Thank you in advance for your for your help. In all our past trips to Italy, we have rented a car from start to finish. For this upcoming trip, I am thinking of using the train for part of the trip. Your opinions on the following would be appreciated.
a) Train from Milan (hotel is near Duomo) to Santa Margherita Liguere;
b) Train from Santa Margherita Liguere to Turin;
c) If we decided to rent a car to drive to Piedmonte, what location near Santa Margherita Liguere is best to pick up the rental?
d) If we pick up the car in Turin, what Hertz location is most convenient to the Principe di Piedmonte hotel?
e) Drive to Alba and then drive to Stresa;
f) Should I drive to MXP from Stresa on day of flight or return car early and take shuttle or public transportation to MXP?
Thank you for any help you can give me on any or all of the above.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16500 posts
If your hotel is near the Duomo in Milan, make sure you take their Malpensa Express train that goes to the Cadorna station, and not the one that goes to Milano Centrale (they go to either). The train to Cadorna is faster and Cadorna is closer to the Duomo.
You can pick up the car in Genoa, or, if you want to minimize driving, take the train to Piemonte (Turin) and pick up the car there. If you plan to stay in Turin for a night or two, pick up the car after you are done visiting Turin. Turin, like most Italian cities, has a ZTL in the city center so you cannot drive to the city center.
The drive to MXP from Stresa is mostly freeway (after you cross the hill). The times I’ve driven it the drive took me about 50 min. I’d return the car on the day of departure. Allow time for the car rental return, which is fast since the return is at the parking structure at the airport. Check in procedure at MXP are faster than most airports.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16500 posts
Hertz locations at Torino Porta Susa station Or Torino Porta Nuova station are more or less equally distant. You’ll need a taxi to get there if you have luggage.
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Roberto, thank you for the very helpful information.
Posted by
1270 posts
Should you drive from Stresa to MXP? Drive. If your flight is early, stay at a nearby hotel the night before, and if its later, drive to mxp that morning and return the car there.