My friend and I will be our first time to Italy this mid-October. We will arrive in Rome Airport and plan to head to Florence by train immediately. How can we go to Florence from the airport of Rome?

Besides, We plan to rent a villa in the countryside near Siena. So, how can we go from Florence to Siena? By bus or by train?

If myfriend is not a confident driver. Do you think it's still safe and easy to drive in the Tuscana countryside?

Hope you can provide some detail information like the location of the bus or the train station.

Many thanks!

You can get from Florence to Siena by bus or train. In Florence the stations are across the street from each other. In Sienna, the train station is outside of town at the bottom of a hill; the bus station is nearer the center of town. (Your choice probably depends on where the villa is).

The Tuscan countryside has well-maintained rural highways. It is as easy as you can find in Italy. Some of the hilltown roads are switchbacks up steep hills, but mostly the driving is fine.

Hi Irenewong, from the Rome Airport you can take the train from there to the central train station in Rome (Termini). You can then take a train from there to Florence which will put you right in the middle of Florence so to speak.

I can't answer your question about getting to Siena as I have no idea where your villa is. I would assume going by train from Florence to Siena and then taking a taxi to the Villa would be the thing to do but I wonder if you won't feel trapped at the Villa if you don't have a car so that you can get around Tuscany.

Thank you for all your help.

I also would like to ask If we are going to arrive the Rome airport at 7:00a.m., how long or when can we reach Florence/Siena? We need to estimate the time coz the owner has promised to pick us up at the Siena tain station.

Besides, can we book the train tickets (Rome to Florence & Florence to Siena) in advance. Does anyone know the web that can book the train ticket?

Please give us some advice.Thanks!

Irenewong,
See http://www.trenitalia.com/ for the train schedule. You can go Rome to Siena, no need to go to Florence. You can buy tickets at the airport train station, at which time you will know which train you can make. There is a good chance you can make the 8:55.

Henry

You don;t say where your villa is located - but local bus service in Italy can be slow and scarce. I really think you need to count on renting a car if you're to have the ability to see other towns - or even get back and forth to Siena reliably - esp in the evening. (Unless you're planning on coming home in the afternoon and cooking dinner for yourselves every night.)

Sorry - I assumed you had already rented a villa. If you have not done so yet you might consider trying to rent an apartment in one of the towns (much more economical if there are only 2 of you) and have better access to restaurants in the evening and to other towns during the day.

Hi all,
Actually I still haven't booked the villa. I don't know exactly where is the villa.I only know it's near Siena with 30mins driving time. The villa's name called Villa Asciano. Did anyone stay there before? We now plan to rent a car and pick up at Siena. The owner says she can call someone to drive us by our car to the villa from the Siena train station. So, do you think everything can be turn out properly by this way?

By the way, I would like to know does the towns nearby like Pienza,San Gimignano,etc. can be eaisly reached by our rental car from our villa? In the towns of Tuscany ,will the parking space be a problem?

As mentioned by Henry, there's a train run directly from Rome to Siena. So, does it mean we can catch the train directly to Siena in the central train station in Rome (Termini)? Is it direct route, we no need to change to other train? If not which stop do we need to get out and change? So, how long can we reach Siena from Rome directly?

I'm sorry for having so many questions. hope some of you can help.

Can anyone give some advice, please?!

Henry already gave you the best self help advice anyone can give - the trenitalia website where you will find rail schedules.

Look up schedules from Rome Fiumicino to Rome Termini, and Rome Termini to Siena. It'll give you all of your choices of trains, where to change, etc.

Irenewong,
The train from Rome, termini, to Siena requires a train change in Chiusi. Chiusi is a small station so it will be easy. It takes about 3 hours from Rome to Siena.
Henry

Use one of the mapping websites like www.mappy.com or www.maporama.com to compute driving distances and times from your villa.

Hello Irenewong, if you are planning on renting a car and having someone in Italy drive it from the Siena train station to the villa make sure you have the person's name put on your rental car contract in writing.

If you and/or your friend plan on driving the rental car in Italy it is important that you and your friend (if the friend will be driving also) have what is called in International Driving Permit. Are you in the US? If so you can get this International Driving Permit at your nearest AAA office. You do not have to be a member of AAA to get it. The cost is $10.00 per person. You will need a passport type photo which you can get taken at the AAA office. I believe the cost for this is $10.00 per person also.

The rental car agency will probably not ask to see it but if you get stopped by any law enforcement person for any reason they will. It is the law in Italy.

If you do not live in the US I do not know how you obtain the International Drivers Permit.

You also have to have your regular drivers license with you. Best wishes planning your trip to beautiful Italy.