We want to leave rome by train and spend a night in assisi, then maybe todi, and orvieto...I have been looking at the train schedule and it looks doable. anyone taken trains around umbria? since we had a car accident in dublin we don't drive anymore.

Hi Jane,

Assisi and Orvieto are easy to do by train. We drove to Todi so can't say on that hill town. I can say it's one of the steeper town and the nearest train station (as in all of them) will be in the flats below.

Your easiest way will probably to take a taxi from the station to your lodging if you stay IN the towns. Alternatively, public buses are avail in Assisi and Orvieto, probably in Todi too. Orvieto also has the funicular to take up. Public trans will be a bit more complicated, but less expensive.

All of these towns are wonderful. I would highly recommend them all. Todi would be the least touristed, but also would require the least time to see.

Buon viaggio!

Trenitalia does offer service to a station called "Todi Ponte Rio"; this normally means that the station serves the two places, Todi and Ponte Rio, and may not be located in either of them. So you would probably have to take some sort of public transport from the train station to the town of Todi.

My husband and I drove all around Umbria and Tuscany two summers ago. I think you could do it by train, but it was SO nice to have the car. I would really reconsider your decision about taking the trains. If you book your car with American Express, I think they include all the insurance you would need.

Of all the Umbrian towns i visited i loved Gubbio the most. (Bus only, from Perugia and other towns)
Trains to Todi are a non-Trenitalia train line - dumpy graffiti covered train cars when i last took it - bus is better and takes you up into Todi, which is a fine town but now so upscale due to luminaries buying up villas in the area that to me it's too gussied up - yet lovely too - great hill location overlooking hills and vineyards, etc.
Umbrian buses run very frequently so not having a car is no problem here.

Thanks all!

I took a train from Rome to Orvieto. It was a 1 hour trip that cost 15 euro (in 2002). I then took the funucular up to the top and a shuttle bus (you can get a combo funucular/bus ticket) to the main square.

I took a train from Orvieto to Perugia (via Terontola/Cortona) but there were also trains to Assisi. I just visited Assisi by train as a day trip from Perugia.