Rome, Milan, Florence or Venice? There’s no need to pick if you’re renting a car in Italy.
Explore more of Italy and go at your own pace with an Italian road trip holiday. Read on to find out how to rent a car in Italy and learn what you need to know about driving around this Mediterranean country.
How to rent a car in Italy
Your questions answered
Renting a car in Italy is much the same as it is in the rest of Europe. Whether you want to pick up a hire car from Rome Fiumicino Airport or elsewhere in the country, it pays to be prepared. We’ve answered some of the most common questions people have about hiring a car in Italy.
What do I need to rent a car in Italy?
There’s not a lot that you need when renting a car in Italy that you wouldn’t need elsewhere. There are three main things:
- Your driving licence
- Your passport
- A debit/credit card
With many car hire agencies, you’ll need to show a method of payment in the same name as the passport and driving licence, but another person can make the actual payments. It’s important that the names on all three match, so if you’ve changed your name recently make sure it’s uniform across all forms of ID.
With Italian hire cars, it’s a requirement that you carry your licence, passport and insurance papers with you in the car.
Do I need an international driving permit (IDP) to hire in Italy?
No, so long as you have a valid visa in your passport and you haven’t been in Europe for more than six months, you can drive on your Indian licence.
You would only need an international driving permit for Italy if you were staying for longer than that.
What is the legal driving age in Italy?
You need to be 18 years old to drive a car in Italy.
But how old do you need to be to rent a car in Italy? That varies. Some companies will rent a car to an 18-year-old but others won’t let anyone under 21. Generally, any driver under 25 will have to pay extra to be on the insurance, normally around €20 per day.
There’s no set maximum age for hiring a car in Italy, although some companies may increase the required insurance payments for drivers over 70 or 75.
What’s the deal with car hire insurance in Italy?
All vehicles in Italy must have two types of insurance: Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and Theft Protection. Make sure to double check, but all car hire companies in the country should offer these as standard. They’ll also offer bundle things like Fire and Third-Party Damage insurance. You can shop around for this cover to try to get a better deal, but the car hire company will put a hold on your credit card for somewhere up to €2000 just in case.
It’s important to know that Theft Protection is limited to the car itself, not its contents. If you want to cover your own belongings, something like Personal Effects Insurance or, perhaps, your travel insurance policy may cover you.
What’s the Zona a Traffico Limitato?
The Zona a Traffico Limitato (ZTL), which translates as a limited traffic zone, is present in around 350 cities in Italy. These zones stop non-residents entering city centres. However, there may be exceptions if you have an appropriate disability badge.
Each city has its own rules regarding times and fines, but each limited zone will be signed with the words ‘zona traffico limitato’ and a bright red circle on a white background. Generally, you’re looking at a fine between €80 and €300 for entering one of these zones.
What are the Autostrada and Superstrada?
When you’re driving a car in Italy, you’ll find two main types of road connecting the different cities: autostrada and superstrada. There are a few differences between the two.
Autostrada are toll roads. As you’re driving, these are highlighted by green signs. On the autostrada, the speed limit is typically 130 kmph, but this is reduced to 110 if it’s raining or snowing.
Superstrada roads are toll-free and have blue sign posts. They have a speed limit of 110 kmph, which is reduced to 90 in poor weather.
Be aware that autostrada have rest stops and fuel stations, but superstrada do not.
On both types of road, the left-hand lane is for passing only. If you stay in this lane, it’s likely a car behind will flash its lights at you to remind you to pull back into the right lane. You should stick to the right lane for most of your trip unless you’re going to overtake.
Tips for driving in Italy for the first time
What to expect
When you start driving in Italy, you’ll quickly see that it’s a bit different to driving in India. The first obvious difference is that they drive on the right side of the road. This can take a bit of getting used to, especially with things like roundabouts, but it quickly becomes second nature.
Italian drivers tend to be very assertive on the road. They leave shorter gaps between cars, weave in and out of traffic to get ahead, and are known to use their horns if they don’t like how others are driving. While it may be stressful at times, the drivers are generally very skilful and aware of what’s happening around them because of how they drive.
Some cities have reputations for more extreme drivers than others. If you hire a car in Naples or Milan, you might experience some more stress-inducing road trips than you would elsewhere in the country.
With car keys in hand, a holiday in Italy can be even more exciting. Print out a map and start plotting a route.
Thinking of travelling to Italy? Skyscanner can help you find the best flights, hotels and car hire deals for your next trip.
