Traveling to rome

L

LaurieD

New member
I am staying in SAN GIMIGNANO, SIENA for two weeks and I am wondering if you recommend renting a car? Also during that two weeks we are going to Rome for 3 or 4 days and was wondering if we should drive or do you recommend the train and if you suggest the train how do i get info on what train to use and the schedule? And one more thing, We do not speak the language and i am starting to worry about getting around on public transportation. Every buss schedule i pull up or train website I go to is not in English, do you have any suggestions? besides learning the language :).
 
Last edited:
San Gimignano is not directly on the train line but it is close to it, with many buses taking you to Poggibonsi from where you can catch trains (or other buses). You can find more details on getting to and from SG on this article: http://www.discovertuscany.com/san-gimignano/how-to-reach-san-gimignano.html

Now, are you staying directly in town in SG or in the countryside outside of SG?
Where are you arriving from before you get to SG and where are you going after?
My recommendation would be to get a car for most of the 2 weeks IF you are in the countryside and not in town as it will make moving around much much easier.

Also it would make more sense to go to Rome either at the start or end of your trip so that you don't have to return to SG as the trip isn't in one single leg (by train you have to go to Florence first and catch the train there to Rome). Since you don't need a car in Rome, I would highly recommend taking the train. So if you're heading on to somewhere else after your two weeks, it would be useful to know so that we can offer more specific suggestions as to what to do to better organize the logistics side ;-).
 
Hello Laurie,

It depends which parts of Siena you want to explore. You can easily go around with buses, just make sure you plan your bus connections and transfers. A daily bus pass is recommended, this is valid for 24 hours from first use and if you'll be hopping in and out of buses, then this is the economical and convenient choice. If you want to see the more remote parts of Sienna and Tuscany, better than you book a car, some cars actually come with a driver who doubles as a tour guide so if you're keen on learning a thing or two about Italy and the region, you might want to look into it.

Trenitalia offers a fast train that can get you to Rome quickly, it costs more than the regional of course, but if you book ahead, the price difference is reasonable. Check out trenitalia.com and then choose English, the language option should be on the upper right corner of the page.

Hope this helps! Have fun in Italy :)

LaurieD said:
I am staying in SAN GIMIGNANO, SIENA for two weeks and I am wondering if you recommend renting a car? Also during that two weeks we are going to Rome for 3 or 4 days and was wondering if we should drive or do you recommend the train and if you suggest the train how do i get info on what train to use and the schedule? And one more thing, We do not speak the language and i am starting to worry about getting around on public transportation. Every buss schedule i pull up or train website I go to is not in English, do you have any suggestions? besides learning the language :).
Click to expand...
 
Knowing the Language

Buongiorno,

Obviously it helps if you know the language :o but don't worry if you lack the language skills.

Most major ticket offices for the buses and trains have some English - and if you are using the trains, there are ticket dispencers in several languages. Lourdes is spot on about saving time and money by stopping in Rome either at the beginning or the end of your stay, it will save you time travelling and give you more time to enjoy the city.

Check out this article on places you can visit from Siena with public transport; http://www.discovertuscany.com/siena/what-to-do/day-trips-from-siena.html

Buon Viaggio,

Donna
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top