Hi I am travelling from Florence to San Gimignano on May 2 this year and back again May 10. I believe the number 130 bus stops right by my hotel in San Gimignano. What is the quickest/cheapest way to do this trip and do I book in advance (I wont know the exact times in advance so would need to be a day ticket) or book on the day and where do I pay? I don't mind train on bus but not paying for taxi or car hire.
Travel Florence - San Gimignano
- Thread starter 83dons
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arvizucamp
New member
Hello, first time post. I was in Siena a couple weeks ago and made the trip to San G. I took the train to Poggibonsi around 9am then the 130 bus from the train station to San G. I had to wait about an hr for the bus but by the time I got up to San G most of the tourists were gone so it worked out. I wasn't sure what time the last bus from San G to Poggibonsi was so I left San G earlier than I wanted to. I remember the trains to Siena where plentiful all the way up to around 11pm every hour. When I got to Poggibonsi in the morning, I went ahead and bought the return (to Siena) day train ticket at the convenience store right at the station so I could keep my options open for the train ride back to Siena. I suppose it wold be the same from Florence. I got pretty comfortable w the trains but wasn't there long enough to say the same for the buses. Never really got a handle on their schedules. The tren italia app was super helpful to have, only thing w the app was I was only able to purchase timed tickets.
Arvizucamp - You're right about the app, it makes you buy timed tickets so it isn't super helpful in buying an open-ended ticket to use later on.
But it's super helpful to check schedules out!
83dons - the easiest thing to do is just to head to the bus station when you are ready to travel. You actually need the 131 from Florence to Poggibonsi and then the 130 from Poggibonsi to San Gimignano. You should check out the timetables ahead of time - https://www.at-bus.it/it/linee-e-orari/travel-planner (download from the official AT bus website) and have those on hand to know when departures are planned so that you can get to the station on time. And just buy the ticket directly there at the bus station. In Florence, it is right across from the Santa Maria Novella train station on Via Santa Caterina da Siena. I've never found the buses to be packed but, if you get to the bus station with some time, lines form for each bus and you can be in line and be able to get a good seat. Its a regional bus so you can't really book a spot on them, so it just makes sense to get to the station earlier and buy tickets then. You could already buy your return ticket at the same time, considering you already know when you're heading back to Florence.
But it's super helpful to check schedules out!
83dons - the easiest thing to do is just to head to the bus station when you are ready to travel. You actually need the 131 from Florence to Poggibonsi and then the 130 from Poggibonsi to San Gimignano. You should check out the timetables ahead of time - https://www.at-bus.it/it/linee-e-orari/travel-planner (download from the official AT bus website) and have those on hand to know when departures are planned so that you can get to the station on time. And just buy the ticket directly there at the bus station. In Florence, it is right across from the Santa Maria Novella train station on Via Santa Caterina da Siena. I've never found the buses to be packed but, if you get to the bus station with some time, lines form for each bus and you can be in line and be able to get a good seat. Its a regional bus so you can't really book a spot on them, so it just makes sense to get to the station earlier and buy tickets then. You could already buy your return ticket at the same time, considering you already know when you're heading back to Florence.