Hello all,
Need your opinions on rental car - would it be a burden to have the rental car for the majority of our trip? we do like having the freedom to leave/ arrive when we want, however driving all over Italy i'm sure, comes w/ it's pros/cons! Here's the scoop: Our family of 4 (two college age daughters) will be visiting Italy for 2 wks in July. We are spending the first 3 nights in Rome without a car. We have reserved a car to pick up IN ROME on our way out of the city. We will drive that to Chianti, and will be driving around Chianti region sightseeing for the next 5 nights/4 days... then drive onto Venice, park the car just outside Venice while we're there for 3 nts, then pick up car again to drive to Varenna (lake como), park again while we're there, then drive to Milan to catch our flight home. So we will be driving to a couple of destinations (Venice and Varenna) where the car will just sit in a parking lot and us paying parking fees for 2-3 days... however we can come/go as we please from these 2 towns, and dont have to deal w/the hurry up and wait train schedules ,etc... I also am nervous about picking the car up IN ROME. I hope we dont encounter rental car shortages like what has been happening here in the US?! Anyone experience this type of prob recently in Italy?? Also driving out of Rome could be harrowing?! One benefit is my husband was born & raised (and learned to drive in) NYC. I started wondering if it would be better to take the train from Rome to Siena (we are staying in Castellina in Chianti, about 20 min north of Siena), and start the car rental in Siena..... thoughts on that as well?
For Chianti, yes, use car. It really does not matter where you pick it up, as long as you know how to avoid ZTL.
Cars are so expensive this year, I don't see any compelling need for the use of it for Venice and Varenna.
Rental cars are very expensive after Covid ($100+ day), so I would minimize rental days (and parking fees) by not having a car where you won't need it.
You will definitely need a car in Tuscany (Chianti area).
You won't need a car in Venice, you won't need a car for lake Como (train and ferries will do) or Milan.
Hence, in your feet I would return the car as soon as I reach Venice. It makes no sense to pay $100 a day for a rental car that you will keep parked in Venice for 3 days (at 30 euro parking fee a day, by the way).
All rental agencies in Venice are in the Piazzale Rome in the multi-story City Parking structure pictured here. Cars cannot proceed beyond Piazzale Roma.
From there you can take a vaporetto to the dock closest to your hotel.
You could also consider driving from Castellina to Florence and returning the car in Florence and taking a fast train to Venice. It's up to you. The drive from Florence to Venice is boring and at least 3 hours long, but since you have 4 people, keeping the car for an extra 3 hours is cheaper than buying 4 high speed train tickets to Venice, even after factoring in fuel and tolls. All things considered, although a boring 3+ hour drive, driving from Castellina to Venice is faster than driving to Florence+train to Venice.
From Venice take the train to Varenna. First Venice to Milano Centrale on high speed Freccia train, then Regionale train from Milano Centrale to Varenna-Esino (the final destination of this train is Tirano, which is what the display will show at the platform).
From Varenna you can take the train back to Milan. Make sure you spend the last night in Milan, as it is too far to travel from Varenna to the airport on the morning of your flight.
If you depart from Milano Malpensa, which is far from the city, find a hotel near the Cadorna train station, which has the fastest trains to the airport (35 min). Alternatively you can find a hotel near the airport. That is up to you. There is a Sheraton in front of the Terminal 1 at Malpensa, right above the airport train station.
Don't worry about driving out of Rome, especially if your husband has experience driving in Manhattan. New Yorkers don't find driving in Italian cities any more challenging (or frustrating) than driving in Manhattan. If you tell me where you pick up the car from, I'll tell you the best way out. Just leave the city outside of commute hours, especially in the afternoon when everybody is leaving the city center after work (10am to noon is good).
I wouldn't bother to go to Siena to pick up the car. Too much hassle, there are no direct trains from Rome to Siena, and the extra drive from Rome is not too long. From Rome you can be in Castellina in less than 3 hours, and it's a beautiful drive through Umbria and Tuscany, largely on a 4-6 lane freeway, except for the last 9-10 miles.
Paying to park an expensive rental car for multiple days makes no sense
You’ll only need the car in Tuscany.
Otherwise take the easy, inexpensive trains
If picking up IN Rome concerns you then pick it up at airport
Be sure you purchase FULL insurance
All drivers must have an IDP
Do your homework regarding ZTLs, parking and speeding or you may get some expensive unpleasant surprises once you return home
Turn in car upon arrival in Venice if the daily rate for car is high. Rent another car when leaving. Run the numbers to make your decisions and ease of drop off, picking up etc. We have left cars parked with out using them in the Italian lakes and the Cinque Terre. We have also hired drivers for trip to and from Lake Como.
We picked a car up in Rome on a Sunday morning which was not too bad driving out.
Hi, I was just reading this thread because I will be driving in Italy this summer, specifically from Orvieto to Sienna and the to Florence to return the rental car. Another poster said to do research on avoiding ZTLs. Where does one go to find this information? I have no idea.
I did a rental similar to yours years ago, picked up in Rome, went to Florence and Venice, left from Milan. In retrospect I didn't gain much from having a car, was able to go to Spoleto and Assisi and Siena and Sirmione, but could have done that other ways.
Also had my first accident about 10 minutes after picking up the car under the Villa Borghese, a woman tapped my bumper at a light. We both got out, looked at the lack of damage, waived our hands around in the air, and drove away.
Parking is expensive and a nuisance. The actual driving wasn't so bad, excepting the crazy cities, if you're used to driving in the Northeast. Someone from California might have a heart attack.
pjmun
There are many many threads addressing driving in Italy
Do a few searches
Also info here
https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/transportation
http://driventoit.blogspot.com/2015/01/driving-in-italy-including-dreaded-ztls.html?m=1
Thanks for your help everyone!!
I will be staying at the hotel Smeraldo later this month for 3 nights before heading to an agritourismo near Pienze with my family of 4. Originally, I was to pick up the rental at Termini and drive back to the hotel to collect the family and luggage. The thought of navigating to the Smeraldo down those narrow streets and avoiding ZTL's was giving me anxiety. So I canceled that rental and decided it made more sense to backtrack to FCO and pick up a rental there. As we are flying home out of FCO, I will return the rental there on the day of our flight. Cost wise, this turned out to be a cheaper option for me (car service to FCO $55 euro vs drop fee p/u Termini d/o FCO $100 euro). Additionally, as there are more rental agencies at FCO, I was able to secure a cheaper daily rental charge, even with the additional airport fees/taxes. Eliminating the anxiety of driving in Roma was priceless!
Hi Christine. I noticed your comment about all drivers requiring an IDP. Is that essential? I think Rick said he's never been asked for it. I guess it's one of those things, better safe than sorry?
John
It is required by law
Rental agencies are asking for it now
Driving without may void your insurance
Rick’s advice on this is wrong/outdated
There have been many discussions here on IDP
Here is a recent thread
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/international-driving-license-6e239947-4164-465e-9b88-18a8d13d6f66
John, lots of posts on here about the IDP, in fact I posed this question several weeks ago.
Here is the thread:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/international-driving-license-6e239947-4164-465e-9b88-18a8d13d6f66