dianemichlig

Thanks in advance to anyone taking the time to write back and help. I keep reading different info on car rentals. Plan to check all but probably Auto Europe. The whole trip is on hold though until we can decide when and where to rent. <BR>Had planned to fly from Frankfurt to Naples and then rent a car there for the Amalfi coast. We do feel ok with driving as we live in the same kind of roads in CA. Then were planning to drive up to Cortona as a base and visit hill towns. Then perhaps drive or take the train to France. Guess we should take the train and rent a car again in France? How can I get around all the time it would take to take the train or drive from Germany to Naples? Paulo these logistics are getting me down. Please someone rescue me from myself before all the time gets away from me. Leaving June 13 for almost 3 weeks. Diane

Rex

If you have a good fare to Naples, then fly. <BR> <BR>Rent ahywhere in Italy, then turn it in when you get to San Remo (Avis is more comvenient to the train stattion than Budget, if prices are similar). Take the short (&lt; 1 hr) train to Nice. Rent there again. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex

Paulo

From where are you flying out, Diane? Do you have an idea on when the flights usually arrive in Frankfurt? Are you at all interested in spending a day or two in Germany? How many days do you plan to spend in Cortona? <BR> <BR>We just about always fly into Frankfurt and rent a car for all of our stay. For us this is convenient because in Frankfurt one's able to get the cheapest car rental rates in Europe and it's not that far from our base in the Italian Tyrol. <BR> <BR>Now, when we drive to the Naples area, we stop a number of days on our way there and on our way back. For instance, once we stayed 2 days in Siena going south and 2 days in Assisi coming back. <BR> <BR>The same with Germany. We always stop at least a night driving south and a day driving back (for instance, Rothenburg or Füssen and Munich, Heidelberg or whatever). <BR> <BR>In your case, either you rent the car all the way or you should do as Rex suggests. Only you will be able to assert which scheme would be better. <BR> <BR>Just as an exercise, let's suppose you arrive in Frankfurt around noon. You may pick the car and drive to Rothenburg. The next day you drive to the Italian Dolomites and spend a night there. Then on to Tuscany and a couple of nights there. Then to Amalfi. Then back to Tuscany and on to France. <BR> <BR>In other words, renting all the way or not boils down in being able to reserve 2 nights to get you from Frankfurt to Tuscany, and breaking up your Tuscany visit in two. <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR> <BR>PS. a few driving times (with a much lighter right foot than Rex's <BR>Frankfurt airport - Rothenburg: 2 hours <BR>Rothenburg - Bolzano: 5 hours <BR>Bolzano - Cortona: 5 hours <BR>Cortona - Sorrento: 5 hours <BR>Sorrento - Siena: 5 hours <BR>Siena - Nice: 5 hours <BR>

diane

Leaving SFO to new Charlotte gateway on US AIR arrive in Frankfort at 9am. June 14. How cheap are the rental cars in Germany? Must have auto. is this a problem? Can I drop anywhere in Italy or France? Charge? <BR>Paulo thanks for your info, which is great because you have done this before. <BR>Would it be faster to take a train south in Germany and then rent car just inside Germany. Or is Frankfort the best? Having been to Germany already, Italy/France prioity. Leaving US already <BR>tired, no choices there. Perhaps train the first day is best then rental car.Train destination? Collapse with massage? Cost for gas and tolls to Naples? This might really be a plan!Cortona was to be home base in that area. But could spend a night in terme near there? Then on to Sorrento area. <BR>You can email me direct if you prefer. Thanks for writing this is a big help! <BR>Diane <BR>

