First Trip to Italy -- Drive or Ride Trains??
 

For my 30th birthday (ugh!) I'm celebrating by taking my mom and older brother to Italy and on a Med. cruise in August. We will land (from the U.S.) in Rome and have 8 1/2 days before we get on the cruise. The plan is to travel immediately from Rome to Florence, then go to Venice, then go back to Rome with a day trip to Naples/Pompeii (the cruise leaves from Civitavecchia). I know this is a lot for 8 days, but we really want to see a lot of the country and just hit the highlights of each city for this trip. We will spend the majority of the time in Rome. Neither my mom or I have ever been overseas, but my brother was in Italy for 2 weeks about 10 years ago. He drove the whole time and travelled most of the country.

So, should we take the train for these trips or rent a car? Here are the factors to consider: none of us speak Italian (though I will try to learn some); I'm trying to keep costs down (since this is adding up fast!); I'm scared of driving in a foreign country even though my brother did it before; but the thought of navigating a foreign train system is also scary; we are suburbs people in the US--not familiar with public transportation generally; if we rented a car we would probably only need it for 1/2 the week--once we got back to Rome (where we'll spend the most time) we could turn it in to FCO and start taking the metro/walking everywhere.

Thanks for your help! This board is great! I'm sure I'll have a lot of other questions over the next 6 months, so please bear with me. :) I've never traveled out of the states before!

Train. The car will be worse than useless in the cities. See slowtrav.com, seat61.com and loads of posts here for info on taking the train in Italy.

If you are only planning on seeing the cities of Rome, Florence, and Venice, then take the train absolutely. There is no need for a car unless you wanted to venture out into the countryside.

You can manage the train system fine. I don't speak Italian and I managed without much trouble, just by asking questions. There are generally English speakers to be found everywhere in train stations, if you look lost.

" I know this is a lot for 8 days"

I really don't think you do. This isn't just "a lot", it's manic.
I think that you are doing a nice taking your family to Italy. I also think that you are wise to ask your question here, but do expect many seasoned Italy travellers to attempt to persuade you to radically change your plans. You might read a couple "well we did it",which means it's possible. But, it's not the best way to enjoy and experience your trip.

My first advice almost always says that Rome needs time. My second is "so does Venice and Florence".
With 8 nights total, you could spend 4 in Rome , one in Florence and three in Venice. Totally skip Naples.
This,however,just has too much travel involved.
Since ytou are ony interested in bigger cities, take a train.Driving in Italy,however, is a snap (excluding the cities mentioned).The trains are very easy to take, even with no Italian langiage skills.
By the way,"30th birthday (ugh!) ",I have sweaters older than you.
Enjoy planning your trip!

Another vote for trains. It is not hard to navigate the train system in Italy especially when you are going from one major city to another.

Forget Naples/Pompeii. Take a half-day to visit Ostia Antica instead. You do not have time for Naples/Pompeii. You barely have enough time for your other three destinations.

And I agree a car would be of no use whatsoever.

Here's a direct link to the very comprehensive description of using trains in Italy:

http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/trains/index.htm

Thanks for all the fast responses everyone! Jabez....I bet those sweaters are lovely! :)

I was in favor of the train, but my brother is insistent on the car. He thinks it gives us more flexibility that way. He doesn't want to be tied down to train schedules and have to rely on public transportation to get absolutely everywhere (although he admits he wouldn't drive in the cities...just to the hotel and park).

How do I convince him that the trains are more convenient?

If he wants a car, then he can do all of the driving. and parking. and navigating.
Who needs all that on a vacation? I know sometimes/some places you need a car, but this is not one of them. Part of the fun of travel is doing things like figuring out the train, people watching on the train, and relaxing while you stare out the window.
Going between major cities, I'm sure the schedules will be convenient.

Aside from my rant, my suggestion is to print out the schedules for getting between the cities in your itinerary and presenting all the research you have done with the links provided above.

Is he going to drive through the canals and park in Venice?

A car is nuts for this particular trip, and this from someone who adores driving in Italy...

Either rent a car and head for the countryside or stick with your plan to visit three big cities and take the train.

