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Please help! Flying into Milan and out of Venice

We will be flying into Milan on Sept. 29th. Driving to the Dolomites on Sept. 30-October 7 then driving dropping off car either in Venice of outside Venice and taking the train to Venice for a week. We have been to Italy for 3 weeks by train 12 years ago.

My questions are, we have a night before Dolomites and would like not to have to drive so far after internation flight.
Bergamo is fairly close to Milan Airport and looks interesting place to spend out first night.
* We normally avoid big cities but does it make more sense to stay in Milan, get over jet lag, see the cathedral?
Is there an area of Milan that would be easy to get to and see a few sights?
* Should be pick up a car at the airport in Milan?
* Should we take a train or bus to Bergamo and pick up a car there when we are leaving?
* Should we leave Bergamo by train or bus and get us closer to the Dolomites ( we will be staying in Ortisei) but we want a car there.

* Is there a car rental company that does not charge for a one way?
* Is there a better one night stop than Bergamo? We have been to Verona.

Airlines is booked but a refundable ticket so maybe a change is possible. Hotels are booked but refundable and could change by a day or two.
Thanks for any advice. The older I get the harder this stuff is to plan!

Posted by
21992 posts

Usually, if you pick a car up at one airport and drop it at another, that is pretty straight forward as these are corporate sites and can move cars around easier. Often local car rental locations are licensees and need the cars returned to them. Only way to find out is to get quotes.

Assuming you pick up at Milan (assume Malpensa airport) and drop it at Venice airport, I would not drive very far on your arrival day, jet lag and all.

Posted by
7793 posts

Since driving in to Milan can be unpleasant I think i would go to Bergamo and see if you can pick up at Bergamo airport

Or go to Milan for 1 night and pick up at train station as you leave

Drop the car at Piazzale Roma Venice-rather than VCE as that still requires additional transportation time and expense to get in to Venice

I wouldn’t worry about 1 way fee, we’ve never been charged in Italy
Even if you are it is minimal

We always use AutoEurope.com
All drivers must have an IDP

Posted by
8261 posts

Daisy’s mom,

Bergamo could be a nice option by taking the train into Milan & on to Bergamo. I think there’s even some airport buses that go between Malpensa & Bergamo’s airport. Since there’s an airport at Bergamo, so you could pick up your rental car as you’re leaving Bergamo. The Citta Alta area is the atmospheric, historical part of Bergamo.

Posted by
23765 posts

Personally I would flip it. Into Venice and home from Milan. You would not have to do any driving the first two or three days. Pick up the car in Venice and stay the last night near the Milan airport. The Milan airport is about any hour outside of Milan. Leaving Venice requires a very early flight to an international airport somewhere in Europe which just adds to the travel time home.

Posted by
16513 posts

If you can I would also opt to fly to Venice, visit Venice for a few days (great city to get rid of jet lag, since a car is not needed), then, at the end of the visit of the Serenissima, rent a car in Venice and drive to the Dolomites (via Cortina d'Ampezzo first, since it's the easiest to reach from Venice).

I'd pick up the car at Piazzale Roma in Venice, as the airport location is probably more expensive because of airport fees and taxes.

After your Dolomites trip you can drop off your car wherever you want. If you plan to see Milan for a few days, then drop it off in Milan as you arrive (you don't need a car while in Milan). If you just want to go straight from the dolomites to the airport at Malpensa, then return the car at the airport the evening before and get a hotel at the airport.