jilllovestravel

For Ireland, I frequently saw fly/drive packages ... you are on your own, but get a package price covering the flight with car hire. Can anyone recommend such a source for Italy? That is where we'll head in 2015.

jilllovestravel

Nevermind folks. I did my due diligence and have found the info...

greg

I am presuming that you looked at a package price because you want to manage the cost? Your approach is relevant if you have already decided that a car is an integral part of the trip. However, there are several things particular to Italy in the area of transport.

The car rental is relatively expensive in Italy while train fares are cheap. In terms of cost, if the routes are served well by trains, you do not necessarily save money or time by driving.

Italian communities of various sizes come with no car entry zones. Some communities vigorously enforce this with ubiquitous cameras. The fines are very stiff and one ticket will blow away any savings you thought you achieved. Some claim it is possible to avoid these, the ZTL, but looking at the number of people coming to this forum what to do about the fines, the ZTLs snag a good part of people who assume one can just drive into Italian cities and towns like in other countries.

Many people assume that with a car, they can hit several towns on the way to somewhere else assuming they can just drive into towns, find a parking space, and start walking around. It does not always work that way at many places. For hill towns, you would likely have to park below the town level and take a long hike, a funicular, or bus, etc, up to the old town center.

kybourbon

There were a few companies that offered fly-n-drive (maybe Go-Today or Gate 1), but driving isn't practical in Italy unless you are going to the countryside. Many cities in Italy are restricted to residents and you aren't allowed to drive in the centers (ZTL). Even many small towns have restricted centers.

jilllovestravel

Thank you Greg and Kybourbon (I'm in Ohio). Your comments are truly helpful - shared information with me I had not yet come across even though have done quite a few hours of research.

kybourbon

In the cities such as Rome or Florence, you would have to park the car (30-40€ per day) since you can't drive in the centers. Cameras track cars crossing into the zones. They eventually track you down through the rental company which charges your credit card 30-40€ for providing your info to the police (it's in your rental contract) and then you get the actual ticket in the mail (100€ or more).

I remembered Virgin Vacations had a fly-n-drive.

http://www.virgin-vacations.com/

I don't usually recommend train passes for Italy as trains are cheap there, but there was a rail/car pass. I don't know if it's economical or not.

http://www.eurailtickets.com/pass.php?name=italydrive

If you list the cities you want to visit, we could better advise you on transport.

kybourbon

Seems like the rail/drive pass might not be available anymore.