Advice on Car Drop off and Departure Airport after Tuscany
Jan 15th, 2011, 02:37 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Advice on Car Drop off and Departure Airport after Tuscany
Buona sera! My wife and I are making our first trip to Italy (and Europe for that matter). We are spending 8 nights on an organized tour group with Adventures By Disney starting in Rome, then Florence, and ending in Venice where typically you would just fly home from there at the end of the trip.
However, my wife and I are extending our adventure by staying an additional 4 nights back down in the Tuscany region on our own. While we are definitely renting a car at the end of the ABD trip, I have not yet decided whether to pick up a rental car in Venice and drive back to Tuscany or Eurorail to somewhere closer to where we are going then pick up a car there somewhere. We are looking to stay 4 nights around the southern Tuscany area, most likely around Montalcino somewhere. Any opinions on renting in Venice and driving back to southern Tuscany or Eurorailing closer to where we are going THEN renting a car would be appreciated.
More importantly, I am looking for opinions on best plan for choosing where to return our rental car and fly out of on our last day considering we'll be in southern Tuscany area. I'm thinking dropping the rental car off in Florence and flying out of there may be the best option, but I know Pisa also has an airport. Or is it better to return all the way to Rome for any reason the more of departure to fly back to the states.
Thanks for your opinions and advice, they are appreciated.
Jim
However, my wife and I are extending our adventure by staying an additional 4 nights back down in the Tuscany region on our own. While we are definitely renting a car at the end of the ABD trip, I have not yet decided whether to pick up a rental car in Venice and drive back to Tuscany or Eurorail to somewhere closer to where we are going then pick up a car there somewhere. We are looking to stay 4 nights around the southern Tuscany area, most likely around Montalcino somewhere. Any opinions on renting in Venice and driving back to southern Tuscany or Eurorailing closer to where we are going THEN renting a car would be appreciated.
More importantly, I am looking for opinions on best plan for choosing where to return our rental car and fly out of on our last day considering we'll be in southern Tuscany area. I'm thinking dropping the rental car off in Florence and flying out of there may be the best option, but I know Pisa also has an airport. Or is it better to return all the way to Rome for any reason the more of departure to fly back to the states.
Thanks for your opinions and advice, they are appreciated.
Jim
Jan 15th, 2011, 03:04 PM
#2
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 613
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi Jim -
You can certainly pick up your rental car in Venice at Piazale Roma [sp] and drive to Southern Tuscany. The drive is pleasant and not complex in terms of directions (GPS will also help). You can train to Chiusi and pick up your rental there but then you are paying double: for the train ride a.nd the rental on the same day.
With regard to dropping off your car, again, you can drop off in Chiusi and then train to wherever you will fly home from. Do check re rental office's business hours. You could also drive the rental to the airport in Rome (pretty easy, 2 1/2 hour drive), return the car and hop on your flight, but you can only do it with an afternoon departure from Rome.
For your rental car needs, be sure to consult brokers, Auto Europe of Kemwel (google these outfits), for good rates and service.
You can certainly pick up your rental car in Venice at Piazale Roma [sp] and drive to Southern Tuscany. The drive is pleasant and not complex in terms of directions (GPS will also help). You can train to Chiusi and pick up your rental there but then you are paying double: for the train ride a.nd the rental on the same day.
With regard to dropping off your car, again, you can drop off in Chiusi and then train to wherever you will fly home from. Do check re rental office's business hours. You could also drive the rental to the airport in Rome (pretty easy, 2 1/2 hour drive), return the car and hop on your flight, but you can only do it with an afternoon departure from Rome.
For your rental car needs, be sure to consult brokers, Auto Europe of Kemwel (google these outfits), for good rates and service.
Jan 15th, 2011, 03:05 PM
#3
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 576
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A little of this depends how much you like to drive and see the countryside and how comfortable your are driving.
