Find out how easy and safe it is to rent a car in Italy in 2021. Where is the rental cheaper and how to save on insurance. Features of roads, traffic rules and parking. Advice and reviews of tourists.
Where is the best place to rent a car in Italy
There are plenty of places in Italy where you can rent a car.
Airports... Airport rental companies are in great demand. Car rental in Italy is cheap in these places. The prices are lower, and the choice of cars is greater than in city offices. It is convenient to take a car after arrival. The paperwork takes a little time, and you can go!
Railway stations... In Milan, Genoa, Rome, Florence and other cities through which trains run, there are also companies where they rent cars. However, the prices in them are 5-10% higher than in the airports.
Websites... If you want to save money and time, rent a car for travel in Italy on Rentalcars.com. You can pick up and return the car at the airport.
Advice... You can rent a car cheaply in Italy through local firms, not international car rental offices.
Features of car rental in Italy
Rights. To rent a car in Italy, you need national and international license, where the surname and first name are written in Latin letters. In addition, you will need a credit card with at least € 500. This money will be frozen for the duration of the rental.
Seniority and age. The client must have at least one year of driving experience. Some firms set the minimum age for a driver to be 21 or even 23 years.
What kind of car to take. It all depends on preference. A small economy car is enough for some, others want to drive in Italy in a luxury car. In winter, regular sedans are popular, and in summer, many are seduced by convertibles. A small car is more convenient for traveling around cities, and a more spacious one for traveling in the countryside.
What you need to know before renting a car in Italy
Car rental prices in Italy
Car rental companies accept payment by credit card issued to the driver. Prices depend on the brand and class of the car, the season, additional equipment, the amount of insurance, the level of the rental office and many other factors. Car rental in Italy is quite cheap in the off-season and in winter. In summer, prices are 15-20% higher. An automatic transmission and a diesel engine increase the rental price by 20%.
How much does it cost to rent a car in Italy for a week? The Fiat 500 is cheap - 50-60 €, the Opel Corsa - 45-70 € and the Volkswagen Polo - 160 €. They ask for more expensive for Renault Talisman - 330 €, Mercedes-Benz E-class - 490 € and a respectable BMW 4 - 700 €. Check the current prices on Rentalcars.com.
At the request of the client, the car will be equipped with various equipment. Here are the prices for the most popular add-ons, per day:
- installation of a child seat - from 9 €;
- GPS navigator - 13 €;
- Wi-Fi access - 10 €;
- mounting skis on the roof - from 5 €;
- winter wheels - from 20 €;
- snow chains - from 7 €.
If the lease is more than one week, then only the first week of using the equipment is paid. Many companies provide snow chains free of charge during the winter.
Car insurance
All cars are insured in Italy rental, but this amount is not large. It does not cover scratches that a car can get from passing bicycles and motorcycles. To compensate for possible losses, the car owner takes a franchise from tourists. This is a deposit that is frozen in the account for the duration of the lease.
The amount of the deposit is 500-1000 € for budget cars and much more expensive for luxury cars. According to tourists, the deposit often turns into a real problem. When scratches and chips are found when returning the car, the franchise cannot be refunded.
Is it possible to rent a car in Italy without a deposit? Yes, you can do without a deductible - just take out full insurance. This can be done at the rental company and on the Rentalcars.com website. For a week, such car insurance will cost 80-200 €. The money will not be returned to you, but you will be sure that the sum insured will cover all possible costs of car repairs. If you rent a car for a short period of time - up to a week, full insurance is more profitable than a deductible.
There are cases when insurance does not cover the consequences of an accident. You will have to pay out of pocket if the driver was drunk driving. It is forbidden to transfer control of the car to a person who does not have the right to do so and is not included in the rental documents. Under the terms of insurance, it is forbidden to tow another car for repairs and take part in races.
Is it safe to travel by car in Italy?
According to tourists, renting a car in Italy is not a troublesome business. Traveling around the country is generally safe. There are many narrow one-way roads in cities and beyond. Move on them carefully! A scooter may unexpectedly steer from the side, or you miss a turn, and it will be difficult to go back.
Few of the locals speak English, so learn a few phrases in Italian beforehand. If you have any problems, feel free to ask for help. The drivers and police officers in Italy are very helpful and will try their best for you.
Roads in Italy
Riding a rented car through the picturesque surroundings of Rome, Naples, Florence or driving around Sicily is one pleasure. The roads in Italy are wonderful. On the main highways, the coverage is always high. Problematic areas are only at the entrance to remote farms and beaches.
Toll roads... The difference in toll and free roads is only in the speed of movement. Wherever there are toll roads, there are always free detour routes. The fare depends on the type of car and is about 7 € per 100 km.
When entering a toll road, you take a receipt for payment. There are three types of ticket offices for driving through checkpoints. The ticket office with a yellow stripe and the inscription Telepass serves bus drivers, road workers and those who are allowed to travel for free or at special rates. The blue self-service checkouts accept payment by credit card, while the white ones accept cash payments to the cashier or through a machine.
Fines, traffic rules and signs... Сodice della strada - traffic rules in Italy are similar to those we are used to in Russia. Outside the city, drivers must turn on the low beam. For motorcycles, this requirement also applies in cities. Children between the ages of 2 and 12 must ride in special child seats.
Most of Italian intersections are roundabouts. Drivers who are in roundabouts have the advantage. Radar detectors cannot be used. For their transportation, a fine of up to 3000 € is charged.
