Driving out of Florence

[Bill & Wendy Bell]

We hope to be travelling Tuscany while based in San Casciano at an Agritourismo. How difficult is it to get out of the airport with a rental car?
Thanks for any help
Bill & Wendy

 

[Andrew]

There were extensive discussions about it on SlowTrav and a page on the site that became outdated. As best I can tell, you can look on Google Maps at where the rental lot is, across the highway and railroad tracks from the airport. The exits from the lot are under the track: with one exit, the street is one-way going west, but the exit to the east of that lets you turn east, which may be the preferable turn. You can drop a pin at the spot marked Europcar (but it should be the same lot for all companies), and ask for directions from there to S. Casciano: that should show you the route.

 

[GailS]

It can be reasonably straightforward. The A11 runs between the airport and the rental lot - this is a good way to go, heading west on the A11 and then get on the E35 south towards San Casciano. This goes the "wrong" way for a bit but it is almost all highway which is easier. The rental company should be able to provide directions to the A11 - it's not far.

 

[Rome Addict]

Its a horror show. There is construction which makes accessing some companies extremely difficult. Not all companies are in the same area. Some don't have airport shuttles so you have to cab to their site. Some don't have public transport close and you have to literally cross a freeway! Construction has been going on for a couple of years and is progressing at the same speed as Rome's Ara Pacis. In November we rented twice from the airport. I still have nightmares. Rent from someplace closer to where you are staying or take a train or bus to someplace siena? Greve? and pick up a car.

 

[Andrew]

Take due note of what Rome Addict warns, but if you can determine that the company you use is at the lot last reported as the main rental lot, I've found this screen shot from the SlowTrav discussion of the route onto the A11.

 

[Rome Addict]

What the map doesn't show are the barriers, the cars merging, the maniac speed freaks, the unmarked turns and bad signage. Add in sat navigation not being updated and it is really awful. I cannot begin to describe how miserable it is to return or rent cars at Firenze airport.

 

[GailS]

I'll add the caveat that I am a Boston driver. Most of the major car companies are in the lot Andrew points out (Hertz, Avis, EuropCar) and there is a shuttle bus that runs between the airport and the rental lot (don't know the frequency). The route that Andrew points out is the one I've taken most and the loop is a multi-lane (something like 4, maybe 5 in some places) road so you do need to be able to manage this. Knowing up front can help since you can stay near the inner lane around until you get near the area where the airport is (and if you haven't been there before look for the gas stations that are just before the airport). The A11 starts right by the airport. My husband and I always rent from the airport rather than in town at a location like Borgo Ognissanti where there are many rental companies since we find it easier to drive the loop above rather than deal with the ZTLs and scooters in Florence (mostly on the return - getting out I find easier). If you don't like rotaries with multiple lanes it may not be for you.

 

[Allen]

I'll add the caveat that I am a Boston driver. Most of the major car companies are in the lot Andrew points out (Hertz, Avis, EuropCar) and there is a shuttle bus that runs between the airport and the rental lot (don't know the frequency). The route that Andrew points out is the one I've taken most and the loop is a multi-lane (something like 4, maybe 5 in some places) road so you do need to be able to manage this. Knowing up front can help since you can stay near the inner lane around until you get near the area where the airport is (and if you haven't been there before look for the gas stations that are just before the airport). The A11 starts right by the airport. My husband and I always rent from the airport rather than in town at a location like Borgo Ognissanti where there are many rental companies since we find it easier to drive the loop above rather than deal with the ZTLs and scooters in Florence (mostly on the return - getting out I find easier). If you don't like rotaries with multiple lanes it may not be for you.

While previous discussions of this topic will demonstrate I am a reliable fan of the loop back to the A11/A1 south to Umbria, I totally agree with Rome Addict that in addition to the mindfully assertive driving required to negotiate that poorly signed stretch of loop (and I lived and drove plenty in Boston and nyc), the current state of the 'new' car rental parking lot itself seems indeed a bit of a horror show. We returned a car there just last month and driving through the lot to get to our designated agency had added more of a 'wild west' component to the entire experience. While I am comfortable enough with these challenges that I wouldn't avoid renting/returning a car there, I can easily sympathize with Rome Addict. I'd like to think all aspects of this get better signage/lane control someday.