First time in Rome - dropping off car at Termini or airport
Apr 22nd, 2006, 09:10 AM
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First time in Rome - dropping off car at Termini or airport
Hello,
We are arriving at Rome airport and are renting a car and going straight to the Amalfi coast. What I need advice on is to where we should return the car as we will spend the next part of our trip in Rome and our hotel (4 star) is a 3 minute walk from the Termini train station according to their web site.
We will be arriving in Rome from Monte Cassino and it will be daylight. One person at home suggested that we drive back to Leonardo Da Vinci airport to return our car and take the Termini express train and then walk to the hotel. Another person said that we could drive it to the Termini and then walk to the hotel.
Any advice please?
Also after we finish our few days in Rome, we are picking up another car as we are heading to Tuscany, and other parts north of Rome. Again, someone said to get back on the train and go to the airport to get the 2nd car, while another said it is easy to walk to the Termini and pick up the car there and head towards Tuscany.
Then one person said that it is best to drop off the car from Amalfi at the airport and go to Rome by the express to the Termini, but for the 2nd part, take the new car straight from the Termini to Tuscany.
Whew! I would really appreciate advice as obviously the Termini is close to our Hotel but what about all this partial driving in the city?
A few years ago we went to France and after having spent a few days in Paris, we only then picked up our car from a Hertz location at the Louvre which was walking distance from our hotel. We drove out of Paris and literally all over France and returned our car at the airport at the end of the trip. There was no problem get out of Paris -- but what about Rome?
Thanks for any suggestions
We are arriving at Rome airport and are renting a car and going straight to the Amalfi coast. What I need advice on is to where we should return the car as we will spend the next part of our trip in Rome and our hotel (4 star) is a 3 minute walk from the Termini train station according to their web site.
We will be arriving in Rome from Monte Cassino and it will be daylight. One person at home suggested that we drive back to Leonardo Da Vinci airport to return our car and take the Termini express train and then walk to the hotel. Another person said that we could drive it to the Termini and then walk to the hotel.
Any advice please?
Also after we finish our few days in Rome, we are picking up another car as we are heading to Tuscany, and other parts north of Rome. Again, someone said to get back on the train and go to the airport to get the 2nd car, while another said it is easy to walk to the Termini and pick up the car there and head towards Tuscany.
Then one person said that it is best to drop off the car from Amalfi at the airport and go to Rome by the express to the Termini, but for the 2nd part, take the new car straight from the Termini to Tuscany.
Whew! I would really appreciate advice as obviously the Termini is close to our Hotel but what about all this partial driving in the city?
A few years ago we went to France and after having spent a few days in Paris, we only then picked up our car from a Hertz location at the Louvre which was walking distance from our hotel. We drove out of Paris and literally all over France and returned our car at the airport at the end of the trip. There was no problem get out of Paris -- but what about Rome?
Thanks for any suggestions
Apr 22nd, 2006, 10:06 AM
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If you already have experience driving in a big city I would say go ahead and return the car at Termini and then rent the next one at Termini too. I've done it and with a good navigator it is fine. Overall I think this is the easiest way but you may pay more for drop off at a different place than where you rented it (the airport).
You can do it either way without earth shattering results. Have fun.
You can do it either way without earth shattering results. Have fun.
Apr 23rd, 2006, 03:17 AM
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Thanks SeaUrchin. No the price does not seem to change with a different the drop off.
It the supposedly craziness of the city's drivers of which I was worried.
Do you remember if the Termini's drop off gates are well indicated?
It the supposedly craziness of the city's drivers of which I was worried.
Do you remember if the Termini's drop off gates are well indicated?
Apr 23rd, 2006, 08:42 AM
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Hi Swannee, actually I meant I returned a car in the heart of Rome, not actually at the termini (have you checked that there indeed is a return for your company there?) My return was between the Vatican and P. Navona so that was even more in the heart of craziness. We did fine!
