We will be taking trains for most of our Italian journey. However, we will need a car for our time in Assisi because of the countryside and we are taking a cooking class. Our itinerary is Florence, Vernazza, Siena, Assisi, Orvieta and Civita, ending in Rome. Should we rent the car in Siena and return it to Orvieta? I thought I read somewhere that there are no car rentals in Assisi. We will be departing the US in mid April,so how soon do we need to make a car reservation?
Thanks,
Kathy
Oh, one more question. Buying our train tickets there is fine right? That way we are not tied to a specific time is what I'm thinking.
Kathy
I can't address the car questions.
For the train tickets: Regional trains, which you will be using for part of your trip and will have the option to use for some other short travel legs (perhaps even all of your trips) if you so choose, there is no advantage to buying tickets early other than not having to stand in line at the train station in Italy. Regionale tickets have one price for each itinerary, and they do not change. You cannot reserve a seat on a regional train, so you can always get on the train you want; however, there's a possibility that you might have to stand for part of the trip at very busy times. (See below.)
The fast trains (Frecciarossa, etc.) offer some promo fares when tickets initially go on sale. As others buy those tickets, only more expensive fares remain. The price difference can be fairly substantial, but Italian trains are not terribly expensive, in general. Seat reservations are mandatory on the Frecce trains; they are included in the fares displayed online.
You can go to the TrenItalia website and check prices for travel tomorrow vs. your actual travel dates to see how much extra you may end up paying by buying the tickets on the spot. Tickets for April have been on sale for a while, so even if you buy tickets today, you may not get the best bargains.
Most people prefer to take a bus between Florence and Siena, and a bus is your only option--other than a rental car--between Civita di Bagnoregio and Orvieto. Bus frequency is sharply reduced on Sundays and holidays.
"Mid-April" suggests that you may be in Italy over the Easter period. That could substantially increase rail traffic and cause crowding on the regional trains. Some of the Frecce might sell out.
I hope someone who has actually been in Italy at that time of year can comment.
Note: I don't know what days around Easter are considered holidays for the purpose of train and bus schedules, beyond Easter itself. It's possible that there will be no bus service at all to Civita di Bagnoregio for several days during the Easter period.
What is your itinerary sequence in terms of hotel nights stays exactly? Are you visiting Siena for a day from Florence or spending any nights there after Florence (or before Florence)?
Rental car offices with major rental companies (Europcar, Hertz) would be available both in Florence and Siena, however where it is best to pick up depends on your exact plan. The closest office to Assisi is at the Perugia airport, which is half way between Assisi and Perugia, but traveling from Siena to there is not convenient.
I'd start getting the cars soon after you have the plan firm.
I generally use a consolidator:
www.autoeurope.com
www.kemwel.com
Both are part of the same corporate group, but prices vary, so check both. They work exactly the same. They contract cars with all major companies, but over the years I noted that Europcar and Hertz tend to have the best prices. But check for yourself.
Your pick up could be either Florence or Siena (depending on where you are before Assisi).
Your return location should be Rome Tiburtina station.
Hertz also has a franchise office in Orvieto, but I don't think the above consolidators work with that office because they had problems with it in the past.
No need to buy train tickets in advance. Most of your travel is on Regional trains, so no discounts. From Florence to Siena there is a bus, which is faster. But you could also decide to rent the car in Florence and have a car in Siena. That would be a good idea if you intend to drive the countryside around Siena. In Siena itself a car is not needed as the city center is closed to car traffic.
Yes, we found out the hard way that Easter Monday was a holiday (with limited or no transportation options from small towns).
Tip when renting a car: Be sure to research the ZTL zones on Trip Advisor. Straying into these zones an prove costly in the form of tickets that eventually make their way onto your credit card. Be sure you understand how to navigate ZTL zones properly.
Wow, lots to think about. I was not aware of the ZTL so thank you.
Roberto: here is our itinerary
Florence 4 nights
Vernazza 2 nights
Siena 2 nights
Assisi 2 nights
Orvieto 2 nights which includes a day trip to Civita
Rome 5 nights.
So car rental can be secured in Siena but not necessarily returned in Orvieto?
