We are planning about a two week trip to Italy. General plan is to spend the time north of Rome.

For flexibility, I plan on getting a rental car.

Would you try to fly into Venice and not get the rental car until we are ready to leave Venice? How much is the parking to leave a car for 3 days or so while we are in Venice?

I am thinking of going into Switzerland for a couple of days. I was reading that to take a car into Switzerland there is a sticker needed for road fees, or something like that. Would rental cars from Venice or Rome have this so that they can be driven into Switzerland?

We have also been considering flying into one airport then fly out of another. Doing so doesn�t seem to change the price of the tickets and the rental car seems to be the same price.

Thanks in advance.

Parking costs roughly 20/EU for each 24 hr. period the car is parked. Don't pick up the car until you are ready to leave Venice As an alternative, you can drop 1 car off in Venice and pick up another one when you are ready to leave Venice.

No.


Ok . . .

i presume you plan to pickup and drop off the car in italy. i think there is a considerable up charge to pick the car up in italy and drop it off in switzerland.

Thanks for the info.

Didn't think about returning the car for a few days in Venice, then picking it back up when we are ready to leave. Have to check what that does for the rates.

Yes, would pick up and drop off in Italy, just visit Switzerland but it looks like we would have to take a train in. That is an idea which I may look into. Do the train stations typically have parking where you can leave a car for a few days? Would think we would depart somewhere like Milano, or east/west of there and not Venice, Rome, etc.

Just curious....what's the cost of renting a car in Italy? I would think that since you would be walking most of the time when you want to do some sight-seeing, that you would not need the car or it would be a hassle to find a parking space.

Have you looked at the cost of trains between cities and taxis or local transportation costs vs the cost of a rental? Also, if you plan to visit Florence I hear that there are limits to driving within the city.

My experience is that renting cars cost about $140-160 per day, including fuel, insurance and highway tolls, but not including parking or congestion fees. That's for a what in Italy is considered a midsize car - about the size of a VW Golf - which can comfortably carry 4 adults with hand baggage, or 2 adults with suitcases.

Depending on company and your corporate rates typical midsize rates in Northern It run around $50 per day, all in. The cheapest options tend to be from Sixt or special corporate rates from Hertz/Avis. Be very careful about extra charges in Italy, there're often more than the base rate. Be careful too about distance charges. the allowances tend to be small and extra km are costly.

For Venice definitely return the car and rent another. The incremental cost will certainly be less than the Euro60 for a three day parking plus the car rental itself.

You can buy the stamp on entry to Switzerland or just stay off the toll roads and you'll not need the sticker.

You will need a gps if you plan to drive in the cities. It will save you money in comparison with the time you'll otherwise spend being lost. I never go anywhere without mine and I sam in in Northern Italy six or more times per year.

It isn't really possible to answer that question any more accurately than "what's the cost of renting a car in the US" as there are just too many variables.

there is no word in italian for "parking space"

to get a feeling for rental rates, go to autoeurope.com and pull down a bunch of rates. the rates do not get more than 10% lower.

find a car that is the same in usa(if from usa) to compare "midsize to midsize" the italian idea of a midsize is one up from a "smart" car.