Day trip from Siena to Pisa: the plan for one day

Outbound 2 h 20 minAbout 5.5 h for your visit in Pisa
Costs for the dayGroup: €143.59 to €163.59, excluding the items marked *2 adults, recommended sights, with AI Tour Guide and food* Not included: Camposanto Monumentale.Work out your costs ↓
Start the Pisa tourSee the day plan
Pisa

A day trip from Siena to Pisa works well if you start early: about two hours and twenty minutes by regional train each way, with one change at Empoli. Take the early train and you get roughly five and a half hours in Pisa, enough for the Piazza dei Miracoli, the old town and the river before an early evening return.

Is a day trip from Siena to Pisa worth it?

There is no direct train between Siena and Pisa, so the day always includes a change at Empoli and well over four hours on trains in total. That is the price of this trip, and it is why the early start matters: leave Siena around seven and you are at the tower before the square fills up at midday.

What you get in return is a very different Tuscan city. Siena is a brick hill town; Pisa is a river city with the cathedral, baptistery, cemetery and leaning bell tower grouped on one open square, then a second, quieter Pisa beyond it: the Knights' Square that was the political centre of the medieval city, a Keith Haring mural on a church wall and a small Gothic church on the riverbank. Travellers who stay only for a photo at the tower tend to leave underwhelmed; the walk through the rest of the old town is what makes the long ride pay off.

Who this day trip suits

  • Travellers based in Siena without a car who want to see the Leaning Tower and the Piazza dei Miracoli in person
  • Anyone curious about Pisa beyond the tower: the Knights' Square, the Haring mural and the river
  • Walkers on a budget, because the regional train is the cheap way to travel and the second half of the walk costs nothing
  • Early risers who do not mind a change of trains and a long day out

Go if the tower and the Piazza dei Miracoli are on your list and you are happy with an early start; if you mainly want a Tuscan town with less time on trains, choose San Gimignano instead.

Other day trips from Siena

How to get from Siena to Pisa by train

The regional train run by Trenitalia is the way to do this day: one change at Empoli, about two hours and twenty minutes in total, and frequent trains on the second leg. FlixBus also runs a few direct coaches, but on most days none leaves Siena early enough for a full day in Pisa.

Train: Trenitalia

Trains leave from Siena station for Empoli regularly through the day, a little over an hour on the first leg; at Empoli you change to one of the many regional trains along the line to Pisa Centrale, around half an hour more. On Sundays the Siena line runs noticeably fewer trains, so plan around the departures shown in the timetable. In the example connection one through ticket covers both legs, but the change at Empoli is not a guaranteed connection, which is why the plan allows a comfortable wait at Empoli. Buy your tickets from Trenitalia before you go; paper tickets must be validated in the machines on the platform before boarding, digital tickets need no stamping.

Operator
Trenitalia
Route
Siena → Pisa Centrale
Journey time
2 h 20 min
Travel fare
Outward €11.40; return €11.40 (€22.80 return total)

Tickets at Trenitalia ↗

From Pisa Centrale the city bus Line 1+ leaves from the Stazione 1 stop towards Park Pietrasantina; get off at Torre 1 for the Piazza dei Miracoli, where the tour begins. Allow about forty minutes for the transfer including the wait for the bus.

Example connections by weekday

Full journeys with each leg shown. Times and fares can vary by day and service.

DayOutboundReturn
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday07:02–09:22 · 2 h 20 min
  1. Siena → Empoli: 07:02–08:19
  2. Empoli → Pisa Centrale: 08:45–09:22
16:32–18:40 · 2 h 8 min
  1. Pisa Centrale → Empoli: 16:32–17:03
  2. Empoli → Siena: 17:40–18:40
Saturday07:02–09:28 · 2 h 26 min
  1. Siena → Empoli: 07:02–08:19
  2. Empoli → Pisa Centrale: 08:58–09:28
16:32–18:40 · 2 h 8 min
  1. Pisa Centrale → Empoli: 16:32–17:03
  2. Empoli → Siena: 17:40–18:40
Sunday07:15–09:22 · 2 h 7 min
  1. Siena → Empoli: 07:15–08:18
  2. Empoli → Pisa Centrale: 08:45–09:22
16:32–18:40 · 2 h 8 min
  1. Pisa Centrale → Empoli: 16:32–17:03
  2. Empoli → Siena: 17:40–18:40

