Pisa is an easy train ride from Florence, and Siena is a simple express bus away. San Gimignano and Monteriggioni take more planning. Here are the exact stations, bus lines and driving rules to know, plus when an organised day trip saves you time and stress.
Each town needs a different approach. Use these verified routes if you want to travel independently, and check live timetables on the day.
Regional trains run from Firenze Santa Maria Novella to Pisa, with 1 to 4 departures per hour. The journey takes 50 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, and tickets cost about €8–9. Prices are the same if you buy at the station just before departing.
Pisa Centrale is the main station, but it is a 20–25 minute walk from the Leaning Tower. Pisa San Rossore is much closer, with a flat walk of about 5–8 minutes to Piazza dei Miracoli.
Autolinee Toscane’s 131R express bus is the quickest public option, taking about 1 hour 15 minutes. It leaves from the bus station next to Santa Maria Novella and arrives at Piazza Gramsci, close to Siena’s historic centre. The slower 131 line takes about 1 hour 30 minutes.
Direct trains from Santa Maria Novella take about 1 hour 30 minutes. The catch is that Siena’s train station is in Piazza Carlo Rosselli, about 2 km below the historic centre, so you need a local bus to reach Piazza del Campo.
San Gimignano has no train station and no direct bus from Florence. Take bus 131 from Florence’s bus station to Poggibonsi (about 50 minutes), then bus 130 up to San Gimignano (about 25 minutes). Both usually run at least hourly on most days.
Trains run from Santa Maria Novella to the station called “Poggibonsi-S. Gimignano” about once an hour, taking a little over an hour. Despite the name, the station is in Poggibonsi, so you still need bus 130 for the last stretch.
According to Monteriggioni’s official tourism office, buses 130 and 131 stop at Colonna di Monteriggioni, about 500 metres from the castle walls. The nearest railway station, Castellina in Chianti-Monteriggioni, is about 3 km away.
From Florence Airport, the “Vola in bus” shuttle reaches Santa Maria Novella station in about 20 minutes, where trains and buses to Pisa and Siena leave. At Pisa Airport, the PisaMover people mover connects you with Pisa Centrale station.
Florence’s entire historic centre is a “Zona a Traffico Limitato” (ZTL), controlled by cameras that read number plates automatically. The city of Florence lists the restricted hours as Monday to Friday 7:30–19:30 and Saturday 7:30–18:00, with extra summer night limits. Travel guides report fines of about €80–335 per entry, and rental companies add their own admin fee. Pisa and San Gimignano also have ZTL zones.
A car gives you freedom in the countryside, but cities and hill towns come with restricted zones and paid parking. These tips help you avoid the most common mistakes.
Walks of Italy recommends renting from an office on the outskirts of Florence, so you never have to drive through the historic centre’s narrow streets and ZTL camera gates.
The town centre is a limited traffic zone, so park outside the walls. According to Walks of Italy, rates are about €2–3 per hour and up to €15 per day. The P1 Giubileo car park, the first you reach from Poggibonsi, is the largest and cheapest, with a daily maximum of about €7.
Chianti wineries are a highlight of the route, but someone has to drive back to Florence. If wine tasting is a key part of your day, the driver will have to skip or limit it.
Walks of Italy suggests checking a route planner such as Via Michelin before you leave, to estimate fuel and toll costs. Expect about 1 hour by car from Florence to Siena or San Gimignano, and about 1 hour to Pisa.
Frequent, cheap and no booking needed. Aim for a train that stops at Pisa San Rossore.
The express bus is faster than the train and drops you close to the centre.
One vehicle, no bus changes and no ZTL worries, with more time spent sightseeing.
Train to Pisa, back via Florence or Empoli, bus to Siena, then buses 130 and 131 via Poggibonsi for San Gimignano.
Connections in Poggibonsi can mean 15–20 minute waits, and Pisa return trains can be full at busy times.
Full-day trips cover all three towns in 11.5 to 12.5 hours, with no transfers to manage.
There is no single best way to travel. It depends on how many towns you want to see and how much planning you want to do.
The Florence–Pisa line is one of Italy’s most frequent rail routes. You can simply turn up and buy a ticket.
Autolinee Toscane buses link Florence, Siena, Poggibonsi, San Gimignano and Monteriggioni. Use their online travel planner or app to check times.
A car lets you stop at small villages and wineries, but it comes with ZTL rules, parking costs and a driver who cannot fully enjoy the wine.
A day trip from Florence handles transport between towns for you, so your time goes into sightseeing instead of timetables.
If the bus changes and train connections above feel like too much, these day trips from Florence cover the driving between towns. Compare them by route and length.
3 towns, no changes
Replaces several trains and buses with one trip, adding a Chianti winery stop that is hard to reach by public transport.
Top rated
Covers Siena, San Gimignano and Pisa in 12 hours. A good alternative to driving if you want everyone to enjoy the winery stop.
Shorter 3-town day
The shortest trip covering all three towns, at 11.5 hours, with an optional winery lunch and local wine tasting.
Includes Monteriggioni
An easy way to reach Monteriggioni, whose nearest railway station is about 3 km away, combined with Siena and San Gimignano.
Transport + free time
Ideal if you want the independence of exploring alone, without managing the Poggibonsi bus change or Siena’s distant station.
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Half-day Pisa
A guided alternative to the train if you want Pisa with optional tower entry and no station changes, in about 6 hours.
Florence Pisa Siena Tours is an independent visitor guide and is not an official tourism, transport or tour operator website. Some links are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. *Ratings, review counts and durations are based on supplied GetYourGuide data and can change; check the live booking page for prices, meeting points and your selected option. Public transport times and fares can change; always confirm on Trenitalia and Autolinee Toscane before travelling.
Schedules change by season and day of the week. Use these official sources on the day you travel rather than relying on old timetables.
Check Florence–Pisa and Florence–Poggibonsi train times on trenitalia.com and look for trains that stop at Pisa San Rossore.
Use the travel planner at at-bus.it or the AT app to find lines 131R, 131 and 130.
Florence publishes its ZTL map and rules on the city’s mobility pages. Check each town’s map before driving in.
Small mistakes cost the most time on Tuscan public transport. These quick checks keep your day on track.
Before 13:00, some trains go via Lucca and take about an hour longer. Look for trains via Empoli.
Pisa–Florence trains can be packed at weekends and in summer. If the next train is very full, another often leaves within 15 minutes.
The “Poggibonsi-S. Gimignano” station is in Poggibonsi. You still need bus 130 to reach the town.
Buy at a retailer or in the AT app, or use a contactless card on board where available.
Check the final train or bus to Florence before you set off, especially for San Gimignano’s two-bus route.
Cameras fine every unauthorised car. Rental companies pass fines on to you, plus an admin fee.
If you only want Pisa, take the train and get off at Pisa San Rossore. If you only want Siena, take the 131R express bus. If you want Pisa, Siena and San Gimignano in one day, or want everyone to enjoy a Chianti wine tasting, a day trip from Florence is the simplest and most time-efficient choice.
