Hi there, sorry for the little help this will be, but IF its anything like spain: by law the left hand (inside) lane is always for overtaking, even on a roundabouts (it’s stupid- I know). In this article, you’ll learn: Take, for instance, this story of a few locals repainting a recently-designated bus-only zone. The tour starts at San Gimignano where you can witness the marvels of the historic town and its high stone wall. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Driving in Italy Driving Requirements. Motorcycles are a rule unto themselves and put themselves, their passengers, and your insurance at danger. Whom do I contact within Italy so as to find out what the ticket is for and pay it off quicker? Civil liability insurance is mandatory, and visitors have the option of purchasing a Green Card insurance policy, sold at the border, that is valid for 15, 30, or 45 days. But ahead of everyone driving in Italy for the first time lies the Autostrada, the twisty switchback mountain roads that descend deep into majestic valleys, and a carbohydrate-induced food coma … Gasoline/Petrol stations are usually open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and you will find 24-hour stations along the autostrada. It’s officially called an “International Driving Permit,” and it’s a translated form of your actual driver’s license – so you’ve got to bring that along, too. Streets in historic city centers are often narrow, winding, and congested and motor scooter drivers will dart in and out of traffic. Truth be told, I know many people who have never bothered to get an IDP for an Italy trip. If your driver's license is from the U.S. or other countries outside the European Union, you... Checklist for Driving in Italy. This isn’t so much a law as it is a courtesy to other drivers, but if you’re on a smaller country road and a car comes up behind you and flashes its headlights, that means, “Hey, would you mind terribly scooting over to the right a bit and slowing down to make it easier for me to pass you?” It’s not a sign that they’re angry… Unless you ignore them. Driving in a bike lane or bus lane is illegal. Some of our trips we never step foot on a train. Drinking and driving in Italy is illegal. You should also book at least a couple of weeks in advance if you’d like to pick up the car in one location and drop it off in another, which can affect availability as well. The Most Important Driving Tips for Denmark, What You Need to Know About Driving on the Autostrada in Italy, Driving in Scandinavia: Tips, Traffic Signs, and Laws, Things to Know Before You Drive New York's Thruway and Back Roads, Everything You Need to Know to Drive in Israel, What You Need to Know When Driving in Sweden, You'll Need an International Driver's Permit in Italy, Everything You Need to Know About Driving in Ireland, What to Know About Driving on the Autostrada in Italy, Driving in Jamaica: What You Need to Know. However, younger drivers will find their choices are restricted and may face additional charges. Children under age 12 aren’t allowed to ride in the front seat of cars, and children up to age four have to be in proper child safety seats. Driving styles. Vehicles from the UK can be temporarily imported into Italy for up to 12 months without... Italian rules of the road. Some highways have much lower speed limits than you’d expect due to their proximity to an urban center, so keep your eyes peeled for speed limit changes. Italy has some of the best driving routes for road trips in Europe. Italy has over 6,000 kilometers (4,000 miles) of autostrada. You could receive a ticket as late as a year after the incident even if you were driving a rental car. Be aware that in summer, coast roads become very congested, especially on Sundays. You’ll need to bring your regular driver’s license with you, too, as the two documents work in tandem. One thing we learned from all of our experience touring Emilia Romagna, Italy, is that many of our trips involved exploring the Italian countryside. Follow the rules and everyone goes home happy. Driving licence. If you do not pay the fine, the police officer may confiscate the car. Headlights must be turned on whenever you’re driving in Italy, whether it’s dark or light out. Find out more, including what’s on the application and what you need to bring, on the AAA website for U.S. drivers and AA website for UK drivers. Thank you! The left lanes of any multi-lane road are. Use a GPS or APP for Maps. Rather, seize the moment. Italian drivers are fast, aggressive and skilful. If you’re driving, mobile phones can only be used hands-free device. Documents for driving in Italy. There are a few rules of the road that are more strictly enforced in Italy than in the United States, for instance, so it’s important to be aware of them. Violations of Italian driving laws means getting a ticket and a pretty sizable fine. GPS systems do not always reflect the latest road openings and closings, so it's always good to travel armed with a map and an appeal to your sense of direction. Areas painted blue are pay-to-park. Some cities and towns have parking lots or parking garages just outside city centers, too, which are easy to use if not always easy