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Car rental or train

Hi we are spending time in Amalfi Coast before moving on to a week in Tuscany in June. There will be 5 adults and 1 child traveling and we aren’t sure if we should take the train up to Florence and rent the car there or if there is another city along the way that would be a better option. Has anyone done this or have suggestions? We will use that van for the week in Florence since we will have 4 more adults in Tuscany we are staying with. Thanks!

Posted by
11056 posts

I would pick up the car at Naples airport. Drive north is not difficult on the autostrada. Easier than combining with a train ride.

Posted by
32523 posts

Do you know that all 10 of you can't fit in a self-drive vehicle?

Posted by
15043 posts

I would pick up the rental not in Naples, but in either Sorrento or Salerno (whichever is closer to your Amalfi Coast accommodations).. the drive to Tuscany is about 5-6 hours from there.

However I am not clear where you are staying in Tuscany. If Florence is where you plan to stay, I’m not even sure I would rent a car at all. If you do be aware of the traffic restrictions in Florence city center.

I’m also not clear on the total number of travelers in your party. I read 5 adults and one child, then 4 more adults? You will need more than one vehicle for 9 adults and one child.

The child can only travel on a child seat. Vans hold a maximum of 8 passengers plus the driver. Anything bigger requires a higher level bus license. Also in terms of rental cost, renting a minivan costs as much as 3 Economy cars, therefore it is cheaper to split the party into small groups, if there is a sufficient number of adult drivers.

Posted by
3 posts

Hello everyone and thank you for your suggestions. We don’t plan to fit all ten of us in one car or even a minivan. We will have multiple vehicles, some may even already be in Tuscany when we arrive. Sorry those tidbits are irrelevant.

I’ve read that rental fares will be cheaper if we get the car along a city stop and it will be quicker if we take the high speed further up and we are willing to pay a little more for convenience and less legs of the trip. We have also have read that we need to purchase separate auto insurance when renting in Italy, does anyone know that to be correct? We are staying in Camaiore. Thanks!

Posted by
15043 posts

For rental cars I use the Maine based consolidators below (both are now merged and part of the same corporate group, but check both websites as prices vary).
www.autoeurope.com
www.kemwel.com
They work with Europcar, Hertz, Avis-Budget, etc. but generally I save going through them rather than directly with the rental companies above.
You cannot decline insurance in Italy by law (and for example relying on your credit card coverage). But the contract you buy with the above consolidators will include already insurance. All the info can be found in the above websites.

I also select the zero deductible option in the above consolidators’ website, because the deductible can be stiff (over €1000). That option costs about an extra $4 a day more (worth the piece of mind IMO). The zero deductible option is available only if you select the Europcar or the Hertz contract. For the others (Avis, etc.) you would need to pay separately when you pick up. Europcar is the largest rental operator in Italy, Hertz is the second largest. I used either depending on price for the dates I need.

If you have never driven there you need to know about:
- International Driving Permit (mandatory in Italy), available at AAA for $30.
- Traffic Restricted Zones in historical city centers (Zona Traffico Limitato, or ZTL for short). Google ZTL Italy for info about it.
- European Road Signage and rules (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_signs_in_Italy)

Posted by
15043 posts

Rental car fares are more expensive if you pick up at airports. In your case you can rent you vehicle(s) near the Amalfi Coast (Either at Sorrento or Salerno, whichever is closer) and drive all the way to Camaiore (7+ hours plus pit stops, nearly all on freeways).
If you prefer to take the train and pick up the car closer to Camaiore, the closest rental car location is at Viareggio (15 min drive from Camaiore).
Pisa Airport is also close (40 min drive).
Florence, also along the way, is about 90 min drive from Camaiore. The walk from the Florence station to the rental companies on Borgo Ognissanti is 10 min.