We are renting a car in Rome and driving north for a week in September. We then take a cruise that leaves out of Monte Carlo. We thought we could just drive there, but were told that to drop the car in another country would cost another 1000 euros! So we're looking to drop it in Milan on the morning of the cruise that leaves at 10pm and take a train to Monte Carlo. We have heard conflicting stories as to whether this can be done and how difficult it may be. We could fly there, but there is no direct flight. It looks like we can drop the car at Milan Central station and get a train to Ventimiglia which takes about 4 hours. And then a 20 min. train from Vent. to MC. We have to check in for the cruise by 4pm, is this doable and how reliable are the trains?
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23787 posts
Sure it is doable. Trains are very reliable except for the occasional strike which is often threaten but we have never encountered in 18+ years of travel. I personally would leave closer to 8 am just to add in a couple more hours of cushion. This is assuming your schedule information is correct since I have not looked at schedules. Another option could be a train to Nice and back to MC. Don't know if train service between Milan and Nice would provide better connections. I will do some checking.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16899 posts
Sure, train from Milan to Monte Carlo can be done in 4.5 hours with one connection at Ventimiglia, or train connections from Genova are a little faster. If visiting Milan is not an important part of your plan, then consider dropping the car closer to the border, perhaps at Ventimiglia or San Remo.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16597 posts
Drop the car closer to Montecarlo but still in Italy.
Unfortunately Ventimiglia, the town closest to the border with very frequent train connection to France, has no major rental car office.
There is an AVIS office in Sanremo, or alternatively, both Genoa and Savona, have all major rental companies.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Thank you all. It looks like driving to Savona may be a good option, but the car drop off is downtown and I'm not sure where the rail station is. We are driving from Varenna that morning which would probably take us 3 hours, so we could make the 11:32am train out of Savona. Time wise, I think it's going to take just as long. My biggest concern is the timing getting to the car rental for drop off and then to the railway to catch a certain train. Is Milan crazy busy and easy to get lost? If so, then the extra drive to Savona would be better as long as the drop off isn't too far from the train station. Also, how far ahead can you buy train tickets? Do we need a ticket and reservation?
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16597 posts
I don't know which company you are renting from but the major ones (Avis, Europcar, Hertz and Maggiore) are all on the same street called Corso Vittorio Emanuele just steps from each other.
So they are all about 1.2 km (3/4 mile) from the Savona train station, about 15 min. walk, or just 3-4 minutes by taxi.
Yes you can buy tickets ahead on www.trenitalia.com about 120 days ahead of travel. However it's not necessary unless you want a discounted ticket (which however has restrictions, i.e. is not changeable or refundable). Otherwise you can buy on the spot. If you travel on a Regionale train (commuter), you don't purchase ahead.
Check the www.trenitalia.com website to see your train options.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Thanks for all the great suggestions!