We plan to rent a car for some Tuscany travel- either from the Pisa or Florence airport location ( figure easier to navigate out from airport than in middle of either city!)...Which one is easier to get to from train service in...and/or is Pisa or Florence airport easier to navigate out of Tuscany hilltowns bound?
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32406 posts
da,
Access to the Florence airport is very easy by Taxi, as it's very close to the city. There is no train access, only Shuttle and Taxi. As I recall, they charge a flat rate for the airport trip. At the Pisa airport, you'll have to take a Shuttle from Pisa Centrale as the new "People Mover" won't be ready until later this year.
I'll leave the question on navigating out of the airports to the hilltowns to Roberto or one of the others.
Posted by
Firenze
500 posts
"Hilltowns" is too generic. Volterra is closer to Pisa, San Gimignano and Montepulciano are closer to Florence.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16268 posts
Just to let you know Pisa and Florence are 80km (50 miles) apart. Neither airport is served by rail, but both are very close the their respective city centers and central stations. There are hundreds of hill towns in Tuscany, many of the most famous ones are closer to Florence than to Pisa, however virtually anyplace in Tuscany can be reached by either airport in 2 hours or less by car.
So the question is where will you be before renting the car.
if you are renting upon landing. you should rent at whichever airport you land.
If before renting, you are staying in Florence visiting, it would make sense to pick up the car in Florence. It would make no sense whatsoever to travel 50 miles to pick up the car all the way in Pisa. Especially considering that the most famous hill towns Americans like to visit are closer to Florence.
If before renting you are staying in Pisa or Lucca, which are closer to Pisa airport, Then it makes sense to pick up the car in Pisa.
If you pick up in Florence and before picking up you are already downtown, it would also make sense to pick up the car downtown rather than take the taxi to the airport. But that is up to you.
Posted by
OP
22 posts
I should have been more specific:) We are staying in Monterosso/Cinque Terre (which we are getting to by train). From there we will take a train either to Pisa or Florence to pick up a rental car...then on to explore/stay in such places as Lucca, Siena, San Gimignano, Montepulciano, etc. Have read from other posts that it might be easier to get familiar with driving in Italy by renting/exiting via an airport location vs. in the middle of city. Suggestions from your experience?
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32406 posts
da,
Keep in mind also the usual "caveats" for renting cars in Italy. Each driver will require the compulsory International Driver's License, which is used in conjunction with your home D.L. You'll also have to be extremely vigilant to avoid the dreaded ZTL (limited traffic) zones which exist in many Italian towns, and also the automated speed cameras and Traffic Tutor on the motor ways.
Posted by
roswell, ga, usa
1501 posts
If you're not arriving via air to either airport, I'd just go with whichever location offers the best price and variety of available cars. If you were asking which airport is the easiest to fly into/out of for travel to US, I'd definitely say Pisa. I love that airport. I never spend time there, but If I can get a direct flight home out of there, it's my preferred airport. Much easier than either Milan or Roma.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16268 posts
Dacorey
Thank you for the clarification.
Based on the new information provided, you should pick up a the rental car in the city of La Spezia, next to the Cinque Terre.
All major rental car companies have an office in La Spezia, most are near the port (to cater to the cruisaders getting off the cruise ships). From the port it is very easy to get on the expressway that leads you out of town to the freeway. Avis has the office not far from the train station.
Take the train from Monterosso to La Spezia, then from the station take a short taxi ride to the rental car location (if Avis you could even walk).
To rent a car use a consolidator such as the following sister companies based in Maine:
www.autoeurope.com
www.kemwel.com
Check prices with both. They work primarily with Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz. In my experience Europcar or Hertz are generally cheaper. I suggest you select the "no insurance excess" (zero deductible insurance) option. It's slightly more expensive, but it provides peace of mind as the deductible can be as high as 1,000€ in case of accident.
There is generally no drop off fee if you pick up in a city and drop off in another, as long as both are within the same country.