Timetable

Train: Trenitalia

Monday to Saturday

DepartureArrivalDuration
05:0005:5858 min
05:4306:441 h 1 min
06:1307:221 h 9 min
06:2507:0843 min
06:3607:481 h 12 min
07:0208:191 h 17 min
07:3308:541 h 21 min
08:1809:201 h 2 min
08:4809:4052 min
09:1810:201 h 2 min
10:4111:541 h 13 min
11:1812:201 h 2 min
11:4512:541 h 9 min
12:1813:201 h 2 min
12:4113:541 h 13 min
13:1814:201 h 2 min

Sunday

DepartureArrivalDuration
06:3607:3458 min
07:1508:181 h 3 min
08:1809:201 h 2 min
08:4809:4052 min
11:4512:541 h 9 min
12:1813:201 h 2 min
13:1814:201 h 2 min

Timetable: Trenitalia, as of 22 October 2026

Monday to Friday

DepartureArrivalDuration
08:4509:2237 min
Show all departures (24)

Other suitable trains may have different fares.

DepartureArrivalDuration
05:0605:5246 min
06:0106:3534 min
06:4507:3247 min
07:2207:5129 min
07:3008:0636 min
07:5808:2830 min
08:1609:0044 min
08:2709:0437 min
08:4509:2237 min
08:5809:2830 min
09:0509:5348 min
09:2710:0437 min
09:5810:2830 min
10:1310:5946 min
10:2711:0437 min
10:5811:2830 min
11:2311:5128 min
11:2712:0437 min
11:5712:2528 min
12:1312:5946 min
12:2713:0437 min
12:5813:2830 min
13:2313:5128 min
13:2714:0437 min

Saturday

DepartureArrivalDuration
05:0605:5246 min
Show all departures (23)

Other suitable trains may have different fares.

DepartureArrivalDuration
05:0605:5246 min
06:0106:3534 min
06:4507:3247 min
07:2207:5129 min
07:3008:0636 min
07:5808:2830 min
08:1609:0044 min
08:2709:0437 min
08:5809:2830 min
09:0509:5348 min
09:2710:0437 min
09:5810:2830 min
10:1310:5946 min
10:2711:0437 min
10:5811:2830 min
11:2311:5128 min
11:2712:0437 min
11:5812:2628 min
12:1312:5946 min
12:2713:0437 min
12:5813:2830 min
13:2313:5128 min
13:2714:0437 min

Sunday

DepartureArrivalDuration
08:4509:2237 min
Show all departures (17)

Other suitable trains may have different fares.

DepartureArrivalDuration
06:0106:3534 min
06:4507:3247 min
07:2207:5129 min
07:3008:0636 min
07:5808:2830 min
08:2709:0437 min
08:4509:2237 min
08:5809:2830 min
09:2510:0439 min
09:5810:2830 min
10:5811:2830 min
11:2311:5128 min
11:2712:0437 min
11:5812:2628 min
12:1312:5946 min
12:5813:2830 min
13:2714:0437 min

Check current times at Trenitalia ↗

Train: Trenitalia

Monday to Friday

DepartureArrivalDuration
16:3217:0331 min
Show all departures (30)

Other suitable trains may have different fares.

DepartureArrivalDuration
12:0112:4645 min
12:3213:0331 min
12:5413:3137 min
13:0913:3627 min
13:3214:0331 min
13:5414:3137 min
14:0114:4645 min
14:3215:0331 min
14:5415:3137 min
15:0915:3627 min
15:3216:0331 min
15:3716:2548 min
15:5416:3137 min
16:0116:4645 min
16:3217:0331 min
16:5417:3137 min
17:0917:3627 min
17:3218:0331 min
17:5418:3137 min
18:0118:4645 min
18:3219:0331 min
18:5419:3137 min
19:0919:3627 min
19:3220:0331 min
19:5420:3137 min
19:5820:4648 min
20:3221:0634 min
20:4221:1634 min
21:0121:4645 min
21:3222:0331 min

Saturday

DepartureArrivalDuration
16:3217:0331 min
Show all departures (27)

Other suitable trains may have different fares.

DepartureArrivalDuration
12:0112:4645 min
12:3213:0331 min
12:5413:3137 min
13:0913:3627 min
13:3214:0331 min
13:5414:3137 min
14:0114:4645 min
14:3215:0331 min
14:5415:3137 min
15:0915:3627 min
15:3216:0331 min
15:3716:2548 min
15:5416:3137 min
16:3217:0331 min
16:5417:3137 min
17:0917:3627 min
17:3218:0331 min
17:5418:3137 min
18:3219:0331 min
18:5419:3137 min
19:0919:3627 min
19:3220:0331 min
19:5420:3137 min
20:3221:0634 min
20:4221:1634 min
21:0121:4645 min
21:3222:0331 min

Sunday

DepartureArrivalDuration
16:3217:0331 min
Show all departures (23)

Other suitable trains may have different fares.

