Rental car in Rome?? Do I dare??

FYI-
Make sure to check the cost of car seat rentals. Italy is even more strict than the US. Have a great family trip. Safe travels!

Pick up the car as you leave Rome
Make sure all drivers have an IDP
Check car seat requirements

The last thing you want in Rome is a car. Visit Rome pick up the car after your time in Rome. Driving to and around Tuscany should be no problemo for an Angeleno. Brad

The worldly-wise would not dare rent a car in a city where a Red Light on a Traffic Signal is “Merely a Suggestion.”

In April 2019, we flew into Rome, spent 2 nights in the city, then picked up our rental car at Termini Station, around 9am on a Monday. We drove directly out of the city for our 2 week stay in Molise. We spent one night in Naples at the end of the trip then drove back to Rome to return the car at the airport before flying home.
The previous March I rented the car at the airport upon arrival and drove directly to Molise, returning to the airport 2 weeks later. Driving to/from the airport to get on the autostrada is not so bad, although I prepared by 'driving' the route on street view in google maps several times, which helped but wasn't perfect.

I would never rent a car at the airport, just to park it in Rome for a night or two. If you're definitely planning to spend 2 nights in Rome, and want to have the car the rest of the trip, look at renting somewhere in the city the morning you're ready to leave. The scariest part about that was driving out of the very tight parking garage a block away from the train station, where the rental cars are kept. Once we were on the street we headed away from the congestion of the city and after 15 minutes of city driving we were on our way.

No way. Why put yourself through the stress and expense. Rent the car on your way out of the city. You don’t have to rent at the airport, as long as other locations have a vehicle that works for you. Look for a rental place near the highway outside of Rome, or with easy access to the freeway. Take a taxi/Uber to the rental place.

In Italy, children under 150cm (59.05 in) must use the appropriate car seat or booster seat for their height or weight (article 172 of the Italian road code ). https://mominitaly.com/car-seats-in-italy/

You will likely need a 3 row vehicle, and driving that around/in Rome would be likely to be first on your list of 'things I hated on my trip'

Another vote to get the car when you leave and are not groggy from the long travel day.

Rent the car after you leave Rome.

Question. What is the age and height in CENTIMETERS of each of your children? If you only have tape measures with inches multiply by 2.54 to find out centimeters.

A new regulation was enacted effective. Sept. 1 , 2024. Seats must comply with UNECE R129 regulations, aka I-Size.

so I typed my kids ages wrong. My kids at the time of the trip will be 10, 8 and 7 my daughter currently is 50 inches tall. She’s the youngest. I really appreciate all the feedback and after sleeping on it I will definitely be staying in Rome and then renting a car from there after we are done in Rome.

Good choice, not mentioned, in addition to congestion and parking issues, there are many ZTLs in Rome, and staying in a hotel does not automatically give you access to the area where the hotel is, risking a hefty fine.

If you are not familiar with ZTLs, read up on them, Tuscany has many, including Cortona. You can assume every town has some area designated a ZTL.

You might consider taking the train to Arezzo, and renting there. While exploring sounds like a possibility, unless you have a plan, you are pretty much driving straight to Cortona when you figure time to pick up a car in Rome, get on the road, nearly 3 hours there, by then you will just want to check into your hotel.

With Arezzo, you can catch an early train, get the car, and maybe do some driving around on the way to Cortona.

We picked our rental car up as we were leaving Rome, out near the city limits.

I agree, it probably makes the most sense to pick up the car on the way out of town. You’ll want to stay in central Rome close to all the sights, where parking is difficult and ZTLs abound, so there’s little benefit to having the car with you. Check and see where your rental company has locations around the outskirts - we picked up at Ciampino airport because of proximity to the A1 motorway to head south and you may want to do the same to go north. If you need to pick up at Fiumencino that’s fine too, just take the motorway around the city then go north. Also, compared to LA freeways the motorways around Rome will look small and quaint! Good luck!

Driving out of Rome to Tuscany is not a challenge even if you rent from Via Sardegna (not far from the Spanish Steps), where many rental agencies are, or from the Termini station or from the Tiburtina station area. I wouldn't bother taking the trains to Arezzo or Chiusi with 3 small kids and the suitcases, too much hassle. Just take a taxi from the hotel to the rental office that you select.

Use www.autoeurope.com and select ROME ALL LOCATIONS as pick up point. I don't know where you return location is, but the website above chooses the same as the pick up point by default, if you want to return somewhere else, just select the return location. If you return elsewhere some companies (like Hertz) may charge a 15€ (or maybe more now) drop off fee. If, at the end of your tour, you plan to just spend time in Rome the night before your flight back, I would return the car at FCO airport and spend the last night there at the Hilton Airport.

The challenge may be the seats. If your children are all over 105 cm tall (41 inches and above) but less than 150 cm tall (59 in) they are subject to less restrictive requirements, and all the might need is a booster without the back, or a I-size seat with just the belts (no i-size locking mechanism). Over 150 cm tall there are no child seat requirements. Since September 1, 2024 the requirements are based on height only (not weight).

Taxis are exempt from seats requirements, so you won't need one for the taxi from the airport to the hotel downtown. However you should inquire with the rental car about the renting on seats or boosters. Check Autoeurope above (it's a broker) and then call a live person. They have great customer service and they will help you with your needs.