Rome to Tuscany by Train 2026: DIY Day Trip vs a Tour

Booking choice: The Tuscany in One Day tour, from $115 per person. Check dates Compare the options below

Florence is an easy train ride from Rome. The hill towns of the Val d'Orcia are not: there is no station in Montepulciano's old town or in Pienza, so you combine a train with a regional bus or a taxi.

Here are the three realistic ways to go it alone, and how they compare with a tour.

The quick answer

For Florence, the high-speed train from Roma Termini takes about 1.5 hours: easy on your own. For Montepulciano, take a train to Chiusi-Chianciano Terme (1.5 to 2.5 hours) and then a bus or taxi of 30 to 40 minutes; Pienza is a further hop and buses are infrequent. Renting a car is the most flexible. The coach tours do all of this for you, with lunch, from $115.

A hill town street with a view over green countryside — The hill towns are reached by road, not by rail.

Can you reach Montepulciano from Rome by train?

Not directly: take a train to Chiusi-Chianciano Terme, then a regional bus or a taxi up to Montepulciano.

The train takes 1.5 to 2.5 hours depending on the service, and the road up to the town 30 to 40 minutes. Check the bus times before you go: they are timed around commuters and schools, and thinner on Sundays and holidays.

Montepulciano on its ridge — Montepulciano has no station in town; the nearest main-line stop is Chiusi.

And Pienza?

Pienza is reached by bus or car from Montepulciano, about 15 to 20 minutes by road.

Combining both towns by public transport in one day from Rome is possible on a good day and frustrating on a bad one. Missing the last connection back to Chiusi is the risk.

Would rather not chase buses? The coach day links both towns and lunch.

Check dates for the Tuscany in One Day tour

What about Florence by train?

Easy: high-speed trains run from Roma Termini to Firenze Santa Maria Novella in about 1.5 hours.

Book ahead for the cheaper fares. Florence's centre is walkable from the station. See Florence or the Tuscan hills for guided options.

Florence cathedral dome — Florence is the easiest DIY day from Rome.

Should you rent a car instead?

For flexibility, yes: Montepulciano is about two hours from Rome on the A1, exit Chiusi-Chianciano Terme.

Watch for the ZTL limited-traffic zones in historic centres, where unauthorised cars are fined by camera; park outside the walls. And someone has to stay sober at lunch.

How do costs compare?

DIY can be cheaper for one or two people, but not once you add lunch and wine, and it takes more time.

Option	Travel	Lunch and wine	Effort
Train + bus	Train to Chiusi, bus up the hill	Pay as you go	High
Rental car	About 2 h each way, you drive	Pay as you go, driver abstains	Medium
Coach tour	Coach from Piazza del Popolo	Included	Low
Private driver	Car from your hotel	Extra	Low

Tuscany in One Day: Val d'Orcia, Wine & Lunch

Lunch, wine, a local guide and the driving done: the classic day from $115.

★ 4.7 5,660 reviews · 12 hours · from $115

Explore the Tuscany in One Day tour

When is a tour the better choice?

When you want both towns and lunch in one day without timetables, or when nobody wants to drive.

The coach tours are timed so that you arrive in Montepulciano mid-morning, eat at a farm and still see Pienza. Doing the same by public transport takes careful planning and some luck.