Italy is a travel destination for mountain lovers, sightseers and people who like to have fun and relax carefree on warm beaches. Traveling through this country is facilitated by a network of highways with a length of 7,170 kilometers. In addition, travelers have more than 18,000 kilometers of national roads, known in Italian as strade statali , at their disposal . How to prepare for a road trip in this Mediterranean country? You can learn more about this from this article.
Toll roads and motorways in Italy
Driving on the highways in Italy involves a toll in most cases. Only certain areas in the south of the country are free. Prices for highways in Italy are closely related to the type of terrain along which they run.
Entering Italy from the Austrian side, we pass through the Brenner pass and immediately enter the toll highway. The price of the trip depends on our destination. If it’s Sirmione, we’ll pay €14.40, but if we’re going to Reggio Calabria, the fare will be €69.00.
But not only the passage along this Italian route is tolled, because 4 tunnels are also tolled, which significantly reduce the time of passage through the Alps:
- Great St. Bernard Tunnel,
- Mont Blanc Tunnel,
- Tunnel du Frejus,
- The Munt La Schera Tunnel, also known as the Livigno Tunnel.
Fares for some tunnels in Italy 2025
The table shows approximate prices. You can always find detailed price lists by clicking on a specific tunnel page.
| Tunnel | Motorcycles | Cars up to 3.5 tons with a height of 2 m | Cars up to 3.5 tons with a height of 2-3 m |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Great St. Bernard tunnel is one-way | 16,5 € | 27,8 € | 43.40 € |
| Great St. Bernard Tunnel there and back | 22,1 € | 44,60 € | 69.30 € |
| Mount La Chera tunnel one-way April-November | 11 FR | 15FR | 23 FR |
| The Frejus tunnel is one-way | 31,7 € | 48.8 € | 63.50 € |
| Frejus tunnel there and back | 39,8 € | 48.8 € | 79.80 € |
| The Mont Blanc tunnel is one-way | 32,3 € | 48.8 € | 64.50 € |
| Mont Blanc tunnel there and back | 40,76 € | 60.20 € | 81.20 € |
Toll roads in Italy
- A1 Milan – Bologna – Florence – Rome – Naples
- A2 Salermo – Cosenza – Reggio Calabria
- A3 Naples – Salerno
- A4 Turin – Milan – Venice – Trieste
- A5 Turin – Aosta – Monte Bianco
- A6 Turin – Savona
- A7 Milan – Genoa
- A8 Milan – Varese
- A9 Lainate – Switzerland A2
- A10 Genoa – France A8
- A11 Florence – Pisa
- A12 Genoa – San Pietro in Palazzi, Tarquinia – Rome
- A13 Bologna – Padua
- A14 Bologna – Ancona – Bari – Taranto
- A15 Parma – Spezia
- A16 Naples – Canosa
- A18 Messina – Catania, Syracuse – Rosolini
- A19 Palermo – Catania
- A20 Messina – Palermo
- A21 Turin – Brescia
- A22 Modena – Trento – Austria A13
- A23 Palmanova – Austria A2
- A24 Rome – Aquila – Teramo
- A25 Torano – Pescara
- A26 Voltri – Gravellona Toce
- A27 Mestre – Pian di Vedoia
- A28 Portogruaro – Conegliano
- A29 Palermo – Mazara del Vallo
- A30 Caserta – Salerno
- A31 Badia Polesine – Piovene Rocchette
- A32 Turin – Bardonecchia
- A33 Asti – Alba, Cherasco – Cuneo
- A34 Villesse – Slovenia
- A35 Brescia – Liscate
- A36 Cassano Magnago – Lentate sul Seveso
Map of highways in Italy
Motorway tolls in Italy
When traveling to this country, remember that the prices on the motorways in Italy are relatively high. On Italian motorways, the most common toll collection system is based on entrances where we collect the ticket. However, the toll is paid at the exit.
Payment can be made in cash or by credit or debit card. However, you should not trust a cashless settlement one hundred percent. There may be problems with the system, so it is better to have cash with you. Another solution is the option of paying with Viacard, which is provided by road operators. This is a type of prepaid card that is available in different denominations.
In case of payment problems, you can get a special ticket at the exit confirming that the fee has not been paid. The payment term for such a trip is 15 days. It is better not to be late and pay such a fee on time. Otherwise, you will be fined from 87 to 345 euros. But that’s not all, as this fine will also include administrative and debt collection fees.
What determines the size of the toll on highways?
The amount of tolls depends on the category of the vehicle. The first two categories are cars with two axles. Category A includes motorcycles and scooters, passenger cars, minibuses and minibuses, the height of which on the front axle does not exceed 130 centimeters. Category B includes buses, camper vans and delivery vehicles classified as two-axle vehicles with a height above the front axle of more than 130 centimeters.
The following classes are vehicles with more axles. If a passenger car tows a single-axle trailer, it is classified as a three-axle trailer. However, if the trailer is 2-axle, driving on the highway involves the payment of vehicles and vehicles with 4 axles.
Do all motorways in Italy have toll gates?
In Lombardy, north of Milan, you can find several areas where the new toll collection method is used. There are no gates at the entrance to such a highway. So, how do you know if a trip is paid for? The signs above the road tell you that you have 15 days to pay the toll. When registering on a special site, you need to create an account, and then specify the car’s registration number. The system will automatically calculate the toll as it records where your journey on this motorway started and ended.
Vignettes in Italy
Vignettes are not used in this country. This does not mean that travel on the highway is free. In Italy, freeways are tolled, with some exceptions in the south of the country.
What about the countries you will pass through on your way to Italy? Vignettes are active in Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic. Only the road through Germany and France will allow you to avoid the vignettes, but you must remember that in France most autobahns are tolled.
Read also: Obtaining a driver’s license in Italy. How to apply for a license in Italy?
Mandatory car equipment in Italy
Requirements for mandatory equipment are relatively easy to meet. All you need are the following items in your car:
- reflective vest,
- warning triangle,
- first aid kit,
- extinguisher.
In case of an emergency car stop outside the city, on expressways and highways, it is necessary to wear a reflective vest. For this reason, it is best to have as many vests as there are passengers in a given carriage.
Italy – the most important traffic rules and speed limits
Maximum speeds at which you can drive on certain types of roads in Italy:
- Highway – 130 km/year,
- expressway – 110 km/h,
- road outside populated areas – 90 km/h,
- road in populated areas – 50 km/h,
- the road in the residential area is 30 km/h.
All passengers must wear seat belts. As in Poland, driving with dipped headlights is mandatory all year round. If you have had your driving license for more than 3 years, you can enjoy a higher blood alcohol limit than in Poland, which is 0.5 ppm in Italy.
Important phone numbers useful when traveling in Italy
- 112 is the European emergency number,
- 118 – Emergency service,
- 115 – fire department,
- 113 – Police,
- 116 – Assistance on the road,
- 1800 – help by phone,
- 12 – room office,
- 176 – International reference service,
- 17 90 – Italcable – (reception of calls and telegrams).