Getting around Tuscany: train, car or bus?

The question every visitor asks before coming to Tuscany is: do I need a car? The answer depends on what you want to do. This guide is practical and direct.

The visitor’s dilemma in Tuscany: car or train?

The honest answer is: it depends on your itinerary.

If you only want to visit Florence, Siena and San Gimignano (the three most frequented destinations), you can manage without a car: there are trains between Florence and Siena, buses from Siena to San Gimignano, buses from Poggibonsi to San Gimignano.

If you want to explore Chianti, the thermal baths, the villages of the Val d’Orcia, the white gravel roads, a car is practically essential. Public transport does not reach many of the most beautiful destinations in the region.

For the cities, the train is enough. For Chianti vineyards, natural thermal baths and Val d’Orcia villages, a car is the difference between seeing Tuscany and truly living it.

The train in Tuscany: what is connected and what is not

The Tuscan rail network is good for major cities but limited for rural tourism.

Useful lines for visitors:

• Florence-Siena via Empoli-Poggibonsi: the line passes through Poggibonsi, taking about 1h20 from Florence to Siena with intermediate stops
• Florence-Pisa-Livorno: the Tyrrhenian line, for coastal tourism
• Siena-Chiusi: towards the Val d’Orcia, stopping at Buonconvento

What is not connected by train: Chianti, the Saturnia thermal baths, the villages of the Val d’Orcia (Pienza, Montalcino, Bagno Vignoni), Volterra, the minor villages of the Val d’Elsa.

The car: essential for villages and countryside

For those who want to see Tuscany beyond the cities, the car is the essential tool. Not just for convenience, but because many of the most beautiful things - the wineries in the middle of vineyards, the natural thermal baths in the forest, the Romanesque parish churches on the hills - are accessible only by car.

Tuscan roads are generally good. Secondary roads and the “strade bianche” (unpaved roads) require cars with reasonable ground clearance (not necessarily 4x4, but better to avoid low city cars).

ZTL: the historic centres of almost all Tuscan villages are ZTL (Limited Traffic Zones). Entry with a car is prohibited or requires a paid permit. You need to park outside and walk.

Car hire in Tuscany: practical tips

Car hire is available at the airports of Florence and Pisa, at main railway stations and in some towns in the region.

Tips:

• Book in advance, especially in high season (April-September) - prices rise significantly last-minute
• Check the insurance cover - the maximum cover included in the contract often has high excess amounts
• Choose a medium-sized car - mountain roads and white gravel roads are better navigated in smaller vehicles
• Check the ZTL policy - some companies apply penalties if the car is caught on ZTL cameras

The bus: when it works

Tiemme regional buses connect many Tuscan cities and villages, especially those in the Val d’Elsa. From Poggibonsi you can reach by bus:

• San Gimignano (30 minutes, good frequency)
• Siena (45 minutes, good frequency)
• Colle Val d’Elsa (15 minutes)
• Florence (1h30, with a change)

For thermal destinations and deep countryside villages, the bus is not practical.

Poggibonsi as a hub: trains for Florence and Siena

The Poggibonsi-San Gimignano station is on the Siena-Empoli-Florence line. From here:

• Florence SMN: about 55-60 minutes by train
• Siena: about 25-30 minutes by train

Regional trains depart roughly every hour in both directions. The service is reliable, economical (€8-10 per journey) and convenient for those who want to visit the cities without worrying about parking.

Hotel Alcide is less than 10 minutes’ walk from the station - a concrete advantage for those who want to use the train.

Parking in villages: the most complicated question

Every Tuscan village has its own system of car parks outside the historic centre - some free, many with seasonal charges. The rules change from village to village.

General tips:

• Arrive early (before 9am) in high season - car parks fill quickly
• Check the ZTL signs at the entrance to the village - unauthorised entry generates automatic fines via cameras
• In many villages, the car park furthest from the centre is free; the one near the entrance costs money