Venice to Florence via car or train is about 3 or so hours. From Florence to southern Tuscany is 2 or 3 hours depending on your route.
If you train into Florence and pick up your car you will have to drive out of Florence. That is not impossible but you need courage and a really good navigator. You could also change trains in Florence and get a car closer to Montalcino Autoeurope.com is in my opinion the best car rental company and they have a pickup in Arezzo.
If you get your car in Venice it is a pretty easy drive and you might get used to the signs and traffic before Tuscany. (not that it is harder there). The Autostrada skirts Florence and you can stay on A1 until Montelcupliano or you can take the Siena Certaldo exit and head south on the S2. All in all an easy drive.
Really honestly we usually drive but that is because we do not like to slog the luggage around. Not at all a hard drive and you get to see some pretty country.
As to flying out. Pick the best airfare. Rome, Florence or Pisa are all pretty convient. Use google map for your distances.
Venice to Florence via car or train is about 3 or so hours. From Florence to southern Tuscany is 2 or 3 hours depending on your route.
If you train into Florence and pick up your car you will have to drive out of Florence. That is not impossible but you need courage and a really good navigator. You could also change trains in Florence and get a car closer to Montalcino Autoeurope.com is in my opinion the best car rental company and they have a pickup in Arezzo.
If you get your car in Venice it is a pretty easy drive and you might get used to the signs and traffic before Tuscany. (not that it is harder there). The Autostrada skirts Florence and you can stay on A1 until Montelcupliano or you can take the Siena Certaldo exit and head south on the S2. All in all an easy drive.
Really honestly we usually drive but that is because we do not like to slog the luggage around. Not at all a hard drive and you get to see some pretty country.
As to flying out. Pick the best airfare. Rome, Florence or Pisa are all pretty convient. Use google map for your distances.
Jan 15th, 2011, 03:36 PM
#4
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 629
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We did just as you were planning in May and stayed in Montepulciano, picking up the car after a cruise into/out of Venice. We dropped off car in Rome - catching a late morning flight, but leaving very early the morning of the flight. so this is doable, and cost of airfare should drive your decision. If you do go to Rome, be advised there are no signs for rental return, instead you follow signs for "covered parking" and then once approaching the parking garages, you'll then see sign for rental companies. Rome strikes me as worser even then CDG or ATL for being traveler hostile, but once on the airplane, all is well.
The Drive is nice however, the autostrada from Bologna to florence si very curvy, so understand that you'll need a leisurely pace or subject your passengers to some risk of motion sickness. The scenery is wonderful, however, so if you feel adventuresome, driving is my recommendation.
The Drive is nice however, the autostrada from Bologna to florence si very curvy, so understand that you'll need a leisurely pace or subject your passengers to some risk of motion sickness. The scenery is wonderful, however, so if you feel adventuresome, driving is my recommendation.
Jan 15th, 2011, 04:26 PM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,525
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would drive it---why mix your transport.
Your flight logistics will dictate your return options. Rome will give you a ton more choices, so I will assume that. We plan to stay at the airport and return the car there the nite before, but again your flight times amy dictate.
Your flight logistics will dictate your return options. Rome will give you a ton more choices, so I will assume that. We plan to stay at the airport and return the car there the nite before, but again your flight times amy dictate.
Jan 21st, 2011, 08:38 PM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 629
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"We plan to stay at the airport and return the car there the nite before, but again your flight times may dictate."
If flying out of Rome, and If that can fit into your plans, that is definitely a reasonable, low stress, option worth considering. There seems to be a nice Hilton right at the airport if you can afford.
If flying out of Rome, and If that can fit into your plans, that is definitely a reasonable, low stress, option worth considering. There seems to be a nice Hilton right at the airport if you can afford.
