I'm about to make car rental reservations through AutoEurope, but I'm hoping to get some suggestions for dropping off a rental car. I plan on renting a car from the Florence airport location when we leave Florence on a Saturday. Then, we will be staying a week in a little villa near Castellina in Chianti. We leave on a Saturday, and we plan to travel to Assisi that day, and then take train/bus back to Rome on Sunday afternoon/evening. I would like to avoid dropping the car off at the Rome airport. The thought of it just makes me a little nervous. So... I'm thinking of dropping off the car in Siena on Saturday morning as they close around noon on Saturdays (and are closed on Sundays). Then, we would take the bus to Assisi. However, I'm concerned about driving in Siena –even to the rental locationas I've read various posts warning against driving in Siena and having problems with car rental returns there. Since I really don't see other choices than a drop-off in Siena on a Saturday morning, can anyone please tell me how to book the easiest, most stress-free, least traffic, place to drop the car? I don't mind paying for a taxi to get from rental agency to train/bus station. I'll pay for less stress! I just would like to avoid as much traffic and confusion as possible. I'm thinking it would not be easier to drive back up to Florence just to drop off the rental car... ?
I welcome any suggestions... Thanks for your help. Marge
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
The Autoeuope place on Viale Sardegna is only a couple or three hundred yards from the train station and well outside the walls and restricted areas. A car sure would be handy for Assisi, that's a mean hike up the hill from the train station. I have no idea what buses do.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11817 posts
Siena is an easy place to drop the car (there's even a gas station across the street), and if you are open to the train, you can take that option to Assisi. You do have to change trains twice, though. (We love trains and would do 3 hours on three trains any day versus a bus. Just our thing.) As to needing a car in Assisi, there is a bus from the train station to P. Matteoti.
Posted by
Texas
531 posts
I would keep the car all the way to the Rome airport. Several years ago I had similar concerns about picking up a car at FCO and driving to Assisi and then onto Siena. Getting to and/or out of FCO is actually easy as it is like an interstate bypass around the actual city of Rome. I would avoid driving in Rome. I would not worry too much about driving in Siena - follow the signs to the soccer stadium and exit there. Along that boulevard is free parking - check Rick's book for the specifics. From there it is a 5 minute walk into the old city. For Assisi there is a car lot outside the walls where you can park and walk in. We didn't know any better and our hotel said they would show us where to park. What we didn't realize is our hotel was up a pedestrian side street and so drove through the old city 3 times until my husband walked up the hill and got directions on where to park. I would not take the train and then the bus to Assisi and then have to do that in reverse when you're ready to go to Rome. Much easier to drive.
Posted by
Wichita
831 posts
marge,
All the rental locations are outside the walls of Siena. Coming from Castellina thr Hertz off ice on Viale Sardegna should be easy. See http://travel.yahoo.com/p-map-486327-map_of_siena-I