Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Minor, non-urban roads
90km/h
Built-up areas
50km/h
Mopeds
The speed limit is always 40km/h
Local Transport
Major cities have good transport systems, including bus and underground-train networks. In Venice, the
main public transport option is
vaporetti
(small ferries).
Bus & Metro
»
Extensive
metropolitane
(metros) exist in Rome, Milan, Naples and Turin, with smaller metros in Genoa
and Catania. The space-age
Minimetrò
in Perugia connects the train station with the city centre.
»
Cities and towns of any size have an efficient
urbano
(urban) and
extraurbano
(suburban) bus system.
Services are generally limited on Sundays and holidays.
»
Purchase bus and metro tickets before boarding and validate them once on board. Passengers with unval-
idated tickets are subject to a fine (between €50 and €75 in most cities). Buy tickets from
tabaccaio
(tobac-
conist's shops), newsstands, ticket booths or machines at bus stations and in metro stations. Tickets usually
cost around €1.30 to €1.80. Most cities offer good-value 24-hour or daily tourist tickets.
Taxi
»
You can catch a taxi at the ranks outside most train and bus stations, or simply telephone for a radio taxi.
Radio taxi meters start running from when you've called rather than when you're picked up.
»
Charges vary from one region to another. Most short city journeys cost between €10 and €15. Generally,
no more than four people are allowed in one taxi.
Train
Trains in Italy are convenient and quite cheap compared with other European countries. The better train cat-
egories are fast and comfortable.
Trenitalia
( 199 303060;
www.trenitalia.com
)
is the partially privatised state train system that runs
most services. Its privately owned competitor
Italo
( 06 07 08;
www.italotreno.it
)
runs high-velocity
trains on two lines, one between Turin and Salerno, and one between Venice and Naples.
Train tickets must be stamped in the yellow machines (usually found at the head of rail platforms) just be-
fore boarding. Failure to do so usually results in fines.
Italy operates several types of trains:
