Closest car rental to La Spezia port?

Jen, just curious but what part(s) of the "region" are you thinking to explore, and how much time do you have? Is this just for the day and you have to return to the ship in the late afternoon/evening?

We are planning on driving to Pisa and then Portovenere/Cinque Terre area-although I am not exactly sure what our plan is there. I know they are in opposite directions but we are ok with just driving and exploring.

My goal is to get to Pisa early to climb the tower. (I will get the tickets in advance) and then head back north.

We are in port from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm.

Thanks, Jen. We haven't driven that area (and personally wouldn't drive in the CT, although the Portovenere area might be OK ) but the more complete picture will help others provide the best advice. You'll want to do your homework on ZTLs, International Driver's Permits, etc.

As with any independent trip that involves a port departure at the end of the day, be very cautious of the time. :O)

Hi Kathy-
We cruised to Norway last summer and rented a car in every port. We loved the flexibility that renting a car affords us.

I am learning that renting a car in Italy does involve a little more legwork. I will do my homework so we don't have any unexpected issues (more than the usual unexpected issues) :).

This part of Italy is easily traveled by train (except Porto Venere) and ferry for the coastal towns. See www.trenitalia.com or the Deutsche Bahn link at Looking Up Train Schedules and Routes Online and last year's ferry timetables.

Parking in Cinque Terre towns is generally limited to one small parking lot that will probably be full. Monterosso has the largest parking lot, but then you'd probably leave the car there and switch to train or ferry, any way.

Driving into Pisa is a very inefficient use of time, especially if you don't thoroughly study a map before doing so (like me, this past October). Expect a lot of traffic and circuitous one-way streets. This is all probably quite different from your experience in Norway.

Thanks Laura-
I was just telling my husband I don't think it will be as user friendly as driving in Norway was. We may need to re-evaluate our plans. I am not a fan of tour bus groups and to hire a driver is more than what I want to spend.

I will give the train schedule a try. Thank you for your input!

Jen, Italian trains are not difficult to manage and can often get you from one place to another more efficiently than a car. I'll second Laura's advice to at least look at train travel for Pisa and the CT?

jen,

For driving in Italy, note that each driver listed on the rental form will require the compulsory International Driver's Permit, which is used in conjunction with your home D.L. These are easily obtained at any AAA office and are valid for one year. Failure to produce an IDP if requested can result in hefty fines, which will be collected on the spot. As someone else mentioned the Zona Traffico Limitato (ZTL) areas will also be an issue (more hefty fines).

As others have mentioned, using a rental car to tour around that area is not the best idea (IMO), especially as you have a limited time in port. You'd also have to allow for the time to get to the rental agency, do the paperwork and then the time to return the vehicle and get back to the ship. There's also the possibility of getting lost for a short time, which will reduce your time in the places you want to see. The five towns of the Cinque Terre are especially not a good place to tour by car, as parking could be an issue at that time of year, except in Monterosso as Laura mentioned. Using the local trains is a quicker and more efficient method to see the five towns. Travel time from La Spezia Centrale to Riomaggore (the closest town) is only about 9 minutes. You'll waste far more time than that if you drive.

Train travel time from La Spezia Centrale to Pisa Centrale ranges from about 38M to 1H:27M, depending on which train you use. The trains in Italy are very easy to use, but there are a few "rules" that you need to be aware of. If the train you choose is a Regionale, you MUST validate the tickets prior to boarding the train or risk hefty fines, which will be collected on the spot. Tickets for the Intercity and Freccia trains do not have to be validated, but those come with a compulsory seat reservation that's specific to train, date and departure time, and can only be used on the one train listed on the ticket.

I really appreciate the information Ken!
And thanks to all the input it looks like the train will be our best option for our limited time and to reduce frustration levels.

Is the La Spezia centrale train station within walking distance of the port? I know that walking distance may vary for different people but we are an active family of four (2 adults and a 12 and 16 year old) and we are fine with walking versus taking a cab.

Thanks!
-Jen

For you trip, it is more efficient to use trains. Cinque Terre are very difficult to reach by car (very tortuous and narrow roads) and parking is difficult as well, whereas the train reaches the area in minutes since the railway goes underground inside the cliffs.
The historical center of Pisa is closed to non residents cars, therefore you need to find parking outside the city walls and walk. It’s not difficult, but everything becomes time consuming if you don’t know your way around town. In the end the train will save you a lot of time, because it’s faster than the car, and cheaper too.
This is what you do.
Take a taxi to the La Spezia Centrale station (too long to walk). Take a train to Pisa. Preferably one that stops at Pisa San Rossore, which is walking distance from the tower, or also Pisa Centrale (25 min walk, but there are taxis and buses)
Then take the train back from Pisa to any town in the Cinque Terre. A change in La Spezia Centrale is necessary.
Use this for train schedules:
www.trenitalia.com
Station names mentioned above.
For Cinque Terre use any of the villages you want to visit.