janellelewis

Hi,

We are traveling from Sicily to Rome and would like to do this is the cheapest and fastest way possible. We have rented a car (in Rome), and learned last night that to leave it in Sicily, take the hydrofoil to Naples, and rent a new car will cost us an extra $500. Ouch!

Any other suggestions that would be more reasonable besides driving? We are already driving down to Sicily and I would like to spend an additional day in Sicily rather than driving back to Rome.

Are there ferries from Sicily to Naples that take cars and passengers??

Dayle

Sorry Jannelle,

I'm totally confused on your itinerary.
Where are you starting? It sounds like you are going back and forth to Sicily?
Could you explain this again?

kybourbon

You can fly with volare or windjet from Rome FCO to Palermo or Catania for 2 people less than 200E round trip. For ferries try cemar.it or traghettionline.net You can choose seats or cabins for these ferries and you might consider going to Civitavecchia port instead of Naples port which would put you closer to Rome. There have been some train deals on Saturdays to Sicily etc. for as little as 15E if you do a search for the train posts by GAC.

janellelewis

Unfortunately, that is correct. We are arriving in Rome, staying for several days, going on to Pompeii and Naples, driving down the Amalfi Coast, spending a night in Tropea, going to Sicily for several days, taking the ferry to Lipari for a day, and then we have to go back to Rome for our return flight.

Originally, the travel agent told us we could take a ferry from Sicily to Naples with our rental car and that way have a relaxing 1/2 day trip back to the Naples/Rome area. But, she was incorrect as far as we can tell. Which is why we are trying to figure out how to get from Sicily to Naples with a rental car quickly without the horrid drive time. : (

bobthenavigator

Drop car in Catania and fly to FCO on Air One. Should be 59E plus tax. Your TA was not much help.

ira

Hi J,

Are you sure that you want to have a car in Naples and on the AC?

janellelewis

Our friend that lives in Sicily already booked the car through the travel agency and they are giving us a devil of a time to change/cancel it. Wishing we had gone with the scooter / ferry / train idea. : ( Darn that hindsight!

Eloise

It will probably cost you extra to leave the car in Sicily, but I don't quite see why you have to rent a new car in Naples. From Naples, you can easily take the train to Rome and, presumably the next day, the express from Rome to Fiumicino.

Or leave the car in Sicily and fly to Rome, as Bobthenavigator has suggested.

It will still be cheaper -- and a whole lot easier -- than to take the hydrofoil to Naples and rent a new car.

And you might still reconsider the car rental entirely. You will probably lose some money on it, but as Ira has said -- or actually not said, so I will -- I really, really think that you do NOT want to drive in Naples and along the Amalfi Coast.

I seem to recall that you said this was your first trip to Italy. I think it would be extremely foolhardy to take on the Amalfi Coast as your first exercise in driving in Italy. And no one, not even people who have visited Italy often and have driven there, ever, ever drives in Naples.

Please do rethink your plans. Even if it costs you something to cancel the car, you would be much safer and, I think, happier if you don't have to drive. At the risk of sounding even more alarmist, I would also urge you not to consider driving a scooter in that part of Italy on your first trip there.

Please believe me, driving a car or a scooter in the States is NO preparation for driving one in southern Italy.

Patrick

I gave an answer to this question for you on another thread, but now with all this additional information, I think I still agree with my original answer. Since you can drive from the mainland of Sicily near Lipari to Naples in 6 hours, I'd vote for that. By the time you drive to Catania, allow time at the airport, fly and then do transport at the other end, there's no way you're going to get to your actual destination in less time -- and certainly not for the price of keeping your car!

You mention "horrid" drive time. I'm not sure what you're talking about compared to any other means I can think of -- unless there was a hydrofoil ferry at the exact time you wanted from Lipari to Naples. Even then, you'd be likely to spend 6 hours.

zozozo

Message: If you are taking ferry back from Sicily to Naples the Tirrenia lines has overnight boat from Palermo to Naples. We used this option so we could get an extra day in sightseeing. We took our rental car and got a stateroom.It leaves Palermo 8:45 pm & it gets into Naples at 6:30 am.

http://www.traghetti.com/traghetti/T...dar.taf?CODE=2

if you pick Palermo napoli 20:45 option
and fill in date you are taking ferry it should give you prices for car, stateroom and passengers.

StephenG

Volare flys Palermo to FCO in October for about 75 euro.

ira

Hi J,

>Our friend that lives in Sicily already booked the car through the travel agency and they are giving us a devil of a time to change/cancel it. <

Have you given them money?

If you have given them a CC number, does their contract provide for a cancellation charge?

It sounds odd that a car rental agency would not let you cancel. It's not like they can't rent the car to someone else.

janellelewis

Found a great ferry from Palermo to Naples! Thanks everyone! Two days to go before the trip! I can't wait!!