From Rome to Veneto...Castelfranco/Albaredo/Fosalunga area...automatic car rental??

There are many car rental locations at Padova station, Avis, Hertz, Maggiore among others. All the Freccia hi-speed trains from Rome stop there. Venezia Mestre is another spot with lots of rental locations by the station. Be sure to check the hours of operation for these.

No need to be scared of taking the train alone. Start by learning as much as possible about Italian trains; a great resource is this article from train guru The Man In Seat 61: https://www.seat61.com/Italy-trains.htm

For the car rental, you should look at consolidators like Auto Europe, Kemwel, and Gemut, as well as the car rental agencies themselves. If you specify the pick up and drop off points, the size of car you want, and the fact that you need an automatic, you will get price quotes and can check hours (very important as Sam says - in Italy, the rental agencies can close for a few hours for lunch, and will often be closed Saturday afternoons and all day Sunday).

I agree that coming from Rome by train, Padova station and Venice Mestre Station are the first two places I'd look for a car rental near Castelfranco. If you're not able to get an automatic at one of these, you can definitely get one at Venice airport. To get to the airport easily, you'd take the train from Rome to Venice Mestre, then take a bus to Venice airport.

Thanks so much for the info. So, are the car rental places right in the station in Padova? I have get to Vedelago, near Castelfranco....so which is closer...the Mestre or the Padova train station? I should also consider which would be the easiest drive, since I’ve never driven in Italy before. If I wanted an automatic model and I let the car rental place a couple of months in advance, that I need one for a week or so, could they have one there waiting for me when I arrive with the train?

At the Padova station, the Maggiore and Locauto are to the right as you exit the station main building, walk 250 yards under the street overpass and it is in front of you. The Hertz and Avis locations are out the back end of the station (other side of the tracks from the main building) and turn left and about 1/4 of a mile, past the 2nd roundabout on Via Annibale da Bassano.

At Mestre station, Locauto is inside the station. Avis/Budget/Maggiore are on Viale Venezia about a block from the main station entrance, across the street, then left, 100 yards, then a right on Viale Venezia 100 feet.

Oh thank you.

It looks like the Mestre train station is closer to Vedelago than the one in Padova.

As the crow flies, but roads from Padova are more direct. At the end of the day, its a toss up between the two.