From Rome to Siena - Car vs. Train/Car

The way car rental usually works in Italy: You're not going to be able to return the car on Sunday. Except for the big car rental places at the airports, if it's Sunday and the car rental place is closed (and most are closed on Sunday), you just don't return your rental car on Sunday. It's not like here where you can leave it and put the key through the door, at least you wouldn't want to count on that being possible. My own preference would be: train from Rome to Siena, rent car in Siena, don't expect to return rental car on Sunday in Siena. Then train to La Spezia (why La Spezia: hopefully you're not planning on renting another car in La Spezia for the Cinque Terre, tell me it isn't so?)

Nope, no car in CT! Just feet and Treno card. Thanks for the heads up on dropping the car off on a Sunday. I just checked Auto Europe's web site and it says the office is closed but there is a drop box at the downtown location. Does this jive with your experience?

Thanks so much for the help.

Dan

Honestly, it would worry me a bit in the back of my mind, but then I'm a worrier. I'd be asking myself: what happens if, contrary to what the website says, I can't find a place to put the key or the gate to the lot is closed and I can't even get in? What happens then, to my transportation and accommodations plans for that night, and the next day. I'd be looking for a way to minimize that risk. I've never tried to return a car on Sunday to an unmanned location in Italy outside the big locations. I can think of ways that could go wrong, but it might work, hopefully there are no issues and maybe you have to go for it. If it were here I wouldn't even think about it twice, just do it--but you know how it is in Italy, Murphy's law is more applicable there than here.

You are taking chances on dropping off your car on Sunday and putting a key in a box. You really must do a face-to-face turn in on the car. I hate to be negative but leaving your car in a city that you know nothing about is asking for trouble. Also, take pictures of the car when you rent it.

Larry is spot on. If anyone does have to return a rental car to an unmanned location (try to avoid this if at all possible), take 2 minutes to take date-stamped pics before you drive out of the pickup lot and take the same views when you return it. We've had plenty of stories here about what can happen if you don't have proof of the condition of the car. It only takes 2 minutes to take the pics.

Thanks. We will look for an alternative to dropping it off on Sunday. (I am a bit of a worrier too!)

Also, we'll take pictures when we pick it up.

Dan