Rental Car in Italy

Looking for suggestions on a rental car in 2015 out of the Civitavecchia port. Any suggestion would help. Been to this port a few times and do not recall a rental car agency.

Plan to stay in area and drive south for about 3 days. Suggestion on the drive on what to see on the way.

1) Would one obtain extra Insurance?

2) Can you walk to the rental agency from port and then return to port to pick up luggage?

3) Rental Company someone has used?

The plan at this time is to rent in Civitavecchia and return to FCO Airport.

The one thing I do know, having checked a couple of times: you cannot find an automatic car to rent from Civitavecchia port.

If anyone has done so, I would love to hear from you for my next visit! :)

We have rented (and also dropped) cars at this port many times. Assuming that the main port entrance is open (it is currently closed for construction) the most convenient rental agency is Hertz.. which is about 3-4 blocks from the main port entrance (easy flat walk). The other majors are also reachable...although it is a much further walk from the main entrance (but closer to the auxiliary exit being used during the construction. Most Italy rentals already include all necessary insurance, but having a zero deductible is a good idea since none of the major credit card CDW plans cover Italy rentals.

You cannot normally return to the pier area to pick up luggage since it is unlikely they would let you through the port gate (which can be a mile from the ships). What DW and I have done is to take our luggage, use the free shuttle to the main entrance, and then I leave her there while I go get the car. But if we can roll all of our luggage we have also been able to walk to Hertz. You normally will not be charged any extra fees to drop the car at FCO, although beware that getting gas around the airport can be difficult unless you have a Chip/PIN card.

We could give you a month of two worth of itineraries, so we do need some hints :). Keep in mind that the ruins of Ostia Antica are very close to the airport (FCO) so you might be able to work that in your last day plans. We once kept our car the last night, stayed at the airport Hilton, spent the afternoon at Ostia Antica and then drove over to Fiumcino (the town) where we had a very good seafood dinner.

Hank

Thank you

We have rented (and also dropped) cars at this port many times. Assuming that the main port entrance is open (it is currently closed for construction) the most convenient rental agency is Hertz.. which is about 3-4 blocks from the main port entrance (easy flat walk). The other majors are also reachable...although it is a much further walk from the main entrance (but closer to the auxiliary exit being used during the construction. Most Italy rentals already include all necessary insurance, but having a zero deductible is a good idea since none of the major credit card CDW plans cover Italy rentals.

 

You cannot normally return to the pier area to pick up luggage since it is unlikely they would let you through the port gate (which can be a mile from the ships). What DW and I have done is to take our luggage, use the free shuttle to the main entrance, and then I leave her there while I go get the car. But if we can roll all of our luggage we have also been able to walk to Hertz. You normally will not be charged any extra fees to drop the car at FCO, although beware that getting gas around the airport can be difficult unless you have a Chip/PIN card.

 

We could give you a month of two worth of itineraries, so we do need some hints :). Keep in mind that the ruins of Ostia Antica are very close to the airport (FCO) so you might be able to work that in your last day plans. We once kept our car the last night, stayed at the airport Hilton, spent the afternoon at Ostia Antica and then drove over to Fiumcino (the town) where we had a very good seafood dinner.

 

Hank

Hank, you seem to know what you're talking about so I wonder if you'd entertain a few of my questions directly related to this topic (OP- please forgive me barging in on your thread!).

My family and I are trying to plan our post-cruise trip to Tuscany (Orvieto) and have pretty much decided on renting a car in Civitavecchia, driving up to Orvieto, spending two nights there, driving back down to FCO early on the Sunday morning (by early I mean 6:00 AM), dropping the car off, and then being at the airport in time to catch an 11:20 AM flight. From your experience, is this at all possible?

What is the procedure to return a car at the airport and is it an easy process? We're Canadian so chip and pin cards are all that we have, so I imagine that will help the gas problem? Is the gas station at the airport easy to navigate?

We've never rented a car anywhere outside of North American and we speak absolutely no Italian so this is by far one of the most stressful components of our trip. Any advice or words of wisdom related to renting and returning a car at FCO would be most appreciated!

Jessica

My plan is open but am thinking of renting car at port then take 3 days and drive down to the Amalfi coast. With some stops on the way.

We also rented from Hertz in Civitachaitia and walked from the shuttle drop off with our (wheeled) luggage. Walk is much longer from temporary drop off but still walkable - you pass some good cafés for a cup of coffee in the way!

We retuned to FCO and had two issues - finding gas before getting to the airport and finding the airport after leaving the gas station!

We didn't map out a gas station, thinking there would be a few on the way in. We only saw one sign about 1 exit from the terminal. It was at some type of mall and the gas was very expensive. Then when we tried to get back on expressway to the airport, there was no on ramp! We drove down some road and kept making rights until we ended up near the parking garage. Once we got to this point, it was easy to find the Hertz return area.

We did have a map on the iPhone but it didn't tell us about has stations and the one way exit. Other that, driving was fairly easy as long as you stay out of the fast lane....

