Cars [le macchine]
It doesn't require nerves of steel to drive in Italy [though some say it will help]. You just need to be aware that things like speeding and tail-gating are the norm and it's not personal. It did take me quite a few visits to stop waving away the person behind me on the autostrada, seemingly attached to my rear bumper and whose 'whites of his eyes' loomed large in my rear view mirror.
That said, I did drive more assertively than I ever have during an 'excursion' in Naples a few year ago. That 12 inches in front of my car was 'my space' and, if left unprotected, was large enough to fit in another car from either my left or right hand side. The great thing was that there didn't appear to be any animosity from local drivers, it is just 'the way things are'! Above is one of my favourite photos, taken in Fahenza .... I call it 'Perspective' .... in the foreground is a beautifully restored FIAT 124 [partially parked, of course, on a pedestrian crossing]. In the background is my wife, Helen, studying the 'up to 50%' discount' sales in the shoe and knick-knack shops. Documents required to drive in Italy
From the Official Italian Tourist website
"Driving licences issued by any of the EU member states are valid throughout the European Union, including Italy. Drivers in possession of a licence issued by any EU country do not require an international driving permit or a sworn translation of their own licence. General rules for driving Driving licences issued by any of the EU Member States are valid throughout the European Union, including Italy. Drivers with a licence issued by any EU country do not require an international driving permit or a legal translation of their own licence. To drive in Italy, you must be over 18. Keep right and overtake on the left. Dipped headlights must be used on two-lane motorways. When driving through towns and villages, the horn may be sounded only in the event of an emergency. Trams and trains have right of way. The use of seatbelts in both the front and rear seats is compulsory, and failure to keep them fastened may result in fines for both drivers and passengers. On three-lane motorways, the lane on the right is reserved for slow vehicles and vehicles that are not overtaking. At crossings, vehicles approaching from the right always have right of way. Seatbelts must be fastened both in the front and the rear (provided the vehicle is fitted with them). Fines may be issued on-the-spot to drivers and passengers stopped by the police and found travelling without their seatbelt fastened. Mopeds below 150cc may not be driven on motorways under any circumstances. Helmets are compulsory to drive all motorcycles and mopeds, whatever the engine size. What are the speed limits? Cars and motorbikes (vehicles with engine size over 150 cc):
In order to ensure that these limits are complied with, numerous speed cameras have been installed throughout the road and motorway network to keep electronic checks on speed. Cars with trailers or caravans: in urban areas, the speed limit is 50 km/h (31 mph); on minor out-of-town roads 70 km/h (44 mph); on major out-of-town roads 70 km/h (44 mph); on motorways 80 km/h (50 mph). Camper vans weighing over 3.5 tonnes and under 12 tonnes: in urban areas, the speed limit is 50 km/h (31 mph); on minor out-of-town roads 80 km/h (50 mph); on major out-of-town roads 80 km/h (50 mph); on motorways 100 km/h (62 mph). Compulsory equipment on board : triangle; spare tyre; extinguisher (recommended) and reflective safety jacket, which must be used outside towns and villages in the event of a stop during the night or in poor visibility conditions, or when stopping on emergency lanes or lay-bys. Insurance : Civil Liability insurance is compulsory. For visitors arriving from abroad, the best option is the Green Card, an insurance policy that can even be taken out at the border and is valid for 15, 30 or 45 days. Drinking and driving : in Italy, driving is not permitted with a blood alcohol content superior to 0.5 grammes per litre, in line with the European average. Useful numbers and emergency numbers :
Road Signs in Italy
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Click above for a detailed RAC article on the Road Rules in Italy
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Road signs in Italy conform to the general pattern of those used in most other European countries. They are regulated by the Codice della Strada [Highway Code] and by the Regolamento di Attuazione del Codice della Strada in conformity with the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals.
DESIGN
Distances and other measurements are displayed in metric units.
Warning signs are usually placed 150 metres before the area they're referring to; if they're farther or nearer, an additional sign displays the actual distance in metres. Prohibition signs and mandatory instruction signs, instead, are placed exactly at the beginning of the area of validity.
COLOURS AND SHAPES
Signs follow the general European conventions concerning the use of shape and colour to indicate function of signs:
DESIGN
Distances and other measurements are displayed in metric units.
Warning signs are usually placed 150 metres before the area they're referring to; if they're farther or nearer, an additional sign displays the actual distance in metres. Prohibition signs and mandatory instruction signs, instead, are placed exactly at the beginning of the area of validity.