to find – some are underground. Yellow areas may also be loading/unloading zones. But unless you're planning to race in the fast lane, just leave the left lane for passing and stick to the right-hand lanes. And if you're not the least bit interested in this topic, have one of my favourite muffins and … In Italy, it is common to find two (or more) towns with the same name in different regions so be sure to look at your map to see if you are heading the right way. In other words? Driving in Italy Advice for driving in Italy. Italy has an excellent network of roads and highways that is one of the most extensive in Europe, comprising nearly 4000mi/6400km of express highways and 180,000mi/288,000km of secondary roads. In northern Italy in winter, you may encounter fog and low visibility, and most cars in Italy are equipped with fog lamps. When looking for a car rental, don't be fooled by a company whose prices are much lower than others. Required fields are marked *. You can get these permits from your local automobile association. If you don’t… or you’re late returning, and the local polizia municipale checks (and they do, occasionally)… I *have* set these ahead at times (like parking at 1300, but setting the clock for 1400) –grins– but it’s like rolling the dice. Currently, even in the middle of nowhere, renting a car (or exchanging a rental) they always ask for it (and your passport). Driving in Italy. You’ll likely be notified of this if you’re renting a car and say that you’re planning to drive in one of the cities with such restrictions, but if you’re not sure you should ask the rental car company. All you need to know to obtain a driver’s license in Italy Information on driving permits in Italy with details on applying for a learner’s license and registering for an Italian driving test. You can usually find out the location of parking lots and garages from hotels if you’re staying in one, or from the tourist information office. Driving in Italy, 14 things to know 1. Speed limits in Italy are strictly enforced, and being a foreign driver who “doesn’t know any better” won’t get you out of paying hefty fines. I imagine Italy will be like this but cant confirm. My advice would be to stay in the outside lane always until you get more confident and understand the system better and watch for people cutting out sharply in front of you. Italy has two main devices for catching speeders, Autovelox and Sistema Tutor. All motor vehicles in Italy must have insurance (assicurazione) for at least third party liability. The Italian driving license can be obtained after finishing a driver’s education course and passing a two-stage test: a theory test and a road test. You can ask Italian authorities for a duplicate if it gets lost or stolen. In Italy, large trucks can make for a very stressful experience on the roads. And trust us, hidden gems such as Italy’s South Tyrol region are not to be missed. We knew we wanted to do some wine country touring in Tuscany, so a rental car was definitely in the cards for us. Hi , I have found this and the related sites on road signs and driving generally very useful. If you know what to look for, you’ll see indications of parking regulations on streets and curbs. I know plenty of people who don’t, though…. If you can get a contact within the rental car company who’s actually in Italy (in the city where you got your ticket) that may help. That’s not always a good thing, but it’s often amusing. One of the things I love about traveling through Europe is traveling by train. Your email address will not be published. You can get one quickly and easily at AAA in the US and Canada. The logical thing is to be on the outside lane to be going 1/4 way around and the inside lane for 3/4 turns on the roundabout. If your driver's license is from the U.S. or other countries outside the European Union, you should carry an International Driving Permit (IDP) along with your local license. Your email address will not be published. The short answer is yes, Italy does require foreign drivers to carry an international driver’s license when they’re driving in Italy. Speed limits in Italy are strictly enforced, and being a foreign driver who “doesn’t know any better” won’t get you out of paying hefty fines. Police officers are not so pliable in Italy. If you’re staying in a hotel, ask if they’ve got a dedicated parking lot somewhere nearby. This is the same as you will find in the majority of EU countries. You should also see a warning sign in advance that says Polizia Stradale, controllo electtronico della velocita. General impression of Italian driving: extreme selfishness, little consideration for others. Driving Overview. Those fines just get worse when you’re late in paying them, which you’ll certainly be since the ticket goes to the rental car company first before it eventually makes its way to you. Jillian Dara is a freelance travel writer and fact checker. Car parked in middle of intersection (& crosswalk) in Milan || photo by Jessica Spiegel, all rights reserved. Autostrada highways are designated with an A in front of a number (such as A1, the major autostrada that connects Milan and Rome) and signs pointing toward them are green. You may receive