Helpline Question of the Month: Rome, Hill Towns, Cinque Terre & Venice — by Car or Train?
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For many car-dependent Americans, the decision to trade the flexibility of wheels for the rigidity of rails is a tough one. Even tougher when your dream trip takes you on and off the beaten path. So, Michael from Phoenix asked for a little help from his friends. Should he and his family rent a car — or ride the rails — across Italy?
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We're taking our 18-year old daughter to Italy for spring break (March 14-22)! First two nights in Rome and last two nights in Venice. In between we plan to spend a night in Orvieto/Civita, a night in Siena and two nights in the CT (Cinque Terre). I'm thinking it would make sense for the three of us to rent a car. Though we wouldn't be able to use it in the CT, it would give us more flexibility in the hill towns. Plus it would get us to Venice a lot quicker. Any words of wisdom?
Michael
Phoenix, AZ
Paul
Cedar, IA
Since you really do not have much time for anything in between, skip the car and use public transport. For that, Rome to Orvieto is a short train trip. Orvieto to Siena is another short trip to Chiusi, where you can catch a bus. Siena to the CT can be train all the way, or look at a bus to Florence and train to CT. Then train to Venice. As mentioned, with only one night in Tuscany, you will not be exploring hill towns, and a few hours saved by rushing in a car from the CT to Venice is not worth the added cost of a car and the drop off charge (not to mention the two hours or so spent dropping the car off at the Venice airport then getting into Venice).
Laurel
Portland, OR
The problem for CT to Venezia seems to be departure time in March. Looks like it's either before 0600 or after noon. After noon makes for a late arrival in Venezia. March might be kind of sub-optimal for the CT, Michael. Why not add time to Rome, Venice or Siena and not move around quite so much? You seem to be a veteran and savvy traveler: 5 places in 8 nights seems like a lot of packing and unpacking to me! Reminds me of business trips.
Michael 1
Phoenix, AZ USA
What the .... Michael from Phoenix, this is Michael from Phoenix. You are far too polite, people will grow confused.
Laurel
Portland, OR
#1? #2? Hard to tell you guys apart except for an ever-changing number of posts.
Lola
Seattle, WA
La Spezia to Venice can be as short as 4 hours 27 minutes. Check the Trenitalia schedules and rail.ch and bahn.de, NOT RailEurope.
Ken
Vernon, Canada
With such a very short time frame, using a rental car wouldn't be my preferred choice. Given the distance you're going to be covering, you'll spend far more time in transit than you would by using fast trains (which is not the most efficient use of your very limited touring time). The only location where a car would be beneficial is the trip to Civita. With only one night, it would be VERY difficult to work that in via public transportation. Good luck!
Michael
Phoenix, AZ
Thanks for the replies! Seems the general consensus is to dump the car. Trains won't be cheap with three of us, but are sure a nice way to travel! The hill towns will be a challenge, though Rick Steves' Italy does mention a bus from Orvieto to Bagnoregio (then shuttle or walk to Civita). I dunno. Royal pain? Better to rent a car just for a day or two? Or is it better to dump CT in favor of more time in the big cities? And Michael, I guess the old western phrase "this town isn't big enough for the two of us" doesn't quite apply in a metro area of 4.3 million. I may have to change my moniker to Michael T or something. Please tell me your last name does not begin with T. :)
Rosalyn
Berkeley, CA
Something you said in a second posting — a shuttle to Civita — suggests to me that you are not clear about the peculiar siting of said village. It's on a high mesa, connected to the mainland only by a pedestrian bridge. No choice; you walk. IMO, neither Bagnoreggio, nor Civita is worth devoting part of your very short trip to. Once you get to Civita, there's not much there. With just one night in Orvieto, spend your time there. Beautiful duomo, nice old town, underground caves, Etruscan museum, good food.
Paul
Cedar, IA
You really do not have much time for hill towns. Leaving Rome, you can get to Orvieto early morning, and by the time you explore there, except for a short trip to a nearby town, your day is done. Orvieto to Siena will take a few hours the next day, again, by the time you explore there...your day is done, and you will be on your way to the CT the next day.
Michael
Phoenix, AZ
Thanks everybody for your valuable input! The advice was pretty much unanimous, and we'd be fools not to take it into account. OK, we are definitely going to ditch the car idea (except maybe for hill towns). Also... as much as it breaks our hearts, it is probably a sensible idea to bypass CT this trip. (Our daughter will just have to come back sometime, preferably with aging parents in tow.) This means all of our destinations will be new to my wife and me!
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