Perugia, Umbria and Tuscany
Getting around in Perugia
There is much to be seen in Perugia, and finding one’s way around can be daunting at first, with narrow and winding streets, low archways, and the many steep slopes that characterize this Etruscan town. Size alone helps however, as the historic center is small and can be completely covered on foot and easily navigated with a good map; no need for buses or cabs within the city’s ancient walls. However going further, to places like the central train station, Perugia’s stadium, or even some of the local attractions, will require use of mass transportation, taxi or a car. Most information about traveling locally can be found in Umbra Students Guide to Perugia, or at the Information Office in the center of town, or of course from your happy-to-assist student services team.
Buses
The cost of a bus ticket is 1.50 euro for 70 minutes, but there are also passes for 10 trips (biglietto da dieci corse), which lowers the price. If you are in Perugia for the semester and plan to travel daily to the gym 
or stadium, you may consider purchasing a monthly bus pass. All tickets and passes can be bought from local newsstands (Edicola), cigarette shops (Tabaccaio), or the APM (bus service) information booths. The tickets are good on the buses, FCU, and the MiniMetrò. Remember to validate your ticket when you get on the bus in the validation boxes. Visit http://www.apmperugia.it and look under “Orari” for info on all the bus lines. Ask for a schedule (un orario) at the booths in Piazza Italia or Piazza Partigiani. If you have difficulties, ask a student services assistant.
MiniMetrò
The city’s new light rail system can whisk you from the train station to the center (the Pincetto station) in just nine minutes. You can use the MiniMetrò to go to Saturday Market (get off at the last stop, Pian di Massiano), and, as we said above, the tickets are the same as those for the buses.
Taxi
Before getting in any taxi, make certain that they are a legitimate taxi. They will have a taxi sign on top, name and number on the car like “Roma 31″, a phone number, and visible cost meter in the car. Beware of anyone asking you if you want a taxi… legitimate taxi drivers don’t solicit business by leaving their car. Avoid them like the plague; only use legitimate taxis. The Radio Taxi Perugia Number is 075 500 4888. They stop operating completely from midnight to 5:00am, so if you need a taxi during those hours you will have to reserve in advance.
Getting around Perugia is very easy once you get the hang of the bus system which can be learned quickly and easily. In most cases, with the exception of having to go to the train station or the stadium, everything is withing walking distance and you will rarely need to use a bus.
Getting around in Umbria & Tuscany
There are many hill top towns and points of interest in Umbria and nearby Tuscany and many more delightful destinations off the beaten track – most of which within a stone’s throw from Perugia. In fact, the only problem visitors will face is finding time to take it all in! If you have a day off or are looking to get out of town for the weekend, there is much to been seen in the area immediately surrounding Perugia without straying too far.
That said, there are basically four ways to get around Umbria and Tuscany depending on your destination. They include, TrenItalia, Sulga Buses, Umbria Rail (FCU), and car. Traveling is easy once you understand the different modes of transportation and which is better to use given certain destinations. For example, despite Italy’s extensive rail system, some places in Umbria are better reached by bus because of the region’s geographic make up.
First, select your destination(s) and check the following sites for departure and arrival times. If you plan to travel to a winery, bed and breakfast or an agriturismo for a few days, you will probably be best served by renting a car. Local trains and buses will get you to even the smallest towns, but not to remote wineries and farmhouses.
Below we have compiled a list of the some local destinations which can be visited in a single day. Click on them to download the itinerary from Perugia.
| • Assisi | • Cortona | |
| • Spoleto | • Urbino | |
| • Orvieto | • Gubbio …more to come! |
Trains (www.trenitalia.it)
The Ferrovia Statale (nationwide train lines) can get you almost any city that has a train station. For destinations within 50 miles, check the bus lines as well.
Trenitalia does have an English site, but note that it does not usually announce the railroad strikes. You can download a helpful map of the Italian train system here.
Umbria Rail – Ferrovia Centrale Umbra/FCU (www.fcu.it, then click Orari)
Ferrovia Centrale Umbra is the name for the local railways. The station is Santa Anna, just below Piazza Europa. These serve mostly as commuter trains for people who live outside Perugia. The destinations you can reach are: Umbertide, Città di Castello, Terni, Marciano, and most of the little towns between. There is a new service to Rome that departs at 7:30am daily.
APM Buses ExtraUrbane – Outside of Perugia
Buses daily from Perugia (Piazza Partigiani) to Gubbio, Gualdo Tadino, Marsciano, Bettona, Assisi, Deruta, Todi, Chiusi, Passignano, Castiglione del Lago, Orvieto and others. www.apmperugia.it (Click Orari then ExtraUrbane) This site also includes ferry times to the islands in Lago Trasimeno.
Sulga Buses (Blue Buses)
Buses daily from Perugia (Piazza Partigiani) to Rome, Fiumicino Airport, Naples, Pompeii, and Milan. www.sulga.it (Click on AutoLinee)
Spoletina
Buses daily from Perugia to Trevi, Foligno, Spoleto, Norcia, and many small towns in between. best used when to get to hard to reach obscure towns. For the main towns there are better alternatives. Check the lines at www.spoletina.com (Enter clicking English)
Car Rental
You can rent a car from the train station in Perugia. The car rental booths are just to the right if you are facing the station. Note: Nearly all cars have manual transmissions. Click Here for a list of companies and contact information.