We will be driving to Rome on a Monday in July from the north and need to choose a drop off spot with the rental car agency. It seems to be going out of the way to go to the airport. Any suggestions? We would need to be able to use public transit to get into the city from the drop off location. Thanks for everyone's great advice.
The advice usually given here (we get this question a lot) is return it in Orvieto, which is just off the A1 route coming from the north. Return it at the train station if you can do so or at least as close as possible to the station. Then take the train into Rome (about 75 minute trip). You can get closer with some effort but there's no reason to.
If you do not want to drive to the airport, then Orvieto, heading south as Kent suggests, is the best alternative.
If either of those do not work then you WILL have to drive into Rome... or at very least, the outskirts of Rome. At that point you should determine your rental agencies most northern drop-off location OR head to Termini station where everyone drops off!
Ciao,
Ron