We are arriving in venice on monday, july 22. will spend 2 nights in venice and will then take a train to chiusi to pick up car. which train should we take to chiusi? should we take the overnight train or a regional train? we are traveling with 2 couples including us and 3 teenagers. I have been online for the schedules and they are confusing to me. please advise. thank you.
Posted by
Green Bay
20980 posts
Yes, the Trenitalia site is a mess. They still do not have the summer schedules fully loaded. Right now, they have the fast trains on the main routes loaded. Although there maybe a few InterCity direct trains from Venice to Chiusu waiting to be scheduled, the trains to Florence are available for booking, and you can get a regional train from Florence to Chiusi.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33555 posts
7 people? plus luggage? 2 cars, I guess. My question, why combine a day of train travel, most likely high speed trains at around a good price of €25 pp - €175, plus the regional train from Florence and then rent a car(s)? Surely the tolls and fuel even for 2 cars will be way lower, since you are renting them that day anyway, than adding in the train fares. You can get cars right in Venice at Piazzale Roma and just drive over the causeway (40 kph, watch your speed), turn left at Padova, wind through the mountains between Bologna and Firenze, wave at Firenze as jog by, and rock up at your destination - easy...
Posted by
OP
Dallas, tx, usa
7 posts
Never thought about driving the entire way. If we rent a car in Venice and drop off in Rome, is there a drop off charge?
If you drop off in a different city than you rent the car there usually is a charge in the u.s. thank you.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
"If we rent a car in Venice and drop off in Rome, is there a drop off charge?" Not usually. Of course, you have to check. But the standard in Europe is that a car returned in the same country it was rented has no surcharge. Returning a car in a different country usually has a very high surcharge (someone recently posted €600).
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15895 posts
Renting a van might be cheaper than two cars. Check it out. I also agree that you should rent in Venice. 7 train tickets from Venice to Chiusi will cost you over 50 Euro per person, unless you grab some supereconomy deal. That's over 350 euro in total. If you rent a car from the start in Venice you will be saving the train tickets. The cost of driving will be about 40-45 euro in gas and less than 30 euro in tolls, so about 70-75 Euro for each car you rent (assuming you rent 2, that's about 150 euro in total). If the rental for an 8 passenger van is less than the rental for 2 cars, you might decide to go with the van and save even more. Although a large van may use more gas (the toll is probably the same, since it's based on number of axles) it will still be less in total than 2 cars (and way less than 7 train tickets at full price). The drive from Venice to that part of Tuscany (I presume you are going somewhere around Siena/Cortona if you planned to rent in Chiusi) is about 3.5-4 hours and it's all smooth freeway driving. Keep the right on freeways. The left lane is for passing only.