DepartureArrivalDuration
12:3213:0331 min
13:0913:3627 min
13:3214:0331 min
13:5414:3137 min
14:0114:4645 min
14:3215:0331 min
14:5415:3137 min
15:5416:3137 min
16:0116:4645 min
16:3217:0331 min
16:5417:3137 min
17:0917:3627 min
17:3218:0331 min
17:5418:3137 min
18:0118:4645 min
18:3219:0331 min
18:5419:3137 min
19:0919:3627 min
19:3220:0331 min
19:5420:3137 min
20:3221:0634 min
21:0121:4645 min
21:3222:0331 min

Monday to Saturday

DepartureArrivalDuration
17:4018:401 h
Show all departures (19)

Other suitable trains may have different fares.

DepartureArrivalDuration
12:0813:151 h 7 min
12:4013:401 h
13:0814:161 h 8 min
13:4014:401 h
14:0815:171 h 9 min
14:4015:3757 min
15:0816:141 h 6 min
15:4016:401 h
16:0817:141 h 6 min
16:4017:3858 min
17:0818:151 h 7 min
17:4018:401 h
18:0819:161 h 8 min
18:4019:3858 min
19:0820:161 h 8 min
19:4020:401 h
20:0821:161 h 8 min
20:4021:3959 min
21:0822:161 h 8 min

Sunday

DepartureArrivalDuration
12:4013:401 h
13:0814:161 h 8 min
14:0815:161 h 8 min
14:4015:3757 min
16:0817:141 h 6 min
17:4018:401 h
18:4019:3858 min
19:0820:161 h 8 min
19:4020:401 h
20:4021:3959 min

Check current times at Trenitalia ↗

departures by weekday
DaysDepartureArrivalDuration
Monday to Tuesday13:2515:402 h 15 min
Monday and Thursday17:2519:402 h 15 min

Timetable: FlixBus, as of 22 October 2026

A Siena to Pisa day trip itinerary that works

Day plan for: Mon–Fri

The early train anchors the day: it puts you on the Piazza dei Miracoli by mid-morning, before the midday crowds, and leaves time for the old town and the river before an afternoon train home.

  1. Morning07:02 – 09:22

    Take the regional train from Siena shortly after seven, change at Empoli and arrive at Pisa Centrale around half past nine. Ride bus Line 1+ to the Torre 1 stop and walk to the Baptistery.

    This connection gets you into Pisa with most of the day ahead and leaves a relaxed wait for the change at Empoli.

  2. Tour10:15 – 12:45

    Open the tour in the browser at the Baptistery. The AI Tour Guide greets you, tells the stories of the square and asks what you want to hear more about as it leads you to the Camposanto Monumentale, Pisa Cathedral and the Leaning Tower. You step inside the Camposanto and the cathedral and climb the Leaning Tower around a quarter to twelve, so book your tower ticket for late morning; the Baptistery you see from outside.

    Midday is the busiest time at the tower, so the Piazza dei Miracoli comes first while it is still calm.

    1. Baptistery of Pisa, stop 1 on the self-guided walking tour1Baptistery of Pisa
    2. Camposanto Monumentale in Pisa, stop 2 on the self-guided walking tour2Camposanto Monumentale
    3. Pisa Cathedral, stop 3 on the self-guided walking tour3Pisa Cathedral
    4. Leaning Tower of Pisa, stop 4 on the self-guided walking tour4Leaning Tower of Pisa

    Start the Pisa tour

  3. Lunch12:45 – 13:45

    Lunch in the old town after the Leaning Tower and before the walk on to Piazza dei Cavalieri. Try cecina, the thin chickpea flatbread, hot from a bakery or pizza-by-the-slice place, or a bowl of bordatino in a small trattoria.

    It comes after the busy monuments on the Piazza dei Miracoli and before the quieter half of the walk; away from the tower, where boards advertising cheap steak are best skipped.

  4. Afternoon13:45 – 15:30

    The guide continues to Piazza dei Cavalieri and the Tuttomondo mural, and ends the tour at Santa Maria della Spina on the river around a quarter to three; all three you see from outside. That leaves about three quarters of an hour: walk along the Lungarno with a gelato, or take an optional detour to the National Museum of San Matteo, which only fits if you keep the visit very short.

