reb77

We are arriving in florence novella train station from US. Is it advisable to rent from Borgo OgniSanti road? We are not expert drivers and want to avoid driving in the city. Is there a better option where we can rent on outskirts of the city and just drive away to tuscany?

Jean

Well, you're not arriving at the train station "from the U.S." Where and how, exactly, are you arriving?

And where will you be driving after you pick up the car?

Jean

Sorry, I missed the bit about driving to Tuscany. If you're not staying in the Florence city center, you can pick up a car at the train station, but the rates may be more competitive if you picked up the car at the Florence airport. There is a bus from the train station to the airport, or you can take a taxi. If you rent at the train station, make sure you get detailed instructions for a driving route out of the city that will eliminate the chance of violating the limited traffic zone (ZTL) for which you could receive an expensive ticket.

But where is your train coming from? There might be a point along the way where you could get off the train, rent a car, and avoid the Florence area altogether.

reb77

We are coming from Venice and arriving at Novella station, we have already booked tickets. We surely want to avoid all ZLT and city traffic. So if we rent from the airport, is the drive to tuscany straightforward? As in, is the airport located outside main city traffic and ZLT zones? Can we rent and be on the highway quickly without any issue.

StCirq

If you are going to be driving in Tuscany you're going to need to consult a map. I would get one now, before you travel, so you can see where the airport is, where the train station is, and plot this all out ahead of time. There is no logical reason to go into traveling around Italy blindly, without knowing in advance what you are facing. The airport isn't going to be in a ZTL zone for obvious reasons, but if you google you can find out where those zones are so you can avoid them, no matter where you begin your car travel.

Jean

I would rent the car as you're leaving Venice, and then head directly to your Tuscany destination.

reb77

Even if i was going to chianti area?

reb77

obviously we will get a map or GPS. I am just trying to figure out the easiest place to rent a car to avoid city traffic.

Jean

Too bad you've already purchased the train tickets from Venice to Florence.

Consider: The drive from Venice to, say, the Siena area would take nearly 4 hours. The train from Venice to Florence would take nearly 2.5 hours, then taxi to airport 30 minutes, then drive to Siena area at least 1 hour, so a minimum of 4 hours but involving 3 steps instead of one. Renting the car at the Florence train station reduces the overall time by a few minutes but increases the ZTL risk. As with most airports, the highway is just a few turns away, whereas starting at the train station involves traversing a part of the city. If your final destination is farther south, say to the Pienza area, the argument for driving from Venice makes even more sense. But if you're headed to Lucca, the Florence airport is in the same direction from the train station.

Jean

I was typing while your Chianti reference was posted....

I'd still prefer to drive from Venice, just to avoid Florence and the additional steps involved (train/taxi/drive+ZTL v. just drive).

FYI, every town you're likely to visit in Chianti/Tuscany has a ZTL. Once you get the hang of exploring in this area, it's fairly easy to avoid driving into them. As you approach a town, look for the P for parking signs and just go ahead and park. Some towns only have one lot; larger towns might have more than one so you could research a bit before you arrive to know which lot is better for your sightseeing plans. But do become familiar with the signage for the ZTLs in the event you somehow miss the parking signs.

https://www.italybeyondtheobvious.co...with-ztl-zones

(Note the comment that GPS doesn't recognize ZTL and may send you right into one.)

greytop13

We have rented from that office through AutoEurope. They were very helpful mapping out our route out of Florence so as to avoid the ZTL. Our problem was getting back to the office when we returned the car. I should have had them plot that for us when we picked up the car, but we made it okay.

The train ticket is already purchased, so best to move on from there. You don't say where you'll be going in Chianti, but if Siena is in your plans, you could just take the train from Florence (same station) and head to Siena. Renting and driving from Siena may be a whole lot less stressful for first-timers than figuring out Florence. A Google search shows there's a Hertz office within ten minutes walking from the Siena railway station.

eastave

My husband still talks about driving out of Florence with our rental car 15 years ago. We didn't have to worry about ZTL, but also didn't have GPS. It was crazy, and he is comfortable driving in big US cities. Since then, we have gotten cars at the airport. The Florence airport is outside of town and it is easy to get in and out. It might be better to take a train out of Florence and get a car in a small place, but then you have to make sure you are arriving when the smaller town rental offices are open.

Jean

If you don't want to toss the already purchased train ticket, you could add a train ride.... Florence to Siena. There's a Hertz office within walking distance of the Siena train station and a few other companies within a short cab ride distance of the station. Hertz is outside the ZTL and close to the highway. I'm not sure about the others. The train fare Florence-Siena would be cheaper than a taxi to the Florence airport, and you'd be starting your drive much closer to your final destination.

But this plan wouldn't work if you arrived Siena on a Saturday afternoon or on Sunday when rental offices are closed. (The Florence airport rental offices are open nearly 24/7.)

PalenQ

Take train few minutes from Florence SMN north to Florence Rifredi station with car rentals there probably and outside any no-go zone. Your train may stop at Rifredi just before SMN when coming from Venice.

Jean

There are no major car rental companies with offices near the Rifredi station, but the station is only about 5 kms. from the airport. But if you don't want to take the train to Siena to rent there (or can't because of the timing), I think a taxi from the S.M. Novella train station to the airport makes more sense than train+tax via Rifredii.

Toucan

May I offer some good advice that I hope you will accept? Please do not go all the way out to the airport just to rent a car! And please have Google maps (or equivalent active mapping app) on your phone. A ten minute walk from the train station you will find many different car rental companies all located on the same block of the street named Borgo Ognissanti. They share a large garage, very much like an airport car rental center. But the best part, it is literally less than 1/2 mile and you are out of the city center and into the countryside! I rented from Avis at this location Borgo Ognissanti, 128, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy. It was one street from the river and once you cross the bridge it's very easy to escape the city. Another tip, as you leave the city behind watch for Police on the roadside! They stand next to the road with radar detectors and motion you to pull over if you are speeding. I was speeding and was pulled over. The officer spoke no English and since we couldn't communicate she gave up and said "buongiorno" and waved me off! It was not worth her time. haha! Also, if navigation is an issue, rent a car with navigation! Worth every dime and saves so much hassle!! Have a wonderful trip in Tuscany! We drove around last May for a week and absolutely loved it!!