Car or train Rome to 5-Terre?
 

We will spend 4 days in the CT area in early May. Still haven't decided if we will stay in Camogli, SML, or Levanto/Monterosso area.

We need to get to FCO for a 2:30 pm flight and I am concerned about getting there on time via train. It looks like 7:30 am to 1:00 pm from Levanto which cuts it a little too close for me.

I'm perfectly fine with renting a car and have driven in Italy previously.

1. Is it straightforward to return the car at FCO?

2. How long a drive from Camogli (worst case) or Levanto (best case) to FCO?

3. Will the car be too much of a liability (I'm ok with not using it much while in CT area)?

4. Am I correct about the train or do you think there is a better/quicker way to train it to FCO?

Thank you so much for any help!

CB

Hi C,

I suggest returning to Rome and spending the night before your flight there.

((I))

funny - my wife just suggested the exact same thing

thx,
CB

Levanto to Rome is a 4-5 hour train trip; and you still need another 1/2 hour to get to FCO.
I would not attempt to make it in time using public transport.
I would book a room in Rome for the last night and enjoy the last afternoon and night in Rome. Have a nice dinner and take a nice long walk around Rome to see the many sites lit up at night.
I wouldn't bother renting a car either. Take the train to CT and then back to Rome. That way you don't have to mess with parking and returning it.

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Thanks for the advice.

I think I will take Yours and Ira's suggestion and go to Rome the night before. We are actually spending 2 nights in Rome before going to CT, then on the 5th we fly to Paris for 5 nights. Another night in Rome is ok by me. With this itinerary, I feel more comfortable taking the train aan will probably skip renting a car. I may even try to move up our flight to Paris so we can spend more of the afternoon there on the 5th.

Thanks for all the helpful advice,
CB

Can you switch your two other days in Rome to after CT so you could put all the Rome days together (and have one less hotel change)?

ellenem - That's not a bad idea.

We arrive in Rome on 30 Apr where we link up with our daughter who is doing her Spring semester abroad. We were going to spend 2 nights in Rome, then onto CT for 3 nights before spending another night in Rome before flying to Paris.

If we shift the 3 days in CT to the left by 1 day, we probably get 2 "better" days in Rome before leaving for Paris without compromising the CT trip.

I am thinking seriously about it.

Thanks much,
CB

Today, I plan to check and see if I can change our flight to Paris so we leave from Pisa (or maybe Genoa, although it's more expensive) instead of Rome.

Then we can restore our 4th night in the CT since it's a quick train ride to either airport that we can easily do the morning of the flight.

Comments would be greatly appreciated.

thx,
CB

You might also look at taking a train from Genova to Nice to Paris. It would be a long day, but you would end up in central Paris rather than at the airport. Much better than backtracing to Rome. It might be just as cheap to fly - but then you have to get into the city somehow.

you know, I initially wanted to train it to Paris and was surprised at how long it takes. That's why we went with the flights. They're non-refundabe so the train to Paris is out.

I went ahead today and changed to Pisa to Paris flights at 1800 so we have plenty of time to get from the CT to Pisa via train.

Thanks again,
CB