burnma01

I will be going to Italy for my honeymoon in May. It is our first time to Italy. We fly into Rome and are going straight to Florence. Should I rent a car and drive from Rome Airport to Florence? Or should we take a cab to the Rome train station and take the train to Florence from there? Then rent a car once we get to Florence. Thanks for your help!

vjpblovesitaly

A third option is train from FCO to Termini and then a train to Florence.

Why do you need a car once you get to Florence? Are you not staying in Florence? If that is the case why are you going to Florence?

nytraveler

Why are you renting a car in Florence? If you want to tour the Tuscan countryside it makes sense - but be sure your hotel is not in the pedestrian zone - or if it is that they supply the proper paperwork (in advance) so yuo don;t face huge traffic tickets.

For Florence itself a car is worse than useless - since the hisptric center is small and much of it is pedestrians only.

annhig

noooo - take the train.

you can get a train straight from the airport [presuming you are flying into Fiumicino] to Termini station in Rome, where you can get another very fast train to Florence.

trust me, you do not want a car in Florence. appalling driving, impossible parking, and fines if you enter the central zone accidentally.

you can do any number of day trips from Florence by train or bus. the only time you would need a car is if you were staying in the Tuscan countryside and wanted a car to get around.

burnma01

Thanks so much! I should have clarified. We are flying into Fuimicino. We are not staying in Florence. We are staying at the Villa Le Maschere in Mugello Florence? Not exactly sure where it is but I know it isnt too far from downtown Florence. Looks like the overwhelming majority say take train from Fuimicino to Rome Termini. Take train for Florence and pick up rental car there?

PalenQ

so many Fodorites report getting tickets in the mail months later from Florence cops because they innocently drove into no drive zones for private vehicles - just another reason to not have a car in Florence or any Italian city. Many hotels do not offer parking and parking can be hard to find and expensive when found and you cannot leave any valuables in the car or they may be pilfered.

Like annhig says do the train all the way - airport train station buy a ticket from their to Florence via a change at Rome Termini - the main station. Hop the Leonardo Express train from the airport to Termini - a dedicated airport train that goes non-stop to Termini, probably quicker than a cab and a cab can also get snarled in traffic. Leave plenty of time to change trains in Termini - Rome to Florence tickets automatically come with seat reservations so they are train specific - leave enough time to navigate the huge hectic at times chaotic Termini station, with zillions of platforms to find the train to Florence - there is a lot of posted info on overhead boards but still leave a lot of time between when your airport train arrives in Termini and when your train to Florence departs since your ticket will be valid only on the specific train you chose (if you miss it you can change it to another train but that can be time consuming and flummoxing to novices.

For lots on Italian trains I always recommend these fine sites - www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com. For schedules and fares go to www.trenitalia.com - note that there are advance online discounts but those tickets can be hard to change or not changeable in case your plane is late and you miss the train, etc. Better IMO to buy a full fare ticket at the airport train station upon arrival when you really know which trains to take. And do not worry about getting on trains - so so many - never a problem.

Ciao, ciao as they say in Italian (or is it Caio, caio - always twice they seem to repeat the ciao.

annhig

"CIAO" - pal, however many times you say it. - the I changes the sound of the C into a CH.

vjpblovesitaly

Barberino di Mugello is the town (comune) and it is in the Province of Florence, not the city of Florence. Is there a car rental place you could go to OUTSIDE of the city of Florence?

greg

Your destination is between Bologna and Florence in a farmland. You need a car somewhere on the way.

Fiumicino pickup: if you can handle driving after your flight, it gives you the best choice of car especially if you need an automatic.

Florence pickup: near train station or at airport.

burnma01

I just found out that the hotel has a car rental program. We will just rent it from the hotel if needed. Thanks so much for everyons help!

StCirq

You might want to compare prices. A hotel's car rental program sounds like it could be pricey.

kybourbon

>>>I just found out that the hotel has a car rental program. We will just rent it from the hotel if needed. Thanks so much for everyons help!<<<

Your hotel is not on the train line. Do you plan to find a bus from Florence? Will your hotel pick you up?

nytraveler

How do you plan on getting TO the hotel. It is nowhere near the city of Floence - I have no idea what town/train station you would hvae to get to then get a cab or whatever to the hotel in the countryside.'
(Florence i like New York - there is a city and a state - or rather a city and a province) and you can be in the provence f Florence and nowhere near the city.'

Suggest you do some map work to see where you are actually staying.

francoisebelle

I would rent in Florence and drive out to your hotel. This will probaby save you time,money and hassle.

tuscanlifeedit

burnmac: the questions to you above are very good: how will you get to the hotel?

You can rent a car there if you like, but you'll have to get there first.

You may want to consider a driver, either from FCO, or after taking the train to Florence, from the station there.

Your hotel/resort looks like a very fancy place, and may have a car service to pick you up.

tuscanlifeedit

ooops, from the hotel's website:

On request:

* Free shuttle bus to/from Florence city centre.
* Transfer to/from Florence Airport and/or Train Station.
Free of charge for rooms Junior Suite, Suite, and Prestige Collection.
* Car rental with or without driver.

irishface

If you take the train, Florence will be Firenze on the arrival/departure boards. Just read on another board about people who didn't know and missed their stop. (I hope you don't think I am being condescending with this bit of info as I am by no means a travel expert.)