rex

I don't think that flanneruk failed to "get" anything - - it was kaudrey who said

<<it would be pretty easy to either meet them at their gate...>>

- - and I, and flanneruk - - and pretty much everyone else agrees that this is really NOT possible.

Patrick

OK, my mistake. I agree you can't meet "at the gate", but thought it was a miscommunication about meeting them within the airport.

ParadiseLost

In my experience:
Your Continental flight will arrive at Terminal C the International Arrivals Terminal.
If your parents Alitalia flight is a non-stop international flight it will also arrive at Terminal C.
But if it's a connecting flight like Boston-Milan-Rome it will arrive at Terminal B, the Domestic Arrivals Terminal.
I would wait the 1:50, if both flights arrive at Terminal C they will come out of the same exit as you did. Get a coffee, browse the bookstore, people-watch and then go meet up with the limo driver, he'll be the one with a sign with your parent's name on it .
If it's Terminal B it's really the same building just ~150m away from where you exited Customs.
[Info below is 3yrs old but i'm sure still valid]
You will have to pay the car rental agent a road-use tax, it's ~ €3 per/day but only charged for X amount of days (7, 10, 14, ?).
Returning a car to the Rome Airport was easy but I've read of others where it wasn't .
I believe that is because they missed the 1st sign (in English) that tells you what letter in a colored circle to follow.
I don't recall exactly but it's something like this.
A, B, C, D, in different colored circles. Say under 'C' it says 'Car Rental Returns', 'Parking Garage', etc. Just follow the 'C' circle signs but also look for written signs (I recall the last exit one sneaks-up on you real quick. And the sign at the parking garage will tell you what floor the rental agency is at. Regards, Walter

PLMN

I got home a little while ago and with great anticipation looked for my thread. There were so many helpful answers, thank you everyone.

Just to clear up some things: 1) The ONLY number of people, (believe it or not,) that are going on this trip are 3.

2)No, I have not been to Europe before, although my parents have. They are the ones paying for everything. BUT they are not the one making the arangements. This is sort of why I may seem stressed, albeit a fun stress.

3)I thought I saw a train to Venice departing Rome AROUND 8:30 AM?

4)I did call AutoEurope and they said my contract is with AutoEurope not Avis even though I am renting an Avis car. So even if Avis does not allow a driver over 70 years, AutoEurope does not forbid it and that means my dad can drive. (If you call it driving

5)We are supposed to pick up the car in Venice at Piazzale Rome. I thought this would be more convenient than going to the airport in Venice to pick it up. Is this correct?

6) As long as there are kind people to answer my questions I hope it is okay to still ask them. I don't want to tick anyone off or anything by asking my questions.

rex

<<they said my contract is with AutoEurope not Avis even though I am renting an Avis car. So even if Avis does not allow a driver over 70 years, AutoEurope does not forbid it and that means my dad can drive.>>

For some reason, I would distrust this advice. You ought to have a reservation or contract number with Avis, and I would call their toll-free number and get their view on this.

<<I thought I saw a train to Venice departing Rome AROUND 8:30 AM?>>

8:55 to be exact. Your plan is still fine.

<<We are supposed to pick up the car in Venice at Piazzale Rome. I thought this would be more convenient than going to the airport in Venice to pick it up. Is this correct?>>

Yes, you are correct.

You are doing fine for a first time traveler/planner. No such thing as too many questions.

Patrick

Avis does not have a maximum age for drivers in Italy. They will rent to someone over 70. AutoEurope is bound by their suppliers, so I'm not sure why they said it depended on them, not the supplier. In renting cars, AutoEurope has directed us away from some suppliers where the age was an issue. But Avis is not one of those -- either in Italy, France, or the UK. I know that from personal experience.

jsmith

PLMN, what contingency plans will you have if your parents arrive before you?

PLMN

That is a really good question. I did not think about that since my flight is scheduled to arrive at 7:45 AM and their is scheduled to arrive at 9:35 AM.

I suppose it could happen hunh?

suze

With recent airline experience (my BA flight landed on time but they couldn't find a parking space at Heathrow to let us off the plane!) I maintain that meeting at the hotel will be the less stressful option for all concerned.

l_jackson95814

PLMN-
If you do planning in this detail, I can't wait to read your trip report.
Have a great trip and just remember that there are some things that you just have to let happen.

WillTravel

suze, I had that experience recently at Heathrow also! How long were you imprisoned on the plane until you were allowed off? In our case, it was 85 minutes, and then we were allowed off onto shuttle buses (people at the front got off onto an earlier shuttle bus, but there were still people behind me).

jenviolin

re: Venice - ira, I don't know if it's new. This summer was the first time I had more than a backpack in Venice, so I've never paid attention to the luggage charges before. The ticket offices clearly post that luggage costs an extra 3.50. However, since often tickets are not checked when you board the vaporetto, people probably often get away with not paying for baggage - whether by design or oversight.

pat_woolford

Oh dear PLMN - you are worrying too much even if you do say you enjoy it. I'm from Australia and last trip to Europe was nearly 5 months driving from Paris to Greece and all in between. We didn't pre-book one night's accommodation for the whole trip, as we never knew where we'd be staying the next night. We found so many wonderful places that we wouldn't have found it guide books, and the few accommodation disasters we encountered were more than made up for with delightful surprises. I do remember a bit of difficulty driving into Rome at night from the south (all roads don't lead to Rome and my brother recently missed it completely)- but we found a great hotel almost opposite the Colosseum - just drove straight in. check-in as in anywhere else. As you, or maybe your father is driving, do be aware that there you pay toll on the autostradas, over distances this can add up to many euros. Traffic is somewhat frenetic in Rome but not a patch on Naples, we handled it OK and we're used to driving on the other side of the road.

PLMN

For some reason I don't see myself being such a planner for an extended trip. I like the idea of going here, going there and seeing what each day will bring.

And believe me, while we are in our villa in Cortona for the week there will be very little planning.

One current note, I wonder why the B&B has not sent me confirmation? I have noticed that if you book directly with a property it seems as though they take their time making confirmation. They answer all my initial questions promptly, but for some reason the actual confirmation can be elusive.

TopMan

Re the Italian hotel check-in procedure.
You've already been told the registration is required by Italian law which is true...but not all the hotels ask you to "fill out a form."
When I was in Rome last year my hotel simply took my passport and made a photocopy of the information page and then handed the passport right back. So, the "registration" procedure may differ from hotel to hotel.

I disagree that the confirmation is, or even should be, "elusive." Obviously that has been your experience, but it has never been mine when dealing with properties via e-mail. I usually ask them to confirm by return e-mail when I send them my credit card particulars and they have always done so.

In terms of knowing which gate a flight will arrive at...I've been to several European airports where that information very much IS readily available, usually on TV screens such as are seen in US domestic airports.

On a more personal note, I am one of those people who plans extensively because I don't like "nasty surprises" but I also know this sort of mindset can lead to frustration (at the very best) when something doesn't go quite the way you had thought it would, or planned it, or HEARD that it would.

Ultimately I'm sure you'll have a great trip and hope after all is said and done you don;t come away feeling as if you have shouldered all the worry, burden, planning, etc., while a bunch of other people who seemed to do absolutely nothing other than enjoy the fruits of YOUR labors keep smiling and telling you to "relax."

ira

Hi P,

>I wonder why the B&B has not sent me confirmation? <

So do I. If they have a phone number, I suggest that you call.

PLMN

Just got off the phone with owner of B&B. She has not checked her emails as she is on the road and on her way back to Venice. She said she will check her email when she gets back and send me confirmation.

Ahh, that makes me feel better.

Thank you all.