I will be in Italy in August and I am trying to nail down my itinerary. If I stay in Orvieto on my last night before departing from Rome airport at 11:00 am will I have time to make the flight? I need a realistic driving time from Orvieto to Rome FCO. I would need time to return the rental car and check in for the flight. I know that Orvieto is not that far from Rome but would like to hear from someone who has actually driven it. I was hoping to avoid returning to Rome on the last night of the trip. What do you think?

Will this be your first time driving in Italy?

How about returning the car in Orvietto, train to Rome Termini and train to the Airport.
Unless you have a lot of luggage seems so much easier.

Well, I've done it to Ciampino - a bit further away - for a much earlier flight and it took about 100 mins of exceptionally leisurely driving. It's about 50 miles on the A1 to where the motorways round Rome start, then 50 miles round the motorways.

Can't see the point of leaving the car at Orvieto. You HAVE to stay in Orvieto, since if there are any hotels down in Orvieto Scalo (where the car hire places and the railway station are), they're going to be terminally miserable. Dumping the car the night before, hoiking yourself plus bags up to the town, then doing it all in reverse so you can take longer on the train and have to change at Termini anyway strikes me as no fun.

You'll presumably be used to driving in Italy by then anyway, so the road to the airport will be a doddle.

Assuming the traffic cooperates. I've only done this on a late summer Sat: no idea what rush hour traffic's like on weekdays

hi cathy,

I've not done this drive, but barring accidents, you should be able to get a pretty good idea from www.viamichelin.com.

you can put in your route, and proposed date and time of travel, to find out time and distance.

I would keep the car also. Last time I stayed there someone was training to catch a flight out of FCO. They had to arrange a taxi to get to the train station since the funicular in Orvieto doesn't open early (7:20 am weekdays and 8 am Sundays/holidays)and they were catching the 4:30 am train to Rome.

Your are right, the funicular operating times is something to take into account. Also operating times for returning car offices is important. Not to mention churches opening hours. Wow....they have a lot a different operating times ....