Lusignana: How to get there

Pisa airport plan - click on image for key

Which airport?

There are three ways to get to Lusignana by air:

Bergamo: 2hrs 17m: 14.40eu toll: Click here for outgoing route map (here for return)
Genova: 1hr 38m: 10.80eu toll: Click here for outgoing route map (here for return)
Pisa: 1hr 8m: 7.50eu toll: Click here for outgoing route map (here for return)

The drive from Pisa is straightforward and it is difficult to get lost (even for us!). All routes take you to the Pontremoli exit on the A15/E33 autostrada.

How to get to Lusignana from Pisa Airport

When you arrive at Pisa airport, exit the arrivals lounge and go straight ahead through the exit doors to outside. Turn right. After 100yds or so you will see the bus stop at which you get the bus to the hire car pickup area (no charge). The first stop for the bus is the hire car terminal building which contains reception desks for all the main hire companies - Hertz, Europcar, Sixt etc - together with a bar (WCs to RHS of bar).

Having checked in you walk to the car compound. Before starting off do check the controls - we once got to the first toll booth and couldn't work out how to lower the windows to pick up the entry ticket!

Leaving the car hire area (hire terminal your left), turn right and continue a short distance until you come to a (very busy) mini-roundabout where you turn left. Continue parallel to the autostrada for a short distance, going straight on at the first roundabout. Take the second on the right (signed A12 Autostrada Genova). Go up the slip road and join the autostrada. After a couple of miles you will encounter toll booths. Use any booth (except ones signed "Telepass" & "ViaCard") and pick up a ticket. Leaving the booth, take the A12 slip road to the right.

Continue on the A12 for about 40 minutes until you see signs for the A15/E33 to Parma and follow these for about another 20 minutes. Eventually you will will see the exit for Pontremoli. Turn right immediately after the toll point towards Cisa/Villafranca and then immediately right again to Villafranca/Filattiera. You will pass over a bridge (river Magra beneath) and come to a T junction. Turn right and proceed for about 1 mile at which point you will see sign to the left marked Caprio/Lusignana. After that, simply follow the signs. (If you miss the first turning, don't worry as the next turning will also be signed to Lusignana via Ponticello and is fine). As you approach Lusignana (which has two parts - Vignolo and Posponte), follow the sign for Vignolo and this will take you into the car park just below the house. From the car park walk up the hill and turn first left by a little shrine. The entrance is 50m up a steep incline on your left.

How to get from Lusignana to Pisa Airport

You simply do the route in reverse. Two points to note, though. First, a few miles after you have passed the Aulla junction you need to turn South from the A15 onto the A12. The signposting is very confusing; you want the sign to Florence which only comes into view just as you reach the beginning of the slip road. If you get it wrong you end up heading for La Spezia! The other issue arises as you approach Pisa airport. After leaving the toll booth keep in the right hand lane for a while but then get over to the left as you near the airport so as to avoid being shunted off into an industrial estate. The slip road is 1/4 mile beyond the airport terminal building which you will see to your right. This brings you straight to the mini-roundabout near the car hire area.

Finding the petrol station can be "interesting". Go straight ahead at the slip road roundabout and straight ahead again at the next roundabout (ie as if you were aiming to get back onto the autostrada, albeit in the reverse direction). Now take the first turn to the right after the roundabout. This leads you under the autostrada and towards Pisa centre. After a few hundred yards you will encounter a small petrol station on your right. take the next left. After a while you will see an API petrol station on your left. Fill up there (open 24hrs but self-service at night). On leaving the petrol station bear left to bring you back to the front of the main airport terminal building.

Points to watch ...

Don't go into a credit card operated toll lane - they don't accept UK issued credit cards!
Don't go into any toll lane marked "Telepass" or "ViaCard" unless it is the only one open.
Adding extra drivers to your car hire agreement is expensive - avoid it if you can.
The premiums charged for reducing the hire car accident excess from the usual £500 or £1,000 to nil is often extortionate. Either take out an annual policy (see here) or book your car through a decent UK agent (give us a ring to receive our recommendations).