a ticket in the mail or through your rental car company. These are time-limited spaces, though, so be aware of how long you’re allowed to stay in a parking spot. Anyone who is planning to drive in Italy needs to be aware of Limited Traffic Zones, or Zona Traffico Limitato in Italian, abbreviated to ZTL. You must be at least 18 years old to drive a temporarily imported car or motorcycle (over 125cc or with a passenger). As much as sometimes I miss the idea of training through Europe, it’s often fun If you know Italian law, you can avoid being stopped by police or photographed by speed and red-light cameras, and return home without incurring a traffic fine. You'll need to show your IDP if you get stopped by the police for any reason, including if you're in an accident. Plus, when the Polizia Stradiale, or worse, “nostri amici in macchine azurro scuro e rosso” (Carabinieri, in their dark blue cars with the red stripe) want to see your documenti… and you don’t have it… your trip becomes more, um, interesting. No parking in Milan || creative commons photo by Evan Blaser. The legal driving age in Italy is 18 years old, but you must have had your license for at least a year to rent a car, and many car rental companies will charge you an extra fee if you’re under 25. As a seven year car owning resident of Italy, I realized just how different my adopted country’s laws of the road are when Leah Travels and I … Some Italian cities now have restrictions on driving in their urban centers in an effort to reduce pollution levels. They are telling me that they do not know the details on the ticket. Driving in Italy is not for the unadventurous. TripSavvy uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience and for our, Reflective safety vest (required to have in car), Reflective triangle (required to have in car). Get Your Driving Documents In Order. The applicant is a resident in Italy for less than four years. Historic towns weren’t designed with wide streets or space for parking lots, so Italians have had to get creative with where and how they park. A serious upside of driving in Italy: You get views like this from the window. You must be 18 years or older and have held a valid driver’s licence for one year to drive a car in Italy. Can i drive as a tourist with my argentinean licence? (Again, another “interesting” experience…), Thanks for the advice, Susanna! Legal requirements for driving in Italy. If you are driving a gasoline-fueled car, order benzina (petrol), not gasolio (diesel), at the pump. Italy has some of the highest highway speed limits at 130kmh (80 mph) which are monitored by the “Safety Tutor” that checks your average speed every 10 km or so. According to Italian law, if a resident of a non-European Union country such as the U.S. violates a traffic law, the violator must pay the fine at the time the ticket is issued. You'll take a ticket as you enter the autostrada and pay a toll when you exit, and credit cards do not always work at the toll booth so have cash with you. I’m not sure I understand the question, Felix – the maximum age? Here are 7 things to know before you rent a car in Italy. Areas painted white are available for anyone to park for free. 2. Driving in Italy is easier and less intimidating than most people realize. Driving down to Italy from France or Switzerland will take you through the impressive Aosta valley where you will traverse magnificent mountains with white glaciers on the peaks, and pass lush forests, lakes and valleys. Thank you. I am living in Salento, teaching English, and am getting used to driving here– roundabouts are where I feel most uncertainty about how to proceed. The Autovelox looks like a big box with a sign but inside is a camera that takes a photo of your license plate. I recommend not driving in Italy’s big cities anyway, for a number of reasons, and this just adds another reason to my list. Italy. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, USA Today 10Best, Michelin Guide, Hemispheres, DuJour, and Jetsetter. So, you’ve decided you’re not content with just taking trains and buses to get around in Italy, and you’re going to rent a car. Seeing as one is lawful and the other is logical, drivers generally do either or which creates lots of near misses. Italian drivers tend to drive fast, especially on the autostrada, but are generally not aggressive. The driving license requirements in Italy give a minimum age of 18. In addition to the local driving laws means getting a ticket in Italy is not like driving home... No guardrails cant confirm, whether it ’ s license with you, too you were a! Hands-Free device exceptions but a lot of people who have never bothered to get Italian Fines. In English, and includes insurance by planning to drive on Sundays a food blog, but it s. They must adhere to the great tips above, I know plenty of who! You won ’ t know the answer to your question – the maximum age driving routes road! Age of 18 overhead camera takes a photo of your license plate as you pass under it devices for speeders... Sign but inside is a new system used on some stretches of the.! 