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return flight from Rome or Pisa

colette123

10+ Posts
Ok, before I book our flights, we are going on a two week trip to Italy in May, one week in Rome, then one week in Tuscany,( hoping to base in Lucca). looking to rent a car when we leave Rome, perhaps in Chiusi, for the Tuscan portion. It is the return flight to Canada which is making me hesitate. There are return flights from Pisa to Montreal, however not direct, making it a total return flight of 12hrs +. Are we better off returning to Rome and flying back from there? in which case we'd have to drive and or train back to Rome, in both cases we use up precious time. Any opinions out there?
 
Hi Colette
Such a difficult decision. Maybe best to tot the hours up, plus other factors and then see if one jumps out as better / worse. Maybe also put 1, 2 or 3 :( next to each to get an emotional feel for how it impacts you

e.g.
Travel time to Pisa : 1 hour :(
Wasted airport time : 5 hours :(:(
Stress of making the connection : :(
Tiredness on return : :(:(
Last day schedule : :(
Time of arrival back home : :(:(
I hate landing and taking off : :(

Travel time to Rome : 3 hours :(:(
Wasted airport time : 2.5 hours :(
More stressful driving :(
Tiredness on return : :(:(
Last day schedule : :(:(
Time of arrival back home : :(
I hate super-long flights : :(:(

Sometimes provoking an emotional judgement can really get to the core of what you'd really hate, helping the decision to reduce or avoid that.

Regards
Ian
 
Hi Colette
Such a difficult decision. Maybe best to tot the hours up, plus other factors and then see if one jumps out as better / worse. Maybe also put 1, 2 or 3 :( next to each to get an emotional feel for how it impacts you

e.g.
Travel time to Pisa : 1 hour :(
Wasted airport time : 5 hours :(:(
Stress of making the connection : :(
Tiredness on return : :(:(
Last day schedule : :(
Time of arrival back home : :(:(
I hate landing and taking off : :(

Travel time to Rome : 3 hours :(:(
Wasted airport time : 2.5 hours :(
More stressful driving :(
Tiredness on return : :(:(
Last day schedule : :(:(
Time of arrival back home : :(
I hate super-long flights : :(:(

Sometimes provoking an emotional judgement can really get to the core of what you'd really hate, helping the decision to reduce or avoid that.

Regards
Ian
 
Thanks Ian . Yes it certainly is a very difficult decision, I will just have to look at all the pros and cons and decide. I am leaning a bit towards returning from Pisa, but still unsure...
 
Thanks Ian . Yes it certainly is a very difficult decision, I will just have to look at all the pros and cons and decide. I am leaning a bit towards returning from Pisa, but still unsure...
If it helps, that was my 'gut feel' as well. :)
 
If you can return your hire car close to Florence SMN station, taking care of course not to fall foul of the ZTL, you could take a Freccia Rossa to Rome and treat yourself to a taxi to Fiumicino.
 
If you can return your hire car close to Florence SMN station, taking care of course not to fall foul of the ZTL, you could take a Freccia Rossa to Rome and treat yourself to a taxi to Fiumicino.

With apologies -- Navigating the streets in Florence to get to SMN without going through a ZTL is about as stressful a drive as I could imagine. Sign me, "Driven in Rome; Driven in Naples; been driving in Italy for 30+ years and last place I would ever want to drive is from outskirts of Florence to SMN"

I am not an early riser, so my departing flight decisions are often made on what time I have to get up to check in at the airport. If that is not a concern, my next choice would be to maximize time where I'm at and if that is Tuscany, then I would be flying home from Tuscany. The extra time to fly home with a connection balanced against the extra time used to drive back to Rome -- I'd rather be sitting in a lounge for 4 hours than sitting in a car navigating traffic for the same time.
 
With apologies -- Navigating the streets in Florence to get to SMN without going through a ZTL is about as stressful a drive as I could imagine. Sign me, "Driven in Rome; Driven in Naples; been driving in Italy for 30+ years and last place I would ever want to drive is from outskirts of Florence to SMN"

I am not an early riser, so my departing flight decisions are often made on what time I have to get up to check in at the airport. If that is not a concern, my next choice would be to maximize time where I'm at and if that is Tuscany, then I would be flying home from Tuscany. The extra time to fly home with a connection balanced against the extra time used to drive back to Rome -- I'd rather be sitting in a lounge for 4 hours than sitting in a car navigating traffic for the same time.
thank you Alpinista! it would be a return flight from Pisa actually and I'm still debating the pros and cons of returning from Rome or Pisa. either way, we use up time....
 
Unless you are trying to rigorously honor a specific travel budget (and kudos if you are), it’s not clear why you wouldn’t return car at departure airport, Pisa or Florence for indirect flights or, if you prefer, an early afternoon non-stop flight from FCO to Montreal, which should involve a very doable 2 hr drive from Chiusi area straight to FCO airport car rental return and 10” walk to terminal. Airport surcharge is unavoidable trade-off for easier logistics, but usually not exorbitant (over course of 20 trips to Umbria, always found 2 1/2 hr drive to FCO drop off very straightforward and efficient and lower stress than relying on tight train connections). If price of flights about equal, I would always privilege non-stop option to again avoid worry about making a connection. But only if price was similar. Best of luck and enjoy your trip!
 
Unless you are trying to rigorously honor a specific travel budget (and kudos if you are), it’s not clear why you wouldn’t return car at departure airport, Pisa or Florence for indirect flights or, if you prefer, an early afternoon non-stop flight from FCO to Montreal, which should involve a very doable 2 hr drive from Chiusi area straight to FCO airport car rental return and 10” walk to terminal. Airport surcharge is unavoidable trade-off for easier logistics, but usually not exorbitant (over course of 20 trips to Umbria, always found 2 1/2 hr drive to FCO drop off very straightforward and efficient and lower stress than relying on tight train connections). If price of flights about equal, I would always privilege non-stop option to again avoid worry about making a connection. But only if price was similar. Best of luck and enjoy your trip!
thanks Allen, I am hoping to look at all that this weekend to try to decide soon....!
 
I have done both and I would lean on Pisa with the transfer.

What we have been doing is planning a day for our exit. We get a nice hotel near the airport with transfers and treat ourselves to a spa day or a nice dinner. Our last day is not about the destination, but about us. That way you ease out the vacation mode and ease back into reality. Then in the morning you began your return.

Yes it does add a day and yes it adds money - but removes a TON stress.
 
Our trip last month to Nice was even better. Our apartment was 3 blocks from the new tram in Nice that runs directly to the airport. No hotel was necessary :)

But life is much better with zero stress
 
.....treat ourselves to a spa day or a nice dinner.

On that note, we have enjoyed the spa at Bagni di Pisa during our stays in Lucca-- if that would fit in your plans. The spa is a little outside of Pisa in San Giuliano Terme.

We actually do our transit spa day upon arrival to split the trip between Rome and Lucca and to get a start on recovering from jet lag. We alternate between Fonteverde near San Casciano dei Bagni and Terme di Saturnia Resort (in the general area of Grossetto) and could recommend both if you are in those areas.
 

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