We plan to rent a car to explore Tuscany after a stay in Cinque Terre which we will get to be train. Ideally -to avoid city traffic- would like to pick up vehicle at airport in Pisa or Florence (getting there by train/shuttle) but return to FCO/Rome airport before a flight out.. Figure renting from/back to airport location can get one on to major hwy/autostrada fairly easily ( hopefully!) before getting off to explore /stay in hilltop towns and countryside. And maybe better signage getting to airport then getting through a city location. We have been pedestrians in Rome and Florence in past and said no way would we ever attempt to drive there!! Anybody have recent experience with car rentals/ one way - return at different than pick up location? Or if there is a smaller town that we could get to by train ( Lucca, ? other) are there likely to be any auto rental places there that aren't drastically much more expensive than bigger city places.?
Posted by
Vignola, MO, IT
711 posts
We picked up a car at the Florence airport (took the bus there) and later returned the car to Orvieto. Took the train from Orvieto to Rome where we flew out the next day. It worked out very well for us.
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
5534 posts
There are no major car rental agencies in Lucca, only locally owned ones. Therefore, I would not recommend renting from Lucca as these smaller rental companies will likely not allow you to drop off the car in another location. I would suggest renting from Pisa, where there is a large selection of major agencies. You can see how much dropping off your car in Rome would be by simply doing some searches online. I regularly use kayak.com for this.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16243 posts
Use a consolidator:
www.kemwel.com
www.autoeurope.com
Check prices with both, although they are part of the same group.
They both work primarily with Hertz, Europcar, Avis, which are some of the largest operating in Italy.
Your pick up location should be:
LA SPEZIA
just minutes away from the Cinque Terre. Most agencies are near the port (to cater to the cruiseders), just 10 min from the station. Avis is not too far from the station. Just take a taxi there.
Your drop off location can be:
ORVIETO
or
ROMA TIBURTINA STATION (very close to freeway exit coming from Roma Est-A24)
The company Europcar generally has the lowest prices. They don't have a drop off location at Orvieto however, therefore with them you must choose ROME.
There is no extra fee for dropping off at a different location within the same country. You can also change your mind later and drop off at a different location from what originally scheduled. No problem, no extra fees.