COLOURS AND SHAPES
Signs follow the general European conventions concerning the use of shape and colour to indicate function of signs:
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TYPE OF SIGN
Warning Prohibition Mandatory Instructions Supplementary Information |
SHAPE
Triangular Circular Circular Rectangular Rectangular |
BORDER
Red Red White Black White |
BACKGROUND COLOUR
White White Blue White White [Urban] Blue [Other roads] Green [Motorway] |
FOR THE 'WHOLE STORY' AND IMAGES GO TO THE WIKIPEDIA SITE - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_signs_in_Italy
Things to think about .....
Renting a Car
- Licence: I have been told occasionally that I need an International Drivers Licence to drive or rent a car in Italy ... I've also never been asked for it. I suggest you confirm either way with your rental company as you don't want to have any issues with being uninsured in the event of a bump.
- Condition of the Car: When renting a car it is a good idea to take two sets of photos - the 'before' and 'after' shots. Include the corners of the vehicle and other areas likely to be dented or scratched --- doors, bonnet/hood, boot/trunk. Include a shot of the dashboard showing the mileage. Preferably enable the 'date' imprint on your camera or 'iDevice'. Naturally check the paperwork to ensure all/any damage is noted and endorsed by the rental company before leaving the parking lot.
- Maps: One timeI had to buy a map at the service station just outside the car rental place - they saw me coming and I paid an absolute fortune for a huge map. It's easier to buy a map when you're not under pressure - better still, I now take my GPS pre-loaded with current maps of Europe, As it is the system I use at home I have no difficulty with programming, reading or understanding it. I also mute the speech option as Karen [the name given by Garmin the pre-programmed Australian voice feature], has a terrible accent, making her unintelligible when she tries to pronounce Italian street names.
- GPS Settings: As I mentioned, I always 'mute' the mellifluous tones of Karen but I inadvertently set the 'No U-Turns' feature on my GPS. This meant that after a wrong turn I had a long drive up the hills in Naples and through a Saturday morning narrow street market about which Karen didn't appear to know. After 20 minutes of 'squeezy' driving we finally arrived about 50 metres from where I'd taken the wrong turn.
- Manual or Auto?: Think about whether you want to rent a manual [stick shift] or automatic. Manual cars are cheaper to rent, BUT sometimes keeping an eye on the traffic, driving on 'the other side of the road', and co-ordinating foot-and-hand gear changes can be stressful too. Another true story - after driving a great manual SEAT in Germany for two weeks I had to visit a doctor there twice to get fluid drained out of my very painfully swollen right elbow [my 'unaccustomed' gear-shift hand] and she put it down to RSI from shifting gear with my 'unnatural hand'!! It was quite funny --- MUCH, MUCH later!
- Type of Car you Rent: On a trip down south I reserved one of the new Alfa Giulietta's. Even though rental companies never guarantee the actual make of car you will get [other than it's category] the rental counter laughed when I asked whether it was the Alfa. They replied, "we never have those because they get stolen here in Naples..." !!
- Size of the car you Rent: The size of the car you rent is important. Two-door or four? Sedan or station wagon?
In 2014 I rented a great little FIAT 500 in Venezia and drove up to Valdobbiadene. It was fun to drive, economical and easy to park ... BUT ... my suitcase, though not large at all, wouldn't fit in the boot / trunk, meaning I had to store it on the back seat.
Given this was also a soft top I far too often had to think about where to park, that I could still see it and be careful not to be away too long.
Make sure you get the right size. I have since used sedans or station wagons, usually diesel powered, and they are just great value.
Given this was also a soft top I far too often had to think about where to park, that I could still see it and be careful not to be away too long.
Make sure you get the right size. I have since used sedans or station wagons, usually diesel powered, and they are just great value.
FINALLY, IMPORTANTLY!!
- Be aware of Limited Traffic Zones, [Zona Traffico Limitato], abbreviated to ZTL.
These have been established to reduce congestion in city centres or historic areas. There are, naturally, heavy fines for contravening this road rule.
Be extra alert in cities and on the lookout for the ZTL signs. They have a large red circle meaning no cars allowed. The numbers underneath are the times of day, using the 24-hour clock, that vehicles may enter, if you want to risk it..
Note too that ZTL’s are usually monitored by cameras so there is no explaining that one away to someone who pulls you over. The fine is addressed direct to the car rental company. They pass on your details to the authorities after levying an ‘administrative fee’ of their own … then you can wait for the fine to arrive from the traffic authorities.
To relate my own experience …... I travelled in Milan recently to return a rental car to the hire company and en route somehow ended up in a ‘bus only’ lane. I remember doing it and got out of it as quickly as possible, but to no avail as I found out when a letter arrived at home from the rental company saying they had passed my address details on to the traffic authority so they could issue a fine "…. oh, and there is a € 45 charge for passing on your information". It hurts.
