Bologna's medieval centre, the largest in Italy after Venice's, is a ZTL watched by a camera system the locals call Sirio. It is active every day, weekends included, from seven in the morning to eight in the evening. Unlike Florence, Bologna sells visitors a day ticket for it, but there is little reason to buy one: the park and ride car parks on the edge of the centre are cheap or free, and the porticoes will take you everywhere in the dry.
- 07:00-20:00ZTL of the centre, every day
- € 6the daily ticket for the ZTL, to buy before you enter
- € 0.60an hour at the Tanari car park, free with a bus ticket
- 750free spaces at Parco Nord
Car parks, one by one
| Car park | Where | Spaces | Price | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Tanari Park and ride | Via Luigi Tanari 17 The classic choice: bus to the centre in ten minutes | 280 | €0.60/hour; free for 24 hours with P+BUS | 24 hours |
| 2. Parco Nord Free | Via Stalingrado 83 Free except during events at the arena: by the ring road, bus to the centre | 750 | free | |
| 3. Certosa Free | Viale Gandhi Always free, on the west side | 325 | free | 24 hours |
| 4. Antistadio Park and ride | Via Andrea Costa By the stadium: avoid on match days | 283 | blue-line rate on weekdays; free with P+BUS | |
| 5. Prati di Caprara Park and ride | Prati di Caprara | 160 | €2.20/hour on weekdays 09:00-18:00; free with P+BUS | |
| 6. Piazza VIII Agosto Garage or car park | Piazza VIII Agosto Large underground car park at the edge of the ZTL, by the Montagnola park: the closest to the centre |
Car parks on the map
Positions on the map are approximate: follow the road signs for the entrance.
The ZTL: where you cannot drive
A ZTL (zona a traffico limitato) is an area where only authorised vehicles may drive during certain hours. Cameras at each entrance read the number plate, and the fine arrives by post weeks later, also abroad and also through the car hire company, which adds its own fee. The sign is a white circle with a red border; an electronic panel below it says varco attivo (do not enter) or varco non attivo (you may enter). Satellite navigators often ignore the ZTL: trust the signs.
| ZTL A (Sirio) | Every day 07:00-20:00 |
| Zone T, T-Days | Pedestrian on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays; permit holders only on weekdays |
| University area | Always, 24 hours |
The day ticket for the ZTL costs €6 and is valid until midnight; a four-day ticket costs €15. It must be bought and activated before passing the gate: an entry already made cannot be put right afterwards. Zone T is the cross of Via Rizzoli, Via Ugo Bassi and Via Indipendenza, which at weekends becomes one long pedestrian street. On about 258 km of secondary streets the speed limit is 30 km/h.
If your hotel is inside the ZTL, write to it before you arrive: many can register your number plate for the time needed to unload.
Street parking: what the colours mean
Blue lines are paid on weekdays and free on Sundays and public holidays throughout the city. The closer to the centre, the dearer: €3.90 an hour inside the oldest ring, €2.90 in the rest of the historic centre, €2.20 in the next belt and €1.80 further out, where a day ticket costs €9 or €11. With the P+BUS formula, in the interchange car parks an ordinary bus ticket cancels the parking fee for 24 hours.
- Blue lines: paid parking. Pay at the meter, entering your number plate, or with an app, and check the sign for the hours.
- White lines: free, sometimes with a time limit and a parking disc.
- Yellow lines: reserved for residents, disabled badge holders, taxis or deliveries. Never park there.
- No lines: look for signs. A tow-away symbol means the car will be removed.
Good to know
- A single bus ticket costs €2.30 and is valid 75 minutes; paying contactless on board, the weekly ceiling is €25.
- At weekends the T-Days make the centre a pleasure on foot, but remember that the ZTL is active on Saturday and Sunday too.
- From the airport the Marconi Express monorail reaches the central station in seven minutes.
- On Friday and Saturday the market fills Piazza VIII Agosto: the underground car park stays open, the square does not.
- For the sanctuary of San Luca, walk up under the portico or take the tourist train: parking at the top is minimal.
Sources
Checked in November 2026