On another trip we returned the car to the airport and then took the train back into Rome and that was fine too. I was just thinking that since you are going to rerent a car that is a little out of the way, but doable.
Really, all your friends advice can be done! Dont stress on it too much and just concentrate on gelato!
On another trip we returned the car to the airport and then took the train back into Rome and that was fine too. I was just thinking that since you are going to rerent a car that is a little out of the way, but doable.
Really, all your friends advice can be done! Dont stress on it too much and just concentrate on gelato!
Apr 23rd, 2006, 09:47 AM
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Having just returned a car to Termini four days ago, I say: DON'T DO IT.
Traffic is crazy (and I'm already used to driving in congested traffic, living in Seattle), driving directions (from via Michelin) are vague at places, meaning you will probably take a wrong turn, possibly many. Have a very detailed street map handy.
Once you finally find your way to Termini, you are faced with where exactly to drop the car off. In the case of AutoEurope, there is not a drop off garage. From what I can tell, you are supposed to simply double-park it on Via Giolitti, unload your luggage, go inside and drop the keys off. Needless to say, after driving around Rome for an hour, trying to find the proper drop off point and figure out exactly what we were supposed to do, we were ready to leave the car ANYWHERE as long as we didn't have to be in it anymore.
Next time, I will either return it at the airport or at a town outside of Rome and train in. If you decide to drive it into Rome, good luck to you, and let us know how it goes. Ciao! Brent
Traffic is crazy (and I'm already used to driving in congested traffic, living in Seattle), driving directions (from via Michelin) are vague at places, meaning you will probably take a wrong turn, possibly many. Have a very detailed street map handy.
Once you finally find your way to Termini, you are faced with where exactly to drop the car off. In the case of AutoEurope, there is not a drop off garage. From what I can tell, you are supposed to simply double-park it on Via Giolitti, unload your luggage, go inside and drop the keys off. Needless to say, after driving around Rome for an hour, trying to find the proper drop off point and figure out exactly what we were supposed to do, we were ready to leave the car ANYWHERE as long as we didn't have to be in it anymore.
Next time, I will either return it at the airport or at a town outside of Rome and train in. If you decide to drive it into Rome, good luck to you, and let us know how it goes. Ciao! Brent
Apr 23rd, 2006, 05:40 PM
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Just got back from Italy. Spent 6 days in Rome. I have driven in Los Angeles, Paris, NYC, and Tiajuana. After experiencing Rome I would never drive there, ever. But depending on your experience you may want to try it.
They drive fast and on your heels. Plus there is very little regard for traffic lines on most if not all streets. Also you have motorscooters weaving quit fast in and out of traffic.
Termini is not far from the old city center and traffic was typical Roman traffic with the addition of the central bus station with buses everywhere and pedestrian traffic. The airport is away from the city and for me would be easier to navigate.
Did pick-up a car in Chuisi for the Tuscany portion of our trip and driving there was great, no problems. Just know the next town you're heading for and you'll have no problems.
They drive fast and on your heels. Plus there is very little regard for traffic lines on most if not all streets. Also you have motorscooters weaving quit fast in and out of traffic.
Termini is not far from the old city center and traffic was typical Roman traffic with the addition of the central bus station with buses everywhere and pedestrian traffic. The airport is away from the city and for me would be easier to navigate.
Did pick-up a car in Chuisi for the Tuscany portion of our trip and driving there was great, no problems. Just know the next town you're heading for and you'll have no problems.
Apr 23rd, 2006, 08:00 PM
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Hi again,
Just looked at the post answers (it's late and I'm tired) but this is food for thought. Well I thought we could do it but now I wonder!! Will react better in the morning. but thanks for all your answers.
what I usually get is more than just the Via Michelin directions. I will see if I can get a detailed Michelin book which gives a very precise direction guide for the country. I did that when we went to France and it was helpful. Maybe there is one for Rome too.
BrentA100, we were in Seattle on part of a holdiay last year and loved the city. We drove in it and did not fid it congested any more than other big cities, actually less so than more. But I have heard that Rome can be nuts.
