We will be renting a car to visit the Dolomites for a week, then heading to Venice. We will pick up the car in Bolzano and I initially assumed we would return it there and then catch the train to Venice. But I checked and there is no additionsl cost to drive the car to Verona and return it there. I haven't checked Vicenza but assuming the same thing applies, is there any reason we should choose one over the other? I am looking for somplace EASY to reach and return the car with no ZTL issues, etc., so thought the Verona airport might fit that. It looks pretty easy to get from Verona airport to Verona Porta vNuova staton for the train to Venice. Now you're going to ask why we don't just drive to Venice and return it there, either at Marco Polo airport or Piazzale Roma. I don't have a good answer to that, other than that we are nervous drivers in Italy (or rather, my husband is a nervous driver and I am a nervous nagivator). We did it once before but that was 10 years ago. If the price is still the same I might be convinced, but would like to consider the other options too. It will be a car from Hertz if that makes a difference. Thanks for your help!
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
I would think navigating the way to Venice Piazzale Roma would be far easier than any other option. You follow the signs on the highway to Venice; once you get on the causeway, there's no way to get lost, as it takes you right to Piazzale Roma, and that's a dead end (no further land travel possible). The airport will also be well signed. It was about 15 years ago, but my friend drove and I navigated from Bressanone (north of Bolzano) to Treviso. It was very easy, as it's all on highways, and these major cities were well signed. The next day, we returned the car to Marco Polo Airport before flying out; that was also easy. I don't remember further details, but I think your alternatives of Verona or Vicenza are actually harder. I would assume Verona has ZTL's, and we all know what THAT means <g>.
Posted by
OP
Seattle, WA
16409 posts
Thanks for your helpful comments, Harold. That is a good point about the possibility of ZTLs around Verona. If it is that easy to drive into Piazale Roma I will give that serious consideration. The idea of driving across the causeways actually appealing---I have seen it in so many movies, it might be fun to do it in person. And then we would avoid all the train transfers with luggage, and just hop a vaporetto to Rialto
Posted by
Wiesbaden, Germany
791 posts
Driving to Venice is a lot easier. Just watch your speed on the causeway, there are speed cameras.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15269 posts
If you are going to Venice return the car in Venice. Why dealing with transferring to a train station and taking a train? Hertz has the office on 496 Piazzale Roma just across the Ponte Della Liberta' (Liberty Bridge) which connects Venice to the mainland.