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Car hire - Pick up outside city

Hello Everyone,

I have another question for this amazing community.

I would like to drive to Orvieto (I think) as the drive through that area seems like a nice idea.
But I will be heading there from Naples.
As I normally drive on the left here in Australia (in very structured and regulated traffic) I really don't want to drive in the city/busy areas.
Any ideas of somewhere outside the city with quieter traffic we might be able to pick up a car from?
Happy to get a train to another destination and drive from there.

Thank you!

Posted by
8359 posts

Have you considered taking the train up to Rome Termini and switching over to a local train for the 70 minute ride up to Orvieto? It'd be a big time saver.
The Hertz car rental office is just across the street from the Orvieto train station--100 meters. It's a very popular location for people coming to and from Rome to pickup/turn in automobiles.
The roads in Umbria and a 90 minute drive north to Tuscany are very good--and quiet.

Posted by
10 posts

Thanks David,

Yes we were originally just going to train to Rome then connect to Orvieto but I really like the idea of driving through the italian countryside, at least a little bit.

Might be getting into too fine of detail here but do you think it might be possible to:
Pick up a car in Orvieto and drive towards Florence somewhere but drop off the car prior to the traffic areas around Florence and get other transport into Florence (as Florence is the next stop for us after Orvieto)?

Thanks,
Steve

Posted by
16193 posts

If you can arrange a pick up at the Hertz in Orvieto, after you visit Orvieto (you don’t need a car for Orvieto), you can drive to Florence and return the car at one of these two locations outside the Florence city center. Both are easy to reach from the A1 freeway coming from the south.

A1 exit: FIRENZE SUD (the first exit coming from the south)
Hertz Firenze Sud - Via Giorgio Ambrosoli 30
Via Giorgio Ambrosoli, 30, 50136 Firenze FI, Italy
+39 055 095 0022
https://goo.gl/maps/vK1cbUqwWD32
This location is also great if you are coming into Florence from the famous Chianti Road, the Strada Regionale (SR222) Via Chiantigiana.

A1 exit: FIRENZE SCANDICCI (4th exit. After the Villa Costanza Parking exit)
Hertz Firenze Sansovino - Via del Sansovino 53
Via del Sansovino, 53, 50142 Firenze FI, Italy
+39 055 713 5172
https://goo.gl/maps/LphAtxWPoiP2

Be aware that there is one speed camera shortly after the toll booths at either exits. Therefore don’t speed.

Posted by
10 posts

Thank you Roberto that is fantastic information and this is definitely something we will think about

Any chance you are aware of a place outside Naples (with quiet traffic) where we could pick up a car to drive to Orvieto?

thank you all!

Posted by
16193 posts

If you prefer to drive from Napoli to Orvieto, rather than taking the train, then my recommendation is to pick up at the Naples airport. From there it is easy to get on the freeways and head north. If you are actually staying in Sorrento, then you can pick up in Sorrento. Just be aware that the drive is not that hot. It’s mostly freeways through valleys, but nothing spectacular. The train is probably faster in spite of having to change in Rome in most circumstances.

I do not recommend driving inside the city of Naples. I understand you are Australian, therefore used to driving on the left side of the road. In Italy we drive on the right, but in Naples no rules apply. They drive on the right, on the left, on the center, on top of you, on the sidewalk, on the light rail tracks, and wherever else is necessary to go forward.
An example of Naples Driving is in this video.

Posted by
10 posts

Haha thank you Roberto.
This is exactly why I really would like to avoid driving in Naples or any major city.
So if I were to pick it up from Naples airport as you suggest I would be away from all the crazy traffic?

Posted by
12031 posts

Seeing the video Roberto provided reminds me of what the tour guide told me on my 1st trip to Italy-- Italians approach driving more as a dance on a ballroom, floor-- just moving around each other, vs orderly military marching.

Happily I did not have the challenge OP does of driving on 'the other side' to adapt to.

You need to accept the local mindset, not fight it. I found it works better!