When renting a car in Italy can anyone recommend the closest spot to Cinque Terre to pick up a car? We're thinking about getting it from Hertz and right now have our car reservation from Genoa.

Also, does anyone know how long it takes to take the train from Cinque Terre to Genoa?

Tell me a little bit about your plan. Are you thinking you need a car in the Cinque Terra? I drove in the first time and the next two times we left the car and took the train. You really don't need a car there. It's all about hiking or taking the train between the five towns. I don't recall distance from Genoa. It's less than 30 minutes for La Spezia into the CT. I didn't rent in La Spezia but it's a big enough city that I'm sure you could pick up a car there after you are done in the Cinque Terra.

If you're doing the hike, start in the northern most town and make your way south. The hike will then start out more rugged and get easier as you go!

Hertz website shows a location in La Spezia, which is 25 minutes by train from Monterossa versus 1 hour 20 minutes to Genoa. Also, La Spezia has about 100,000 people, Genoa 600,000, so it will be much easier to navigate in La Spezia.
Hertz' website also shows a location in Santa Margherita Ligure, population 10,000, which is about 45 minutes by train north of Monterossa. So it may depend on where you are going subsequently, and which cars are available in which locations,

Hi S,

Try www.autoeurope.com, www.novacarhire.com and www.sixt.com.

Look for La Spezia as well as Genova.

>...how long it takes to take the train from Cinque Terre to Genoa?<

From where on the CT will you be starting?

Thanks, I will try Hertz in La Spezia. We're renting the car after Cinque Terre. Taking it by foot there. Then we're driving from Cinque Terre(La Spezia) to Umbria.

Thanks!