Siena / The verdict
Florence and Pisa airports to Siena: which way?
Siena has no commercial airport, and for most arrivals the right route is Florence airport to the T2 tram, then the 131R bus to Via Tozzi on top of the hill: about EUR 13 in tickets and roughly two hours door to door.
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The Siena story
Siena is the medieval counterpoint to Florence's Renaissance showpiece: a brick-built hill town wrapped around the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo, still run by the seventeen contrade that race the Palio twice a summer. The Duomo is arguably Italy's most ornate cathedral interior, and the whole centre is a pedestrian maze of flags, fountains and contrada museums, smaller and slower than Florence and all the better for it.
The verdict in 30 seconds
Our pick: Florence airport, then the 131R bus (runner-up: Pisa airport, then the train via Empoli)
Siena has no commercial airport, and for most arrivals the right route is Florence airport to the T2 tram, then the 131R bus to Via Tozzi on top of the hill: about EUR 13 in tickets and roughly two hours door to door.
Go if
- Solo travelers and couples who want the cheapest workable route into the center
- Anyone landing at Florence airport in daylight hours
- Travelers who prefer arriving at the top of the hill rather than at the station below town
Skip if
- Groups of three or four who would rather split a fixed-price transfer
- Late-night arrivals, when the last bus and train have gone
- Anyone heading straight into rural Chianti or the Val d'Orcia
The options
Florence airport, then the 131R bus Go
Most arrivals: the cheapest fast route that lands you on top of the hill.
Good
- About EUR 13 in official tickets all in (EUR 2 tram plus EUR 10.90 bus)
- T2 tram every few minutes to SMN, then the rapid bus about hourly; roughly 2 to 2.5 hours door to door
- Bus ends at Via Tozzi by Piazza Gramsci, a flat few minutes from Piazza del Campo
- Tickets at the booth, in the app or by tapping a contactless card on board
- The EUR 10.80 regional train is an hourly fallback when it suits the timing
Watch out
- No through ticket; the airport leg and the Siena leg are bought separately
- The bus bays sit inside the Firenze Autostazione building beside SMN and are easy to walk past
- Last buses leave Siena around 21:30, tight for late flights
Autolinee Toscane 131R timetableAutolinee Toscane extraurbano veloce faresGEST tramvia airport page
Pisa airport, then the train via Empoli It depends
Travelers whose Pisa fare beats Florence enough to justify about an extra hour.
Good
- PisaMover shuttle reaches Pisa Centrale in 5 minutes for EUR 6.50
- Hourly trains with one Empoli change take about 1h45 to 2h15 to Siena, EUR 11.40
- Pisa hosts more budget European flights than Florence's short-runway airport
- Coaches to Pisa city run EUR 7 to 11 when times line up, though they stop short of the terminal
Watch out
- Figure about 3 hours door to door with the shuttle plus the Empoli change
- No direct trains from Pisa to Siena at all
- Siena station sits below the walls; add the escalator ride or a local bus uphill
- Evening connections thin out, so it suits daytime landings
A pre-booked private transfer It depends
Groups of three or four, late arrivals and anyone with heavy bags.
Good
- About 1 hour from Florence airport and 1.5 to 2 hours from Pisa, door to door
- Fixed price, flight tracking and a driver waiting in arrivals
- Runs when public transport has stopped for the night
- Splits sensibly across three or four passengers
Watch out
- No official fare is published; the price is a quote per booking
- The drop-off still sits outside the restricted zone, so bags may need a short last walk
- Needs booking ahead; it is not something arranged on the spot
Pre-booked airport pickuppartner sitePrivate transfer Florence airport to Sienapartner site
A rental car Skip
Nobody for this leg alone; it only pays off when the wider itinerary is rural Tuscany.
Good
- Freedom to detour through Chianti or the Val d'Orcia on the way in
- Handy when onward plans are countryside villages with no rail
Watch out
- Siena's center is a restricted traffic zone where unauthorized entry means heavy fines
- Parking sits outside the walls, then an escalator or a local bus up
- From Pisa it is about 1h45 to 2h of driving with no direct motorway
- One driver was warned that following GPS would lead into the restricted zone
| Criterion | Florence airport, then the 131R bus | Pisa airport, then the train via Empoli | A pre-booked private transfer | A rental car |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official cost, one person | about EUR 13 (EUR 2 tram + EUR 10.90 bus; train EUR 10.80) | about EUR 18 (EUR 6.50 PisaMover + EUR 11.40 train) | not published; quoted per booking | daily rate plus fuel and parking |
| Door-to-door time | about 2 to 2.5 hours | about 2.5 to 3 hours | about 1 hour from Florence, under 2 from Pisa | about 1 hour from Florence, 2 hours from Pisa |
| Changes | tram or shuttle to SMN, then the bus | PisaMover plus one train change at Empoli | none | none |
| Arrival point in Siena | Via Tozzi at Piazza Gramsci, on top of the hill | station below the walls, then escalators up | the closest legal point to the address | a car park outside the walls |
| Late evening workable | limited; last bus about 21:30 | limited; last connections thin out | yes, booked ahead | yes |
| Best when | the flight lands at Florence before evening | the Pisa fare undercuts Florence clearly | three or four share, or arrival is late | the wider plan is countryside touring |
What it costs
- T2 tram, Florence airport to Santa Maria Novella (Unita): €2 (urban ticket valid 90 minutes; trams run about 05:00 to 00:30, later on Friday and Saturday). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Autolinee Toscane 131R rapid bus, Florence to Siena, single: €10.90 (extraurbano veloce band for the roughly 75 km route; card tap on board works). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Trenitalia regional train, Florence SMN to Siena, 2nd class: €10.80 (about 97 km, band 91-100 km; some services require a change at Empoli). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- PisaMover shuttle, Pisa airport to Pisa Centrale: €6.50 (5 minute ride, daily 06:00 to 24:00, until 01:00 from June to September). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Trenitalia regional train, Pisa Centrale to Siena via Empoli, 2nd class: €11.40 (about 110 km, band 101-110 km; every train involves the Empoli change). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
What travelers report
Based on 11 traveler reports (Feb 2025 to Jul 2026) and the official sources linked on this page. 2 were negative.
