Hey folk!!! Any advice for train or car in Italy. We will be staying in Pisa, Florence and Venice. From what I see, it will be very tough to use a car in any location. Please help!!

Unless you want to see the countryside, there is no need for a car on such a trip. You can take daytrips from all three cities by train quite easily. Pisa to Lucca is about 20 minutes.

I'm curious as to why you chose Pisa as a place to stay. Care to comment?

You might also want to post a bit on what you expect of your trip. For the cities mentioned you certainly do not need a car, but if you have some other places in mind, maybe a car would serve...

tuscanlifeedit--I will be arriving at the airport in Pisa at 18:35 on the 23rd of Dec. 2006. I thought it would be too late to see the leaning tower at such a late hours, so I would wait until the next day to get a glimps and keep on going to Florence. There I will stay a few days and continue to Venice. The idea is basically to get to know the city. Originally I wanted to drive it all but soon realized I was overdoing it. Now I am going to concentrate on just Florence and Venice with a quick hello in Pisa. please advise

Hi natanno,

For the trip you plan, there is no need at all for a car. Training between Pisa, Florence and Venice is easy. Be sure to visit the duomo in Pisa also. It's beautiful!

Buon viaggio!

We've done both train and car in that region, but we drove to Florence from Rome, had the hotel arrange parking for the car during our several days' stay, and then drove to Venice, where we dropped the car off at Piazzale Roma. So our circumstances were a little different than yours. After a few days in Venice, we took the train to Milan and flew home from there.

The best part of having a car is the ability to stop if you see something you're interested in, but the advantage of the train is getting on board and just relaxing until you reach your destination.

We've enjoyed both, so I would say the decision is entirely up to you, based on your interests.

Hi N,

>I am going to concentrate on just Florence and Venice with a quick hello in Pisa. please advise <

Very good idea.

Train schedules and tickets are at www.trenitalia.com.

You are flying into Pisa and out of Venice?

Ira- yes that is correct. we will be flying from friedenschafen germany to Pisa and then out of venice.....we are using Ryan Air.

Driving in Italy takes the word patience to a new level altogether. Streets are rarely marked with street signs, and there is a good chance of getting lost.

But, sometimes getting lost is not a bad thing. Leaving Venice, we missed the exit to get on the highway to go to Padua. We wound up driving along the Brenta Canal, which was very charming.

I'll pile on - you don't need a car for those places.

If you're from the USA, like we are, and don't get the opportunity to ride trains often, I think that's one good reason to take advantage of the Italian rail system. It's easy to use, relatively inexpensive, mostly on time, comfortable, and relaxing. You can meet other travelers and chat with Italians, if you're so inclined. Plus, having a car in those cities would not be good, and not allowed in Venice.
>-

Hi Natanno - If you're flying RyanAir out of Venice, be aware that they use Treviso airport - about an hour from Venice itself.

Steve

I am not sure why everyone recommends using the train as I have done my homework and comparing the cost of renting a car for a week in Tuscany and 3 days in another country where I have to use a car; the price comes out to be about the same. (I have checked with this forums top 3 rental agencies) You need to factor in getting to and from rail stations, making sure that you get reservations and planning around train schedules. We have always rented cars in all of our European trips and taken a train once and find it much more convenient having a car, even when you factor in driving in the cities. Last trip we rented our car at the Paris airport and drove all over France, Spain and Italy. Instead of planning my trip around train schedules I can plan it around us. Don't forget you cannot always get on the train that you want and then what? I have talked with others that had to wait hours to get another train since the train they went for was sold out. Yes you can make reservations, however that is at a cost, plus inconvenient.
Perhaps I am missing something here??

"Perhaps I am missing something here??
"

Yes. You've not read the poster's question.

Natanno wants to go to Florence and Venice - two cities where a car is as much use as a chocolate poker, and a lot bigger nuisance. And two cities linked by a reasonable train service. And natanno wants to get to Florence from an airport that's a railway station.

If Natanno had wanted to travel round Tuscany and the Veneto, other posters might well, as tuscanfeedlit says, have advised otherwise.