Jan 22nd, 2011, 04:49 AM
#7
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 363
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Buon Giorno Mirthrindr:
If you aren't worried about drop-off charges, which you will incur by renting at one location and returning at another, then the easiest thing to do would be to start your rental in Venice and return the car in Rome. Flying out of Rome (or Milan, but that's nowhere close to where you'll be) gives you the easiest options for direct flights back to the U.S. (and I'm assuming that's your starting point). If you fly out of Florence or Pisa, you'll probably have to connect through Rome or Paris, and you'll likely have to fly out much earlier in the morning to do so. Car drop-off in Rome is fairly routine. If you get to the airport in Rome early enough on the day before your return flight and your return flight is in the late morning (11:00 or so), consider going back into the city for your last night. The Airport Hilton, although comfortable and very conveniently located, is so faceless that it's like your vacation has ended. Also, you have no neighborhood outside your doors. Alternately, you could stay about an hour's drive north of the airport if you drive in along the coastal road (SS1/E80/A12) at Tarquinia or Civitavecchia, if you want a more pleasant final evening in Italy. Choose the Hilton, however, if you're flying out early. BTW, I think their rates are lower on weekends than weekdays.
Italian highway driving on the Autostrada isn't vastly different than driving in the states. The main difference is that when cars pass you, they come up to within a few yards of your bumper, then move into the passing lane, and then cut back in front of you. Not all drivers pass that way, but for some, it seems as if they're playing a game to collect points by passing cars with the least possible amount of time spent in the passing lane. Drivers doing that, however, always seemed to have good control, so after a while you get used to it. The roadside stops on the autostrada may not have food that you'd write home about, but it's considerably more interesting than in the US, and most of them have sections devoted to the sale of regional specialties. And the espresso is a great pick-me-up after a few hours of driving.
If you're driving in the countryside and relying on maps rather than GPS, try to know the names of the towns you will be passing through (or near) to get to your destination. Number markers for small highways are hard to find, sometimes posted at street level (or not at all), but you will find directional signs that list all the places you will be going through when you come to intersections or roundabouts.
One caveat: if you do drive into big cities, watch out for the limited access zones. These are patrolled by cameras, and you may find that, if you venture into one of these without a special permit tag, the authorities will track you down through your rental company and send you a whopping fine (about 100 Euros). The cameras won't get everyone, but they're hard to avoid. A friend was following me into Florence in 2009, and my car was caught by the cameras (twice!) and his wasn't. An earlier poster mentioned the difficulty of driving into and out of Florence. I didn't think it was too difficult (although it was a bit slow), but it was practically impossible to avoid the restricted areas, as they are not clearly marked. The only way you can contest the ticket is to prove you stayed in a hotel in that district. Florence is most notorious for these districts, but of other locations in Tuscany, I think you'll find them only in a small portion of Arezzo. I haven't encountered such zones in Siena (although one typically walks from outside the city walls into the old town), and they certainly aren't present in small places like Montalcino or Pienza. There are some such zones in Bologna, but in that city, they seem to be more clearly delineated.
Enjoy your travels
If you aren't worried about drop-off charges, which you will incur by renting at one location and returning at another, then the easiest thing to do would be to start your rental in Venice and return the car in Rome. Flying out of Rome (or Milan, but that's nowhere close to where you'll be) gives you the easiest options for direct flights back to the U.S. (and I'm assuming that's your starting point). If you fly out of Florence or Pisa, you'll probably have to connect through Rome or Paris, and you'll likely have to fly out much earlier in the morning to do so. Car drop-off in Rome is fairly routine. If you get to the airport in Rome early enough on the day before your return flight and your return flight is in the late morning (11:00 or so), consider going back into the city for your last night. The Airport Hilton, although comfortable and very conveniently located, is so faceless that it's like your vacation has ended. Also, you have no neighborhood outside your doors. Alternately, you could stay about an hour's drive north of the airport if you drive in along the coastal road (SS1/E80/A12) at Tarquinia or Civitavecchia, if you want a more pleasant final evening in Italy. Choose the Hilton, however, if you're flying out early. BTW, I think their rates are lower on weekends than weekdays.
