Has anyone ever driven in Milan? How bad is it?
I had planned to take a bus out of Milan to get to Chamonix. France. I was waiting to buy the bus tickets until I got tickets to the Last Supper. They have to happen on the same day (only time I'm in Milan that the Last Supper is open), so to ensure I could make the bus departure time after seeing the Last Supper, I waited to buy bus tickets.
I was able to get our Last Supper tickets when sales opened the other day for our September visit, and then went to buy bus tickets, only to find no availability. There were several bus departures to Chamonix when I initially looked, and every single one is gone now - either sold out or cancelled I guess?
All that to say, the next most convenient way to get to Chamonix seems to be renting a car since train and other bus options would require several changes and a lot more time.
So how bad is driving in Milan? I'm fine driving during rush hour in Orlando FL and Phoenix AZ. I have experience driving in France, but that was mostly rural areas - the most congested place I drove was Avignon. Should I be ok in Milan?
My other thought is trying to find a rental car place on the outskirts of Milan. Would that make the drive substantially easier than picking up a car in the center of town?
Thanks for any thoughts!
Posted by
Twin Cities of MN
7322 posts
THere could be quite a drop charge. When we rent, we try to pick up and return on the outskirts of medium to large cities.
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
8239 posts
Picking up car in Italy and dropping in France will incur a very expensive drop off fee
Milan would be the last city in Italy I would want to drive in or out or around
Posted by
Firenze, Italy
1918 posts
Disclosure: I am born in Monza, near Milan, had my superior studies in Milan, have a Milanese wife and we go back regularly. After that, Milan is not terrible to drive, I'd say Rome and Naples are worst offenders. Milan has a regular circular shape, like a bull's eye, with three main rings, so it is not impossible to navigate. But traffic in Milan has three quirks:
1. a very large central area has access fees ("area C")
2.when two large alleys cross, often you are forbidden to turn left, as left turns stop incoming traffic. Of course there is always a way to turn, it may be by moving in advance to the right lane (which is counterintuitive) or using minor alleys to turn around a block. So, some itineraries may be difficult to follow.
3.in time, all parkings in the street are becoming either paid or reserved to residents.
Then, the main problem with your idea is not driving in Milan - eventually you will get out - but the drop fee when you turn back an hired car in a different country.
Posted by
Wengen
3268 posts
What date is it you need to travel to Chamonix? And what time are you able to leave?
A rental car will be expensive. One way cross border rentals incur big extra fees, as you are paying for someone to drive the car back.
EDIT: I did a quick search. A one day rental from Milano to Chamonix for a date a month from now looks like around 3000,- USD. Ouch. Did not expect it to be that expensive even.
Posted by
OP
Tallahassee, FL, USA
71 posts
This would be Tuesday September 16th.
We have Last Supper tour tickets for 11:30 and it says the tour is 45 minutes. We would then to go back to our hotel, right by the Duomo, and get our bags.
The bus I wanted to take was at 2:00pm out of Lampugnano Station does not show up anymore.
I've looked at taking a train and it would require 3 changes, and not get us to Chamonix until Wednesday.
I looked at car rental prices. We would have the car for a week, not just the one day. Pricing started at $1100. Our original dates we were renting a car costs $600.
If there is an option Im missing someone please let me know!
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
8239 posts
I looked at car rental prices. We would have the car for a week, not
just the one day. Pricing started at $1100. Our original dates we were
renting a car costs $600.
Does that rate include a drop off fee in another country?
Or will you pick up and return in Italy?
I've looked at taking a train and it would require 3 changes, and not
get us to Chamonix until Wednesday.
where are you looking? I see trains at 1:10 and 3:10 both get you to Chamonix on Tuesday evening...not Wednesday.
Posted by
Uppsala, Sweden
7680 posts
It's not a binary choice between taking the train all the way to Chamonix or renting a car in central Milan and deal with city traffic, there are several other options. You can take the train to the airport and rent a car there, it means you won't have to deal with the Milan traffic. Or you can take the train a bit closer, e.g. Aosta and rent it there.
Posted by
Wengen
3268 posts
September 16 is still some time away. You may have to wait a bit. I see lots of direct buses in the next few weeks. Flixbus however does not publish schedules that far ahead.
Posted by
OP
Tallahassee, FL, USA
71 posts
Does that rate include a drop off fee in another country?
Yes, the $1100 is with the return in another country. We'd pick up in Milan and drop off in Avignon.
Where are you looking? I see trains at 1:10 and 3:10 both get you to Chamonix on Tuesday evening...not Wednesday.
I looked at Train line. Can you points me to the 3:10 train route you found please?
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
8239 posts
Posted by
Wengen
3268 posts
Neither Trenitalia, nor SNCF can actually show and book this trip.
The best way to research train travel is to start with the DB planner. That will show you the actually, existing options. Best place to book the route via Switzeland would be the Swiss Railways. It is a nice, scenic ride.
But the problem is that the only afternoon departure puts you on the last train across to Chamonix, and that I would be reluctant to do. Especially since you will miss out on the scenery because it will already be dark.
This shows the issues of trying to move between two places, across borders and geographic features, and still do some sightseeing as well. If you would have stayed another night in Milano it would have been so much easier.
Now if you intend to drop the car in Valence, then yes, just bite the bullet, pay for it, and drive.
Posted by
Wengen
3268 posts
From September till mid December this year the Mont Blanc Tunnel is going to be closed to all traffic for renovation. That means that basically driving to Chamonix from Italy is not going to be possible. Hence you could not find busses. And having a rental car will not solve that either.
You will have to detour via the st. Bernard, and Marigny, and maybe Flixbus will put busses up doing just that.