After overtaking, you must immediately take the right lane. Riding in the left lane is not accepted. There is no fine here for the lack of a first aid kit and fire extinguisher, but if you were unable to show a reflective vest and an emergency parking sign, punishment cannot be avoided.
Here are the amounts of the most common fines in Italy:
- speeding - from 41 € to 3287 €;
- driving through a red light - 162-646 €;
- overtaking on the right - € 80-308.
If the violation occurred from 22:00 to 7:00, the penalty is increased by 1/3. Receipts of fines for car owners are sent to the post office, for rented cars - to the rental company. Even when you have already left Italy, money may be debited from your card. If there are unpaid fines, it will not be possible to issue the next Schengen visa.
There are few free parking spaces in Italy, so tourists often park their cars anywhere. Usually drivers who leave the car under a sign for a couple of minutes receive a fine Passo carrabile - "no parking".
Watch carefully for signs that restrict traffic in the center of major cities. Drive under the sign Zona traffico limitato can only be buses and special types of urban transport, but not cars. This is the most common traffic violation in Italy.
Speed limits and cameras... Never increase the travel speed above the specified limit! In cities it is 50 km / h, outside urban areas - 90 km / h. On general roads, it is allowed to move at a speed of no more than 110 km / h, and on highways - up to 130 km / h.
The traffic police - polizia stradale - mainly work in cities. There are few police officers on the highways, because the roads are equipped with a large number of recording cameras. Tutor radars monitor the speed of movement around the clock.
Policemen... Traffic police officers in Italy know their stuff. They do not take bribes, so it makes no sense to "negotiate" with the police. In order not to run into trouble, do not get into a skirmish and do not make those who caught you wrong. A mitigating circumstance can be a child in a car. At the sight of children, the Italian police immediately become kind.
Features of driving local... Italians are temperamental, decisive on the road, have an excellent reaction and drive well. The style is a little aggressive, but they know the traffic rules perfectly and have a negative attitude towards violators and "mummies".
Refueling and gasoline prices... Gas stations in Italy are everywhere, so the problem with fuel is easy to solve. Small stations may close during the day from 13:00 to 15:30 and not work on Sundays. In 2021, a liter of 95 petrol costs € 1.62, 98 petrol - € 1.64, and diesel - € 1.51.
Parking in Italy
There are four types of parking lots in the country and they are easy to distinguish by color. Parking from white lines are free. True, each commune has its own rules and nuances. For example, in Florence, free places are a privilege of local residents, and tourists pay for parking at certain rates.
There are few free parking spaces in Italian cities and they are difficult to find. There are also exceptions. In Florence, it is allowed to park your car for free at Piazzale Michelangelo. But there are so many people who want to find an empty seat is a great luck.
Free parking may have a sign indicating that it is allowed to use with a time limit. In this case, you will need a cardboard parking disc, or disco orario... It is sold at gas stations and tobacco kiosks. Mark on the disc the time you arrived at the parking lot and place it under the windshield so that the numbers can be seen by the police officer.
Yellow the lines indicate that the parking lot is wheelchair accessible. Some cities have green parking. You can leave your car on them only on weekdays from 16:00 to 9:30.
Blue lines are drawn in paid parking lots. The exact rates are indicated on the parking machines. Prices start from 0.6-2 € per hour to 20-30 € per day. Payment is made in coins. The minimum time is 1 hour. The instructions for using the machines are written in English, Italian, German and French.
In big cities, there are underground parking lots. At the entrance, the driver takes the ticket from the machine or from an employee, and upon leaving, he returns it and pays for the parking time at the machine or service personnel.
Advice... Read the signs carefully! Two crossed hammers in the parking lot say the restrictions are in effect on weekdays only. Parking is free on Sundays and holidays.
Reviews and tips for renting a car in Italy
According to the majority of tourists, car rental in Italy in 2021 is not difficult.
pros:
- Freedom of movement and the ability to schedule travel as you want. With your rental car, you can easily turn off the main road and reach a remote beach or picturesque vineyards.
- Road traffic in Italy is quieter than in Russia. The rules are violated less often, but there is no rudeness on the roads.
- The make of the car does not play a role in the organization of traffic. Everyone, including motorcyclists, has equal rights.
- The police are not corrupt.
Minuses:
- Different communes have their own rules and traditions, and these nuances are difficult to understand. The cost of parking and fines may differ not only in different cities, but also in different parts of the street.
- In Italy, it is forbidden to use cans for storing fuel. Everyone is guided by gas stations, so it will not be possible to buy gasoline "with a margin".
Here adviceHow to make traveling in Italy by car cheaper and more convenient:
- Before traveling, carefully study the road features, maps and traffic rules in the specific cities of Italy where you are going to visit.
- Pick up your car rental in Italy a few weeks or even months before your trip.
- If you absolutely need a car with an automatic transmission, reserve it in advance. Such cars for rent are in short supply.
- Before concluding a contract, carefully check the car for damage and make sure that it is in good working order. All defects found must be noted on the rental card. Also take pictures of the damage. If scratches are found on the car at the end of the rental period, you will have to pay for them.
- For those who have little driving experience, we do not recommend planning routes along mountain roads, where there are many serpentines and narrow places.
- In remote areas, the signs may not be entirely clear. Use the navigator!
- Refuel at Fai da te self-service stations. Prices are lower there than at large gas stations.
- It is more profitable to pay the fine on the spot. In this case, the amount will be 1/4 of the maximum.
