Renting a car from Milan or Como?

Consider taking the train to Pisa and getting the car there. Lucca is very close. Pisa has an airport.

Thanks for the suggestion.
There is no direct flight from Zürich to Pisa and by train it takes 8 hours. So we were thinking of going by train (4-5 hours) & then renting a car from Milan or Como, Is this a bad idea?

You won't save too much time driving from Como or Milan (don't know about wait times at the train station(s)), plus you will have to pay a drop-off fee if leaving the car in Lucca. As Nigel suggests, there is a greater choice of automatic vehicles in Pisa, at least on Autoeurope.

Another option would be to take the 1 hour 15 minute flight from Zurich to Florence on Swiss Air and pick up the car there.

Be sure that your Lucca hotel has parking - most won't.

You need an IDP for Italy.

Beware the dreaded ZTL, especially if you visit Florence - there's one inside the walls in Lucca.

The fastest option is Swiss Air from Zurich to Florence (1hr flight), rent s car at the Florence airport, then take the A11 freeway from the Florence airport to Lucca (50 minutes drive).

If you prefer the train, I would take the train all the way to Florence (and rent a car in Florence) or proceed by train from Florence to Lucca, and rent a car in Lucca. If you need a car with automatic transmission you probably have more chances in Florence than Lucca. Driving from Milan to Lucca is not any faster than the train. And the train from Milan to Florence is way faster than the car.

If your Lucca hotel doesn’t have parking, just park in the large lots outside the city walls.

Thanks! I think we will take the train from Zürich to Florence and rent a car from there.