We are flying into Innsbruck, taking a train to Bolzano and renting a car for 5 days, then driving to Pienza for a week. My question is... where in Bolzano should we rent a car from the train station, and then from Pienza, where should we return the car to take the train to Rome? I think I read Italy does not have a drop off fee to return a car to a different location?
Thank you in advance!
Posted by
5109 posts
You might have a minor fee, it depends on the agency. It will not be significant like a cross border dropoff fee.
Much of this depends on the agency, so best to just do some searches and see what comes up. A lot of people like AutoEurope, a broker that uses the typical large agencies like Hertz, etc.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17566 posts
We rented at Bolzano and drove to Venice to return the car, with no drop fee. The agency was Hertz, and we had to pick up the car at Bolzano Airport, not the train station.
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
7245 posts
Chiusi is a good drop off spot from Pienza
We always book with AutoEurope.com
Be sure to do your homework regarding driving in Italy
All drivers must have an IDP
Posted by
872 posts
The best rental option is Hertz at the Bolzano Airport, returning it in Orvieto. Chiusi has Avis and Europcar.
Dolmites. https://www.suedtirol.info/en/regions/dolomites/Dolomites--Val-Gardena
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/dolomites-to-train-or-car
https://www.wanderingitaly.com/maps/valdorcia.html
Farmhouse La Fonte [outside of Pienza] and trip report:
Posted by
872 posts
Read this about driving in Italy [and about ZTLs, limited traffic zones]; avoid leaving anything of value in a vehicle when parked:
http://driventoit.blogspot.com/
Toll roads: https://tinyurl.com/48awrrcr
Driving routes on www.viamichelin.com
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16139 posts
You can also return the car in Rome. That's what I would do. Hertz closed the office in Chiusi, and in any case those offices close on weekends, in case you plan to return the car on weekends.
All major agencies have multiple offices in Rome. Some are away from the city center and easy to reach from the GRA (Grande Raccordo Anulare = Grand Ring-like Belway), Rome main freeway beltway circling the city, if you don't feel comfortable navigating in big city traffic.
From Pienza you could even venture through the coastal area via Grosseto - Civitavecchia and visit the beautiful Maremma area along the way. Then you can return the car at the Rome airport (Fiumicino), along the way, even before getting close to Rome. Then from the airport you can take a taxi. This option is a bit more expensive since the taxi from the airport costs 50 euro.
Once you decide which company to rent in Bolzano, you can find the drop off office of your preference in Rome using google map. Zoom on Rome, then in the search box you can use these key words (depending on the company you select):
AVIS AUTONOLEGGIO
HERTZ AUTONOLEGGIO
EUROPCAR AUTONOLEGGIO
etc.
All local offices of each will show up.
Always use "autonoleggio" (car rent) in your search, because otherwise you may be directed to something else. Avis, for example, is more famous in Italy as the Italian Association of Blood Donors, so unless you want to donate blood before returning your car, use 'autonoleggio' in your searches.