Hi! We really need some advice from all the experienced travelers on the Fodors website! We will be in Italy for 3 weeks, flying into Rome and spending 2 days, then picking up our rental car and driving to Tuscany for a week, then driving to Lake Como (Mennagio) for a week, then driving through Verona for a night on our way to Venice for 4 days.

My question: should we drop off our rental car in Verona and take the train to Venice, or should we keep our car all the way to Venice? Our Venice accommodations start on a Sunday, which means we'll have to drop off the car either at the train station or at the airport (from what I've been told...) We don't know which will be the bigger hassle: getting from Verona to Venice via the train, or getting to Venice from the airport or train station. It will save us money to ditch the car a day early, but we won't do it if it's a pain in the butt.

And, by the way, we are traveling with our two little children (3 and 5), so we want to do the easiest thing.

Please give us your best advice! I don't trust some of these car rental agents -- they don't sound very confident with their advice! But I know many of you will know! Thank you...

Personally I would drop the car in Verona and save the money.

There are frequent trains to Venice, (journey time approx. 1.5 hours).

Eurostar Verona-Venice fare is € 12.50
- but Inter-Regional train fare is € 6.00 ... and only takes 10-15 mins longer.
For timetables go to
www.trenitalia.it

.............

If you do decide to drive to Venice, the drop off at Piazzale Roma is convenient.

Hope this helps ...

Steve

Hi SB,

I would also advise dropping the car in Verona on Saturday.

It is not difficult to take the train from Verona to Venice, and you end up at Venice SL station, right on the Grand Canal.

In Venice, you drop the car at Pzza Romana, not the train station, and it can sometimes be rather crowded.

Thank you so much, Steve and Ira. One more question: we are staying at Albergo del Senato in Rome. Does anyone know the most convenient place ro pick up our car? All the rental agencies give so many downtown options, and, to be honest, I can't make much sense of the locations from the map I have. Thank you! This is such a big help.

If I can tag onto this thread, may I ask those of you who have dropped your car in Venice at Piazalle Roma, how you did it? Did you have to wait in line to park it in the garage or is there some way to skirt the line because it's a rental car drop off? We're renting from Avis. Thanks. Oh, and I would for sure drop the car in Verona and train to Venice. It's got to be easier.

We found access to the car rental locations near termini stattion fairly managable. Driving into the historic center of Rome is not pleasant. From the termini area (which is easy to get to from your hotel) to the main highway, (if I remember correctly) was 1 main multi-lane road. We actually drove into ROme, parked the car overnight, than did a day trip to Pompeii. We returned the car to this location without any problems at all. Driving to our hotel (near yours) the day before was a bit of a nightmare.

One of the highlights of our 3-week trip to Italy was the drive from Verona through the Dolomites to Venice. It was the most visually exciting travel day I've ever experienced in my life. We left Verona in the morning, stopped in St Ulrich before lunch...stopped at a little village place along the road for lunch, and ended up riding down the Grand Canal on Vaporetto #1 at sunset. Of course, the train will take you less time, but it's up to you!

I don't kow if you have the choice to pick up from the huge underground (sotteraneo) car park at Borghese. The "good husband" thing to do would be to have a taxi take you there (by yourself), then you can drive the car right to the front door of del Senato to pick up the family and the luggage.

It's a bit labyrinthine, but you CAN do it. If all else fails, you could even hire a taxi to lead the way for you.

Best wishes,

Rex

Hi SB,

If you enter the addresses you want at www.viamichelin.com,it will show you the route.