What people like
- The 131R is fast and cheap: about 1 hour 15 on the motorway for EUR 10.90, ending beside Piazza Gramsci.
- Travelers like that bus tickets can be bought on the spot or tapped on board with a card.
- Arriving at Via Tozzi means starting in the center, with none of the uphill haul from the station.
- Pisa airport still works when fares are low, and the PisaMover to Pisa Centrale is easy to find.
What people complain about
- No through ticket exists; the airport leg and the Siena leg are always separate tickets.
- Siena's train station sits in the valley, so rail arrivals add an escalator or a local bus uphill.
- The Pisa route takes about 3 hours door to door and every train involves the Empoli change.
- Evening service thins out; the last 131R back to Florence leaves around 21:30.
How to do it right
- At Florence airport, exit arrivals and turn left: the Peretola Aeroporto tram stop is about a two minute walk, and T2 runs to Unita beside SMN station in about 20 minutes
- Validate the tram ticket as soon as you board, or tap a contactless card on the reader; inspectors fine unvalidated tickets on the spot
- Walk the short block to Firenze Autostazione, the bus station beside SMN; most 131R departures leave from inside the building
- Ride the 131R to the last stop, Siena Via Tozzi at Piazza Gramsci, about 1 hour 15 on the freeway; buy the ticket at the booth, in the app or by tapping a card on board
- From Pisa airport, walk left out of arrivals to the PisaMover, buy at its own machines and ride 5 minutes to Pisa Centrale
- At Pisa Centrale take a train toward Empoli and change to a Siena train; allow about 2.5 to 3 hours in total
- From Siena station, the escalators climb to Porta Camollia and the center; the bus stop at Via Tozzi is already on top of the hill
The trap to avoid
Assuming the train beats the bus. The Florence to Siena railway loops through Empoli and arrives at a station below the town, while the 131R runs the motorway and stops on top of the hill minutes from Piazza del Campo; from Pisa the whole journey involves a PisaMover leg plus a change at Empoli.
What to do instead
Why this verdict
Siena has no commercial airport, so the real question is which of the two Tuscan gateways wastes the least of your day. The reports line up behind Florence for almost everyone. From Florence airport the T2 tram reaches the SMN area in about 20 minutes for EUR 2, and the Autolinee Toscane 131R runs the freeway to Via Tozzi by Piazza Gramsci in about 1 hour 15 for EUR 10.90. Travelers stress that the bus ends on top of the hill a few flat minutes from Piazza del Campo, while the train station sits in the valley and adds escalators or a local bus.
When the alternatives win
Pisa airport is the sensible runner-up when fares beat Florence clearly. The PisaMover shuttle covers the airport-to-station hop in 5 minutes for EUR 6.50, then hourly trains reach Siena with one change at Empoli in about 1h45 to 2h15, EUR 11.40 second class. Counting the shuttle and the Empoli change, that comes close to 3 hours door to door. A pre-booked transfer answers late arrivals and groups: no official fare is published, but one Tuscany-based writer books a private driver when traveling with a group or kids, and it skips the station hunting. A rental car is the skip: the center is a restricted zone, parking lives outside the walls, and one driver reports hotel staff warning that following GPS would have sent the car into the restricted zone.
Two details from the reports matter on the day. Validate the tram ticket the moment you board, since travelers report inspectors on the airport tram fining riders 50 euros each for unvalidated tickets. And buy or tap for the bus: card readers on board now take contactless payment, but paper tickets still need the yellow validator.
Book or check times
Autolinee Toscane 131R timetableAutolinee Toscane extraurbano veloce faresGEST tramvia airport pagePisaMover shuttle serviceTrenitalia journey planner
We earn a commission if you book through our links. It never changes a verdict. How this works
Pre-booked airport pickuppartner sitePrivate transfer Florence airport to Sienapartner site
Questions
Does Siena have an airport?
No. The nearest airports are Florence (about 75 km) and Pisa (about 110 km). From Florence the trip is a tram or shuttle to the center then the 131R bus or a regional train; from Pisa it is the PisaMover to Pisa Centrale then a train with a change at Empoli.
Is there a direct train from Florence to Siena?
Yes, about one an hour outside works periods, taking roughly 1 hour 30. It costs EUR 10.80 in second class and arrives at the station below the center; the 131R bus is a little faster and drops you on top of the hill.
How do I get from Pisa airport to Siena?
Ride the PisaMover (EUR 6.50, 5 minutes) to Pisa Centrale, then a regional train to Siena with one change at Empoli (EUR 11.40). All in, allow about 2.5 to 3 hours. Coaches run to Pisa city; none reach the airport terminal.
Is a private transfer worth it?
For three or four people splitting the fare, or arrivals after public transport thins out, yes. No official fare is published, so get a fixed quote when booking; door to door is about an hour from Florence and under two from Pisa.
Should I rent a car at the airport for Siena?
Only if the wider plan is rural Tuscany. The historic center is a restricted traffic zone, parking sits outside the walls, and one driver reports hotel staff warning that following GPS would have taken the car into the restricted zone.
When does the last bus leave Siena for Florence?
Around 21:30 to 22:00 depending on the day; travelers advise checking the operator's timetable on the day. Miss it and the alternatives are the train (station below the walls) or an overnight stay.
Pack for it
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