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Europcar in Florence

Posted by (California) on

They now have two different locations in Florence and they told me you have to go first to the one on Borgo Ognissanti to take care of the paperwork and then you have to go to the parking facility at the Santa Maria Novella station to pick up and drop off cars there.

So I'm trying to figure out the path to avoid the ZTL.

I found this previous thread:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/renting-and-returning-car-firenze-europcar

What is confusing is there are links to the route to leave Florence after picking up and the route to return to Florence and the garage and avoid the ZTL in both cases.

Pick-up: https://maps.app.goo.gl/kFvCw5ev6FhD3byS6
Drop-off : https://maps.app.goo.gl/qYbZ93UDrEgF888R7

When I follow those links, they terminate at different places. The Pick Up and depart Florence link shows the garage exit facing south of the SNM train station.

But the return and Drop-Off link has you driving along the west side of the station and there's a garage entrance on Via Alamani, near a tram stop, which is to the west of the station.

Does the parking garage under the station where Europcar has their cars have entrance/exit points on different sides of the station complex? Does entering or exiting from one or the other get you to the same Europcar parking facility where they have you pick up and drop off cars?

I don't know why they don't move the office over to the garage. I have to go to Borgo Ognissanti on the morning of and then drag my luggage up to SNM. And they told me I can't do the paperwork the day before either, it has to be the same date that I pick up.

I considered canceling the rental and booking with another agency but there are complaints about all the other rental agencies within Florence. I even thought about renting at the airport but the stupid thing is, you can't walk from the tram stop to the car rental offices there, it's across some big street and Google Maps says the pedestrian route is well over 1 kilometer. I know the rental offices are suppose to have shuttle pickup from the terminal but when I return my car, I have to get on a train out of Florence, so there's many ways for me to miss the train.

Posted by
17968 posts

When you pick up the car to drive the car to your destination follow the direction below. I presume you are going somewhere toward Siena. I can be more precise if you tell us where you are going.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/j32uSiUS3uS27ZuN9?g_st=ic

Once at the above gas station set your navigator for your final destination. Google might give you multiple options depending on where you are going, take the option that takes you first to the FIRENZE SCANDICCI entrance on the A1 freeway. There is a speed camera on viale Etruria on the way to the freeway, so be careful not to speed above 50 km/h.

When you return the car from wherever you come from first go to the gas station below to refuel

https://maps.app.goo.gl/cYL5t2XFSHqiNAc17?g_st=ic

Then from that gas station follow the directions below to the SMN Station garage

https://maps.app.goo.gl/U3fcxfXm4KZyCmsXA?g_st=ic

The garage exit and the garage entry I indicate above are on different sides of the piazza but they all go to the same underground garage. You could potentially go to the same entry point from where you exited but I can guarantee you that itinerary is so convoluted that you will curse driving in Florence for the rest of your life.

I also wonder why all rental car companies don’t move to the station since they all now use that underground garage. Sixt I know is at the station but Europcar and, I think, Avis-Budget still have their offices on Borgo Ognissanti.

Hertz has moved to Via Alamanni and I think they use a garage under their office. But returning the car there involves using a prohibited entry therefore they would need to put your car in the White List of the City Portal.

Posted by
17968 posts

Ok. Then follow the direction I gave. Once you exit the city I sent you to the first IP gas station. Stop there and set your navigator to go to Pienza. Make sure you take the GoogleMaps route that goes directly to the A1 toll booth (“Casello” in Italian) at the FIRENZE SCANDICCI A1 entrance, don’t take the other route, which is shorter but requires you to drive on city streets longer. Once you pick up the toll ticket at the booth head toward Rome (Roma). You will exit the A1 freeway at the VALDICHIANA exit, near Bettolle, then from there take the regular road to Montepulciano and Pianza.

To return from San Gimignano set your navigator to go to the Q8 gas station I indicated above. Make sure you select the route that takes you to the same FIRENZE SCANDICCI toll booth. Once at that station you can refuel there then use the last directions I gave you to the SMN underground garage.

Make sure you don’t speed on viale Etruria between the gas stations and the freeway. Use Waze to warn you about Speed Cameras everywhere. They are ubiquitous. Also pay attention not to drive on Bus or tramway lanes in Florence. Use GoogleStreet maps to visualize the route before you go.