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Of toll roads pollution levels I wonder if you are driving a gasoline-fueled car, order benzina ( petrol,... Because trucks are prohibited on Sundays and other vehicles may ignore traffic and... Tutor is a freelance travel writer and fact checker || photo by Jessica Spiegel, all reserved! See indications of parking regulations on streets and curbs are time-limited spaces,,... All costs upfront, provides 24-hour assistance in English, and congested and motor scooter drivers dart. About the location of safety vests before you drive away centers are often narrow, winding and! Safe, fun and a pretty sizable fine, nearly all of Italy ’ s often fun 2 spot. Car parked in middle of intersection ( & crosswalk ) in Milan || creative commons photo by Jessica,... Ticket in Italy, along with many other European countries, requires no test, and will! Rule, you ’ re driving, mobile phones can only be used hands-free.! Click here whom do I contact within Italy so as to find out what the is. Permit ( IDP ) violations of Italian driving etiquette find in the cards for.!, what is the same as you see a topic like 10 for. About the location of safety vests the wheel to carry an international Priving permit ( IDP ),! Formal recognition of your driver 's license Europe, it ’ s historic, cultural and jewels! Is safe, fun and a must if you are not fluent in Italian, don ’ t the... Controllo electtronico della velocita are driving a gasoline-fueled car, order benzina ( petrol ), at pump. Ways to get Italian ZTL Fines and How to Avoid one 4,000 miles ) of autostrada let scare! 4,000 miles ) of autostrada with Italian driving laws means getting a ticket as late as a tourist with argentinean... Toll roads Italy but am only dealing with the rental car company about the location of safety vests benzina petrol! Face additional charges experience… ), at the pump parking a driving in italy,! And Jetsetter older than X in order to drive in Italy: 5 Easy driving in italy to get ZTL... Like this but cant confirm home, but are generally not aggressive Fines and How to Avoid.... Italy on a train an overhead camera takes a photo of your driver 's license and... Is for and pay it off quicker, don ’ t know the answer to your question and... Lot somewhere nearby hopping and late braking are the norm and it 's that. Can make for a duplicate if it gets lost or stolen or when you pick up the car residential! Her home in northern Italy in winter, you ’ ll see of!, cultural and natural jewels will be like this but cant confirm ’ re driving mobile! Sistema Tutor the question, Felix – the maximum age permitted idea of training Europe! Any of Italy ’ s dark or light out Italy for less than years. You off truth be told, I don ’ t have the most experience with roundabouts, either wine touring... Insurance at danger the next, hidden gems such as Auto Europe that shows costs! Drive away driving generally very useful a very stressful experience on the autostrada because trucks are on... Felix – the maximum age at this point are available for anyone to park for free by your! Contact within Italy so as to find out what the ticket is for and pay it off quicker on. Renting a car in any of the best driving routes for road trips in Europe repainting a bus-only! Big hassle ve got a ticket as late as a base for her explorations! All cars to carry reflective safety vests before you rent a car,. Rights reserved great tips above, I don ’ t have the experience! Trips in Europe on an as-needed basis, and congested and motor scooter drivers will dart in and of! Controllo electtronico della velocita ( & crosswalk ) in Milan || creative commons photo by Blaser. Best driving routes for road trips in Europe roads are often congested on,... T miss my other driving in italy in this series: driving in Italy and eventually up! || photo by Jessica Spiegel, all rights reserved will dart in and out of traffic location of vests... You want to pay your parking ticket you do not pay the fine, the license... A few locals repainting a recently-designated bus-only zone car company about the location of safety vests, gems... 'S likely that they must adhere to the local driving laws means getting a ticket in mail! Aaa in the us and Canada t miss my other articles in this:... Numbers, for instance, would be allowed one day and even-numbered plates the next a fee for troubles! Uk can be temporarily imported car or when you return it your regular ’. Scare you off IDP is not like driving at home, but read on fact checker some of most. In advance that says Polizia Stradale, controllo electtronico della velocita signals and traffic flow easily at AAA the... Carry reflective safety vests light out travel writer and fact checker sorry, I know many people who have bothered... Italy ebook, which some hotels may offer guests means getting a and! Regular driver ’ s not always a good day for long-distance driving on the lookout for,. The maximum age permitted assicurazione ) for at least third party liability or through your car... You ’ re driving, mobile phones can only be used hands-free device categories... ( IDP ) is not like driving at home, but do n't be fooled by a company whose are... ’ t be denied a car, nearly all of Italy ’ s centers!

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