We are planning a 2 week trip to Italy in June and will have a car for part of the trip. We are starting in Rome (no car) and then heading to an Agriturismo near Siena. We would like a car for that portion of our trip. My tentative idea is to rent a car at the Rome Termini station and drive to our Agriturismo. But I’m a little scared about the part where we have to drive in Rome. Is the drive from Termini out of Rome bad? Would we be better off picking up the car at another location? (We will be returning the car when we arrive in Florence after our stay at the Agriturismo. We don’t plan on having the car while we are in Florence)
Posted by
North Carolina
2502 posts
You might want to take the train to Orvieto (and look around Orvieto, because it's lovely), and rent your car there.
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
Try not to drive in the historic core of Florence. If you want to have the car with you while you sleep in Florence, check in advance that the hotel will facilitate parking.
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8359 posts
I too agree about reserving a car at the Hertz rental in Orvieto--100 yards out the front door of the train station. The roads are interstate type and 4 lane roads (some toll roads) up to Siena--approximately 1 1/2 hours.
I do suggest you lookup your Agriturismo on Google Maps and know exactly where you're going.
We visited Siena once by rental car, however we found the city very congested and parking difficult to find. We do love touring Tuscany by rental car as the roads are well paved and well marked. Roads are just a little crooked. We loved going to Volterra, San Gimignano and Certaldo.
Posted by
North Carolina
2502 posts
There's a good Rick Steves article about Orvieto on this site: https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/read/articles/orvieto-what-an-italian-hill-town-should-be
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16193 posts
You’ll be fine picking up at Rome Termini. I do it all the time. You will be trying to get to the A24 freeway going east. Check google maps
Posted by
11660 posts
We rented in Rome but at a location near the Vua Venetian on a Sunday. It was not difficult to get out of the city from there.
Posted by
Folsom, California
542 posts
why don't you take the train to Siena and pick up a car there?
Posted by
OP
California
29 posts
why don't you take the train to Siena and pick up a car there?
From what I can tell, it takes an hour longer to take the train to Siena from Rome compared to drive time listed in google maps. It seems more time efficient to rent the car in Rome and drive there rather than taking the train. So that’s why we were leaning towards renting the car in Rome
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16193 posts
Go ahead with your plan. Just avoid leaving Rome at rush hour. Late morning (after 10) should be good.
Once on the A24 autostrada going east follow directions to FIRENZE.
You will exit the A1 Freeway at the Valdichiana exit (if headed to Siena).
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
I did this years ago, before there were ZTL's. But a friend and I picked up a car at Roma Termini, and were naturally worried about getting out of Rome easily. At the car rental, they reassured us that it was just a few turns to get onto the highway. They were right, and we worried needlessly.
So, just seconding Roberto, that getting out of Rome from the Termini car pick up location is easy.
Posted by
S.F. Bay Area, CA, United States
1878 posts
The fact that it says online that driving is quicker is a false economy, That assumes you know the route and don't make any mistakes driving, don't get stuck in traffic and that you know where you will park on the other end, that there are spaces available there, etc. Make sure and Google Italy ZTL before driving in Italy, we don't want you to end up like so many others with multiple tickets.
Posted by
lexington, il
4105 posts
Roberto has given you good advice. But if you're still nervous about driving out of Rome, take a taxi to the Tiburtina station. From central Rome about a 10 minute ride and rent your car there.
Both locations have good access to the A-1 Autostrada.
Use this site to print out maps. Sometimes having a visual helps. It will give you rules of the road, signage, speed limits, and traffic cameras. There might be a few locations where each lane has a different speed limit too
The Valdichiana exit will link you to the Raccordo Siena-Bettole. But as you exit the A-1,
You'll hit a toll booth and immediately after a roundabout. Via Michelin will give you the toll amount and explicit directions for the Roundabout.
If you have not read this yet,do so to avoid expensive tickets.
https://media.sumo.com/3edd7a94b19350d13b81f277e1c2f5b5c0f917d5965b529d238da52daa2b93f6
Posted by
Italy
3812 posts
From what I can tell, it takes an hour longer to take the train to Siena from Rome
Are you using google maps? Unfortunately You can't trust it for planning travels between cities.
According to viamichelin.com, it takes 2h44mm (plus stops) departing at 20:00, when there is less traffic. There are Trenitalia trains taking 3 hours and 20.
Another option is the direct SENA bus from Rome Tiburtina station to Siena.