We will be coming in by train from Varenna. Need to pick up a rental car for the drive to CT and Tuscany. We can take a cab from Milan station to the car rental site. Can someone tell me which pick up location to choose for easiest drive out of Milan? (Probably Autoeurope).

I also considered training to Bergamo and pick up the car there. I imagine it would be easier to get out of Bergamo than Milan.

We did the opposite - drove into Milan to drop the car off at the main rail station. The roads into downtown Milan from the Autostrada can be confusing, we didn't have a detailed map. Be sure to get good instructions (or map) on finding the nearest autostrada on-ramp. From there, it's pretty good.

It was also late night and the only gas station we could find was an automated vending station. Luckily we had the cash.

So I would suggest something near the Autostrada, unless you like crazy city driving. The big cities are best experienced by public transit.

How about picking up the car at Pavia, only 38 kms South of Milano. This is a very nice city to visit. Located, between Pavia and Milano, a must visit is the
Certosa di Pavia, proved to be a lavish and elegant, building, which came to be regarded as one of the major landmarks of North Italian art between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
WE visited Pavia and the Certosa and loved both. In Pavia we stayed at hotel Moderno, viale Vittorio Emanuele 41, a no frills, 4 stars. May now there are better options.I guess we parked the car in the street.
If you look in the map, you will see how close both places are to Milan, both in direction South which is good for you if Tuscany is your next step. I hope this helps, personally I am confident that it is a good advice and I hope you enjoy it.

I was checking at a map, and the Hotel Moderno is very close, to the Railway Station, probably at walking distance, then the road to the Certosa is also nearby, so it will be very easy to drive from the Moderno to the Certosa, actually we did it. But take some time too to visit Pavia.

We did just what you are trying to do, and even though I have driven in Italy a few times I wouldn't recommend it. The roads in Milano are networked like a spiderweb, plus the big city Italian drivers in my experience can be bit less forgiving if you hesitate or make a mistake at all (much like in New York or our big cities). I enjoy driving throughout Italy - but hate it in the big city centers (Milano Bologna etc..)

Bergamo or even Lecco would be my choice for car pickup - Autoeurope lists Lecco and it is a short train ride from Varenna and should be very easy to get in and out of if the office is close to the train station. We would have saved a good hour or two if we had gone to Bergamo or Lecco.

If you do choose Milan Train Station there are rental car services connected to the train station

Jeanne, I think that picking up the car in Pavia is such a great choice that I am topping again. Although I did not understand what do you mean by CT ?

I have driven throughout most of Europe, including many of the major cities. Driving out of Milan is one experience that I hope to never do again. The worst.

Thanks for all the input.

I've looked more closely at it and it's never as easy. The day we leave the Lakes is a Sunday, which eliminates all the pick up locations around the lake. In fact only Milan is open on Sunday. So I've looked at other options.

My intent was to rent the car for 5 days, but there's a negligible difference for 7 days. So we could:

1. Rent the car when we arrive at Malpensa on Friday , park it at the Lakes somewhere. Drive all the way to Cinque Terre on Sunday (no trains!). Planned to stay in Bellagio, but would Varenna be better with a car?

or
2. Go back to Milan Sunday, pick up car for drive to CT. We could pick up at Malpensa or Linate and avoid town driving. But this still requires train + shuttle bus.

or
3. Lastly, we could train all the way from Varenna to Genova on Sunday. P/up car at Genova airport (or downtown if I can find an open car rental). Drive from Genova to CT.

I think we'd arrive in CT about the same time with either 1 or 3. Suspect option 2 would take longer. I'm leaning toward the full 7 day rental unless parking at the Lakes is a big problem.

We picked up and later dropped off a rental car in Milan near Centrale train station (the Hertz office was only a long block from the front of the station). In both instances, it couldn't have been easier. Yes, it was August and the traffic may have been lighter because of that, but the directions into and out of the city were very simple - just a few turns and we were on the autostrada, A1, heading to Parma. The streets leading up to it were very wide, tree-lined boulevards. The rental agency had tear off sheets of maps of Milan and highlighted the most direct route for our destination.

Do not drive in Milan. Get the car at Genoa or La Spezia.

Bob:
La Spezia rental is out because it's Sunday.

Do you think training to Genoa for the car is best? If we're not to drive in Milan the only other alternative is to rent the car when we arrive Friday, park it at the Lakes for the first 2 days and drive all the way to CT Sunday. (There's little diff in price to do so.)

<i>rent the car when we arrive Friday, park it at the Lakes for the first 2 days and drive all the way to CT Sunday. (There's little diff in price to do so.)</i>

What about the insurance?

I don't follow you. What about the insurance?

You might get 7 days rental for the price of 5 days but insurance is priced per day, and is expensive.

Sorry if I'm being dense about this, but both the 5 and 7 day rates include CDW. ..and they're just a couple of euros apart.
Am I missing something?

I intend to do more research on rentals and different insurance options. American Express has a package I may use if I need it.

Hmmm ! Sunday is a problem. I would still consider Genoa even if at the airport---taxi from the station. Ask Autoeurope---800-223-5555