I will arrive in Florence very jet-lagged after a flight from the USA and have to transfer from the airport to the train station, and then go on to Siena. Given that I do NOT handle jet-leg well, please share any tips about how to finesse this change. What is the best way to get from the airport to the train station? Should I buy train tickets ahead of time? Is crime a problem as it is in Naples? Are taxis "honest"?
M

1. The easiest way to go to the train station is to take a taxi. There will be official taxis in the queue outside the terminal (as at all Italian airports). Is it the "best" way? That depends on you, but the Florence airport is not very far out of the city center, and the fare will be 20-25 euro depending on the time of day and how much luggage you have. See the airport's website at http://www.aeroporto.firenze.it/EN/index.php for more info.

2. The majority of trains that go directly from Florence to Siena are regional trains...these trains do not take reservations, but if you have a ticket and there is room to stand, you can get on...what this means is that on the regional trains, there is absolutely no reason to buy the ticket in advance, as it buys you nothing except saving you a few seconds at the train station when you get there.

3. Petty crime is a problem at many large Italian train stations, but not something that an experienced traveler will have a problem with. Petty crime succeeds largely because so many people are unwary, coming from countries where pickpockets are relatively uncommon.

4. Taxis in most of Italy are honest - so long as you get into a licensed, official taxi (i.e., one in the queue of licensed taxis, not because some yahoo in the terminal offered you a special deal), and the driver turns the meter on. The odds of being cheated by a taxi driver in Italy are actually fairly low.

Bill

"The odds of being cheated by a taxi driver in Italy are actually fairly low." Unless you are in Naples!!!! I had to smile at that one Bill. Karl

Ah, Karl, I never took a taxi in Naples...just walking around the piles of trash was fun enough for me ;-)

Bill