We booked a car thru Eurocar, with 2 offices in Siena 3 weeks ago to travel from Siena to Rome and Siena to Assisi (2 or 3 hours on a bus is totally unappealing and as we only want one day in each place, train travel circuitous. TODAY 3 days prior departure, got email from Eurocar that rental was cancelled. We leave for Florence Wed! We'll be travelling until June 1 when we reach Siena and obviously can't make plans in transit (no computer etc)
We have prepaid for tour of Vatican and Col. for June 9 and cannot figure a PRACTICAL way to get there. Or to Assisi, another town we wanted to visit.
Any suggestions??
The reason for cancellation was a list of 6 possible reasons which we can't obviously narrow down so don't know how to fix!!!
Thanks Marie

Just to be clear, you'll be in Sienna? Want to pick up a car one day to drive to Rome, return same day. And pick up a car another day, drive to Assisi and return same day? Two different cars?

Is that right?

Also, what time is your tour in Rome?

Mjuno, most Fodorites prefer to rent their cars through AutoEurope which is a broker. So you might want to contact them tomorrow to see if they can make arrangements for you.

But regarding driving to Rome. Have you done that before? Are you aware of the traffic in Rome? Do you know where you will park your car in Rome? If not that is something you need to figure out if in fact you really are planning on driving into Rome for the day. Best regards.

I cannot help you with the car rental, but the 3 hour bus trip to Rome is going to take you 2.5 hours by car anyway and then you need to a) navigate through Rome and b) Find parking. The buses are cheap, fast and comfortable.

I seem to remember the Siena Assisi trip was around 2 hours by bus, via Perugia.

Thanks for the input.
Our plans were to drive to outlying train station in Rome and take train into Vatican.
The trip to both Rome And Assisi are meant to be day trips meaning go and come same day.
Realize time is same in car as bus but I have problem (travel sick) on most long bus trips. Trains don't bother me - hence the car.
Our pre purchased tickets for first visit in Rome are for 10:30 am.
Maybe these side trips are just too much to do. It seems to be making this vacation somewhat stressful. We are also going to overnight in Venice (from Siena) and will be spending 3 days in Monterosso in Cinque Terra (immediately after arrival in Florence BEFORE taking train to Siena. We have EurRail pass and will be taking hi speed to Venice from Siena via bus to Florence). Of course we will visit Florence for a day as well with Siena as home base. Thought Siena was central enough to visit All these places including
Rome and Assisi but becoming overwhelmed. PS I have walking disability and am also bringing a scooter - small and lightweight - I've travelled with it before. This may be our last trip to Europe (health issues) and so trying to pack a lot in! Thanks again Marie

Thanks again. Forgot to mention I tried Autoeurope and several other car rental places but seems that because not making car pickup at airport renting is more difficult. Thanks again Marie

AutoEurope has a 3 day minimum. Perhaps that's your problem. It's not easy to daytrip to the places you mentioned from Siena.

mjuno:
How long will you be in Siena? If not more than a week, then these day trips are even less sensible.

The Assisi day is probably doable, but only by bus. The Rome day sounds implausible to me. We were stressed (with car) going from Pienza and wanting to be at FCO by noon.

The only other option I can think of is a hired driver. He could drive you to/from Assisi. For Rome, he could drive you to Chiusi (or Orvieto) and you could catch the Rome train from there. But you would have to leave Siena at 5am to catch a train to put you in Rome in time for your appointment. And then you would be returning late. I imagine you would pay dearly for a driver under such circumstances (if you found one).

Hello Marie, I am sorry to hear you have serious health problems.

I understand about your getting ill if on a long bus ride as I have a family member that has the same problem.

Kybourbon mentioned that AutoEurope has a three day minimum for the car rentals. Would that interest you if it meant you could rent a car?

Marie, a thought that may or may not be possible. I don't know what time the bus from Siena leaves Siena for Florence but if one does leave early enough what about it you took that bus to Florence and than caught the train from Florence to Rome. The train trip would be about 90 minutes. If the bus from Siena does not leave early enough for you to catch the Florence to Rome train would it be possible for you to do your day visit to Florence the day before you go to Rome, stay overnight in Florence and again catch the Florence to Rome train the next morning.

Or at the end of the day when you visit Florence (if you did so the day before you want to be in Rome) what if you took a late afternoon train from Florence to Rome, have dinner in Rome and stay overnight in Rome, visit the Vatican per your reservation and take a train from Rome back to Florence in time to catch one of the latest in the day busses back to Siena.

I know it would mean that you would be paying for two rooms for one night (the room in Siena plus either a room in Florence or Rome) but you would not be paying for the rental car, gasoline etc). And you two could just pack a light overnight bag and leave everything else in the hotel room in Siena which would make the train trips simple.

Anyway I have been racking my brain trying to figure out how you could keep your reservation at the Vatican and so came up with the above thoughts. It would only work if the Siena/Florence bus had a timetable that would fit in with my idea of course.

My very best to you Marie along with wishes that somehow you can find a way to visit the Vatican.

I don't see any way to get to the Vatican from Siena in time for your 10:30 a.m. appointment without leaving Siena by 5/6:00 a.m. or going the night before.

The last train from Chiusi that arrives in Rome early enough departs at 7:32 a.m. The drive from Siena to Chiusi is at least an hour.

The 5:57 a.m. train from Siena to Rome (one change at Chiusi) takes 3:08 hours and arrives at 9:05 a.m. You can take the metro directly from the Termini train station to the Vatican and easily arrive before 10:00 a.m. There is a return train departing Rome at 8:30 p.m., arriving Siena at 10:52 p.m.

ViaMichelin estimates the driving time from Siena to Rome at 2:42 hours. Tolls of about 9 euros. Your drive back to Siena would be in the dark.

As for Assisi, I think you have a couple of options:

1) Skip it on this trip.
2) Visit the town by train as a day trip from Florence.
3) Visit the town in conjunction with Rome. Go to Assisi either the day before or after Rome and spend the night in one or the other, but realize/accept that this is a lot of time lost in transit.

and, I suppose,
4) Bite the bullet and rent a car for the 3-day minimum required by AutoEurope. (Wouldn't you like having the car while you're in Siena anyway?)
5) Wait until you get to Siena and see if you can rent a car at that time, realizing you may not get the best deal.

Wow Thanks so much for all the replies. I think we'll wait til we get to Siena and try to figure it out there. Everyone who posted back was so helpful Thanks again! Marie