It's just that our hotel is supposed to be so close to the Termini, but...
Tlegray, where is Chuisi -- where you got your car for Tuscany?
Cheers
Just looked at the post answers (it's late and I'm tired) but this is food for thought. Well I thought we could do it but now I wonder!! Will react better in the morning. but thanks for all your answers.
what I usually get is more than just the Via Michelin directions. I will see if I can get a detailed Michelin book which gives a very precise direction guide for the country. I did that when we went to France and it was helpful. Maybe there is one for Rome too.
BrentA100, we were in Seattle on part of a holdiay last year and loved the city. We drove in it and did not fid it congested any more than other big cities, actually less so than more. But I have heard that Rome can be nuts.
It's just that our hotel is supposed to be so close to the Termini, but...
Tlegray, where is Chuisi -- where you got your car for Tuscany?
Cheers
Apr 25th, 2006, 09:57 AM
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If you have an expert navigator and a really good map and are prepared for really bad traffic with scooters darting around you at all opportunities, and are willing to take a few wrong turns, then you probably have the right mindset for returning the car to Rome. But definitely verify with the car rental agency exactly where and how you are supposed to return the car. There likely won't be easy to find parking in Rome, so unless the agency has a garage that you are supposed to return it to, you may be forced to double-park (effectively blocking in other parked cars) in order to return it. This concept was pretty foreign to me. As for picking up a car in Rome and driving out of Rome, that might not be as bad, since the rental agent will be able to give you a map with presumably the easiest way to get out of town. Traffic will still be frenetic at first, but at least you know that it will get better the further out of Rome you go. Once you hit the highway, you are home-free. Driving around Tuscany was pretty decent, overall.
Apr 26th, 2006, 04:41 AM
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Thanks Brent. I'm the navigator -- whether I'm an expert is a matter of opinion. I don't read Italian which is not a plus but on the other hand we've driven all over France without a problem. My husband is a fabulous driver but his patience is sometimes (!!!!) but if he knows what the score is, then it no problem. We will have the Michelin Italy Atlas Book. I don't have it yet as I'm getting from Amazon this week, but if it is like the one for France, I found that one very comprehensive and helpful. I also have a bunch of Rome city maps and which I got fromthe Italian tourist office as well as the Roma Pianta e Indice which is a very detailed map of the city and surroundings and which gives a street by street description. I think that you are probably right that it may be easier to drive out of Rome than into Rome.
I will definitely ask the car rental agency what the deal is with dropping the car off in Rome. If it's too complicated we may just take it to the airport for the arrival to Rome and take the new car from the Termini for the departure from Rome.
I will do another post in the Venice section, but I wonder if you or the other Fodorites reading this post have had any experience with dropping off a car in Venice. That is where we will drop off the car after a few weeks travelling. I know it is easy at Marco Polo airport, but to get to town, there is also a large parking called Piazzale Roma and many of the car rental agencies have a spot there. I wonder if it is possible to do an after hour drop at Piazzale Roma (much closer to the city) as we would arrive later on a Saturday afternoon and all the rental agencies seem to close that location at 1:30 pm.
Any experience there?
Thanks
I will definitely ask the car rental agency what the deal is with dropping the car off in Rome. If it's too complicated we may just take it to the airport for the arrival to Rome and take the new car from the Termini for the departure from Rome.
I will do another post in the Venice section, but I wonder if you or the other Fodorites reading this post have had any experience with dropping off a car in Venice. That is where we will drop off the car after a few weeks travelling. I know it is easy at Marco Polo airport, but to get to town, there is also a large parking called Piazzale Roma and many of the car rental agencies have a spot there. I wonder if it is possible to do an after hour drop at Piazzale Roma (much closer to the city) as we would arrive later on a Saturday afternoon and all the rental agencies seem to close that location at 1:30 pm.
Any experience there?
Thanks
