Understanding Italy’s Roads
Helping car hire users steer clear of driving fines in Italy
We have seen over the last few years an increasing number of locations in Italy trying to control traffic in their regions. This is usually to protect surrounding architecture, countryside and for environmental reasons. Many popular cities struggle with the influx of tourists in holiday season and imposing driving restrictions is a way of keeping traffic moving more freely but also ensuring that the city is looked after for future generations. As a visiting driver to Italy many of those renting cars can fall foul of driving or parking rules without realising until they receive a charge from the car hire company for processing the fine. Here we detail a few of the common driving restrictions you may come across in Italy’s major cities and in many towns too.
ZTL – Zona Traffico Limito
These are extremely common in cities and effectively limit road use in these city areas to those who actually live there. These are limits based on where you reside – not on the type of vehicle you are driving. If your hotel is within a ZTL you can request permission for your car to enter. Your hotel should be able to help you with getting a permit. Signs clearly indicate when you are entering a ZTL. They show a white circle with a red border on a white background. Underneath you will often see the time when the ZTL is in force.
LEZ – Low Emission Zone
The North of Italy and its cities in particular struggle with air pollution so a number, including Turin and Milan, have introduced low emission zones. However, these zones can increasingly be found all over Italy. Within the low emission zone, only vehicles which conform to the expected standard can enter the LEZ. Occasionally, when pollution levels hit a high level for a consecutive number of days the authorities can implement an emergency LEZ where the standards are tighter. An LEZ is shown on a map road sign but it is best to do your research in advance if you plan to drive through a city. Milan, for example, has more than one LEZ with tighter restrictions in the heart of the city.
Local Restrictions
Popular holiday hotspots can sometimes introduce restrictions. In 2023 the Amalfi Coast started a licence plate system whereby vehicles with a licence plate ending in an odd number could only drive on even numbered days of the month and the reverse for those with a licence ending in an even number. These rules also apply to rental cars. In 2023 these restrictions were in force for all weekends through from June until September and every day during August. Again, if you are travelling to the area in a car, do talk to your hotel or accommodation provider for assistance.
Parking in Italy
Knowing where you can and cannot park in Italy, especially in the cities can be a bit of a headache. Sometimes the easiest solution is to park outside the city and take a bus, train or taxi into the centre. In the larger cities, using a parking garage can give you piece of mind but if they are full or there isn’t one in your location then pay attention to the colour of the lines along the road for some guidance!
Blue - This is parking with a fee – quite often there will be parking meters. You will need to pay at the meter (you will need the licence number for this) and display the ticket in your car window.
Yellow – For permit holders only. This is often for residents, taxis or those with disabilities.
White – free parking! But watch out if it says ‘Solo residenti’ on the sign because that means it’s for residents only.
Pink – for expectant women or those with very small children.
Green – for charging electric vehicles
The Parking Disco – No not a chance to dance but free parking for a limited period. Sometimes you will see a blue P sign similar to what you might see in the UK and underneath a time of the day when parking is allowed followed by the parking time limit. For example – it could say 08.00 – 19.00 1 Ora. This would mean you can park for one hour between the hours of 8am and 7pm. The disco (or disc) is a wheel (often provided with your rental car but can be purchased at newsagents) which you can use to show what time you arrived. This should be displayed on your dashboard.
A sign which has a blue circle with a red border and red diagonal line simply means no parking.
Photos courtesy of Canva
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