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Rental Car question regarding whether to take it on the ferry

Posted by (Hawaii) on

Hi, We will be renting a car in Sardinia and then traveling from there to Orvieto. We are planning to take the ferry over from Olbia to Citavecchia in mainland Italy and wanted to take the rental car over on the ferry instead of dropping it off in Olbia and picking up a new car in Citavecchia. I checked with the rental car company and they said you can, in fact, take a rental car over. However, when I tried to book the tickets on the ferry, Tirrenia asks for the license plate number of the car, which of course I cannot provide until I actually pick up the car in June, in order to book the tickets with the car.

Does anyone have experience with this type of thing? Or, does anyone have advice as to what to do? Now I’m wondering whether it might be easier to just book ferry tickets without the rental car and pick up a new rental car in mainland Italy.

Thanks for any advice you can provide.

Posted by
8358 posts

Did the rental company say anything about drop off fees. When cars in Europe and dropped off in another country, the drop off fees go toward paying for the car to be returned to its home country physically. And they can be excessive charges too.

I'd drop the car and be a walk on ferry passenger. Then you can pick up another car in Italy if needed. Or, take the regional train 45 minutes into Rome and catch a 70 minute train ride up to the beautiful hilltown Orvieto.

Posted by
4874 posts

A rental car on an island is likely supposed to remain there

Posted by
6849 posts

I believe the drop-off fee is 40 euros

I would check that to be sure. I would expect any drop-off fee would be many times that, but who knows, maybe you found a very relaxed rental agency with low fees.

Have you investigated the cost to bring the car on the ferry yet? I would imagine that would not be trivial -- it's not a short ferry ride and taking cars on ferries often induces sticker-shock.

What are your plans for mainland Italy? Are you sure you really want a car there?

Posted by
12006 posts

Checked Thrifty Rent a Car and the one way fee is 16.80 euro.

Agree with David that the Ferry toll may give one pause

Posted by
205 posts

The cost to bring the car over on the ferry is 20 euros. We will need a car because we will be exploring the countryside of Umbria and Tuscany.

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