Paulo

If I needed an automatic transmission car I would probably go with a lease instead of rentals. This way you're sure to get one ... it's not that certain that you'll get an auto just like that in Naples/Nice. I've heard about quite a few "mixups". <BR> <BR>A lease has a second advantage. At a price, the brand new car may be delivered in many cities, INCLUDING in Italy (Milan for sure, maybe Florence). You'll have to contact Renault Eurodrive and Kemwell (deals Peugeot leases) to hear about pick up cities and charges. Ask about the possibility of a car being delivered at Munich, Innsbruck, Milan and/or Florence. We may take it from there when you get back with this info. <BR> <BR> <BR>Just to have an idea, Kemwell is advertising a Peugeot 206 auto lease for US$ 723 for 17 days + US$ 15/day thereafter. In case you think this is too small for the 2 of you, the Peugeot 406 auto is being advertised for US 1,149 for 17 days + US$ 23/day thereafter. I would wild guess that the pick up charge in Milan would be something around US 150 with Munich a little more. <BR> <BR>Anyways, from Munich to Naples I estimate about US$ 180 in gas and tolls. <BR> <BR>If you're clear to take the train at the airport around 9:30am, you would arrive in Munich around 1:20pm, Innsbruck at 5:30pm, Milan at 6:40pm and Florence at 9:50pm. <BR> <BR>From Munich to the Italian Tyrol it would be a 3-hour drive. Would you opt for Innsbruck, you'd spend the night there. If you don't want to drive more than 5 hours the next day you could plan to spend a night in Verona (2:45 hours), Montecatini Terme (5 hours) or somewhere in between. In Florence you'd be in Tuscany and from Milan to Tuscany it's a piece of cake. <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR> <BR>

kay

Hi, <BR>Paolo, I want to thank you for your excellent and detailed posts about the driving times etc. I am doing something similar but am driving from Holland. <BR>Holland to Paris (stay 5 days) <BR>Paris to Provence (stay 3 days) <BR>Provence to S.Margherita Ligure (stay 4 days, take day trips elsewhere) <BR>S.margherita to Verona (hotel rizzi) stay 3 days. <BR> <BR>Now to make it back was still uncertain, I didn't know if I should try to make it back to Holland via Germany in 1 day or spend a night somewhere half way and take it easy. <BR> <BR>I will be renting from AutoEurope, I hope they still have the specials. <BR>Do you have any recommendations for the ride back? Do you think I'll need to make reservations, or can I just do it on the fly and look for a B&B as I go...I suppose we will be tired of all that frolicking in Italy, am half considering just moving there...;-) <BR> <BR>Thanks in advance! <BR>Kay

Paulo

I only visited Amsterdam by train. But twice we drove from our base in the Dolomiti (just 1 1/2 hour from where you're staying) to Brussels, which is similar (just a bit further). Some other times we drove to Frankfurt. <BR> <BR>I wouldn't drive from Verona to Amsterdam in one shot ... it's way too much (over 12 hours, I guess). Even if you break it up, you'd still have to drive a lot both days. <BR> <BR>In your shoes, I would plan to stop in Heidelberg. This should be some 7 hours away from Verona, leaving you 5+ hours the next day. I wouldn't reserve a hotel room because you may decide otherwise once you're under way (to stop before getting there, or feel fit to drive further). I arrived 3 times in Heidelberg under these circumstances and didn't have any trouble finding rooms (in summer). Once I just drove to the train station and got a room in town through the reservation service of the tourist office. One other time we arrived late (office closed) and just looked for a room out of town as we were approaching Heidelberg (we left the freeway and continued on a secondary road). We liked the place so we went directly there the next time up. <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR>

kay

Grazie Paolo... <BR>This helps a lot! <BR>I will follow your recommendation and break it up in 2 days. Someone at work cautioned us about truckers on the roadways and delays. Do you know anything about that? <BR>Thanks again. <BR>ciao <BR>Kay

diane

Checked on car leases and doesnt' work for 14 days. Also expensive if you want <BR>a locked trunk. Rental companies keep referring to covered hatchback. I think we need a LOCKED trunk???? Renting in Germany much cheaper. Munich <BR>cheapest. So.. . <BR>I plan to take train from Frankfort to Munich right after arriving at 9am. <BR> 12% surcharge with Avis for airport of train station pick up. so thought I'd pick up car at downtown location (take a taxi which couldn't be that expensive since most train stations are downtown anyway.) <BR> <BR>After picking up car ...then what? <BR>Get out of Munich and drive to a smaller town and collapse. Any suggestions? <BR>Then get up the next day drive to Monecatini Terme or Saturnia and rest up. Perhaps see Tody or the more Southern Umbrian towns and then go to Amalfi area. What do you think? <BR>Then back to Tuscany area and leave for France via the coast .More driving than I wanted but there doesn't seem to be any choices other than spending $1000 more to avoid it, Or take the train all the time. <BR>Rail drive isn't the option if I'm reading the cost right. <BR>Any thougthts as to different routes to and from Sorrento. We do want to see Herculeum on the way back. (pass on Pompei.) I was very excited about Orvieto until I read Rick Steves comment about all the tour buses there! <BR>Now I'm not so sure. <BR>Thanks for answering. Hope other are helped by my questions. Diane <BR> <BR>

