When to travel by train, when rent a car

I recommend a car for the leg from Siena through Tuscany Region.
Train from Venice to CT; and CT to Siena.

Others should answer for the 2 Capri legs.

Capri is an island and only residents can take a car there.
So you could:
1. Take the rental car to Naples, return it there. Take boat to Capri.
2. Return rental car to some other location in or near Tuscany (e.g. Florence, Siena, Chiusi, Orvieto), then take train to Naples, then boat to Capri.
Boats/hydrofoil to Capri depart from Molo (pier) Beverello.
From the train station, or from any car drop off location, take a taxi to Molo Beverello.
From Capri to Rome: boat to Naples Molo Beverello, then taxi from Pier to station (Napoli Centrale) then train from Naploli Centrale to Rome Termini.

linda,

Trains will be a faster and more efficient travel method, especially the high speed versions which travel at up to 300 kmH. In the same situation, this is the method I'd use.....

• Travel to Cinque Terre from Venice. - I'd suggest trains. The quickest route is often through Florence but that may depend on which of the five towns you'll be staying in.
• Travel from Cinque Terre to Siena. - again, trains.
• Travel From Siena through Tuscany region. - car would provide more flexibility here, but that will depend on which places you plan to visit in Tuscany.
• Travel from Tuscany region to Capri. - my preference would be trains to Naples and then boat to Capri.
• Travel from Capri to Rome. - boat back to Naples and then high speed Freccia train to Rome.

A few notes about driving in Italy.....

It's important to note that, [u]each driver[/u] must have the compulsory International Driver's Permit, which is used in conjunction with your home D.L. These are valid for one year, and easily obtained at any CAA/AAA office (two Passport-sized photos required, which in some cases are provided by the issuing office).

Failure to produce an IDP if requested [i]can result in fines on the spot[/i] Have a look at THIS website for more detailed information on driving in Italy.

You may also want to search other Posts here regarding the Zona Traffico Limitato areas that are becoming increasingly prevalent in many towns in Italy (especially Florence!). EACH PASS through one of the automated Cameras there will result in a €100+ ticket! Smaller towns use local Police to issue ZTL tickets. In some locations, parking tickets or having "The Boot" applied will also be a concern.

A GPS along with a good Map would also be a good idea. Be sure to also give some thought to the question of CDW. It's compulsory in Italy to accept the CDW offered by the rental firm. Some "premium" credit cards provide rental vehicle insurance, however this may not be valid in Italy. Check the Car Rental section in [i]Europe Through The Back Door[/i] for further information. You may wish to download the car rental guide offered by GEMUT.com.

I agree with Ken, depending on how much time you have in Tuscany and where you want to go, a train/bus combination can be as effective as a car.

Another vote here for Ken's plan. It's going to be faster and less complicated to take the trains to most locations on your list, and whether a car is be worthwhile in Tuscany very much depends on where you intend to go. In addition to come of the complexities he has provided, you're not allowed to drive into the center of a considerable amount of towns anyway so it's easier to take the trains.

Siena, Pisa, Florence are all in Toscana and all of them are easily reachable by train or bus, whichever you like. If you want to visit the chianti region or the Maremma region, both regions part of the Toscana, it is easier by car.
I think the best way to visit CT is either on foot or by the sea. I would suggest you take the train or the bus ( from Florence, Milano or Siena, I do not know from Venice) to CT, then once you get there, rent a boat, the experience will be magnifiscent.

Capri and Anacapri and Ischia are all a must if you visit the Amalfi and Naples region.
However I feel that your trip is too short to see so many things and you would need at least 4 weeks to get a glimpse of all this.
I would limit myself to Venice ( 2-days) ,Toscana ( Florence, Siena, San Gimignano, Pisa, Chianti and Maremma region - 8 days) CT(2days) -Rome 4 days.

My good friend Ken always has great advice, but I differ with the view on CT to Siena. We took this trip a few years agoa and it was four trains in four hours. Lots of stops, up-and-down staircases in stations with luggage, and we had to stand up for two segments because the little trains were crowded. Looking at current schedules, it looks like the same trip: 4 trains. Rent a car in La Spezia and enjoy the drive to Siena. You can stop along the way in Pisa or Lucca. If you are staying in Siena, make sure you find a place that can provide parking. You'll need the car for Tuscany, but when you are ready to go to Capri. follow the excellent advice above: dump the car adn take a train to Naples then ferry to Capri.

Laurel,

Good points!

I defaulted to train on the C.T. to Siena route for a couple of reasons....

• Siena is not the easiest (or cheapest) town for parking. If parking is provided by the hotel or the car is being returned there, that would certainly help.
• I based my reply on a direct trip, rather than stopping or sightseeing along the way (I typically like to get to my destination as quickly as possible without any unnecessary delays).
• The trains seem relatively easy and cheap on that trip - about 3H:15M with two changes (Pisa Centrale and Empoli?). That's a "walk in the park" compared to some train journeys I've taken. Another option would be to take the train to Firenze SMN (~2H:15M) and then the Bus to Siena (~ one hour). Of course there will be variations in cost and travel time depending on exactly which trains were used.

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions and advice. We were a little concearned about putting this trip together ourselves and your information has been a great help. So far, our plans are to fly into Venice, spend 2 nights and take a fast train to Vernazza. We plan to spend 2 or 3 nights in CT area hiking through the 5 villages. Then we will take slow train from CT to Siena, spend 2 nights, rent a car and drive the Tuscany Region spending 3 nights along the way as we work our way to Rome. We will drop the car in Rome and catch a fast train to Naples. There we will make our way to Capri possibly staying in Capri or thereabouts (Amalfi) for 2 nights then return to Rome for for the remainder of our time. We will tour Rome then return home.
If anyone thinks this plan is to aggressive or believe we won't be able to cover this much in our 16 days in Italy please let me know. Also, if you think we should allow more or less days in some towns we would appreciate your input. We plan to make our fast train and car rental reservations in advance before we arrive Italy. Our small train tickets we will purchase as we go. Once again, thanks for all of your good advice. It's nice to know there are fellow travelers out there like you.
Linda

Agree with Laurel, rent your car in La Spezia. This gives you the opportunity to stop in the
towns along the way. La Spezia-Siena 2 1/2 hrs. Not a difficult drive.

Map of parking in Siena https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zn-qcjMT8Dd4.kj-bI48zrZ1c&msa=0.

Have used both the Stadio and Santa Caterina lots. Note: lot by train station is iffy. If you make

a wrong turn you could get caught.