You're already cramming too much into too short a time. When you add in the time your brother will be lost or trying to park in Rome and Florence, your vacation will be over before you've arrived anywhere.

If Italians were making the trip you plan, they also would leave their cars home. They know how crazy it is to drive in an unfamiliar city. For your routes, there are virtually hourly departures--your brother needs more convenience than that?

And now there is the added incentive of costly traffic fines for driving into the historic center of Florence without a permit. Most people find out about the fines when a half dozen costly traffic fines show up on their credit cards six months after their trip.

Hello kb, how fun to be taking time in Italy plus a cruise with your family!

I am another one who strongly suggests that your brother forgets renting a car considering that you will first be going to Florence from Rome and than Venice from Florence and back to Rome from Venice. The cost of the rental, cost of the gasoline, cost of parking fees (you will not be using the car in these three cities) is such a waste of money as well as frustration. And I would think after arriving in Rome after your flight from the US everyone would be a bit tired and probably have some jetlag. Consequently not driving from Rome to Florence after immediately landing in Rome would not be the safest compared to taking the train.

Do you have the English language version of the Trenitalia website for the train schedules etc.? If not here it is: http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html

Have a beautiful 30th birthday! And don't say ugh, the 30's are wonderful!

Trains, no contest. How to convince your brother?

How about that it is more relaxing for the 3 of you to be sitting on a train, watching the world go by, sharing a bottle of wine and a picnic while you are whisked place to place, knowing you will end up in your desired destination..

vs. trying to drive in cities you have never been to before, a country where you don't speak the language, having to navigate yourself around with maps, figure out how to purchase gas, etc.

Thanks everyone for your help! Maybe I'll print this out and give it to him as part of my argument. :)

But, you know, if *1* thing goes wrong on the train (miss a connection, ticket doesn't print, get on the wrong train, etc.) he'll never let me forget it! LOL!

WAY, WAY more things will go wrong if you drive. Trust me.

Things can also go wrong when you drive: two hours in a traffic jam near Naples and another two in a traffic jam near Florence, both on the same trip when we traveled with someone else, taught us. Now, we rent only when the trip is mostly outside cities. For your trip, heed the advice of others on this board and take the train. Even with the train, you have lots of flexibility. If you don't purchase tickets too far ahead, you can always leave earlier or stay later, even a day sooner, or stay a day longer.

If you could fly into Venice, then train to Florence and on to Rome, you might save a little time and train fare, perhaps.

Jabez gave good advice on not trying to cram in too much. Sometimes you see more by being in one place and watching things and people go by than you do racing around yourself from place to place trying to see things. If you plan on just Venice, Florence, Rome, and feel, when you are there, you want more, you can always add a quick day trip from any of the cities. Listen to StCirq and see Ostia Antica rather than Pompeii this trip.

I don't think I have any sweaters older than you, but my kids are. Thirty is just the beginning of living. I graduated college at 36, started a teaching career at 46, etc. My best friend and my daughter both got married for the first time in their 40s. Enjoy your Birthday & Italy.

I'm wondering why you want to travel with your brother--haha, but seriously, it's just taking a few trains--and with the internet you can walk through every step in advance with helpful fodorites.
and happy bday, 30s rule!

I want to "pile on" and ditto that first of all I believe you are trying to do too much. Trying to drive into Rome and Florence can be a nightmare straight out of the movie European Vacation. My husband and I did that ONCE...subsequent visits we have used the train for Venice, Florence, Rome.
If you were only doing Tuscan hilltowns - then I would strongly encourage your renting a car but to see these major cities - absolutely not! And I would suggest 2 days in Venice, 3 days Florence and 3 days Rome.

kb: you're taking him. No car.

It is absolutely ridiculous. There will be tiny glitches with any form of transportation. But people here can talk you through it and we have all used trains in Italy.

If it is flexibility you want, between the major cities in Italy, there are several trains a day. Every day.

As mentioned above: Florence doesn't allow cars in certain areas, and fines are heavy.

Rome is impossible to drive in. Venice is on the water!

