Getting to Siena
 The bus station in Siena. |
Siena is located in Tuscany, in northwest Italy. Most visitors to Siena arrive from Florence or Rome.
Getting to Siena by Air
Siena Airport (SAY) is very small and caters main to small chartered planes. Most travelers fly into Florence Airport (FLR) or Pisa International Airport (110 km from Siena). Tip: TripAdvisor has a handy airfare comparison search for flights to Florence.
Getting to Siena by Train
Siena's train station connects to Florence, Rome and other nearby cities, but unfortunately it is located outside of town. Travelers who arrive at the Siena train station face a fairly expensive taxi ride or an uphill walk (about 1.5 km) to the city center. Trains from Florence to Siena are frequent and take about an hour and a half. From Pisa, you have to change trains at Empoli or Florence. Taking a train from Rome is less desirable: trains are infrequent and you have to change in Chiusi.
Driving to Siena
To reach Siena by car, take the autostrada from Florence or Rome. Be sure to ask your hotel about parking before you arrive, as some provide free or low-cost parking spots for their guests.If you don't have a hotel parking spot, your best bets are by the Fortezza (free) and Porta Romana (metered). It can often be difficult to find a free spot, as they are used by locals as well. Note that auto traffic is limited within the city walls.
If your car doesn't have GPS, be sure to have a good atlas for driving in Italy. One recommended choice is the two-volume Atlante Stradale Italia (Italy Road Atlas), published by the Insituto Geografico DeAgostini. It's hard to find in the USA, but worth the search. The maps are 1:200,00 scale and easy to read, with numerous city maps and lay-open binding.
Getting to Sienna by Bus
Without a rental car, the best way to reach Siena is by bus. Siena's bus station is located at Piazza Antonio Gramsci, which is right next to the Hotel Jolly Excelsior and only one block from Siena's main pedestrian zone. Note that buses don't run as often on Sundays and are more likely to be crowded then. In Florence, the bus station is just around the corner from the train station. For information on bus schedules and fares, see SENA Autolinee and Tourismo Verde.
