Six of us wish to travel from Paris to Livorno Italy over a 12 day period with our bicycles. We seek to rent a van. Please suggest a source for such a rental beginning 9/30/13.
Bob
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16058 posts
Autoeurope.com is a good source. It's a consolidator based in Maine which offers discounted rental with major rental companies (Avis, Hertz, Europcar etc.). I presume you are aware that one way international rentals with drop off in a country different from where you picked up, will incur international drop off charges of several hundreds Euros (I read about 600 Euros=US$800). A cheaper alternative would be to drop off your van near the Italian border, but within France (e.g. Nice or Monaco if you take the Riviera route) then proceed with other means of transportation across the border (e.g. Ventimiglia or Sanremo) then rent again another van on the Italian side and finally drop off in Livorno. Maggiore rent a car, an Italian company affiliated with National/Alamo, has offices in Ventimiglia, Sanremo and also Livorno. If you take the Vald'Aosta route through the Mont Blanc, Courmayeur and Aosta also have Maggiore. You can book a car with them using also the National/Alamo website if not available through Autoeurope.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23626 posts
You do realize that dropping the van in Livorno (if that is the plan) will be very expensive - probably more than the rental. A cheaper solution might be to drop the van on the border and get a new rental in Italy.
Posted by
Germany, Germany
813 posts
This travel company may be able to help. They, obviously, are in Germany, but they are very reputable and may help you find something in the area you are looking at. http://www.interra-reisen.de/
Also try http://www.europcar.com/ for car rental, they usually have the best deals in our area. We've found drop off in another country to only be 50Euro or so surcharge.
Posted by
Knoxville, TN, USA
7209 posts
Don't think I've ever seen a rental van in Europe big enough for 6 persons + luggage AND 6 bicycles.
Posted by
Santa Rosa, CA, USA
1446 posts
When I tried to get a van for 6 people and luggage, I was told they had ones for 6 people but no luggage room (that was Hertz). I ended up looking at other alternatives.
Posted by
Green Bay
21157 posts
You can travel on regional trains with your bikes. If your plan is to have a luggage van running a head with your gear while the rest bike, changing rental vans at the border would be the most cost effective option.