Getting around Italy

Choosing the right transport

Italy is more than a thousand kilometres long from north to south and has two large islands, mountains and hundreds of smaller islands: no single means of transport is perfect for everything. The rule of thumb is simple. Between big cities the train is almost always the best choice: it is fast, arrives in the centre and avoids traffic and parking. For the countryside, villages, wine hills, Sardinia, inland Sicily and the mountains you almost always need a car. For the islands there are ferries and hydrofoils, and for long distances, for example from Milan to Palermo, a flight saves many hours. Many travellers combine them: train from city to city and a rental car only for the days in the countryside.

High-speed trains

The high-speed network links Turin, Milan, Venice, Bologna, Florence, Rome, Naples and Salerno, with extensions to Bari, Reggio Calabria, Trieste and other cities. There are two companies: Trenitalia, with its Frecce trains (Frecciarossa, Frecciargento and Frecciabianca), and Italo. The key routes are fast: Rome to Florence takes about an hour and a half, Rome to Milan about three hours, Rome to Naples just over an hour. Tickets include a reserved seat and have variable prices: it pays to book a few weeks ahead, when the best offers are available. Tickets are sold online, in the two companies' apps, at ticket machines or at the counter; digital tickets with your name do not need to be validated.

Regional trains and local lines

Regional trains connect almost all cities and many villages. They have fixed, modest fares, need no reservation and are perfect for day trips: from Florence to Pisa, Lucca or Siena, from Rome to Tivoli or Orvieto, from Naples to Pompeii and Sorrento on the Circumvesuviana, from Venice to Padua and Verona, from Milan to the lakes. One important detail: a paper regional ticket must be validated in the yellow or green machines before boarding, or you risk a fine; digital tickets show the date and time they are valid for. Besides Trenitalia there are regional railways with their own tickets, such as the Ferrovie del Sud Est in Puglia, the Circumvesuviana in Campania and the Cinque Terre line, which runs a frequent shuttle train in summer.

By car: rental, roads and tolls

A car gives you freedom, but requires some care. To rent one you need a credit card in the driver's name; non-EU citizens must also carry an International Driving Permit with their licence. Almost all motorways are tolled: you take a ticket on entry and pay on exit by cash or card, avoiding the lanes reserved for Telepass. Speed limits are generally 130 km/h on motorways, 110 on main dual carriageways, 90 on other rural roads and 50 in towns, unless otherwise signposted, and speed cameras and average-speed checks are common.

The trickiest issue is the ZTL, the limited traffic zones in historic centres. Almost every city and many villages have them: they are monitored by cameras, and anyone who enters without authorisation receives the fine at home, sometimes months later, via the rental company. If your hotel is in the centre, ask in advance whether it can register your number plate. In general it is best to leave the car in park-and-ride car parks outside the centre and continue on foot or by public transport. Blue lines mark paid parking, white lines are usually free and yellow lines are reserved.

Buses and coaches

Where trains do not go, buses do. Regional companies link provincial capitals, villages and resorts: on the Amalfi Coast, in inland Sicily, in Salento and in many mountain areas they are the main public transport. Timetables are designed for commuters and students, so there are more services on weekdays than on Sundays. For long distances there are low-cost coaches such as FlixBus and Itabus, linking many cities, including overnight. In cities, tickets for buses, trams and the metro are sold at tobacconists, newsstands, machines and in apps or, more and more often, you can simply tap a contactless card on board or at the gates.

Ferries and hydrofoils

Italy is a nation of islands. Large ferries link Sardinia with Genoa, Livorno, Civitavecchia and Naples, and Sicily with Naples, Genoa and Civitavecchia; the Strait of Messina is crossed in a few minutes from Villa San Giovanni. Hydrofoils and fast ferries go to Capri, Ischia and Procida, the Aeolian and Egadi islands, Elba, the Pontine Islands and the Tremiti. In summer, departures should be booked in advance, especially if you are taking a car, and rough seas can cancel hydrofoil services: leave some slack in your plans.

Domestic flights

With many airlines flying between north and south, a domestic flight can save a day of travel, for example from Milan or Turin to Palermo, Catania, Bari, Brindisi, Cagliari or Olbia. Compare total journey times: between Rome and Milan the high-speed train, centre to centre, is often more convenient than flying. On our site you will find guides to Italy's airports, with directions to the city centre.

In town: on foot, by bike, by taxi

Italy's historic centres are best explored on foot: they are compact and full of detail. Rome, Milan, Naples, Turin, Genoa, Brescia and Catania have a metro; Venice is explored on foot and by vaporetto, the water bus. Many cities have shared bikes and e-scooters, but cobblestones and traffic call for caution. Taxis are taken at ranks or booked by phone and app; they do not usually stop if you wave on the street. In the big cities there are fixed fares from the airport to the centre: confirm before you set off. For a stress-free arrival from the airport to your hotel you can also book a transfer with a driver.

Strikes and the unexpected

Transport strikes are frequent in Italy but announced in advance, with guaranteed service windows. Before you travel, check the news or the official strike calendar of the Ministry of Transport. If flights or trains are badly delayed or cancelled, passengers have specific rights under European rules, including refunds and in some cases compensation.

Itineraries that work

1. The classic by train: Venice, Florence, Rome and Naples, one week without a car.
2. Mixed Tuscany: train to Florence, car for the Chianti and Val d'Orcia, drop-off in Pisa.
3. The slow south: fly to Bari, drive around Puglia and Matera, return from Brindisi.
4. Lakes and mountains: train from Milan to Como and Varenna, ferries on the lake, the Bernina Red Train from Tirano.
5. Islands: ferry or flight to Sardinia or Sicily, a car on the island, hydrofoils to the smaller islands.