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Rent a car and drive or train and drive? Family of 5 Paris - Florence

Posted by (Kingston, ON, Canada) on

We are a family of 2 adults and 3 children planning to be in France and Italy for the month of August. We are in need of a vehicle in some of the places we are staying. We need to travel from Paris to Florence, then to the South of France and again back to Paris to head back to London.

We are concerned about the gas and toll costs of driving the 13 hours from Paris to Florence and then, essentially back again.

Train tickets can't be purchased this early but we don't know what to do. We want the transitions to be easy for the children, so we're thinking rental car only, but then we are wondering about whether train trips for long big legs would be easier. Maybe car rental and Eurail passes???

We are TOTALLY confused. Train trips seem much more expensive than we were anticipating (when you're buying 5 tickets everything is) and we will need a car for part of the month regardless. Just renting the car would probably be the cheaper option, even with the gas and toll costs, we think...

If anyone has advice for us we would REALLY appreciate it.

Help please! Thank you!

Posted by
8700 posts

Please be more specific about exactly where you will need a car--and for how many days in each place.

Posted by
7 posts

Children's ages are 10, 8 & 4.

Tentative plan is:

Paris Aug 1-7 no car needed

Drive/Train Aug 7 - 8 Paris - Florence countryside

Aug 8 - 15 car will be needed as it is a rural accommodation

Aug 15 - 29 Aix-en-Provence and/or Lake Como Italy car will be needed as it is also rural accom

August 29-30 Drive/Train North to Paris to return for UK flight on the 31st.

We have found rynair's hertz early booking bonus to be the cheapest car rental inclusive of taxes and insurances, so the car will only cost about $750 CDN.

Thank you for your thoughtful interest in helping us!

Posted by
7 posts

Or...we could rent a car separately in Italy in Florence area dn then again in France in Marseille?

Posted by
668 posts

You do not say the ages of your children. Normally I do not recommend a car, but if your children are young, that may be the best way to go. Have you considered leasing? My son did that nad was very happy, and reckoned it was much better and cheaper than a rental. I am assuming you are flying into Paris. I would suggest you get the car when you are leaving Paris and park it in Florence. There are posts on this board warning of the fines related to driving in restricted zones in Florence and driving in large European cities is a nightmare, not mention eh cost of parking.

Unless you are on a strict schedule, you do not need to do the 13 hour drive in one go. Stop somewhere for at least one night.

Another consideration. If you are spending a long while in Paris and Florence and London, and not going anywhere else, you may not need a car at all. Flying between these cities is cheap with one of the European carriers. Having a car in these places is more of a liability than an asset. You do not say why you MUST have a car, and that may make a difference, but cars in Europe are not the necessity we regard them to be in Canada.

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