picking up a rental car in Florence

Getting out of Florence is not hard. What you have to watch out for are the dreaded Zona Traffico Limitatos. They are all over Florence. They are clearly marked with signs. Big ticket if you enter one. A camera will snap a picture of your rear license plate and your rental car company will rat you out.

Now that you know about the ZTLs, you can rent a car in Florence. Make sure that you discuss the ZTL issue with the rental agent and that if the rental agency is in one that they have a proper sticker to be there or they have called the poice department with the license plate number. By law, you do have a right to enter a ZTL to go to a place of business such as a hotel. But you have to notify the business so that they can pass on your license plate number to the police. Keep your receipts.

As an alternate, you could take the bus to Siena and pick up your rental car there.

Nan,
Perhaps you could change your car pickup spot to the Florence airport. We rented through autoeurope and picked up our car at the airport. From there you have easy access to the toll road. When you return your car just pick up the shuttle bus at the airport that will take you back into Florence. Like wise its very easy to catch the bus out to the airport to pick up your car, the bus station is right across from the train station.
Happy travel,
Venice

If you are going straight to Siena and not stopping in Florence except to pick up a rental car, I'd pick up the car in Venice. You have easy access to the Autoroute and don't have to worry about finding the rental car offices in Florence.

Two things to keep in mind. Taking your car at any airport adds fees to your rental cost. Always take it at a suburban office. In the part of town which leads to the area you are going.

Any time you rent a car, ask the agent to give you a map showing how to get to wherever you want to go. He is always your best source of information about the city you are in.

Where you pick up your rental car could make a difference regarding the ease of getting out of Florence. We rented from Avis/Europcar which was located very near the Arno. We were given good maps and directions and managed to get out quickly and headed to the Chianti Road area. Returning the car to FL was a bit tricky--streets change names on every block--but it is doable. We made a huge mistake driving into Siena. The hotel did not inform us of which porto(gate) would put us near our hotel. Long story short, DO NOT drive into Siena wo proper directions--better yet, park outside the walls and wheel your luggage to the hotel if you staying in Siena.

I have driven in Florence 2X. It is ugly and frustrating but can be done. I have also bussed it from Florence to Siena, easy, relaxing and cheap then few days later rented a car in Siena, perfect!
the choice is yours.