Travleing in Italy by train or rent a car? which one do you recommend?

Question

here is the plan for my short trip, 5 days :

From Milan to Rome

From Rome to Positano

From Positano to Milan

Can you please tell me which company (italiarail, euro rail) I should get the tickets from and how much it costs?

Which one is better , rent a car or travel with train and spend more time sigh seeing?

thank you,

Katherine

Answer 1

Rent a car, you'll have much more freedom and be able to see the area from a better standpoint, train will let you have more time during the day so whichever is more important... We rented a car last summer and it worked out fine everything isn't uncomfortably far away it's just a matter of dedicated some of the day towards traveling... Rome is fantastic, Italiarail is better

Answer 2

Unless you are experienced in driving in Italy I'd suggest the train. They drive like maniacs. We took the train from Paris to Rome and then rented a car. Our driver had driven in Italy before so he was okay...as a passenger it was terrifying. I'd never attempt driving there.

Answer 3

Katherine - everyone says train and I agree. I've worked in Italy for many years and have even had a company car.... But I must tell you that using the train is where it's at. Inner cities are so crowded that you can't even take you car in. The highways, during rush hours, just out side of major and even minor cities (see Mestre) is pure h**l.... and a total watse of time. Relax and enjoy your vacation and use the train system. there have been some recent price hikes but it is still worth it.

Answer 4

Hi Katherine,

First of all, driving in Italy is an experience all on its own  Italian drivers have their unique style that can be either dangerous, upsetting or both (from the perspective of non-Italians, that is :-)  

Because of this,  the low cost, great reliability, timeliness, frequency & cleanliness  of Italian trains, plus the incredible romance of train travel in Europe, I strongly recommend the latter for most of your travel.

Simply going to the train station, buy a ticket, and hop on.  

Intercity and similar trains require reservations, which you can buy when you buy your ticket. No problems, very easy.

(I've just been to Italy last September and did some criss- crossing similar to your plan. I'd bought a multi-day pass online in advance, which cost more and was not necessary.)

There are understandable train schedules, track and arrival/departure signs everywhere in the stations. In addition, I'd visit the TrenItalia site (link below) to check which trains you likely want to take before departure (just peace of mind, not necessity).

I envy you because Positano is one of the most romantic and luxurious vacation spots in Italy. The best way to get to Positano is by boat or bus. The road leading to Positano is difficult to drive and parking, available above town, is limited (some hotels offer parking).

Reach Positano by bus from either Sorrento or Salerno.  Both can be reached by train from Naples. The ferries to Positano leave from Sorrento, Amalfi and once daily  from Salerno.

Tip: oh, I know Milan/Rome is wonderful, but if I were you'd skip either Rome or Milan in this trip.  5 days is short, and I'd rather see you relax and loving Italy so much that you go back there another time when you have a longer break.  3 locations  in 5 days is too much.

I hope this info helps you to have a most enjoyable trip,  with most time for relaxing and sight seeing.  Have a good time.

Ciao!

Answer 5

Rent a car

Answer 6

Take the train unless you plan to visit the countryside.  An Italian RailPass for 3 days of travel (like you plan) is a little over $200:  http://travelocity.raileurope.com/us/rai...

Remember that you can always rent a car for a day if you want to leave the city.

Assuming you are live in North America and you decide to rent a car anyway, PLEASE don't get off your trans-Atlantic flight and start driving.  Fly to Milan, go to a hotel, and drive away the next day after you get some rest.  

Ask the car rental agency about a pre-paid pass for the numerous toll stops on the autoroutes (Interstate-type highways). Also either use a credit card that covers rental car insurance or get the insurance from the rental agency.  Driving in Italy is a problem and car theft is a bigger probem.  

Good luck!

Answer 7

I think you should choose to take the train. It will help you meet new people and have a whole new experience then what you will get with a rental car. Besides, when you visit Rome, good luck trying to drive through all of the narrow roads. Most of the train stations are generally located near the city center and it should be easy to get to wherever you want to go from there.

A great place to find train information is:

http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html

The cost of the train ride varies and depends on what time and date you plan to travel.

I hope you have a great time. It has been a couple of years since my last visit to Italy and I hope to return very soon. Enjoy yourself.