Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
For information in English about distances, driving times and fuel costs, see en.mappy.com. Additional
information, including traffic conditions and toll costs, is available at
www.autostrade.it
.
Automobile Associations
The
Automobile Club d'Italia
(ACI; from non-Italian phone account 800 116800, roadside assistance
803116;
www.aci.it
)
is a driver's best resource in Italy. Foreigners do not have to join to get 24-hour road-
side emergency service but instead pay a per-incident fee.
Driving Licences
All EU member states' driving licences are fully recognised throughout Europe. In practice, many non-EU
licences (such as Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and US) are accepted by car-hire outfits in Italy. Trav-
ellers from other countries should obtain an International Driving Permit (IDP) through their national auto-
mobile association.
Fuel & Spare Parts
Italy's petrol prices are among the highest in Europe and vary from one service station
(benzinaio,stazione
di servizio)
to another. At the time of writing, lead-free gasoline (
senza piombo;
95 octane) was averaging
€1.79 per litre, with diesel
(gasolio)
costing €1.69 per litre.
Spare parts are available at many garages or via the 24-hour ACI motorist assistance number,
803116
(or
800 116800 if calling with a non-Italian mobile phone account).
Hire
CAR
»
Pre-booking via the internet often costs less than hiring a car in Italy. Online booking agency
Rental-
cars.com
(
www.rentalcars.com
)
compares the rates of numerous car-rental companies.
»
Renters must generally be aged 25 or over, with a credit card and home-country driving licence or IDP.
»
Consider hiring a small car, which will reduce your fuel expenses and help you negotiate narrow city
lanes and tight parking spaces.
»
Check with your credit-card company to see if it offers a Collision Damage Waiver, which covers you for
additional damage if you use that card to pay for the car.
Multinational car-rental agencies:
Auto Europe
(
www.autoeurope.com
)
Avis
(
www.avis.com
)
Budget
(
800 472 33 25;
www.budget.com
)