Just did this in May. The Europcar office is right across the street from the temporary shuttle drop off point; could not be more convenient. You can bring your luggage onto the shuttle bus and then just walk across the street to rent your car.

My advice would be to check Autoeurope and Kemwel. They are both consolidators. We rented a car for one week with a drop in Venice and it was $193 through Kemwel although the actual agency was Europcar. Checking Europcar direct, it was about double that price.

I wouldn't buy it from the rental company. Take your iPhone or iPad (I know this will work on these - don't know about Android or Windows) with you. Buy a cheap SIM card from TIM over there. Use the Maps function or Google Maps as your GPS. I used the Maps function on my iPad Mini to navigate through Rome (yes, through Rome), up to Orvieto, through the Chianti area (and lots of little windy roads) to Florence. Worked great the entire trip, even when I missed some of those little windy roads!

I've driven rental cars all around Europe - not knowing the language was never an issue.

Some little hints:

Be sure you do a thorough walk around of the vehicle and make the agent note any dings.

Get your International Drivers Permit from your local CAA office (AAA if in the US). I have been asked for this a few times - better to pay and have it than to roll the dice and get denied your rental.

It's an easy drive and you'll go through some beautiful area. Save room for some ceramics purchases in Orvieto!!!!

You can use your google maps with out using data? Thank you for the international drivers permit tip.

If you have a Windows laptop, Microsoft Autoroute Europe and a GlobalSat GPS receiver (USB plug in, about $35 from Amazon) is invaluable (+ power inverter for the car). We used this for navigating around Austria and Italy in 2012 and for 5 months in France in 2013-14, and wished we had it in 2010. Allows you to plan your exact route and not just what the GPS tells you to go. And it's all offline.

I've returned to Hertz which is/was 1-2 minute's walk from the train station. Sixt is supposed to be close by to where the shuttles used to turnaround.

You can use your google maps with out using data? Thank you for the international drivers permit tip.

I can't tell you about the google maps usage without data. I was a total newbie with my iPad Mini when I went to Italy - bought it 3 weeks before. I bought the Wi-fi with 4G model (ATT version) so I could specifically buy data SIMS wherever I traveled. I wanted access anywhere, anytime. It was cheap from the TIM store. I always had it on, so I can't tell you if it works without it or not. The iPads with 4G have the GPS transceiver built-in; the wifi-only ones do not.

Maps worked well when I was walking around, also!!!

Before our last trip I went online to Garmin and bought European maps for our Garmin GPS. They were a great help and being familiar with our Garmin helped too.

We learned how to use some maps on your iPhone without data. You have to connect to wifi and pull up where you want to go, make sure you zoom in, then it will store the images. That way you can pull up the maps later, after you turn off wifi. Just make sure your data is OFF before you do this or you will get charged.

There are many articles - here is one:

http://webdesignerwall.com/general/using-iphone-gps-map-without-a-data-plan-or-wifi-connection

We would pull up a new map at each port if we could find wifi.

If you have the locator on, it will show you where you are, too! Very helpful 😉

Thank you all for all the suggestion all.

One more tip...if you are on the expressway, do not get in the "credit card only" lanes to pay your toll unless you have a chip and pin credit card. Most US bank issued cards will not work!! You must use a toll booth with an attendant. Same for gas, we found some service stations that were totally automated with no attendant, and could not use our credit card.

I wouldn't buy it from the rental company. Take your iPhone or iPad (I know this will work on these - don't know about Android or Windows) with you. Buy a cheap SIM card from TIM over there. Use the Maps function or Google Maps as your GPS. I used the Maps function on my iPad Mini to navigate through Rome (yes, through Rome), up to Orvieto, through the Chianti area (and lots of little windy roads) to Florence. Worked great the entire trip, even when I missed some of those little windy roads!

I've driven rental cars all around Europe - not knowing the language was never an issue.

 

Some little hints:

Be sure you do a thorough walk around of the vehicle and make the agent note any dings.

Get your International Drivers Permit from your local CAA office (AAA if in the US). I have been asked for this a few times - better to pay and have it than to roll the dice and get denied your rental.

 

It's an easy drive and you'll go through some beautiful area. Save room for some ceramics purchases in Orvieto!!!!

got this from Hertz site for international rentals.. I picked up a IDP from AAA just in case but shouldn't need one if from USA

An International Driver's Permit (IDP) is required if your national driver's licence is not in Roman script.

An International Driver's Permit (IDP) is also mandatory by law for non-European Union renters except for customers from the following countries who can rent with their national driver's licence and passport: Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa and United States.

The IDP translates the national driver's licence into various languages and is not accepted without the national licence.

 

got this from Hertz site for international rentals.. I picked up a IDP from AAA just in case but shouldn't need one if from USA

 

 

An International Driver's Permit (IDP) is required if your national driver's licence is not in Roman script.

 

An International Driver's Permit (IDP) is also mandatory by law for non-European Union renters except for customers from the following countries who can rent with their national driver's licence and passport: Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa and United States.

