JeannetteC

We'll be staying in Rome for three days and then going to Siena for a week. Our flight back to the U.S. leaves Rome at 10:30AM on a Thursday in August. Can we drive to the airport early Thursday morning through rush hour traffic to drop-off our car or should we plan on staying the night nearer the airport? If we stay in Rome, we'll want to drop off the car in Rome and then take a taxi to the airport. Is there another interesting town or city close to the airport where we could stay so we could drive ourselves to the airport and drop off the car? Thank you.

LJ

Staying in Rome is the ideal, though at a pinch you might try aiport hotels, ditch the car earlier and use the shuttles the hotels provide. I don't believe it would be possible to drop-off your car on Thursday AM, do the paperwork (this can take awhile), switch luggage, grab a cab and still make it to the airport by the reccomended 9am for an international flight. I don't believe the rental offices in downtown Rome would open that early...but I could be wrong.

Personally I would ditch the car, as soon as you get to Rome and enjoy your time in the city and just cab or train out to the airport the morning of...

bobthenavigator

Stay in Orvieto and get an early start that morning--2 hours to FCO.

Dali

There is a very nice Hilton hotel right at the airport. In fact, it is attached to the international travel area and you simply walk to your departure area in the morning. They have a free shuttle which takes you into Rome and picks you up many times during the day. Our flight leaves at 7AM, so we're dropping off our rental car the day before, staying at the Hilton, taking the shuttle into Rome for the day, and having the convenience of being right at the airport early in the morning without worrying about taxis, traffic, etc.

eri

We did it twice from San Gimignano which is 30 min drive more than from Siena. From my experience it will take you about 4 hours from Siena to the airport (without stopping and with taking into account the heavy morning traffic). You will have to leave Siena at 4 AM in the morning! Dropping off the car in the airport takes just a few minutes.
If you feel that getting up so early in the morning is too much for you, you might consider getting closer to the airpot. I wouldn't stay in Rome. Too much hustle for 1 night. Orvieto is a better idea, and one of the airport hotels even better.

tahuey

Can you please tell me with whom you rented your car and what they charged? We need a car for a week in July, and I'm just starting to research it. Any assistance you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Traveler2

To Dali: We are also staying at the Rome Hilton Airport. Have you stayed there before? Glad to hear about the shuttles they have. We will drop our car off the day we get into Rome now that I know we will have no problem getting to the city.

We are flying on American Airlines I hope we do not have too far to walk from the hotel.

JeannetteC

To tahuey: We haven't rented the car yet but last year we rented from Autoeurope (over the internet) in France and got a great rate and everything went smoothly. We'll go with Autoeurope again. One of the reasons I have rented yet is I want to be able to tell them where I want to pick up and drop off the car. We'll be in Rome for three days at the start of the trip so I'll ask to pick up at a central Rome location and drive out to Siena. I'm still uncertain whether to return the car to the airport or in the center of Rome.