Train versus driving in northern Italy

It comes up all the time actually, just must be hard to find in a search!
Use trains for city to city travel and for Cinque Terre, and pick up a car for rural Tuscany. It's optional for Lake Como, depending on your plan, as there is transport.
Pack in one carryon size bag each so you can get a normal size car (and so luggage can fit).

My first comment is to not do a round trip to Venice. Fly into Venice and then plan to fly out of another location, such as Rome or Milan, depending on your itinerary. This will save you money & time.

For your transportation from Venice to Lake Como and Florence, it’s easier to travel by train. You might want the car just for exploring the smaller towns in Tuscany. If you’re not familiar with ZTL, be sure to check that out! It’s a routine posting on this forum and an expensive mistake.

Personally, we’ve been to Italy numerous times and never rented a car. We find the train very convenient, along with an occasional bus. It’s a normal mode of transportation in Europe and relaxing for us. You can check prices at www.trenitalia.com. If you purchase your tickets a few months ahead, they are cheaper.

Have fun!

We long ago realized that travel through the mountains by train or buses is just too difficult without a rental car. You can see so many more sights and get to your accommodations so much easier with transportation.
We have great memories of visiting mountain villages up on the sides of mountains in Northern Italy and in Tirol, Austria.

Hi and welcome to the forum, mamckn -

Before getting into the car versus train question, let's start with this?

We want to see Lake Como, Cinque Terre, small towns in Tuscany as well
as Florence and one or two other big cities.

IMHO, that's too many destinations to cover reasonably in 10-14 days. Just Florence + those "two other big cities" could very easily eat the lion's share of that time, especially if your 10-14 days included travel time from/to your home country (United States? Canada? Other?). For example, I consider 4 nights/ 3 FULL days to be the minimum for Rome, and there's far and away enough to see there to fill more days than that. So, I would strongly suggest narrowing the focus here based on the things you all MOST want to do and see? What would those be? And what can you tell us about your group? Experienced or more inexperienced travelers? Approx. ages? Any mobility challenges to take into account?

Regarding the car, the only location on your list that one makes sense is for the Tuscan countryside. You do not need or want one for Lake Como (Varenna? A different location on the lake?) Cinque Terre, Florence or any of Italy's other bigger cities (Rome, Milan, Naples, etc.) Also, driving in Italy involves some different traffic laws than you're probably used to so requires some homework, if you haven't already done so. It's up to the individual how comfortable they'll be behind the wheel abroad. :O)

This topic was last discussed over ten years ago

LOL, as someone above said, the transport question is a very common subject on the Italy forum nearly every week, if not almost every day during peak travel-planning season!

For your intended itin. Use trains only except for Tuscany. Pick up a car rental in Siena after u see Siena. Worked terrific for us all the other places you mentioned we did by train. Realize we had only one roll suitcase pp.

We want to see Lake Como, Cinque Terre, small towns in Tuscany as well as Florence and one or two other big cities

Well, if one takes 'see' literally, and not infer 'visit', then your question of car vs train is valid. It depends what 'small towns in Tuscany' means and what 'one or two other big cities' encompasses. Then it is a matter of car, train or some combo, based on just what the destinations are.

If on the other hand you plan to 'visit', then I am with Kathy in that you have too few days planned for all the destinations you are aiming for.