We will be driving up from Pienza area and need to drop rental car off in Florence. Given that, which rental car locations can I get to without worrying about ZTL's? I don't know which company I'm renting from yet, but probably AutoEurope.
Slowly, this trip is coming into focus. Thank you for your help.
ZTLs are HORRIBLE. Six months after our trip got sent a ticket.
In hindsight I know the sign in front of our apt was a ZTL but we thought if I stayed in front of the apt with the car and hubby got the luggage we were OK. Not so. Was in Italy for 2 months so not just carryons. Maybe when you find the car rental agency you could use googlemaps to see the street where you return the car to see if there are any signs. I would hope that the agency was not in an area of ZTLs. Or write them first.
We dropped ours off at the airport so we wouldn’t have to worry about ZTL’s.
AutoEurope is a broker. The actual rental company you will be renting through them will be one of the major companies like Europcar, Hertz, Avis-Budget, Sixt, etc. (whatever you will decide to take on the AutoEurope website).
The return can be downtown on the Borgo Ognissanti area or the Airport.
If you want to return downtown I will give you directions in the next comment on how to get there.
If you return to the airport it will be on the opposite side of the city from where you are coming from. I recommend you take the longer route around the city on the A1 and exit at the last Florence exit (FIRENZE NORD). After you exit there you should stop at the rest area on the freeway below to fuel your car (save it on your phone)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/UHG9fon6UjkYSPwJA?g_st=ic
Then proceed to the Airport Rental Car center below
https://maps.app.goo.gl/chzEJXUpkAZ3SGdZ6?g_st=ic
If you want to return the car downtown at the Borgo Ognissanti at the Interpark Europa Garage where all companies are located, I gave detailed instructions in the thread below:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/florence-car-rental-zlt-zone
If I may piggyback on this topic, Roberto, we have a car reserved through Avis (picking up and dropping off) at the Firenze airport. What is the easiest way to get there and back from SMN train station? Thank you
@janet_kupfer: Consider writing a post about ZTLs. Italy is not a good place for US tourists to rent cars, since the rules are difficult to follow when you are driving in a strange place. How much were your tickets? How many? What did the rental agency add to the tickets? Could you easily pay them?
I routinely post warnings about Italy travel. No other forum has postings about the fines. However, France is now bringing a ZTL-like system to traffic in that country (ZTLs bring in huge fees for cities). So this problem is likely to spread.
Roberto, thank you so much for this information. I have copied it all. I'm grateful!!
"What is the easiest way to get there [Airport Rental Car Center] and back from SMN train station? "
Lightrail tramway T2 line at the Alamanni/Stazione SMN stop to Vespucci Airport. The lightrail ticket can be purchased from the automatic machine at the stop. I think it's still 1.70€ per person (unless it increased from last July). You can buy with App or SMS text message too. There might be extra ticket to buy for bulky luggage. The T2 starts from Piazza dell'Unità near the station, if you start from a location closer to Piazza dell'Unità you can take it from there. Once you arrive at the Vespucci Airport (final T2 line stop), walk to the front of the main terminal and take the shuttle bus to the Car Rental Center. It's a very short distance from the terminal, but do not attempt to walk it. It's not a pedestrian friendly walk, take the car rental shuttle bus.
Taxi from the station to the car rental center. Specify to taxi driver you are going to the AUTONOLEGGIO on VIA PALAGIO DEGLI SPINI (that is the name of the street where the car rental center is). If you just say airport the taxi will drop you off at the terminal and then you would need to take the shuttle. If you tell the taxi you are going on Via Palagio degli Spini, you will save the extra step. The taxi fare is flat and will be approximately 25 euro (depending on time of day/night, number of bags, etc.).
Do the reverse to get back to SMN station.
Your contributions to this site are so valuable. Grazie!
