Orvieto Car Rental
Mar 30th, 2005, 09:00 PM
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Orvieto Car Rental
I keep seeing posts from various other sights (slowtrav) where people are having trouble with their reservations in Orvieto.
Seems that AVIS has closed the station in Chiusi and Orvieto. The Hertz agency can be booked through Autoeurope and the pickup is in Orvieto and Chiusi.
Maybe that would be a good option rather than making major trip changes.
Just a suggestion. I hope I'm right since I have a car for May reserved. Just received my confirmation this week with the Orvieto address and when I spoke with the agent I made him CHECK & CHECK to make sure this was an open station.
Seems that AVIS has closed the station in Chiusi and Orvieto. The Hertz agency can be booked through Autoeurope and the pickup is in Orvieto and Chiusi.
Maybe that would be a good option rather than making major trip changes.
Just a suggestion. I hope I'm right since I have a car for May reserved. Just received my confirmation this week with the Orvieto address and when I spoke with the agent I made him CHECK & CHECK to make sure this was an open station.
Apr 3rd, 2005, 07:14 AM
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Now I'm confused about the car rental in Chiusi & Orvieto as well. We have booked through Autoeurope (Avis according to my documents) at Chiusi at the end of this month. When I try to access Chiusi on the Avis website it won't let me utilize that location - what's up? What to do?
Apr 3rd, 2005, 07:22 AM
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I'm in the same situation, dorkforcemom. I phoned AutoEurope and they are going to send our car to Chiusi from Siena, so we can pick up/drop off in our original location. There is a reimbursable charge of $100 (or maybe it's euro) each way to do this. The charge has to be paid when you pick up and drop off, but will be reimbursed when you return to the US; be sure to have AE note that on your voucher. I had to insist. The rental was changed from Avis to Europacar.
I'm pleased with the way AE is handling this. The agent I spoke to referred to the situation as the "Chiusi and Orvieto nightmare." I have already bought train tickets to Chiusi, and I'm glad I didn't have to go through the hassle of changing them.
I'm pleased with the way AE is handling this. The agent I spoke to referred to the situation as the "Chiusi and Orvieto nightmare." I have already bought train tickets to Chiusi, and I'm glad I didn't have to go through the hassle of changing them.
Apr 3rd, 2005, 07:30 AM
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Eurogals & others - I called Autoeurope for (hopefully) accurate info regarding the Orvieto & Chiusi car rental situation. The rental car locations will be permanently closed in both locations; however, they are honoring the reservations made up to this point. They are not accepting any new reservations. According to Autoeurope, you must be at the train station at exactly your rental time, they will pick you up their, and take you to wherever the cars are located at this time. Frankly, this scenario makes me anxious. She recommended arriving in Chiusi early in the day (our pickup time is not until 3:00pm) and hanging out in Chiusi til then. I wasn't planning on spending my day there. She said the alternative is to rent in Siena. I don't want to rent in Rome. Has anyone come up with better options?
Apr 3rd, 2005, 08:24 AM
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darkforcemom, this sounds strange in the light of my post above. Suggest you phone AE again, speak to a different agent, and ask about being met in Chiusi at your rental time. The AE agent mentioned that they're meeting us in Chiusi under the "Siena Meet and Greet" program. Seems to me they should honor their obligation to you. Our train reaches Chiusi at 11:00 am and, as I understand it and as our voucher states, AE will meet the train.
Apr 3rd, 2005, 08:35 AM
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Betsy - thanks for sharing your situation. I called AE back - while they didn't call it the "siena meet & greet" program - they did say someone would meet us at the train station to honor our rental. They didn't change it from Avis to another vendor, however. He indicated the Avis people would meet us. I imagine this affects many tourists who planned the same scenario...
Apr 3rd, 2005, 08:55 AM
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So glad you found my info helpful. Interesting that your rental is with Avis and they changed ours from Avis to Europacar. Did they mention the $100 each way reimbursable fee? If so, be sure you get it in writing. While I've always found AE to be perfectly trustworthy, it'd be smart to have it in writing in case of any dispute after your trip.
Apr 3rd, 2005, 09:04 AM
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One more comment on the nightmare car rental situation.
I saw this post on Slowtrav yesterday regarding the Hertz rental office in Orvieto. My reservation was booked after the Avis rental closing and my Autoeurope agent assured me that there was an office in Orvieto for Hertz and I would have a car waiting for me. No charge of $100 as it is an up and running station.
"The Hertz office in Orvieto is actually closer to the train station (and easier to find) than the Avis office. It's almost across the street from the station.
Just before you get to the train station (going north), there's a "Y" in the road, with the righthand (northeast) road going straight into the Stazione piazza (also to the Funicular). The lefthand part of the "Y" (northwest) goes up the hill to Orvieto. At the junction of the "Y" is a gas station---the Hertz office is a little storefront just across the street from the gas station, on the road leading up to Orvieto.
In your case, if you take the eastern road down from Orvieto (from the top funicular station) you'll find the Hertz office on the right just before you make the nearly U-turn to get to the train station."
Why not just cancel those other reservations with Avis and book Hertz through Autoeurope. It works online or you can call.
I saw this post on Slowtrav yesterday regarding the Hertz rental office in Orvieto. My reservation was booked after the Avis rental closing and my Autoeurope agent assured me that there was an office in Orvieto for Hertz and I would have a car waiting for me. No charge of $100 as it is an up and running station.
"The Hertz office in Orvieto is actually closer to the train station (and easier to find) than the Avis office. It's almost across the street from the station.
Just before you get to the train station (going north), there's a "Y" in the road, with the righthand (northeast) road going straight into the Stazione piazza (also to the Funicular). The lefthand part of the "Y" (northwest) goes up the hill to Orvieto. At the junction of the "Y" is a gas station---the Hertz office is a little storefront just across the street from the gas station, on the road leading up to Orvieto.
In your case, if you take the eastern road down from Orvieto (from the top funicular station) you'll find the Hertz office on the right just before you make the nearly U-turn to get to the train station."
Why not just cancel those other reservations with Avis and book Hertz through Autoeurope. It works online or you can call.
Apr 3rd, 2005, 10:30 AM
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The closure of these Avis offices is disappointing news. We had nothing but hassles with the Hertz office in Orvieto and I would go out of my way NOT to deal with them again. By contrast, Avis was wonderful.
Apr 3rd, 2005, 12:42 PM
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I have an Avis reservation through AutoEurope in early June, and AE assures me that a car will be brought to me in front of the (former) Avis office. Nothing was said about any fee, reimbursable or not, but now I plan to check further.
Our last day in the area will be at Assisi, before returning to Rome, so I am probably going to change my reservation, return the car at Perugia, and catch the train to Rome there. Any other suggestions for a convenient place to drop the car?
Our last day in the area will be at Assisi, before returning to Rome, so I am probably going to change my reservation, return the car at Perugia, and catch the train to Rome there. Any other suggestions for a convenient place to drop the car?
Apr 3rd, 2005, 07:11 PM
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By the way, maxi, when you select a specific pick up location on the AutoEurope website, it automatically represents a particular agency. So after doing that, if that particular agency doesn't have a drop-off location in a particular city, no options will appear.
Apr 4th, 2005, 12:43 PM
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Orvieto is not an option thru AE unless you had a previous reservation. Viterbo is another :30 south and the car drop is near the train station. However, it seems to be a real milk run--taking 1:45 to the Ostiense station. May be almost as easy to drop at FCO and take the Express into Rome.