    Finishing the tour with time to spare keeps the return calm and gives you room for one small extra without touching the tour order.

    1. Piazza dei Cavalieri in Pisa, stop 5 on the self-guided walking tour5Piazza dei Cavalieri
    2. Tuttomondo in Pisa, stop 6 on the self-guided walking tour6Tuttomondo
    3. Santa Maria della Spina in Pisa, stop 7 on the self-guided walking tour7Santa Maria della Spina
  5. Return15:30 – 18:40

    Leave Santa Maria della Spina by about half past three, get back to Pisa Centrale with a buffer of a quarter of an hour and take the train at around half past four, change at Empoli, and arrive in Siena around a quarter to seven.

    The Empoli change on the way back has a generous wait, so the trip home stays relaxed and you are in Siena in time for dinner.

Arrival to return departure: 7 h 10 min. Time for your visit: about 5.5 h.

You get about five and a half hours in Pisa, roughly three and a half of them on the tour; if your train arrives late, shorten the end of the tour along the river rather than rushing the Piazza dei Miracoli.

Best day to visit Pisa from Siena

  1. Monday: recommended
  2. Tuesday: recommended
  3. Wednesday: recommended
  4. Thursday: recommended
  5. Friday: recommended
  6. Saturday: possible
  7. Sunday: possible
  • Saturday, Sunday: Different connections run on this day.

A Pisa walking tour in one day: from the Leaning Tower to the river

The walking tour runs from the Baptistery on the Piazza dei Miracoli through the old town to Santa Maria della Spina on the riverbank: 2.7 km and about 37 minutes of pure walking, roughly three and a half hours with the stops and the tower climb. It is an easy, flat city walk, and the AI Tour Guide leads it as a conversation, telling the stories of each place and following up on what interests you.

The Pisa tour: your guide leads you from stop to stop.
  1. Baptistery of Pisa
  2. Camposanto Monumentale
  3. Pisa Cathedral
  4. Leaning Tower of Pisa
  5. Piazza dei Cavalieri
  6. Tuttomondo
  7. Santa Maria della Spina

Start the Pisa tour

Opening hours as of 8 October 2026.

  1. Baptistery of Pisa, stop 1 on the self-guided walking tour
    1Stop 1

    Baptistery of Pisa

    Begun in 1152 under the architect Diotisalvi, who signed and dated his work, the round baptistery replaced an older one and opens the square.

    Price
    Seen from outside on the tour; going inside is optional and not included in this total.
  2. Camposanto Monumentale in Pisa, stop 2 on the self-guided walking tour
    2Stop 2

    Camposanto Monumentale

    The old monumental cemetery closes the northern edge of the cathedral square with its long walls.

    Hours
    Daily: 09:00–20:00
  3. Pisa Cathedral, stop 3 on the self-guided walking tour
    3Stop 3

    Pisa Cathedral

    The medieval cathedral of the Assumption of Mary is the reason the whole square exists, with the baptistery before it and its bell tower behind.

    Hours
    Daily: 10:00–18:00
    Price
    Free
  4. Leaning Tower of Pisa, stop 4 on the self-guided walking tour
    4Stop 4

    Leaning Tower of Pisa

    The famous leaning tower is in fact the cathedral's freestanding bell tower, and seeing it beside the church explains its story better than any photo.

    Hours
    Daily: 09:00–20:00
    Price
    €20
  5. Piazza dei Cavalieri in Pisa, stop 5 on the self-guided walking tour
    5Stop 5

    Piazza dei Cavalieri

    The Knights' Square was the political centre of medieval Pisa and is still the city's second main square.

    Price
    Free
  6. Tuttomondo in Pisa, stop 6 on the self-guided walking tour
    6Stop 6

    Tuttomondo

    Keith Haring painted this mural on the rear wall of the church of Sant'Antonio Abate in 1989, one of his last public works.

    Price
    Free
  7. Santa Maria della Spina in Pisa, stop 7 on the self-guided walking tour
    7Stop 7

    Santa Maria della Spina

    This small Pisan Gothic church from around 1230 on the riverbank was once named after the new bridge that stood beside it.