Rental cars in Italy are very expensive these days. And the gas!

But it is really silly to take a Big 3 trip and have a car.

I doubt you can convince him to travel by train.

If your purpose of the trip is to visit attraction in the cities mentioned, everyone else has mentioned good reasons why trains make sense.

Economically, Italy is a country where train tickets are cheap while car rental and the operating expenses are high.

However if (his) purpose of the trip is to drive, none of the cost, hassle, or time factors matter.

I have a friend who went to Europe for the first time. He drove everywhere. He had a good time, but what did he see?

The road.

He moved from one town to another every day. He left after breakfast and arrived at destinations in the evening. He had no time to visit anything. But from his point of view, that was a wonderful trip.

If I were to visit Venice, Florence, and Rome, I would land in Venice then travel to Florence and Rome to save 1/2 day. I presume you already have your airline tickets, so you cannot change the arrival city.

kb, if you take the trains REMEMBER that you need to validate each ticket for each train trip at one of the little yellow boxes you will see by the train tracks. I "think" if you order your tickets via trenitalia that is not true as you just show your printed confirmation to the conductor.

Hi KB,

I'm so happy for you that you get to visit Italy!

I, too, would consider the train option. Driving is better if you plan to stay in small countryside towns, and want to explore Tuscany, for instance. We have driven in and/or out of Rome, Venice, and Florence -- it takes quite a bit of navigating and patience, and possible a sense of humor. You must expect to get lost and frustrated and add extra time for that. Plus you'll have to pay huge fees for parking while you're in each city, never even touching your car!

Second, even though you have been criticized heavily for your "manic" trip, I would like to tell you 8 1/2 days will be fine for the big three. I would consider 2 nights in Venice, 3 nights in Florence, and 3 nights in Rome. I would definitely save Pompeii for another trip. That would take an entire day away from Rome, and you'll only have 2 full days there.

I understand that sometimes time and money is limited, and you want to make the most of your time. You can rest when you go home or on the cruise ship. ( or on the train -- ha ha)

Have a great trip! and happy birthday!

dina

I would tell him you will certainly agree to travel by car if he pays for all of it--rental, insurance and gas. And if he reserves it.

Otherwise, it's the choo-choo.

Hello again kb, I received a phone call from a good Italian friend in Italy late last night and during the long conversation I thought of you.

These friends live north of Venice. Her husband has always insisted on driving their car each and every time they take a trip around Italy. No "if, ands or buts" lol.

Well just a couple of weeks ago they decided to go to Florence for a few nights. My friend suggested to her husband that they take the train and he refused until a friend of his told him with so much of central Florence closed to vehicles he was "crazy" to drive to Florence.

Long story short they took the train and now her husband is advising everyone he knows that "the ONLY way to enjoy large cities in Italy is to take the train instead of driving.

My friend had I had a good "giggle" about men and their cars, lol.

Thanks again everyone! LoveItaly--I can't believe you were thinking about my situation last night. Too funny!

All of the advice is very much appreciated. I have relayed it all to my brother and I think his defenses are starting to crack.

As for the idea of flying into Venice and out of Rome, I couldn't find a way to do it that wouldn't double our flight costs. :( Oh well, I've found ~$800 roundtrip to Rome and that looks pretty good, I think.

Thanks again all! I'm sure I'll have a ton of questions when I actually go to buy the train tickets. ;)

another vote for taking the train. In April I traveled from Rome to Florence to Venice via the train and it was an enjoyable ride.

As for the flight, did you look at flying into Venice and coming back from Rome as one "Multi-city" trip?

If you looked at flying into Venice as one reservation and coming back from Rome as yet another reservation, the price would be about double.

Greg--thanks for the reply. I did try a multi-city option as one ticket, but it didn't seem to help. I'm still looking at airlines, so maybe I'll find something different. I haven't ruled it out yet--just can't find a reasonable price so far.

Thanks!

kb,

It's odd that the multi-city option costs so much more. . . what is your departures airport?

Have you tried using kayak.com or one of the other airline search engines mentioned here?

Can you shift your travel dates a day or two to get a better fare?