Italian highway driving on the Autostrada isn't vastly different than driving in the states. The main difference is that when cars pass you, they come up to within a few yards of your bumper, then move into the passing lane, and then cut back in front of you. Not all drivers pass that way, but for some, it seems as if they're playing a game to collect points by passing cars with the least possible amount of time spent in the passing lane. Drivers doing that, however, always seemed to have good control, so after a while you get used to it. The roadside stops on the autostrada may not have food that you'd write home about, but it's considerably more interesting than in the US, and most of them have sections devoted to the sale of regional specialties. And the espresso is a great pick-me-up after a few hours of driving.
If you're driving in the countryside and relying on maps rather than GPS, try to know the names of the towns you will be passing through (or near) to get to your destination. Number markers for small highways are hard to find, sometimes posted at street level (or not at all), but you will find directional signs that list all the places you will be going through when you come to intersections or roundabouts.
One caveat: if you do drive into big cities, watch out for the limited access zones. These are patrolled by cameras, and you may find that, if you venture into one of these without a special permit tag, the authorities will track you down through your rental company and send you a whopping fine (about 100 Euros). The cameras won't get everyone, but they're hard to avoid. A friend was following me into Florence in 2009, and my car was caught by the cameras (twice!) and his wasn't. An earlier poster mentioned the difficulty of driving into and out of Florence. I didn't think it was too difficult (although it was a bit slow), but it was practically impossible to avoid the restricted areas, as they are not clearly marked. The only way you can contest the ticket is to prove you stayed in a hotel in that district. Florence is most notorious for these districts, but of other locations in Tuscany, I think you'll find them only in a small portion of Arezzo. I haven't encountered such zones in Siena (although one typically walks from outside the city walls into the old town), and they certainly aren't present in small places like Montalcino or Pienza. There are some such zones in Bologna, but in that city, they seem to be more clearly delineated.
Enjoy your travels
Jan 22nd, 2011, 07:13 AM
#11
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 363
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Point of information, StCirq...it wasn't actually drop-off charges that I paid with a drop-off in a different town, it was just a higher daily rate. That wasn't Italy however. Does that not apply in Italy?
Jan 22nd, 2011, 07:32 AM
#12
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 49,560
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've rented dozens of cars in Italy, picking them up in one place and dropping them off in another and never paid a higher rate for that. Same in France. There is sometimes an extra charge for pickup or drop-off at an airport, but other than that, no extra charges or increases in daily rate.
Jan 22nd, 2011, 08:08 AM
#13
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 22,986
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If picking up the car in Venice, make a little detour to Ravenna for the mosaics.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7622914503405/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7622914503405/
Jan 22nd, 2011, 12:25 PM
#14
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,253
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
kybourbon,
I can't find Delta's nonstop Pisa-JFK flight on the current schedule. Is there another you airline flying this route? Delta's nonstop Venice-JFK is currently flying four days a week. (Just booked it yesterday!)
I can't find Delta's nonstop Pisa-JFK flight on the current schedule. Is there another you airline flying this route? Delta's nonstop Venice-JFK is currently flying four days a week. (Just booked it yesterday!)
Jun 12th, 2011, 06:07 PM
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A very belated thank you for all the replies folks, it is much appreciated.
We have decided to rent the car in Venice and drive the Tuscan countryside back down to Montalcino for 2 nights, over to Cortona for 1 night, then back up to Florence for our final night before departing for the US mid-morning next day (with said connection in Paris, but from there non-stop to our home town).
Thanks
Jim
We have decided to rent the car in Venice and drive the Tuscan countryside back down to Montalcino for 2 nights, over to Cortona for 1 night, then back up to Florence for our final night before departing for the US mid-morning next day (with said connection in Paris, but from there non-stop to our home town).
Thanks
Jim
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
cobbie
Europe
9
Nov 29th, 2009 02:12 PM
