car and train travel in France and Italy
Mar 28th, 2011, 10:53 PM
#1
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car and train travel in France and Italy
we are 2 aussies in our late fifties about to embark on a trip to France and Italy. We plan to pick up a car at Paris airport, drive to the Chateaus in Amboise and then drive south to Nimes or thereabouts. Drop off the car at Nimes and then travel by train to Venice. Is it worth paying the extra dollars for first class?
Then once in Venice, take a train to Siena, pick up a car and drive to Greve whereby Tuscany will be discovered on a daily basis.Then it is off to the Amalfi coast and then back to Rome to fly back home.
Trying to find out where car hire places are situated as well as train timetables in both countries is rather troublesome. I am hoping someone can give me good directions to solve my problems.
Then once in Venice, take a train to Siena, pick up a car and drive to Greve whereby Tuscany will be discovered on a daily basis.Then it is off to the Amalfi coast and then back to Rome to fly back home.
Trying to find out where car hire places are situated as well as train timetables in both countries is rather troublesome. I am hoping someone can give me good directions to solve my problems.
Mar 29th, 2011, 03:49 AM
#2
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have done your jouren by car and train prefer train
seat61.com less hassle just hop on go wherever
www.renaulteurodrive.com.au
www.viamichelin.com
cheapest eaiest car hire but big parking charges
in cities like venice.
Rental interuptus too many drop off charges will be
expensvie do one or the other...
Have fun,
seat61.com less hassle just hop on go wherever
www.renaulteurodrive.com.au
www.viamichelin.com
cheapest eaiest car hire but big parking charges
in cities like venice.
Rental interuptus too many drop off charges will be
expensvie do one or the other...
Have fun,
Mar 29th, 2011, 03:51 AM
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Use www.bahn.de to find train times from Nimes to Venice. This is the all-Europe online train timetable provided by the Germans. It handles long multi-leg international journeys better than the French and Italian sites!
Then use www.tgv-europe.com to check fares or buy tickets for any train starting in France (saying you're from Canada if you're from the USA to avoid being bumped to Rail Europe) and www.trenitalia.com to book any train starting at an Italian station.
Then use www.tgv-europe.com to check fares or buy tickets for any train starting in France (saying you're from Canada if you're from the USA to avoid being bumped to Rail Europe) and www.trenitalia.com to book any train starting at an Italian station.
Mar 29th, 2011, 04:08 AM
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The 1st class will give you more space for your legs, I think you may appreciate it. If you buy your train tickets in advance, you might be able to get a price for 1st class tickets that will be not very higher than the 2nd class.
Train timetables in France: http://www.voyages-sncf.com/billet-t..._4D483B3BA8380
Train timetables in Italy: http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...0080a3e90aRCRD
Train timetables in France: http://www.voyages-sncf.com/billet-t..._4D483B3BA8380
Train timetables in Italy: http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...0080a3e90aRCRD
Apr 4th, 2011, 09:44 AM
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. Is it worth paying the extra dollars for first class?
Decades of incessant European rail travel tell me that for the average American traveler on the trip of a lifetime will find first class in general much more relaxed than 2nd class - especially if toting around very much luggage - lots more empty seats in first class and they are significantly larger as there are 3 first class seats in the space of 4 in 2nd class - but more empty seats is the key to me - I often put my luggage on an adjoining empty seat in first class but in 2nd you are often fighting for space in an already crowded overhead luggage rack or have to leave it in luggage racks by the doorways - which I am never comfortable doing.
Anyways for lots of great info on European trains I always spotlight these fines info-laden sites - www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.seat61.conm - Man in Seat 61 who posted above's commercial site. And yes use www.bahn.de - the German Railways all-European scheduling site for any train schedules.
Decades of incessant European rail travel tell me that for the average American traveler on the trip of a lifetime will find first class in general much more relaxed than 2nd class - especially if toting around very much luggage - lots more empty seats in first class and they are significantly larger as there are 3 first class seats in the space of 4 in 2nd class - but more empty seats is the key to me - I often put my luggage on an adjoining empty seat in first class but in 2nd you are often fighting for space in an already crowded overhead luggage rack or have to leave it in luggage racks by the doorways - which I am never comfortable doing.
Anyways for lots of great info on European trains I always spotlight these fines info-laden sites - www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.seat61.conm - Man in Seat 61 who posted above's commercial site. And yes use www.bahn.de - the German Railways all-European scheduling site for any train schedules.
