Hi- We are flying into the Florence airport and then driving up to Lucciana Nardi (upper hill town area). A week later, we drive back to Florence and need to catch a train to Rome. Can anyone offer advice on where to rent the car that would make it convenient to pick up and drop off, since we are arriving at the airport and leaving through the train station. I'm not really sure of the distances between these places, but want to make the A to B travel as easy as possible, since we are traveling with kids. Thank you!
Posted by
Boston
1816 posts
Rent at Florence airport. It's near a limited access highway leading to the autostrada, and you won't be near a ZTL. Licciana Nardi is a fairly easy and pretty 2 hour drive. On the way back, you can taxi or bus to the train.
However, if you don't need to return to Florence, there are other possibilities. You could rent from Avis or Budget and return the car to La Spezia and walk to the train station (or taxi). You could also return the car to Pisa Airport and train to Rome from Pisa Centrale. The transfer from the airport to train is easier at Pisa than Florence.
Websites with English articles for the Lunigiana area are www.ciaolunigiana.com www.apathtolunch.com and www.wanderingitaly.com You'll be near the excellent restaurant/agriturismo Montagna Verde at Apella, montagnaverde.it but you need to reserve in advance. Feel free to send a PM if you have questions about the area as I am based nearby.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16240 posts
You should definitely rent at the Florence airport.
To go to Rome with your family (and kids) I would drive to Rome and not bother with the trains. It's practically all freeway. If you must absolutely take a train there is no need to go to Florence. You can return the car at various cities along the coastal route. The closest are La Spezia or Pisa. The rental offices in La Spezia are near the port, except for Avis-Budget which is closer to the station (but still a walk, especially with luggage). The port is easier to drive to from the freeway.
Pisa has the easiest car rental return. They are all at the airport, next to the freeway. From the airport to the station is less than a mile (taxi or shuttle bus). However, as I said, I would drive all the way and maybe stop along the way to see the beautiful Mt. Argentario peninsula and eat some seafood at Porto Santo Stefano. From Lunigiana to Rome is about 4+ hr drive plus pit stops.
Posted by
OP
12 posts
thank you to you both. very good info on the area, the local restaurant, and rental options. i never before considered driving all the way to rome - but if we did that, do the car rental places allow you to rent at florence airport and return somewhere in rome? we are spending two nights in rome before heading back to the airport.
Posted by
Chicago
8703 posts
We always return at the airport in Florence because the risk of heavy fines for returning in town are so ever present. Yes, theoretically you can do it without tripping the photo and fine but it is easy to stray into a bus lane or make a wrong turn and circle the block and end up with hundreds of Euros in fines.
Drop at the airport then take a cab for 20 Euros into town to the train station.
Posted by
Boston, MA
1832 posts
Jane is referring to the ZTL fines, so you would want to find a return spot in Rome that stays outside of these.
Italy is much different from the US in terms of one way rentals, in many cases there are zero extra charges for picking up in Florence and dropping off in Rome. In the US a similar distance one way rental might add $500
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16240 posts
Yes you can pick up a car in a city (Florence) and return it in another (Rome) at no extra charge, as long as it's within the same country. You can even change your mind later, and for example return it in a different city (e.g. Pisa) than originally booked (e.g. Rome) and there is no penalty for doing so.
I recommend you rent your car through a consolidator:
www.autoeurope.com
www.kemwel.com
They are both part of the same company (based in Portland, Maine) after a merger, but check prices in both websites as they vary.