While you can easily travel from one part of Italy to another via planes, where is the fun in that? Wouldn’t you rather enjoy the glorious views of the countryside as you move from one Italian city to another rather than wait at airports for your flight and stare at clouds as you head to your next destination? Well, you can skip the routine airport check-in and flying to the next city on your list by choosing to explore Italy on land.
Touring Italy on land can be done a few ways. You can go by train, by bus, on a taxi, or by renting a car that you drive yourself. All of these different land tour options have their pros and cons, but all of them give you the chance to enjoy the lovely Italian countryside as you move from one destination to another.
Trains – The Italian Rail is one of the more popular land transportation options you have in the country. There are trains traveling from some of the most popular cities in the country, with most of them being high-speed trains. Some routes however do not have these high-speed trains, but these can still get you to where you want to go in a reasonable amount of time.
The two train companies operating within the country are Italo and Trenitalia. Taking any of these two will give you one of the easiest and most convenient ways to get from one Italian city to the next, without the need to contend with traffic, getting lost, and maps. It also gives you the chance to see a side of Italy you wouldn’t otherwise see if you chose to fly.
Buses – Where trains don’t go, buses do. This is another mode of transportation that lets you get to destinations the scenic way. Buses not only travel to and from popular cities in Italy, but also to smaller, out-of-the-way destinations that you would have missed seeing by other transportation modes. Buses are more convenient to use in the southern parts of the country and can be used when you are planning city day trips or are traveling to another part of the country.
One thing you need to remember when you take the bus here is that you should always validate your ticket when you board one though (it’s that big orange box you see when you get on the bus) or else you will get fined. Some of the bus companies you will find operating in Italy include Baltour, BusCenter, and SITA, which is a major Italian bus company that operates throughout the country. To get in touch with SITA, you can call 39 055 47821.
Taxi – Going around the major tourist destinations in Italy is often better if done on foot, but what if you need to get from one end of the city to the other? Taxis can be found in most of the country’s major cities (and in some of the smaller towns and lesser-populated areas too), and can be used for getting quickly to where you want to go. These taxis can also be used for trips outside of the city, but fees for these trips need to be arranged with the driver before you go since these are based on distance and not on what the meter says.
When you ride taxis in Italy, make sure that you ride the ones with meters. You should also check these taxis for their fare cards and the list of surcharges that tell you how much you need to add to your base fare (there are surcharges for Sundays, holidays, late nights, and luggage). One thing you need to remember is that, for you to be able to get a taxi, you need to go to a designated taxi stand or have your hotel book one for you.
Rental Car – If you would rather travel the countryside (and the city, for that matter) with you behind the wheel, then a rental car is what you should get. Word of advice though, it might be a good idea to save your driving for out-of-city trips and not drive inside major cities since these can be frustrating (traffic) and expensive (parking fees).
Most Italian rental cars have manual transmission, so if you are used to driving an automatic, be prepared to pay extra for it. The highways in Italy are some of the best in the world, and give you easy drives between cities. Toll fees on the autostrada can be rather high so always have extra on hand for this. Things to remember when driving on this highway include a speed limit of 130 kmph, headlights should be on, seatbelts are a must, and to stay on the right lane if you are driving slow.
You will need an International Driver’s Permit (IDP) to drive in Italy. The IDP is a translation of your American driver’s license. You can get one for $20 through AAA (American Automobile Association). While you do not need to show the IDP when you rent a car, you might if you are stopped by the police. Also bring your regular driver’s license from home since you need to show this at the rental counter.
Some resources that can prove useful when driving around in Italy include www.autostrade.it and the Automobile Club d’Italia (ACI) (39 06 49981).
However you choose to travel in Italy, our experienced travel consultants can help make the arrangements as part of your vacation package. Call us for help at any time at 800.955.4418
