We will be traveling from Lucca to Milan. We had intended to drop our rental car off in Milan at the train station, as we are doing an afternoon tour, then taking the train to Milpansa. Would it be easier to change our car rental and drop it off in Lucca and take the train from Lucca to Milan?
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23340 posts
Could be easier to drop in Lucca and maybe save a day's rental. However, it is around a 4 hr train ride with one or two changes to Milan. When is the tour and when does your plane depart?
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15263 posts
- Drive via Spezia and Parma: 3.5 hours, including pit stop of 1/2 hour. Total 3.5 hours door to Europcar at Milano Centrale.
- Drive to Florence downtown car return: 1.5 hours, including extra time for refueling, getting lost, rental return paperwork. Then walk to station, wait for train to Milan then journey to Milan (add another 2.5 hours for safety): total 4 hours door to Milano Centrale.
- Return at Lucca (Europcar and Avis are in Lucca). Taxi to station. Wait for train, take train to Milan (4hours with change in Florence): total maybe 5 hours door to Milano Centrale. Then from Milano Centrale add another 1/2 hours to the actual destination where the tour is. Also if you need to drop luggage at the Milan baggage store, you need to add some time too.
Your call, but even in the fastest option (drive) give yourself at least 5 hours before the tour starts.
Posted by
OP
61 posts
Roberto,
Thank you for your advise. I forgot about our luggage. Is there a luggage storage at the train station?
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15263 posts
Yes. there is luggage storage (deposito bagagli) available at Milano Centrale.
Posted by
Brisbane, Australia
7175 posts
Given Avis and Europcar don't open til 08:30 or 09:00 in Lucca, the earliest you would then be in Milan by train might be 13:40. This may be too late for your tour.
Posted by
OP
61 posts
One last question. If we drive, which we will probably do, is it easy to find the train station in Milan? We seem to spend a lot of time getting lost, driving in cities. (No problem on the open road, just arriving and departing destinations.) Thanks for all the info.
Julie
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15263 posts
Milan is easier to navigate than Florence. Just go toward Lambrate on the A51 and exit on Via Rombon in Lambrate, then it's straight on Via Rombon to Piazzale Loreto (where Mussolini was left hanging upside down). From Piazzale Loreto you are close. But obviously a GPS and some online maps research and printouts will help.
My estimate of 3.5 hours drive to Milan, including a short pit stop, might be a bit optimistic however depending on traffic. Give yourself 4 hours to be safer. Then to that you need to add time to rental return paperwork, walk 10 min to the station (luggage storage), drop luggage (lots of tourists in line sometimes) then, go to where your tour meets (I don't know where that could be). So 5 hours Lucca to actual tour meeting point may not be enough. Let's make it 5.5 hours minimum.