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Car rental in Pisa
Pisa is a popular city among tourists and can be considered both as an independent tourist destination and as a starting point for travelling around Tuscany, since the Galileo Galilei international airport is located in Pisa. Pisa is a relatively small town, but its convenient location allows you to visit many other interesting places in Italy.
When it comes to transportation, the most relevant option is to rent a car in Pisa, since you often can’t get to Tuscan towns and villages by public transport. A rented car will allow you to see the picturesque Tuscan fields, the best resorts on the shore, as well as medieval towns and other attractions.
I have travelled a lot by roads in Europe so I can confirm they are pretty much comfortable and it is often the fastest way to get to the desired destination. Plus, you can conveniently and safely move around the regions available from main cities as the road connections are developed absolutely fine. After some research and based on my own experience, I decided to put together information I have previously found out and create a complete guide on how to rent a car in Pisa to travel around Italy.
To use a car rental in Pisa, it is enough to have an international driver`s license and a bank card to pay for the rental service and deposit. The registration consists of selecting the required car class, inspecting it, signing an agreement, obtaining insurance and payment. In total, the procedure usually takes no more than half an hour. You can even speed up the process by booking the car you need in advance via online services, for example:
Discover Cars is a service for searching, comparing and saving on car rentals;
Economybookings is a service for comparing offers from rental companies around the world.
Based on my experience, both online services have a decent search with a lot of useful filters to find out the available car rental options. In order to find the most suitable option in terms of price and quality, I would recommend checking the offers on different online services for comparison.
Why is it better to book car rental services in advance?
Pisa is considered to be an extremely popular tourist destination in Italy as it is a convenient departure point for traveling along Tuscany. As you probably already know, it is not very convenient to travel around Tuscany by public transport, and some places cannot be reached by it at all, so the car rental service in Pisa is especially in demand. By booking a car in advance, you guarantee the availability of the desired class of car at the best price. It is recommended to book a car at least 2-4 weeks before your travel dates.
Please note that when paying, most rental companies also block a so-called deposit, which is provided in case of unforeseen circumstances (accidents, fines, fuel problems, etc.). At the end of the rental period, the deposit is usually unblocked for 2 weeks or a month. The amount of the blocked deposit depends on the class of the selected car. Blocking a deposit is common when renting a car in international car booking offices.
Briefly about the deposit, franchise, insurance:
If the price of renting a car is quite low, then the deposit amount is usually quite high. This amount will be blocked on the card as a deposit in case of damage to the car. You can avoid this by taking out full insurance;
Standard insurance covers your expenses in case of an accident, but only above the deductible amount. You will have to pay the franchise. The amount of the deductible in case of an accident is specified in the agreement, please pay attention to it;
Full insurance usually covers both the deductible and the deposit, and also covers damage to glass, mirrors, tires, wheels, etc. (more specific conditions can be found in the agreement). Traffic violations (fines issued) are NOT covered by full insurance! The cost of full insurance is daily and, accordingly, depends on the number of rental days.
You can find car rental offices in Pisa in the city center as well as at the airport. In the city center there are rental offices of two internationally known suppliers called Keddy and Europcar. Please, note that rental prices at the airport and at the city center can be different, so if you want to save money, it is better to check the offers of rental offices at both locations at first.
As I discovered, the cost of renting a car in Pisa starts from 18-22 euros per day for a small car. If you plan to actively move around the Tuscany region, then a passenger car will be enough for you, since the landscapes are not mountainous and the roads are of good quality.
In general, I can say that the rental price is usually influenced by such factors as the class of the vehicle, the rental period (the longer, the lower the rental rate per day), mileage restrictions (with restrictions it will be cheaper, without restrictions it will be more expensive). In the “high” season, namely, during the summer holidays, the price may increase slightly, by about 15-20%. If you plan to visit Tuscany in the summer, in my point of view, it is better to book a car in advance.
Car rental at Pisa Airport
As I found out, at Pisa Galileo Galilei Airport there are 20+ different rental offices. The cost of renting a car at Pisa airport starts from 17-23 euros/day, which is quite cheap on average in Italy.
Among the car rental companies offering their services at the airport are such well-known ones as Firefly, Locauto, Enterprise, Sicily by Car, Goldcar, Thrifty, Maggiore, Budget and others. You can find rental offices both at the airport under the sign “Car Rental Center”, and near the airport (free shuttles run).
If booked in advance, online services usually add various bonuses such as cancellation and changes to the order 48 hours before the start of the rental, coverage in case of theft, coverage in case of accidents, etc. The special offers may also include free registration of a second driver, additional equipment, etc. You can search a car for renting for specific dates via different online services, for instance:
My tips how to book a car in advance via online services:
For those who have decided to order a car for renting for the first time, there are step by step instructions on how to make a booking via online services. You must have your driver’s license and bank card on hand.
1.First, you need to provide basic information for the search including the place of picking up and dropping off, dates of the intended trip and a convenient time for meeting at the office. By the way, some rental companies operate 24/7. You can usually find these offices at the airport. If you are planning not a circular route, but a one-way route, then you can pick up the car in one city and return it in another. For example, the route Pisa – Rome is popular among tourists.
