianciano Terme station - the later from one platform to a nearby one if not the next platform and for Florence transfer to any of zillions of platforms with at times confusion due to late running trains that may cause sudden p[latform departure changes.

but as noted in your other thread Florence to Rome trains are much much nicer comfort wise and much faster and much more expensive if you don't get one of the limited in number discounted tickets that may need to be booked months in advance and then are hard to change or refund.

>>>I am traveling with the a senior so looking for the best option that wouldn’t involve a lot of walking. Train or Bus? Florence or Chiusi if using the train?<<<

The best option is the bus. Your luggage is loaded underneath and you don't worry about it again until you get to Siena. Taking the train requires changing trains mid-route. Sometimes you only have a minute or two to grab your luggage, hop off the train and jump on the other train. You also have to validate your ticket for the second leg while changing trains.

>>>My hotel is on the outskirts of Siena so I will only need to get to the train station not the center of Siena.<<<

There are outskirts surrounding Siena. Do you know for sure your hotel is near the train station? Even so, assuming you plan to catch transport from Siena to your hotel (local bus?), the Sena bus drops at the big bus hub for buses (Piazza Gramsci) for the area. The train station is not a bus hub. Some buses do stop there, but not all. Could advise you better if you state your hotel.

FYI - The Sena bus makes a stop at the train station before reaching it's final destination (Piazza Gramsci).

For anyone going to Siena by train and wants to stock up on cheap food or goods there is a huge hypermarche right next to the train station.