Milan-Dolomites-Padua-Venice

Pretty good. Driving in Italy is intense, be careful.

Following the car pickup instructions provided by the rental company at Milan Airport was a nightmare. In the pouring rain, no shuttle came to pick us up. We called the rental company multiple times, but no one answered or they said a car would arrive in ten minutes, which turned into several ten-minute intervals. There were plenty of shuttles shared by other services in the airport area, but some were unwilling to take us and others were fully booked. Most drivers ignored the address on our voucher. We couldn't book a ride-share service, and taxis refused to go there (maybe because it was too close). We had purchased full insurance through the rental platform, but the rental desk wouldn't acknowledge it (claims had to be filed with the platform). Because the platform was responsible for claims, road assistance from the rental company was non-existent. The rental platform was essentially helpless, providing only an international road assistance number. Over ten years of using this rental platform for overseas trips, we lucked out by not encountering these issues previously. The major lesson here: rent from a major international company, not a local one, and buy insurance directly from the rental company, not the platform.

Following the instructions given by Zuzuche for car pickup at Milan Airport was extremely frustrating. In the midst of a violent storm, there was no shuttle to pick us up. Multiple calls to the rental company went unanswered, or they promised a shuttle would arrive in ten minutes but kept us waiting for several ten-minute intervals. There were many shared shuttles to the area, but some drivers refused to take us, some were fully booked, and most ignored us after seeing the address on our rental slip. Couldn't get a rideshare, and taxis refused to go (perhaps it was too close). Bought full insurance through Zuzuche, but the counter did not recognize it (claims had to be made through Zuzuche). Because claim responsibility lay with Zuzuche, the rental company offered no help for roadside issues. Zuzuche was powerless, providing only an international road assistance number. After over ten years of renting cars abroad through Zuzuche, this trip made me realize many issues I had luckily avoided before. Future lesson: rent from an international company rather than a local one, and buy insurance from the rental company, not the platform.