Apr 4th, 2011, 09:44 AM
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. Is it worth paying the extra dollars for first class?
Decades of incessant European rail travel tell me that for the average American traveler on the trip of a lifetime will find first class in general much more relaxed than 2nd class - especially if toting around very much luggage - lots more empty seats in first class and they are significantly larger as there are 3 first class seats in the space of 4 in 2nd class - but more empty seats is the key to me - I often put my luggage on an adjoining empty seat in first class but in 2nd you are often fighting for space in an already crowded overhead luggage rack or have to leave it in luggage racks by the doorways - which I am never comfortable doing.
Anyways for lots of great info on European trains I always spotlight these fines info-laden sites - www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.seat61.conm - Man in Seat 61 who posted above's commercial site. And yes use www.bahn.de - the German Railways all-European scheduling site for any train schedules.
Decades of incessant European rail travel tell me that for the average American traveler on the trip of a lifetime will find first class in general much more relaxed than 2nd class - especially if toting around very much luggage - lots more empty seats in first class and they are significantly larger as there are 3 first class seats in the space of 4 in 2nd class - but more empty seats is the key to me - I often put my luggage on an adjoining empty seat in first class but in 2nd you are often fighting for space in an already crowded overhead luggage rack or have to leave it in luggage racks by the doorways - which I am never comfortable doing.
Anyways for lots of great info on European trains I always spotlight these fines info-laden sites - www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.seat61.conm - Man in Seat 61 who posted above's commercial site. And yes use www.bahn.de - the German Railways all-European scheduling site for any train schedules.
Apr 4th, 2011, 12:34 PM
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Then once in Venice, take a train to Siena,>
the best way IMO would be to take a train to Florence's Santa Maria Novella (SMN) station and then go to the bus station next door and hop the zillions of buses constantly going to Siena - for a few euros and much quicker than Florence to Siena trains which take a round about route and then dump you off at the bottom of the hill Siena regally crowns - the bus will take you most of the way up and into the old town above.
Buses take no reservations and they always accomodat IME anyone showing up - and there are up to several buses an hour usually.
the best way IMO would be to take a train to Florence's Santa Maria Novella (SMN) station and then go to the bus station next door and hop the zillions of buses constantly going to Siena - for a few euros and much quicker than Florence to Siena trains which take a round about route and then dump you off at the bottom of the hill Siena regally crowns - the bus will take you most of the way up and into the old town above.
Buses take no reservations and they always accomodat IME anyone showing up - and there are up to several buses an hour usually.
Apr 4th, 2011, 03:20 PM
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You don't mention how long your trip is going to be.
If you intend spending several weeks for your total trip, consider one of the French lease-back cars for the whole trip, instead of using trains. The cost is high for the first 17 days or so, but then becomes incredibly cheap after that. A big advantage is total insurance and roadside service.
I'm also an Aussie. We used the Renault system twice. In 2003 we picked up a Clio from Nice and drove 11000km over nine weeks and several countries, returning it in Paris with slight damage. Cost was about AU$30 per day; no insurance problems for the damage. In 2006 we picked the Clio up in Barcelona and returned it in Paris again; over six weeks it was about AU$40 per day. You'd have to check for current rates, but they should be good the way our dollar is going against the euro.
This is the Renault site, there are similar sites for Peugeot and Citroen: http://www.renault-eurodrive.com/
If you intend spending several weeks for your total trip, consider one of the French lease-back cars for the whole trip, instead of using trains. The cost is high for the first 17 days or so, but then becomes incredibly cheap after that. A big advantage is total insurance and roadside service.
I'm also an Aussie. We used the Renault system twice. In 2003 we picked up a Clio from Nice and drove 11000km over nine weeks and several countries, returning it in Paris with slight damage. Cost was about AU$30 per day; no insurance problems for the damage. In 2006 we picked the Clio up in Barcelona and returned it in Paris again; over six weeks it was about AU$40 per day. You'd have to check for current rates, but they should be good the way our dollar is going against the euro.
This is the Renault site, there are similar sites for Peugeot and Citroen: http://www.renault-eurodrive.com/
Apr 4th, 2011, 03:38 PM
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If you want to drive in Italy the Renault or Peugeot programs won't work well. There seems to be an issue with driving in Italy and Ireland.
I like your combination of train and rental car. I also think PalenQ gave you good advise about the bus to Siena vs train. (It isn't very far and it is a pretty ride).
I'm assuming this is a long-ish trip as most Aussies or Kiwis we've met while in Europe make it a long trip! Your flight to get there is worse than from the States!
