Driving Tuscany and Drop off Car Venice

I would vote to drop off the car in Florence and take the train to Venice. In my opinion this would be easier and much more relaxing. The main train station in Venice is right at the water taxi stand....

and the view arriving in Venice by train, and the standing at the top of the stairs and viewing the scene of the Grand Canal is incomparable.

If you do stay with the car, remember the speed cameras (that's plural) on the causeway and approach.

So drop car off at Florence train station would be pretty easy, then just hop train to Venice?

If you drive into Florence to drop the car, you need to be aware of the ZTL's and bus lanes. Violation will result in an expensive ticket.

If you want to drop the car and experience arrival in Venice by train ( which I agree is a great first view), you could dropnthe car at the Porte Nuova station in Verona. I believe that presents no access issues, ( it is outside the city walls), but check on that to be sure.

If you decide to keep the car until Venice, note that most companies charge a surcharge to drop at Piazzale Roma. It was 12€ in our case, cheaper than transport for three from the airport drop area into Venice. One advantage of dropping at Piazzale Roma is that you board the vaporetto before it gets packed. It fills up at the next stop,the train station.

Do observe the speed limit driving over the causeway if you decide on Piazzale Roma. There are three speed cameras and people have reported getting tickets from all three.

So drop car off at Florence train station would be pretty easy, then just hop train to Venice?

Google "dropping car off at hertz Firenze" I found a lot of helpful information, including a post from our regular contributor Roberto.

I haven't driven in Florence, but when we rode the bus into town, I see the need to have a good game plan.

I don't know how much extra they charge to drop the car off at a different location. You might want to check. The alternative would be to take the fast train from Rome and rent and return the car at the office near the train station.

Per Lola, dropping the car in Florence isn't your only option. Could return the vehicle in Vicenza, Verona, or Padua and still take the train into Venice.

Thanks all,
Interestingly when trying to modify the car rental to drop at Florence instead of Venice, the cost was 10x higher ($3400 instead of 336!). Called autoeurope but couldn't get any better price or explanation.
Think maybe just driving to the downtown Hertz dropoff could be a lot cheaper though will miss the train view!

Erm, DOWNTOWN Venice? Wouldn't that be the Rialto bridge? No cars allowed there I'm afraid. I believe your choices would either be P. Roma in Venice proper, or in Venice Mestre on the mainland. If it's the latter, then you would still take the train across the lagoon to Venice proper.

Not sure, this is what popped up on the autoeurope site:
HERTZ - VENICE DOWNTOWN
PIAZZALE ROMA, 496-E

Piazzale Roma is as far as a vehicle can go. From there it’s walk, water taxi or vaporetto.

If you don’t mind the 3.5 hours freeway driving, drop it in Venice (Piazzale Roma).
It would be faster and cheaper (maybe even more convenient) than dropping in Florence and taking the train.