traveling from Venice to Bolzano - needing to rent a car -- would I be best to rent i Verano and see the country side or train to Bolzano and rent there. Options are not good in Bolzano for rental car -- ? any advice appreciated. 4 ladies traveling in Late Sept 10.

Couple f things to consider:

Where will you be going after Bolzano? If it is out of Italy and you don't plan to return to (anywhere) in Italy, it is expensive to rent a car in Italy because Italy requires buy CDW (Collision Damage Waiver). THat is, insurance for coveretga if there is any damage on your car. Other countries like Switzerland, Austria and Germany don't require this if your credit card contract covers this; something most credit cards include.(b) Anywhere in the EU, if you rent a car in one country and drop it off in another, there will be a fairly stiff (up to a couple of EUR 100). If you drop the car off in any city in the country where youn rented car, you won't incur that drop-off charge. (c) In the past, and that is probably still true, not all credit cards let you charge a rental car in Italy to your account.

Having said all this, IF you decide to rent in Venice and drop the car off in Bolzano, and if you have couple of days for that trip, I suggest you go from Venic to Cortina d'Ampezzo in the Dolomites, and from there to Bolzano. Very scenic driving, although across some (good road) passes, with hair pin curves.

Why not rent in Venice?
Why pay for 4 train tickets?

Thanks - We purchased euro rail tickets for 5 days of travel - which after reading these reviews we should have just bought our tickets at time of traveling. With that decision done - we have an option to travel from Venice to Vernano and rent a car and travel to Bolzano - where we will stay for 4 nights - and then return by train to Rome. leaving the car in bolzano.
bobthenavigator -- should we cancel out euro rail txks and buy as we go?

"should we cancel out euro rail txks and buy as we go?"
Are you taking more train trips than already mentioned? We can only judge is a pass is best if we know all the train trips you plan to make.

We drove from Venice to Bolzano a couple of years ago. It is an easy drive.

Rather than go all the way on the Autostrada we took a longer routeand drove along the Riviera Brenta canal with its views of Palladium villas then up the side of Lake Garda which was really beautiful even when viewed through a car window and then at the top of the lake joined the autostrada North to Bolzano where the terrain turns more mountanous with lovely views of onion top churches etc. An excellent drive that enhanced the holiday rather than distracted from it. I remember to that on the autostrda bits there were lots of rather smart service station with petrol, shops and toilets etc.

Thanks Ioncall-- after looking at the map - Lake Garda route looks interesting -- thanks for advice.

Ellenem - we are taking the train from rome to florence - to venice and then from bolzano to rome so at least 3 days

With a car I am surprised you are staying in Bolzano for 4 nites. Have you looked at the Val Gardena--much more scenic.
Given those 4 nites, I would spend 2 of them on Lago Garda and 2 in Ortisei in the Val Gardena.

Not sure about the rail passes---would have to run the math at Railsaver.com

I found your itinerary on one of your posts in another thread. The OP wrote:

"we are 4 ladies from South Carolina -- also going to Venice on Monday - by train -- … -- we are flying into Rome - immediately to Florence - then to Venice - Bolzano and back to Rome -- 2 weeks"

So the train trips I see are: (showing 1st class and 2nd class prices)
Rome-Florence (ES/AV 62€, 44€)
Florence-Venice (ES/AV 59€, 42€)
I'll assume you would rent a car in Venice and drive to Bolzano. I'd drop the car in Verona for easier train connection to Rome.
Verona-Rome (R + ES/AV 91€, 65€; OR ESc + ES/AV 113€, 81€)

Therefore, for these trips, 1st class would total 234€ (a bit less if you took the cheaper option from Verona) and 2nd class would total 151€. If you purchased your tickets as soon as you arrived in Italy, you might get some advanced purchase discounted tickets for your later trips.

How does this compare to your 5-day ticket?

Ellenem -- sounds about what we paid -- $235 -

Bob -- we are going to Bolzano -- and then tour Dolomites and Innsbruck. One of the ladies has family in the area - that's why the 4 days there. I was looking today at renting the car in Venice or Verona -not any difference in price -- much better selection -- automatic (lol) Lake Garda looks like a nice drive on western side (and not out of the way ) - - so any sites in the area to see - any advice or recommendations would be appreciated.

"Ellenem -- sounds about what we paid -- $235 - "

I was quoting euros, so you did better. However, keep in mind that if all you have is a pass, then to ride ANY of these train you will still need to reserve seats on them, at a cost of 10€ per ticket.

Unless you meant euros . . .

ellenem -- when we go to reserve our seats we pay 10E -- thanks -- should we reserve outbound seat as we arrive in that station.

Reserve the seats whenever you know which train you'd like to take. If you already know, you could have a list ready when you arrive in Italy and reserve all your trips at the same time.

thanks -- we have not decided to take the rail to Bolzano and rent the car in Bolzano and drive the dolomite tour.

We are going to spend a few hours in Verona -- while traveling from Venice to Bolzano.
thanks for all the help and suggestions --

Your post brought back memories. In 1992 my husband and I drove from Venice to Bolzano in off-season. Arriving in quiet Bolzano with no accommodation, we were directed to a local shopkeeper who had a B&B (minus the second B). Negotiation ensued: did we want a "matrimoniale" for a premium price or "non-matrimoniale" for a much better price. I still have a picture of my husband eating pistachios and drinking wine in his little cot. i.e., non-matrimoniale.
I'd drive to Bolzano. I remember stopping in little towns and enjoying it very much. An adventure.

sorry - that was we have now decided to rail and rent in Bolzano.

Glad to respark the memories --