I like your combination of train and rental car. I also think PalenQ gave you good advise about the bus to Siena vs train. (It isn't very far and it is a pretty ride).
I'm assuming this is a long-ish trip as most Aussies or Kiwis we've met while in Europe make it a long trip! Your flight to get there is worse than from the States!
Apr 4th, 2011, 07:31 PM
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"If you want to drive in Italy the Renault or Peugeot programs won't work well. There seems to be an issue with driving in Italy and Ireland."
Unless the rules have changed the only limitations are insurance. On our first trip in '03 we drove through France, Italy, Greece, Austria, Czech, Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Nederlands but were not covered in some of the ex-iron curtain countries.
On the second trip in '06 we did some of those again but they had changed the rules to allow new countries so we added Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland.
I didn't use Eurodrive in Eire. We used rental cars there; the insurance there can be horrendous and was twice the price of the rental.
Unless the rules have changed the only limitations are insurance. On our first trip in '03 we drove through France, Italy, Greece, Austria, Czech, Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Nederlands but were not covered in some of the ex-iron curtain countries.
On the second trip in '06 we did some of those again but they had changed the rules to allow new countries so we added Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland.
I didn't use Eurodrive in Eire. We used rental cars there; the insurance there can be horrendous and was twice the price of the rental.
Apr 4th, 2011, 07:49 PM
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Parking in Mestre was cheap when we were in Venice, something like 5€ a day, definitely not more than 10€. But that was quite a few years ago.
If you are allowed to carry the CDW on your credit card (are only U.S. residents given this option?), then Kemwel or AutoEurope would be the cheapest option if you choose the basic rate. However, you generally will have to pay for a RR station or airport pickup, because in town pick-ups are usually with companies that charge a one-way fee which is considerably higher than the RR station pick-up fee. There is no charge for RR station or airport drop-off. This applies to rentals in France.
I've had good luck with economycarrentals.com in Italy where the basic option is not available. This company offers good rates with no excess. Kemwel and AutoEurope are usually more expensive and there is a deductible, aka excess, which is covered only by paying more for a super-CDW coverage.
There is no problem in driving a lease car in Italy; in fact, one can pick up such a car in Milan and Rome, but with a hefty delivery fee. A French rental, on the other hand, probably cannot be the basic rental mentioned in the first paragraph because the credit card generally will not carry the insurance in Italy.
If you are allowed to carry the CDW on your credit card (are only U.S. residents given this option?), then Kemwel or AutoEurope would be the cheapest option if you choose the basic rate. However, you generally will have to pay for a RR station or airport pickup, because in town pick-ups are usually with companies that charge a one-way fee which is considerably higher than the RR station pick-up fee. There is no charge for RR station or airport drop-off. This applies to rentals in France.
I've had good luck with economycarrentals.com in Italy where the basic option is not available. This company offers good rates with no excess. Kemwel and AutoEurope are usually more expensive and there is a deductible, aka excess, which is covered only by paying more for a super-CDW coverage.
There is no problem in driving a lease car in Italy; in fact, one can pick up such a car in Milan and Rome, but with a hefty delivery fee. A French rental, on the other hand, probably cannot be the basic rental mentioned in the first paragraph because the credit card generally will not carry the insurance in Italy.
Apr 4th, 2011, 08:00 PM
#13
>>>but in 2nd you are often fighting for space in an already crowded overhead luggage rack or have to leave it in luggage racks by the doorways - which I am never comfortable doing.<<<
Never had to do that as there is space behind your seat on the fast trains that will hold large pieces.
>>>for a few euros and much quicker than Florence to Siena trains which take a round about route and then dump you off at the bottom of the hill Siena regally crowns - the bus will take you most of the way up and into the old town above.<<<
A good idea IF you are picking your car up in the center or staying in the center. If you are picking it up near the train station, then taking the train will be much easier as you won't have to leave the station in Florence. The travel time is only 15 minutes difference between bus or train and cost is the same (about 6€).
Never had to do that as there is space behind your seat on the fast trains that will hold large pieces.
>>>for a few euros and much quicker than Florence to Siena trains which take a round about route and then dump you off at the bottom of the hill Siena regally crowns - the bus will take you most of the way up and into the old town above.<<<
A good idea IF you are picking your car up in the center or staying in the center. If you are picking it up near the train station, then taking the train will be much easier as you won't have to leave the station in Florence. The travel time is only 15 minutes difference between bus or train and cost is the same (about 6€).