2.On the search results page you will see options available for booking from international and local rental companies. The list is usually quite impressive and to narrow the search, you can choose your own filters, for example, specify the rental companies you are interested in, the required class of car, type of gearbox, additional conditions for mileage, fuel, insurance, etc.
3.Each option has a more detailed description under the “Rental Conditions” tab. Here you can clarify the documents required for registration, cards accepted for payment, the amount of the deposit, mileage and fuel conditions, and insurance information. Typically, the cheaper the rental price, the higher the deposit.
4.Having chosen the appropriate option, proceed to the booking stage. In order to book the desired class of car with the selected company, you will need to provide personal data: first name, last name, phone number, email address, time and flight number (for booking at the airport). Here you can select additional necessary options, for example, a child seat, a navigator, a rack, mountain chains, add a second driver and take out full insurance.
5.Next go to the payment stage. Payment is made by bank card in full or partially depending on the rental conditions. After payment, a confirmation voucher is sent to the specified email address. It must be shown at the rental office of the selected company. Here you will be asked to sign an agreement and given the car keys.
When choosing a car from a supplier, pay attention to the rental conditions, namely, what mileage is provided (unlimited or limited), what are the fuel conditions (return with a full tank or not), air conditioning, and the type of transmission (automatic or manual). If necessary, at Pisa Airport you can book a car of any class, be it a mini, economy, compact, medium-capacity, family car, minivan, convertible, SUV, etc.
If you plan to travel mainly in urban areas and highways, then it will be enough to take a standard class car. If you plan to explore the mountains (for example, the Apuan Mountains Natural Park), then you should think about a more powerful car and a manual transmission. Next, I present a list of distances to the main attractions of the region:
| Pisa | Marina di Pisa | 15 km | Route No. SP224 (map) |
| Pisa | Viareggio | 24 km | Strada Statale 1 Via Aurelia (map) |
| Pisa | Lido di Camaiore | 27 km | Strada Statale 1 Via Aurelia (map) |
| Pisa | Forte dei Marmi | 38 km | Route No. A12/E80 (map) |
| Pisa | Lucca | 18 km | Routes No. SS12 and SS12 radd (map) |
| Pisa | San Giuliano Terme | 5 km | Route via Lenin (map) |
| Pisa | Montecatini Terme | 47 km | Route No. A11/E76 (map) |
| Pisa | Florence | 87 km | Route SGC Firenze-Pisa-Livorno (map) |
| Pisa | Pistoia | 65 km | Route No. A11/E76 (map) |
| Pisa | Siena | 132 km | Route SGC Firenze-Pisa-Livorno (map) |
Driving rules in Pisa
The traffic rules in Pisa are quite similar to other European towns. The speed within the city is 50 km/h, outside the city is 90 km/h, on highways it is up to 110 km/h. Some roads in Italy are toll roads; upon entry you need to take a ticket to pay; most often the cost is calculated according to the scheme 1 euro/km. To avoid toll roads, you can always find free duplicate routes. The speed of movement along them is somewhat lower, but the quality of the coverage is comparable. The use of radar detectors is prohibited.
To my mind, it is also worth paying attention to the parking system. Here’s the color scheme at work:
- places surrounded with white stripes are free parking;
- spaces surrounded with blue stripes are paid parking.
For long-term parking, it is better to look for accommodation (hotel, apartment) with a parking option included. In the city, leaving a car overnight in an underground parking lot will cost from 20 euros/day. Also, in large cities and historical centers you may encounter the sign “traffic limitato”, which means that travel to this area is prohibited. This is how Italy fights to preserve historical heritage.
In my opinion, an interesting route for traveling in the summer season could be visiting the beach and thermal resorts of Tuscany. The Tuscan Riviera is famous for its long sandy beaches, which are quite rare in Italy. The most popular beach resorts are considered to be Forte dei Marmi and Viareggio, Grosseto, Lido di Camaiore, San Vincenzo, Punta Ala, etc. The mineral resorts of Montecatini Terme and Saturnia are also attractive in their own way.
In general, I can say that renting a car in Pisa is the most convenient way to travel if you plan to move around a lot. The distances between the cities of Italy are not so significant, which means that even in one trip you can visit several places at once. Tuscany is famous for its historical cities, spacious sandy beaches, thermal resorts, unique countryside and magnificent landscapes. You can see all these attractions only by moving around on your own, since public transport does not cover all corners of the region. According to my research, any time of the year is suitable for traveling in Tuscany, because mild and sunny climate is common for these places all year round.
Take a note! When going on a trip to Italy, do not forget to take out travel insurance, which is useful for receiving a tourist visa and for solving emerging medical problems when travelling in another country. You can purchase insurance via online services, for example, via EKTA and others. You can choose from different modes, including quiet, active or extreme rest.
Photo above the article: Dmitry Djouce
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Julia is an experienced traveller, BA in International Relations and Languages and true lover of planning trips in advance. Learn more about the author…