Florence to Siena: Distance and How to Get There
Siena is 90 km south of Florence by road. It is one of the most visited day trips from the city and for good reason: the Piazza del Campo and the Duomo are among the most impressive medieval civic spaces in Europe.
Getting there is not complicated but the options vary significantly in cost, duration, and flexibility. This guide covers the practical details for each method so you can choose the one that fits your schedule.
From Florence to Siena: your options
There are three realistic ways to travel from Florence to Siena: by intercity bus, by train (with a mandatory change), or by car.
The bus is the most popular option for travellers without a car. It is direct, reasonably priced, and drops you close to the centre of Siena. The train requires a change and takes longer overall. The car gives you flexibility but Siena’s historic centre has parking restrictions.
None of these options is difficult. The main variable is how much control you want over your timing.
By train: times and prices
There is no direct train from Florence to Siena. You must change at Empoli.
Route: Florence Santa Maria Novella to Empoli (approximately 30 minutes), then Empoli to Siena (approximately 1 hour). Total travel time: 1.5 to 1.75 hours depending on the connection.
Frequency: Trains from Florence to Empoli run frequently (every 15-30 minutes during daytime hours). From Empoli to Siena, the frequency is lower, roughly every 45-60 minutes. Check the Trenitalia website or app for the specific timetable on your travel date.
Prices: A standard second-class ticket from Florence to Siena costs approximately 9-14 euros each way. Prices are distance-based and do not vary significantly by booking time for regional services (these are not high-speed trains and do not have complex pricing structures).
Siena station position: Siena’s train station is at the base of the hill, about 2 km from the Piazza del Campo. From the station, take the city bus (Tiemme, line 3 or 10, approximately 1.70 euros) or a taxi (approximately 8-10 euros) to the centre.
The train is a reasonable option if the bus does not fit your schedule, but the combination of the change at Empoli and the transfer from the station to the centre makes the total door-to-door time longer than the bus.
By bus: times and prices
The bus is the recommended option for most visitors without a car.
Operator: SENA/Flixbus and Tiemme/Autolinee Toscane operate services on this route. Check both for the best schedule.
Route: Florence Santa Maria Novella bus station (Piazza Santa Maria Novella, adjacent to the train station) to Siena Piazza Gramsci (in the centre of Siena, a 5-minute walk from Piazza del Campo).
Travel time: Approximately 1.5 hours on the express service (via the Superstrada Firenze-Siena). Slower services via the SR2 road take 2-2.5 hours but are cheaper.
Prices: Approximately 7-10 euros one way on SENA/Flixbus. Book online for best prices. Tiemme services may be slightly cheaper for walk-up purchases.
Frequency: Express buses run approximately every 30-60 minutes during daytime hours. The service is regular enough that you do not need to plan around a specific departure if you are flexible.
The bus drops you at Piazza Gramsci, from where it is a 5-10 minute walk through the city walls to Piazza del Campo.
By car: route and parking
Distance: 90 km by the most direct route (the Superstrada Firenze-Siena, also called SR2 or FI-SI). Travel time: 1 to 1.5 hours depending on traffic.
Route: From Florence, take the superstrada south toward Siena. It is toll-free. The road passes through the Chianti hills and is one of the more scenic drives in Tuscany if you deviate slightly onto the parallel SS222 (Chiantigiana).
Parking: Siena’s historic centre is a ZTL (limited traffic zone). You cannot drive directly to Piazza del Campo. The practical options are:
- Parcheggio Santa Caterina (near the city walls, connected to the centre by escalators and elevators, approximately 2 euros per hour)
- Parcheggio il Campo (below the Piazza del Campo, approximately 2 euros per hour, with direct elevator access to the piazza)
- Free parking on the outskirts near the football stadium or on the ring road (30-minute walk to the centre)
Plan to arrive before 10:00 on weekends and in summer to find parking without difficulty.
Is it worth doing Siena in a day trip
Yes, if you focus on two or three things rather than trying to see everything.
A day trip from Florence gives you approximately 6-7 hours in Siena if you take the first morning bus and the last evening bus. That is enough for:
- Piazza del Campo and the Torre del Mangia (entry to the tower 10 euros, 503 steps, views worth it)
- Siena Duomo and Piccolomini Library (entry to the cathedral complex around 13-15 euros, extraordinary inlaid marble floor)
- Museo Civico in the Palazzo Pubblico (entry 10 euros, Ambrogio Lorenzetti’s Allegory of Good and Bad Government frescoes)
- Lunch in a local enoteca or trattoria
It is tight if you want to do all four, and you will walk fast. It is comfortable if you choose two or three.
One thing Siena does not allow is rushing. The city has a specific pace and the Piazza del Campo in particular rewards time spent sitting rather than passing through.
If you have only two or three days in Florence and Tuscany is new to you, Siena is the most important day trip. If you have been to Siena before, consider Lucca, Volterra, or the Chianti wine road as alternatives.
Where to stay
Using Florence as your base for Siena and other Tuscany day trips is practical when you are well connected to transport. The Key is at Via Cittadella 22, a 5-minute walk from Santa Maria Novella station, which is also the starting point for buses to Siena.