diane

Paulo, <BR>Hope to hear from you soon. Really appreciate your advice. Diane

Paulo

Diane <BR>I recommended looking into car leases because I thought you could be renting a car for "almost 3 weeks" as you inform in your first post. Regrading trunks, if you take a hatch back that fits all of your luggage it would be just about the same as a car with a locked trunk. One can't see anything from outside. If you have little luggage, and considering you'll need auto transmission, it appeared to me that the Peugeot 206 would fit the bill (for 17 days it would cost under $ 1,000, fully insured, no deductibles, one way fee for pick-up in Munich included - I only don't know if they indeed deliver in Munich). At the time you add all costs for the rental in Munich (fire, theft, CDW, VAT and one way fee for drop off in France) I doubt you'll be able to have any kind of auto transmission car for less than $ 1,000. <BR> <BR>Anyways, if you're renting in Munich, let's say you'd be readdy to take off around 3pm ... From Munich to Montecatini it would be an approximate 6 1/2-hour drive, nonstop. If that's ok with you, you may crash in a little city in the neighborhood, south of Munich. If you think that's too much to drive in a single day, you should try to drive south as far as you can (closer to Innsbruck - a 1:40 hour drive from Munich). We've spent a night in a nice little town just south of Munich. I'll have to look at home to find the details and I'll come back tomorrow or so, when I'll comment on the rest of your plan. <BR> <BR>Have to go now. <BR> <BR>Paulo

Paulo

A couple of times, we stayed at the Hotel Post in Holzkirchen. We usually prefer staying there and taking the train (less than 1/2 hour) rather than driving in and having to look for parking. This would be about a half hour driving from Central Munich (if there are traffic jams it may take more than an hour). To get there just take A995, then A8 and get off at the Holzkirchen exit (#97?). You don't need to reserve (unless there's a big fair in Munich the day you arrive). When you're approaching the Holzkirchen exit, you may decide if going for it or to continue if you're fit. I have no hotel recommendations elsewhere. <BR> <BR>Now, there may be a problem with Holzkirchen ... I would guess that they mostly grow vegetables there (from the hotel windows you may view the production fields). They use organic fertilizer extensively and the whole town smells as if thousands of cattle heads were being raised in confinment (you know what I mean ... so be worned <BR> <BR>You mention Saturnia ... this is way south and you'd have to drive almost all day long from Holzkirchen (9+ hours nonstop) ... don't think it's an option. Keep it to somewhere north of Florence (may be Prato or Pistoia instead of Montecatini). After a night's sleep in Northern Tuscany you'd be on track, about 48 hours after your arrival in Frankfurt. <BR> <BR>You'd have to estimate the total number of days you feel like spending in Tuscany and/or Umbria, which towns you feel more inclined to visit and then divide your stay in the area on your way south and before going on to France. <BR> <BR>Despite what Rick Steves may say, IMO both Orvieto and Todi are worth visits. I can't recall that many bus tours the last time we visited Orvieto ... <BR> <BR>On your way south and back, there are basically two routes: one that goes along the A1 Autostrada (Montepulciano-Chiusi-Orvieto/Todi and the other further east through Lago Trasimeno, Perugia, Assisi, Foligno, Spoleto and Terni before joining the A1 route. <BR> <BR>To Sorrento, there's a route through Naples and one that cut's it out. Once you're intending to visit Ercolano on your way back, maybe you could couple it with a short visit to Naples. From Sorrento to Naples through the coastal road it's an hour drive. Coming from the north, you may leave A1 near Caserta, taking Tangenziale A2 and then A3 to Castellmare di Stabbia and S145 to Sorrento. <BR> <BR>On a day trip from Sorrento you could do the Amalfi coast, visit Salerno and stretch it to Paestum. <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR>