Car rental or train - how long ?

Alex,

Based on your proposed Itinerary, a "combination" approach using both public transit and car rentals might work the best. As you're planning to stay in an Agriturismo, a car will probably be a necessity.

A few things you'll need to be aware of. EACH driver will required the compulsory International Driver's Permit, which is used in conjunction with your home D.L. These can easily be obtained at any AAA office for a small fee, and are valid for one year. You'll also have to be vigilant to avoid the ZTL (limited traffic) areas which are common in many Italian towns and cities. Hefty fines will result, which you may not know about until several months after you return home. Florence is especially heavily saturated with automated ZTL cameras.

One point to note is that Siena is not an especially good place to have a car, as parking can sometimes be hard to find. It would be prudent to book a hotel that provides parking.

Having a car in the Cinque Terre is of no benefit, as it will remain parked during your time there, gathering dust and accumulating parking charges. Travel by train is the best option, but there are some potentially expensive "caveats" to be aware of when using public transit in Italy as well. One point to note is that the C.T. will probably be "quiet" in March, as the tourist season doesn't usually start there until 1 April. The weather could also be an issue, but hopefully it will be nice during your visit.

One method that may work for you is.....

• Travel by train from Rome to Florence
• Rent car for a few days for stay at Agriturismo and other exploring
• Return car in Florence (be sure to note where ZTL areas are)
• Take trains to C.T. and then back to Rome (the trip from La Spezia Centrale to Rome is only about 3H:45M if you use one of the direct trains).

If you stay at an agriturismo near Florence then you go to the Cinque Terre, I would keep it for the entire stay and drive to La Spezia to return it there. I can't think of any agriturismo that wouldn't require a car. They are farmhouses converted into tourist accommodations and therefore are usually in locations not well served by transit (think of farms in America in the middle of the countryside). Also from Florence to La Spezia it's faster by car (1.5 hours vs 2.5 by train).
Cars are expensive because of the insurance add on since your US insurance doesn't cover you there (I wouldn't rely on credit card coverage too much anywhere, especially when you injure or kill someone), however it's not that much for 3 days. Just use a consolidator such as www.kemwel.com or their sister website www.autoeurope.com. I spent $300 for two weeks economy car rental in Italy last year with no deductible insurance. It's more for a larger car and if you pick up after July 1 (not your case) but not that much. I had a very large size car in July of 2 years ago (Vw Passat station 2.5L Wagon TDI) in July and paid $1100 for 14 days with full no deductible insurance. But if I had picked up before June 30 it would have been 40% less. Go with the consolidators above. Check prices with both online and call them to book (you can book online too). Prepaid but refundable up to 48 hrs prior.

I disagree with Ken on renting in Florence. In your case I would rent in Rome and drive to Tuscany. It's 4 of you and you will need a car anyway. By renting in Rome a few hours earlier you save the price of the train tickets for 4 people. Besides you can do some touring along the way.
Also I would return it in Spezia and not Florence, since you have a car already with you at the agriturismo You save time and also the aggravation of changing trains with luggage in Pisa. But above all you run the risk of entering the Florence ZTL if you return it in the wrong place. Besides Driving in Florence is not very pleasant unless you are used to driving in Manhattan type traffic (although you might be since you are from Jersey). From Tuscany ( anywhere) to La Spezia is almost all freeway.

Your US credit card will most likely cover the deductible- my ordinary Visa does. I am also covered by my Geico auto insurance which I confirmed with them by phone. If you buy AutoEurope's no excess insurance, there are exclusions. You won't be covered in 'parking facilities' for example.

Since you'll be early in the spring, perhaps you should keep the car and add other destinations like Portovenere, Lerici, Camogli.

Thanks Ken... and Roberto!

Yes, I thought of returning it in La Spezia because it's of no use in Cinque Terre, but at least it could take us there without issues... We would rent in Rome and return in CT... Good point about having a car while in Tuscany, that was my original plan, we prefer to stay in just one place, and perhaps travel to neighboring hill towns by car. How is parking in some of these small hill towns? Could I park "out of town" for free and just walk a bit more? We're not afraid of a little bit of walking...

I will definitely look into both consolidators you mention. I contacted Gemut which works with these consolidators and usually offer very competitive prices...they offered me a rental with CDW insurance with and without deductible,difference between both is about 10-12 euros per day (not bad!).. I called my credit card company (Chase Visa signature primary coverage in US and abroad, except Italy of course) and they told me that as long as I select the minimum CDW protection level, I was covered even for the "high" deductible... That's great... that means I don't need to buy the "zero deductible" insurance... anybody has had similar experience?

Thanks again for the feedback!
Alex

Thanks Mike...I noticed your response after I sent mine... I'm glad to know that your credit card also covers the deductible... That's great!!

You're right, Roberto - I don't like Manhattan type traffic... that's not the type of "adventure" tourism I'd like to have

I just noticed that both Kemwel and AutoEurope are both based in Portland, Maine... are they one and the same company?

Yes. They used to be separate companies but they are now separate brands part of the same corporate group called Travel Services Int'l.

The merger is 13 years old and eventually they might decide to keep only one website but for now both brands' websites are operative and prices differ so check both

http://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Car-Rental-News/Sibling-rivalry-TSI-brings-Kemwel-into-family

Yes, you can park outside the historical center of any towns, sometimes for free, sometimes for a parking fee. Historical centers have been closed to non residents' vehicles in most towns (ZTL=Zona Traffico Limitato or Limited Traffic Zone). In Florence you will pay about 2.50 euro per hour in every lot. Piazzale Michelangelo has some free spots, especially near the San Miniato church. But from there to the historical center is a 20-30 min walk (downhill going, uphill coming back). If you park up there (not a bad idea actually, since you can take some panorama pictures), take a taxi back, unless you feel up to a nice brisk uphill workout.

Thanks Roberto...this is all very helpful information. ..

Two lodgings in Tuscany you might like. both in the same area. Easy access to everything.

http://www.collelungo.com/EN/index.html have stayed here.

http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p1620132#summary. this is on our list.

Also look @ http://www.tuscanyaccommodation.com/?gclid=CJKv0JyErcMCFdgIgQodyKsArg

Thanks Gerri - I will definitely look into those lodgings... They all look great!

I think your plan is on the right track. When I picked up a car at Roma Termini station last year, the city driving required to reach the ring road was a high-traffic situation, but only for a couple of miles. Review that part of the route carefully before getting in the car. For towns covered in the Italy book, Rick often will mention parking lot locations and prices. I found the ZTLs in each Umbrian and Tuscan town I approached to be well marked, so I was in little danger of driving through the sign by accident. The issue of how to pay for parking varied a lot; for instance Montalcino parking only took coins and I didn't have enough.