Car Rental @Novella Train St Florence/ZTL

Bad news. You want to go southeast and the ZTL escape path is parallel to the train tracks on the north side toward the northwest. Good news. You're clear of any threat (unless you turn completely around) once you pass the Fortezza da Basso (hard to miss) which is less than a mile from the front of the station.. The problem. Finding a way across the Arno without blundering back into the briar patch. The solution. Press on to the A1 and hook your way around town. It might add fifteen miles to the whole trip, but consider it a freebie. Coming back. Stay with the A1 until you hit the A11 and you'll be well clear. The screw up. Turning on the gps to try to do any of this. Roberto is going to come along with better directions and better ideas, but, being a simpleton, I have trouble remembering them.

I doubt you will find information on how to avoid the ZTL's when you rent the car. You can google Florence ZTL to get information on where the zones are (basically all of Florence) and what times they are active but don't expect the rental company to supply you with this information. Also, GPS systems are not geared for routing you around ZTL's or notifying you of them. Your best bet is to google the areas you'll visit to see if you can find maps of the ZTL's. Donna

Here is a map of the ZTLs, but by the admission of the person who posted it there have been changes since this map was produced and it should not be taken as fixed. But it gives a general idea. http://www.florence-on-line.com/images/florence-driving-map.html Personally, I wouldn't bring a vehicle anywhere near the city center of Florence. If I had to retain a vehicle over the time of my stay in Florence, I'd try to use a service like ParkVia to try to get booked into a secure parking facility outside town at the airport, take public transport or a taxi into Florence, then back out to pick the car up when ready to leave.

I would see if your travel agent can change the pickup location for your car. This was years ago but I picked a car from Europcar at the Via Gelsomino pickup location. It is well out of central Florence. We took a taxi from our hotel to get there. From there it is an easy straight shot out of town toward Siena. Google the car rental company website and it will tell you all the pickup locations and you can pinpoint them on a map.

I'm not aware of any rental car location at the station, although most are located nearby. I need at least the name of the rental car company you are renting from, if you don't have the exact address. Don't change any reservations, I'll get you out of there and back without problems. I know Florence like the back of my hand (born, raised and traveling there yearly) and I've never gotten a ZTL violation fine. My new motto will be:
"Roberto. Avoiding Florence ZTL fines since 1988"

Thanks so much for all the information. I realize I have a bit more planning to do and need to get more info such as who my car rental agency is and exactly where they are located. Putting a call into the travel agent tomorrow...
Thanks for the heads-up on the GPS not knowing where ZTL's are too!

this is the latest ZTL map: http://www.serviziallastrada.it/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=224&func=startdown&id=150&lang=it Download it and print it if you want.
Its border basically coincides with Florence's ancient city walls, although north of the river Arno the walls have been demolished in the late XIX century to make room to the boulevards (viali). the only thing standing nowadays are the ancient city gates towers (Porta=Gate). All rental car companies are located in the Borgognissanti area. That is the street from Piazza Ognissanti to Via Il Prato. The rental companies are located before Borgognissanti changes name to Via il Prato. The cameras are wherever you see a T. They snap a picture only on entry. (they are one way streets so you can't even exit from those streets. the following is the allowable itinerary to exit the ZTL. You will be driving northwest along via Borgo Ognissanti (which becomes via Il Prato). you will be out of the ZTL as you reach the Porta Al Prato. An ancient city gate that is located in front of the Stazione di Porta al Prato. you will be turning right on Viale Fratelli Rosselli and follow the boulevards all around the ZTL in clockwise direction. Once you reach Piazza Piave (bottom right on the map) you will turn left (East) and go straight along the river. Follow the green directions to the A1 freeway to ROMA. Eventually you'll cross the bridge and will get on the expressway to the A1 freeway entrance FIRENZE SUD. Pick up your ticket at the toll booth and go on the freeway toward Roma. You will be exiting at the VALDICHIANA exit, after AREZZO. Once you exit follow directions to Montepulciano.