Renting a car after Cinque Terre for Tuscany part of trip

If you are in 5 terre you might as well rent in the closest town, which is La Spezia. The rental office will not be necessarily near the train station, therefore I suggest you rent, go to the rental office without luggage (unless you don't mind walking from the station to the rental car office) and then go back to the hotel to pick up luggage (if you are in Riomaggiore or Manarola, which are a short drive from Spezia. However driving on that road requires skills, think of Bodega Bay to Mendocino with a road half the size of hwy 1. The best places to rent a car, besides La Spezia, are PIsa (but most companies are at the airport, where rental may be more expensive) or Florence (most rental companies are in Borgognissanti, about 1/4 of a mile walk from the station). If you intend to go to Lucca, however, it's best to rent in La Spezia, because from Florence you'd have to back track. I don't know why you'd drop it off in Orvieto, which is small and probably limits your choice of rental companies available. If you are going to Rome eventually, you might as well keep it and drop it off in Rome.

Roberto, Thanks. Looks like the frequency of trains from Monterosso to LaSpezia gives us the most flexibility. And after googling the train stations and Eurocar rental locations, looks to be fairly easy to get from the station to the rental place and then drive out of town. According to AutoEurope there seem to be 4 locations/rental agencies. Based on experience does anyone have any feed back as far as easier or more difficult to drive from the rental office to the autostradda?
Checked renting in Pisa and rental is more expensive due to the additional airport fee.

According to the AutoEurope website, there are several rental car agencies that they use across from the train station in La Spezia. Call AutoEurope directly to find out which agencies they are and if that agency has a location in Orvieto. I believe Hertz is right at the Orvieto train station. Orvieto would be the easiest drop off point for you. Then it's a one hour train trip into Rome. Try and spend some time in Orvieto. It's a beautiful, quaint hilltown with a beautiful Duomo. I have not rented a car in La Spezia. However, looking at the map for one of the pick-up locations listed, it looks like the A15 autostrada is close by. Purchase a Michelin, or similar, map at a Barnes & Noble and familiarize yourself with your routes and the road signs. A GPS is also helpful. Make sure you get an International Driver's Permit at your AAA office. No test is required, just two passport type pics and $15. This permit is required in Italy. Have a great time driving through Tuscany.

I spent so many vacations there in my youth that I could probably do it with my eyes closed. From wherever you are in La spezia all you have to do is get to the two boulevards that go along the port: Viale Amendola and Viale Italia. Just follow the green signs to 'AUTOSTRADE'. From Viale Italia eventually you'll have to turn right on via Carducci and go straight to the entrance of the Autostrada A12/A15. It's really easy. Look it up on Google maps and use the street view to become familiar with it.
Once you're on the freeway as you cross the Magra river make sure you take a right to the ramp to freeway A-12 (Genova-Livorno)/A15 (Parma), otherwise if you go straight you will go to Santo Stefano di Magra. The ramp to A12/A15 will lead you to the toll booth, where you get your ticket. After the booth follow directions to A12 south to Pisa - Livorno otherwise you'll end up in Parma. Once on the A12 at the Viareggio-Camaiore exit, take the ramp to the A11 to Lucca - Firenze. You'll be in Lucca in 10 minutes from Viareggio.

Also check Kemwel prices online. They are advertising Italy for $39/day and a free GPS for some rentals.

Hello Karen If you like There is a renting car AVIS in Via Fratelli Rosselli about 200 meters from the rail staion La Spezia . From the exit go down straing in Via Prione . You find Piazza Garibaldi with central fountain go away 70 meters find Piazza Ramiro Ginocchio continuing the next on right is Via Fratelli Rosselli. Have great trip
giacomo from vernazzaq

Thanks for the advice. I found a rate through Kemel for 200.00 for 4 days with zero deductable and no drop fee. Picking up the car from Hertz in LaSpezia and dropping off in Orvieto. So now a couple more questions: 1. Looks like the trains from Monterosso go to either LaSpezia Centrale or La Spezia Migliarina. Address for Hertz is Via Della Pianta 6/8. Is one station within walking distance with carryon rollers (I'm trying to google maps and it appears to be about a mile)? Or does it make any difference which station we arrive at and take a cab?
2. Can anyone confirm that LaSpezia is ZTL free? We'll have a Garmin and looks pretty easy to get out of town, but want to know if we have to be on the watchout for the dreaded ZTL.

The Hertz office is on via della Pianta almost at the corner with viale San Bartolomeo which runs along the port. From the Hertz office to the freeway is a breeze, just a few blocks, just drive North to via Carducci then take a right on via Carducci and you are on the freeway. There are no ZTL to worry about. It's a long walk from either station. Over 2 miles from the Stazione Centrale and well over a mile from the Migliarina station. If you take a taxi I'd get off at the Centrale and take a taxi from there. For 2 miles it can't be that expensive. There are probably more trains coming from the Cinque Terre that stop at Centrale without proceeding further (Migliarina comes later). Also I don't know how many taxis you'll find at the Stazione Migliarina (never stopped there), it's not the main station.

Thanks Roberto. Great advice! Exactly what I needed to know.