Apparently it can take up to a year for the fine to arrive and can be €80 or more. It hasn’t arrived yet but when it does, what can I do? I was in the wrong so will have to pay it!
Be extra alert in cities and on the lookout for the ZTL signs. They have a large red circle meaning no cars allowed. The numbers underneath are the times of day, using the 24-hour clock, that vehicles may enter, if you want to risk it..
Note too that ZTL’s are usually monitored by cameras so there is no explaining that one away to someone who pulls you over. The fine is addressed direct to the car rental company. They pass on your details to the authorities after levying an ‘administrative fee’ of their own … then you can wait for the fine to arrive from the traffic authorities.
To relate my own experience …... I travelled in Milan recently to return a rental car to the hire company and en route somehow ended up in a ‘bus only’ lane. I remember doing it and got out of it as quickly as possible, but to no avail as I found out when a letter arrived at home from the rental company saying they had passed my address details on to the traffic authority so they could issue a fine "…. oh, and there is a € 45 charge for passing on your information". It hurts.
Apparently it can take up to a year for the fine to arrive and can be €80 or more. It hasn’t arrived yet but when it does, what can I do? I was in the wrong so will have to pay it!
The very best rule really is don’t drive in the city or historic centres [centri storici].
It can be stressful, hazardous and, potentially, very costly.
It can be stressful, hazardous and, potentially, very costly.
Buses [l'autobus and, strangely, il Pullman]
- See the Venezia segment to find information on their buses and ferries
- Be sure to double check timetables. Buses don't always run on Sundays, especially in smaller rural towns, e.g. Chiusi-Chianciano to Montepulciano [and vice-versa].
- Online tickets may be purchased in many instances. Be sure to check if you are limited to exclusively travel ONLY ON THE DAY OF VALIDITY - you may not be able to transfer these to another day and may not be reimbursed
Trains [Treni]
Things to think about .....
Beware ... the trains do run on time.
Tickets must always be validated before your journey. There are date/time stamping machines on the platforms and it is up to you to make sure they are properly stamped by inserting them and getting the imprint. I saw an entire family of 6, notwithstanding their babe in arms and their protestations, removed from the train for not validating their tickets. Their excuse was that they had to run for the about-to-depart train ... it didn't wash! Off at the next stop! I don't think a fine was applied [though it could have been] or whether the tickets were confiscated or not, but in any event that would be an uncomfortable situation to be in.
Tickets must always be validated before your journey. There are date/time stamping machines on the platforms and it is up to you to make sure they are properly stamped by inserting them and getting the imprint. I saw an entire family of 6, notwithstanding their babe in arms and their protestations, removed from the train for not validating their tickets. Their excuse was that they had to run for the about-to-depart train ... it didn't wash! Off at the next stop! I don't think a fine was applied [though it could have been] or whether the tickets were confiscated or not, but in any event that would be an uncomfortable situation to be in.
Frecciarossa - High Speed Inter-Urban
http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en/Frecce/Frecciarossa
The information below is as provided in the Frecciarossa website --- I suggest you check the website [see above] to verify any special requirements you may have.
Trains cross the Italian peninsula reaching the speed of +300 km/h, entering in the heart of big cities crossed by the Italian High Speed line, shortening distances. Choosing a Frecciarossa train means relying on frequent connections, scheduled timetables easy to remember, departure from/arrival directly to the city centre, territorial coverage of large cities, with the possibility of choosing the most convenient station.
Frecciarossa train is in service on the following routes:
- Turin - Milan - Reggio Emilia AV - Bologna - Florence - Rome - Naples - Salerno
- Venice - Padua - Bologna - Florence - Rome - Naples – Salerno
- Milan - Reggio Emilia AV - Bologna - Rimini – Ancona - Pescara - Foggia - Bari /Ancona
Frecciarossa trains all have:
- Air conditioning
- Sockets at each seat
- LED lighting
- Wide spaces for luggage
- Monitor in all coaches with information and travel news continuously updated
- Frecciarossa Portal accessible via WI-FI, with entertainment services, Internet connection and travel information
- Two seats equipped for disabled people travelling in wheelchairs and 2 seats for attendants in the coach 3
- Toilet in each coach and one equipped for disabled people in the coach 3
- Changing table
Frecciarossa trains offer 4 levels of service: Executive, Business, Premium and Standard.
I have regularly travelled across Italy on these high speed trains - I just love it!!
