Driving in Italy

If you are off to Italy this year for a holiday you might want to take a look at our handy tips before you set off. Hopefully they will help you to enjoy your holiday and make driving less stressful.

Italy has a really good road network , one of the most extensive in Europe. Italy also has a high car ownership ratio, so together with the increasing number of tourists visiting, on some occasions the roads can be busy. But with stunning scenery, sitting in a little traffic could be bliss!

Rules of the Road: Traffic in Italy drives on the right hand side and the centre lane of a three lane road is for passing. Police give on the spot fines for traffic violations.

Speed Limits: It is always useful to know the speed limits of another country although they are clearly signposted on the roads.

• City: 30mph/50kph
• Open Roads: 66mph/110kph
• Highways: 81mph/130kph

Tolls: Italy has a toll super highway called the Autostrade. Toll cards can be bought at banks or at the Automobile Club d’Italia (ACI) offices.

Parking: You can only park on the right side of the street. You can park in blue zones with a parking disc, again obtained at the ACI offices or a fuel station; and you can only park for one hour in certain parking zones.

Fuel: The fuel stations are open from 7.00am to 12.30pm and from 3.30pm to 7.00pm. Most are closed on Sundays, but there are a few 24 hour stations along some of the highways especially in the larger cities.

Car Rental Requirements: To rent a car in Italy you have to be at least 18 years old and have held a license for at least 1 year. If you are under 25 most companies will charge you a little extra. All passengers in the car must wear a seatbelt at all times and please don’t drink and drive! The alcohol limit for driving is 0.08.