Getting from rome to Buonconvento/Pienza or Montalcino
Mar 21st, 2005, 05:01 AM
#1
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Getting from rome to Buonconvento/Pienza or Montalcino
Hi there! We are three couples who have rented a villa in San Giovanni d'Asso the third week of October. We will be arriving in Rome early on a Saturday morning and need to get to our villa that afternoon. The closest train station is at Buonconvento, but Pienza and Montalcino are also close. Would we better off renting cars at the airport in Rome and driving straight from there (I've heard pros and cons about driving in/out of Rome) or do you think it would be possible to take the train from Rome to Buonconvento/Pienza or Montalcino and rent cars there? If we take the train I would imagine we would just take taxis from the airport to the train station - or is this a big hassle we should avoid? I'm thinking Buonconvento is pretty small and renting cars there might not be possible, but I'm not sure about the other towns. Siena is 40 km away so that is a possibility as well. We don't mind driving we just want to get there in the least stressful way possible.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Mar 21st, 2005, 05:07 AM
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There is no train service to Pienza or to Montalcino.
Many people rent cars in Orvieto or Chiusi, but on www.slowtrav.com I have read that Autoeurope is closing its agencies in both towns. You might want to check directly with them.
I would think the least stressful way would be to rent a car at the airport in Rome.
Many people rent cars in Orvieto or Chiusi, but on www.slowtrav.com I have read that Autoeurope is closing its agencies in both towns. You might want to check directly with them.
I would think the least stressful way would be to rent a car at the airport in Rome.
Mar 21st, 2005, 05:09 AM
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K - You may have a problem finding a car rental place open on a Saturday afternoon in the Pienza area.
With this in mind, your best option will probably be to rent at Fiumicino airport (- unless you can do without a car until Monday).
Steve
With this in mind, your best option will probably be to rent at Fiumicino airport (- unless you can do without a car until Monday).
Steve
Mar 21st, 2005, 05:56 AM
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If you are planning on renting a car anyway, pick it up at the airport. The only negative I see is that the cost is usually higher when renting at airports. Steve is right about Saturdays. Some offices close early and you be stuck if you arrive late. Why put that pressure on yourself on the first day of your vacation?
The car rental office will provide you with a map, but I would suggest that you purchase a good map before you leave for your trip. We used Michelin maps and found them very helpful.
Cities are a pain to drive in, but you will drive directly from the airport to the autostrada and will be on your way, hopefully, without any problem. This I say as someone who always makes the wrong turns and always gets lost...but I would still rather drive.
If you want to stop for lunch and to unwind, Orvieto is a lovely town to do just that.
The car rental office will provide you with a map, but I would suggest that you purchase a good map before you leave for your trip. We used Michelin maps and found them very helpful.
Cities are a pain to drive in, but you will drive directly from the airport to the autostrada and will be on your way, hopefully, without any problem. This I say as someone who always makes the wrong turns and always gets lost...but I would still rather drive.
If you want to stop for lunch and to unwind, Orvieto is a lovely town to do just that.
Mar 21st, 2005, 06:08 AM
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AutoEurope is still currently renting in Orvieto and Chiusi, although Orvieto doesn't show up on their website; you need to phone AE to rent there. The agencies that AE uses in Chiusi and Orvieto close at 1:00 pm on Saturdays. If you want to rent at either of these locations, you could take the train from the airport through Termini and on to Tuscany; the trains from Termini to either are direct (no changes). You can look up the schedule at www.trenitalia.com by entering Roma and Orvieto (or Chiusi) as your departure/arrival locations. The train would stop in Orvieto and Chiusi before continuing to Siena (or you'd need to change in Chiusi), so there would be no advantage to renting in Siena. Hope this helps in making your decision. You may want to contact your villa rental agent for further suggestions.
Mar 21st, 2005, 06:33 AM
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We would have been very disappointed in Tuscany without a rental car. I would definitely suggest picking the car up at the airport in Rome and driving. Stop for lunch in Orvieto and stroll around, and then make your way on to Tuscany. You will want a car for exploring the countryside. I vaguely recall seeing a bus in Pienza, but I don't think there is a train station. Be sure to visit Pienza though; it is our favorite place!
Mar 21st, 2005, 06:53 AM
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No question--get the car at FCO. There are no trains or car rentals in those towns. The real question is the route. I prefer the coast highway and then cut over to S-2 near Viterbo and up to San Quirico. Pretty drive--stop at Bagno Vignoni for lunch.
Mar 21st, 2005, 07:51 AM
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We did the opposite. We went from Pienza to Rome dropping the car off Chiusi. There is a car rental across the street from the train which makes it very easy! We rented through Auto Europe http://www.autoeurope.com/
