Rental Car Suggestions/Experiences

Hey Jordan,

Here is a simple idea for you:

Take the train from Rome to Chiusi Italy. Rent the car there. Then drive to Montalcino. It's just 50 Kilometers from Chiusi to Montalcino plus the rental car can be at a cheaper price in Chiusi.

Go to Termini station in Rome then catch a train from there to Chiusi. Check out the trenitalia website.
The Chuisi station is called Chiusi-Chianciano Terme.

From Chiusi train station, you can get the rental car. Autoeurope is considered the best company. Here is the website:

https://www.autoeurope.com/car-rental-chiusi-rail-station/

You can drop off rental car in Florence at Via Del Sansovino 53 - Hertz Car rental or Airport.

Have a safe and fun trip Jordan

To get a car with automatic transmission might not be possible other than picking up in Rome or at FCO. If you can get one near the Tiburtina rail station, it's fairly easy to get to the autostrade without having to contend with too much of Rome's city traffic. For best prices, check rentals at AutoEurope.com. They are a consolidator in Portland, Maine and have great prices and customer service.

Philip is correct. Pick up in Rome, either at the Termini station or the Tiburtina station.
The chance of getting an automatic transmission at a small rental office like Chiusi are slim to none. Only Americans request auto transmission as Europeans must learn how to drive on manual transmission cars otherwise their license will be marked as AUTO TRANSMISSION ONLY (a qualifier that is associated with drivers who have disabilities which prevent them from driving a manual car).

If you return the car on a Sunday, you need to make arrangements with the Hertz Borgo Ognissanti location to see if possible to drop off while the office is closed. Otherwise the other option is the Florence airport.

We spent a week driving around Chianti/Tuscany and had a great time. Study up online regarding rules of the road and ZTLs. Strictly observe speed limits.

Before the alarmists jump in, know that in the country ZTLs are clearly marked and easily avoided. You really have to be unobservant to miss them. Also assume any streets within the walls of a hill town are ZTL.

We rented and returned at FCO, so I’ll leave it to others to suggest alternate pick up and return. We rented from Hertz, since use them exclusively for work and am a Gold member.

Note: an automatic transmission is considered unusual by many Europe rental car locations, esp. those not in major airports--it's way different from here.
You have to ask aggressively for an automatic transmission has been my experience, not just check the box for auto transmission on the online rental form. I have followed up with a call a few days before my departure, calling the local office where I'll actually pick up the car, not just the 800 #.

Jordan - Contact the autoeurope rental car office in Chiusi first to find out if they have automatic transmission available before booking it in Rome.

If not, then rent car from the Rome Termini location. It is easy to exit Rome for the A1 Highway north to Tuscany on via Tiburtina.