    Hours (optional interior visit)
    Mon, Tue: closed
    Wed–Fri: 15:00–18:00
    Sat, Sun: 10:00–13:00, 15:00–18:00
    Price
    Free
AI Tour Guide in Pisa

Your guide for the Pisa tour

From the Baptistery to Santa Maria della Spina, the AI Tour Guide leads this walk and talks with you along the way: why the cathedral's bell tower began to lean, what the knights did on Piazza dei Cavalieri, how Keith Haring came to paint a wall in Pisa. It asks what catches your interest and remembers it at the next stop. You start it in the browser when you reach the Baptistery.

stops
7
route
2.7 km
walking only
37 min
with visits
3 h 22 min
  • 100 free credits to start
  • €19.99 once for the whole group
  • Travel and admission tickets are not included
Start the Pisa tourSee the whole tour →

What a Siena to Pisa day trip costs

The day is mostly train fares, the tower climb and food: the regional train is the cheap way to travel, one through ticket per direction covers both legs via Empoli, and the city bus from the station comes on top. The Leaning Tower and the Camposanto are preselected because the plan takes you up the tower and inside the cemetery; add the San Matteo museum only if you make the detour.

Adults
Children

* Not included: Camposanto Monumentale.

One device is enough for the whole group: two people listen on two connected headphones, larger groups use the phone speaker.

Cost breakdown

Costs for 2 adults · planned visits

Travel there and backTrenitalia2 adults × €22.80€45.60
Local transport (bus)2 adults × 2 rides × €2€8
SightsLeaning Tower of Pisa (tower climb) and Camposanto Monumentale2 adults × €20€40
AI Tour Guide touronce for the whole group€19.99
Food (estimate)€15 to €25 per person€30 to €50
Total*Group: €143.59 to €163.59, excluding the items marked *
Sights
  • €20
  • Camposanto Monumentale
Buffer and private guide

If you want to go inside several monuments on the Piazza dei Miracoli, the combined ticket from the cathedral's operator, bought online before you arrive, covers them together; for lunch, cecina and sandwich shops in the old town cost far less than the restaurants by the tower.

Prices as of October 2026.

Getting back from Pisa to Siena

The way back mirrors the morning: regional train from Pisa Centrale to Empoli, then a second train to Siena. From the end of the tour on the river, allow about forty minutes to get back to the station by bus or on foot, plus a quarter of an hour of buffer before the train, because the change at Empoli is not a guaranteed connection.

The late-afternoon example connection has a long, relaxed wait at Empoli and brings you to Siena early in the evening. If you would rather stay for the evening light on the river, later trains via Empoli run into the evening.

If you run late, drop Santa Maria della Spina and the free time by the river first. If you miss your connection, trains between Pisa and Empoli are frequent; the Empoli to Siena leg is the thinner one, so take the next train to Empoli and ask Trenitalia staff whether your ticket is valid on the later onward train before boarding. On some days FlixBus also runs a direct coach from the Pietrasantina car park to Siena in the late afternoon or evening.

Recommended returnTrenitalia: departs 16:32, arrives 18:40Leave the last stop of the tour by 15:30

Latest return that fits the day: 19:58

  • Trenitalia from Pisa Centrale, Sunday: departs 19:32, arrives 21:39
  • Trenitalia from Pisa Centrale, Saturday: departs 19:54, arrives 22:16
  • Trenitalia from Pisa Centrale, Monday to Friday: departs 19:58, arrives 22:16

Questions about the day trip from Siena to Pisa

Can I climb the Leaning Tower on this day trip?

Yes, the plan includes the climb at the tower stop in the late morning. Book a ticket ahead, because midday is the busiest time at the tower. Bags are not allowed inside, but there is a free cloakroom at the Opera del Duomo Museum, and the climb can feel disorienting if you suffer from vertigo.

Should I drive from Siena to Pisa instead?

The train is simpler. Both cities have limited traffic zones that bring automatic fines if you enter without authorisation, and the signs are easy to miss. If you do drive, use a public car park such as the Pisamo one on Via Cammeo and walk from there.

What should I eat in Pisa?

Cecina, the chickpea flatbread eaten hot with black pepper, bordatino, a cornmeal and cabbage soup, and dishes with Mucco Pisano beef. Avoid the boards near the tower that advertise cheap steak, and for dessert take a gelato along the Lungarno.

Can I add Lucca to the same day?

Not from Siena. With well over four hours on trains already, a second city leaves too little time for either; Lucca combines better with Pisa on a trip from Florence.

More day trips from Siena

Florence in a day 1 h 15 min San Gimignano in a day 1 h 10 min

Sources

Timetables, fares and opening hours come from these operators:

Image credits
AI Tour Guide
Researched and curated by the AI Tour Guide team
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