Driving from Rome airport to Sorrento

Others will probably also advise that you consider the safety of setting off on a long drive straight from a transatlantic flight.
Having said that, all the airport car rentals are in the same place and it is easy to get onto the highway from there.
Most European vehicles come with satnav these days - check with your rental company.
Having said that, we always use Google, even in our own car.

Hello moore3girls, and welcome to the forum,

I will let others comment on the route from FCO to Sorrento, but are you planning on using the car to explore the Amalfi coast in August? I think this sounds like a terrible plan - crazy traffic, crazy drivers, cliffside roads, scooters, huge buses and no parking. And this may actually be illegal since I believe there are odd/even plate restrictions for all the summer months on the single Amalfi coast road.

If you can secure parking in Sorrento and want to use other means to explore the Amalfi coast then that is an okay plan. However if you are talking about this year you are already very late for finding accommodations anywhere on the Amalfi peninsula including Sorrento and I would start there.

You also don't say how long your flight is or whether you are planning on staying in Rome for a night before your drive. I would advise caution about planning to driving 4+ hours after an international flight.

I'm sure you'll get good advice here,
=Tod

We need more details for sure, but I would strongly suggest picking up the car as you leave the Sorrento area.

I concur with the idea of using public transportation until you are done with Sorrento/Amalfi. A great place for car pick up is Salerno. There are car rentals right by the train station and a fairly easy drive out of town. If you have some time, Salerno is a great city to spend a few days. You could visit Amalfi Coast from Salerno as well.

Regarding the odd-even plate restrictions for non-residents driving the coast, here they are for 2026:

https://distrettocostadamalfi.it/ordinanza-anas-targhe-alterne-in-costiera-amalfitana-come-funziona/

It's only in Italian so use a translation tool: this is the "from the horse's mouth" source.

More in English (with a lot of ads):
https://www.theroadreel.com/driving-the-amalfi-coast/

Pay particular attention to the warnings about traffic density, parking limitations and tight squeezes with SITA buses.: they are not kidding.

I'll absolutely vote with the others above: scrap the car idea until you're leaving the coast, and plan to use public transit TO Sorrento from FCO. Ferries are best for exploring the Sorrentine/Amalfi region, IMHO, as they avoid the roads completely but there are also SITA buses + some folks use private drivers (most expensive option, and doesn't avoid traffic backups.) If using a rental car the rest of your trip, be sure to read up on the ins-and-outs of driving in Italy, and specifically about ZTLs. Here's a place to start (scroll down to "Driving in Italy" and order the ebook.)

https://italybeyondtheobvious.com/about/travel-philosophy/

Great advice, especially from Kate, but others as well. I adore driving... In California! In Europe we almost exclusively take trains, except outside of my hubby's home Uppsala where we know the roads. (No ZTL's, no navigation, no sneaky tickets a mont later.) Have a look at trains, they will save you incredible hassle. Then rent when you need it out of Sorrento, or another poster mentioned Salerno, where you can get by ferry from Sorrento. Hope you have a wonderful trip!

You'll have to confirm with whichever company you rent with. Some vehicles will have satnav and some won't. Google Maps is your best bet. Read info carefully before choosing to drive along the Amalfi Coast, especially in August. Don't forget to get an International Driver's Permit before you leave home. The rental company may not ask for it, but the police will if you happen to get pulled over.