The IDP translates the national driver's licence into various languages and is not accepted without the national licence.

True, but it helps if you are pulled over in some tiny Italian village where the folks don't know any English ;)

Since I started to rent vehicles pre-EU, I just always get the IDP as a part of any travel plans where I'm doing a car.

Looking for suggestions on a rental car in 2015 out of the Civitavecchia port. Any suggestion would help. Been to this port a few times and do not recall a rental car agency.

Plan to stay in area and drive south for about 3 days. Suggestion on the drive on what to see on the way.

 

1) Would one obtain extra Insurance?

2) Can you walk to the rental agency from port and then return to port to pick up luggage?

3) Rental Company someone has used?

 

The plan at this time is to rent in Civitavecchia and return to FCO Airport.

If you chose to rent a car, be very very careful of the speed regulations.As you pass through different municipalities the speed limit changes.

I do believe they are also looking out for rental cars, to boost their revenue!

We got stung 10 months after our holiday receiving a steep speeding fine for an alledged speed radar. The rental company charged us 42 Euro admin fee for the honour of supplying our name to the police.

The fine arrived by post without credit card payment, costing us a further $40 bank admin for payment transfer. The speeding fine was 132 Euro.

A bitter end to a wonderful holiday.

Our driver never exceeding the speed limit, we are sure, but go & prove that.

They maintain that he drove 10 km over the speed limit!

If you refuse to pay, the car rental charge your credit card but with penalty for late payment which can be triple the fine.

My sister got 3 traffic violations for inadvertently going down one way street in Florence (they couldn't find their way out - so they violated 3 times !!!!)

Lets talk about speeding tickets (since the issue has been raised in another post). Italy has followed France and England's lead by installing a system of speed cameras throughout the country....but mostly on the heavily traveled "Autostrade" or interstate-type highways. This is particularly true along the A1 road which is the main connector going North and South from Rome. These cameras are automatic and do not distinguish between rental cars and locally owned cars. They simply snap a photo (with license plate) of any car over the speed limit. A private company then looks up the name of the owner and mails them the ticket. If you have a rental car, they send the ticket to the rental car company. These companies will then add a hefty "administrative fee" and charge your credit card of record. If you do not speed, you will not get a ticket! We have driven over 10,000 miles within Italy without ever getting a speeding ticket (although we have gotten parking tickets). And by the way, speeding in Italy (and Europe) means exceeding the posted speed limit. If you drive 5-7 over the speed limit you are probably going to get nailed! When they say 130 KPH that is what they mean...although you do still see plenty of folks exceeding the limit. But many speeders know the area and know where the cameras are located :). In theory there is a 5% tolerance on speeds over 100 KPH but at a typical 130 KPH this would only be about 3 Miles per hour tolerance and since speedometers are not perfect one is a fool to push it!

Another important fact on driving in Italy are the "ZTL"s which are Limited Traffic Zones marked out in many major cities (i.e. Rome, Florence, Pisa, etc). ZTLs are also becoming mroe common in smaller towns. They are meant to keep down the traffic in certain parts of the city (major tourist areas and residential areas) and the fines are pretty stiff (at least 60 Euros). The ZTLs are marked by small signs that are easy to miss, and if you wander into the area your car will be photographed and the fine will be paid by your rental car company and billed to you (plus their admin fee). We suggest using Google to check the various cities on your route (just Google something like "Pisa ZTLs) and check the map.

The European traffic fine system is actually much more honest then here in the USA since it does not normally involve the Police. It is simply cameras, they are very accurate, they do not discriminate, and they are unforgiving. In the USA we will pay a cop $80,000 a year to write tickets...in Europe they do it with a camera that costs a lot less.

So, follow the rules and you will be fine. Break the rules and it can get expensive.

Hank

Just did this in May. The Europcar office is right across the street from the temporary shuttle drop off point; could not be more convenient. You can bring your luggage onto the shuttle bus and then just walk across the street to rent your car.

 

My advice would be to check Autoeurope and Kemwel. They are both consolidators. We rented a car for one week with a drop in Venice and it was $193 through Kemwel although the actual agency was Europcar. Checking Europcar direct, it was about double that price.

Hi Cathy:

We have rented from the Europcar office in Civitavecchia twice. Very convenient, excellent cars and excellent service. Once we were provided with a Passat diesel and it cost us less than 50 Euros for diesel for a week....we drove from Civi to Naples, Sorrento, Positano, all the way down the Amalfi coast to Salerno and back up to Rome, and dropped the car off at FCO airport.

We have been booking with Kemwel in Europe since 1997. We do check both AutoEurope and Kemwel, but we have always ended up booking through Kemwel and have always been very pleased. As you say, Kemwel is a consolidator, and we have picked up our cars from Europcar, or National, or Sixt in Paris.

Kemwel offices are actually in the US, and you prepay your rental costs before you leave home. We have never had any difficulty with Kemwel whatsoever.