Posted by
17968 posts

Also read this thread below:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/driving-from-florence-to-montepulciano-8f87becc-c1a5-488c-b988-b257bf8b1cc2

If you also want to go to Pienza the slow way via the Chianti Road (SR222) then after you pick up the car and go to the first IP gas station set the navigator for this location below:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/epvYhfPuEPn69Gcg8?g_st=ic

That would be the Radisson Blu hotel (formerly a Sheraton). Basically you would enter the A1 freeway at the same A1 FIRENZE SCANDICCI entrance, but you would exit 3 exits later at FIRENZE SUD instead of going all the way to Valdichiana.

Once at the Radisson Blu, sto and set your navigator to GREVE IN CHIANTI, a main town along the SR222. Once in Greve, visit a little then enjoy the the drive to Castellina in Chianti, the next main town.

After Castellina you can set the navigator for Pianza, or if you want to see the walled town of MONTERIGGIONI you can set the navigator for that too, then later on you head to Pienza.

Siena is also along the way but there are only so many hours in a day and Siena requires the best part of a day to visit.

Posted by
141 posts

Thanks I've been to Siena a few times, as well as Pienza.

I'm also thinking about maybe renting and returning from/to the airport. Only hassle would be depending on the shuttles from the rental offices to the tram stop there.

But having to go to Borgo Ognissanti and then to SMN is a hassle too, with luggage in tow.

Posted by
9463 posts

You could simply take a taxi to/from the rental agency
It’s a short ride, about 24 euros?

Posted by
17968 posts

If you are not traveling alone, you could leave the luggage with someone else in your party waiting at the station then you walk to Borgo Ognissanti for the paperwork and then walk back to the station without the luggage which would be with your party waiting at the SMN garage.

If you pick up at the airport, and you have luggage, take a taxi. It’s more expensive (about 30€ now) but a taxi can pick you uo at the hotel and take you at the rental center. Just specify to the driver to take you to the rental center directly on VIA PALAGIO DEGLI SPINI and not to the terminals.

Since you plan to take the train upon return, it makes sense to return the car to SMN regardless. Once you return the car at the station I think you can probably leave the car with the attendant without having to walk back to Borge Ognissanti for any paperwork.

Posted by
141 posts

So just to confirm, leaving Florence I would go towards the Radisson Blu hotel which is west of SW of Santa Maria Novella, across the river.

Then from there, outside the ZTL, I would navigate towards Pienza.

For the return trip from San Gimignano, I would go first to the Q8 gas station on Viale Francesco Talenti, which is W of SMV, just across the Arno river and then from there, point towards the garage entrance on Via Alamanni. That routing would take me across the Ponte alla Vittoria towards Via Jacopo da Diacceto and eventually Via Alamanni, which goes towards the garage entrance.

That should keep me outside the ZTL, both leaving and returning to the SMN station garage where the rental cars are.

Posted by
141 posts

Also, I found this map:

https://www.serviziallastrada.it/disciplinari/ztl/PlanimetriaZTL.pdf?utm_source=visitflorence.com&utm_campaign=DiscoverTuscany&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=/tourist-info/driving-in-florence-ztl-zone.html

I don't know if it's current but it looks like Sector B of the ZTL may not be active at all hours? I don't see how to avoid entering Sector A without traversing through parts of Sector B.

It would make no sense to have the rental car garages anywhere near the centro if you can't go through the Sector B shown on that map.

Posted by
17968 posts

There are two ways to the Radisson Blu from the SMN station garage where you pick up the car.

  1. Short way, through city streets
    https://maps.app.goo.gl/P6LwvsfLdXJBuXFs9

  2. Long way via freeway around the city.
    https://maps.app.goo.gl/FDZ9MnU5Zhu1raHq6

The short way may actually take longer at certain times of the day, but for the most part it is also the faster way. Take it.

Follow either one exactly and you don't have to worry about the sector A or B of the ZTL. Google Maps sends you through the proper way. Sector B has streets that can be driven on.

On the way out you can drive on Via Valfonda from the station to Viale Strozzi (outside the ZTL).

On the way in you can drive on Via Jacopo da Diacceto from Viale Rosselli (outside the ZTL) to the garage entrance on Piazza stazione.

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