Hello. I would really appreciate some advice. This is a bit complicated - sorry.
We fly into Rome early am (from Australia) and are booked into San Gimignano the next day for a week of driving a hire car around Tuscany but based at SG. After this time, we will then go on to Venice.
We don't wish to drive in Rome on arrival so would consider catching a train from the airport to somewhere in order to hire a car.
Where should we hire the car from in order to not drive in Rome? We would like to collect and drop-off the car from the same place. We also need it to be fairly easy to get from there by train to Venice after we've left San Gimignano.
Wherever we hire the car from also needs to have accommodation and train station nearby (and frequent easy connections from Rome and Venice).
I would greatly appreciate all suggestions. Thank you.

You can't get a train to anywhere but Rome from FCO. The most direct route would be to take the Leonardo Express from FCO to Rome's Termini station and get on a Eurostar train to Florence. You can rent a car at the Florence station and head to San Gimignano. Return the car at the Florence station and get on a train to Venice. Other options are Orvieto and Chuisi but depending on the day and time you arrive in Rome, the rental agencies in those smaller towns may or may not be open. Train connection to Venice from those smaller towns is not as good as from Florence.

A couple of thoughts.

Are you dead set on spending a night in Rome?

Is pick up/return in the same location a must?

Those 2 things seem to be causing you the most trouble. On a recent trip I picked up a car in Florence and returned in FCO, with no drop off fee. (using Thrifty)

I would do something like this.

- pick up rental car at FCO upon arrival.
- spend 1st day/night in north of Rome. It could be somewhere like Orvieto, Vitterbo, Todi, Spoleto - somewhere you won't be day-tripping to from SG.
- return car at Florence and catch direct train to Venice.

Hi 4,

OR

Pick up car at FCO (there will be an airport surcharge) and drive to Orvieto (1:39 hr) for the night.

Return the car in Venice.

OR

Take the slow train to Rome Tiburtina station and take the bus to Siena (http://www.senabus.it/)

Pick up car and return it in Venice.

OR

Fly into Venice.

Pick up car in Venice and drop off in Orvieto.

Train to Rome.

Hope this helps.

I don't know what jet-lag is like coming from Australia, but why don't you take the train from FCA into Rome Termini and then to Orvieto? Stay there overnight -- it's a lovely place, with lots of good restaurants -- and then pick up a car at the train station and head up to SG.

Charnee

Thank you all for your helpful responses.
Yes, jet lag will be a problem so we may take Grinisa's easier option of training in to Florence and hiring a car from there the next day. The thought of navigating a car on the wrong side of the road with Italian drivers around after a 24 hour flight is ever so slightly spooky..
Any suggestions of a pleasant hotel near the Florence train station?
Once again, thank you all.

hi 42italy - spent a couple nights in Florence last month at the Alloro B&B in Florence. It's very comfortable, quiet and only a couple blocks from the train station. Christian and his dad Lorenzo were great and I'd stay there again.

Thanks Sheri. Sadly Alloro needs a minimum of 2 nights booking which doesn't work out for us.
Would anyone else have any other suggestions?
Thanks

42italy,


I had the same suggestion as charnees. I would train to Orvieto, enjoy the lovely town and pick up my car the next day. The rental office there will probably be closed on a Sat afternoon and Sunday however, so it depends on your arrival schedule. Other than that it's a very convenient rental location.

Buon viaggio!

Hi 42,

I can highly recommend www.bedinflorence.it

It's about a 10 min walk fromt he train station.