Italian Motorways(Autostrada)

The most significant and fastest highways in Italy are toll roads or Autostrada, as we call them in Italian. This information is helpful if you want to drive while visiting Italy.

The nation is crisscrossed with autostradas from east to west and north to south.

They are clean, simple to use, and quick.

But they are also expensive, and if you need to get used to them, you might need to learn how to use them.

Italian toll highways are great for long-distance travel.

Like many other nations on the continent, Italy has several toll roads where you must pay to drive. This article examines what you’ll need to pack for your trip to Italy.

The guide to driving in Italy is a beautiful place to start if this is your first national visit.

What Is Autostrada?

The national system of motorways in Italy is made up of the Autostrade. Most of the Autostrade in North and Central Italy are tollways run by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti-controlled holding company Autostrade per l’Italia. Other operators include Strada dei Parchi, SALT, SAT, and Autocisa in the center; ASTM, ATP, and Autostrade Lombarde in the north-west; Autostrada del Brennero, A4 Holding, Concessioni Autostradali Venete, and Autovie Venete in the north-east; and CAS in the south.

How Long Is The Italian Autostrada?

The system is around 6,758 kilometers long overall (4,199 mi)

 Which Vehicles Can Use the Italian Autostrada?

You may use the Autostrada to travel in a rented vehicle. Vehicles that cannot enter Autostrada include the following:

• Bicycles
• Vehicles that can’t travel at least 80 kilometers per hour

If you’re traveling to Italy in your car, be aware that you can operate bikes (with a displacement of more than 150 cc), campers, buses, etc.

On Sundays from 7:00 to 22:00, large vehicles (above 7.5 tonnes, oversized, or carrying hazardous goods) are not allowed to operate (standard timing but varies). Additionally, they may not be allowed to drive on the Autostrade on Saturdays and Sundays immediately preceding or after holidays. Every year, the official calendar is released. Italian toll roads are considerably simpler to travel on without big vehicles. Therefore it’s worth looking at!

How Fast Can You Drive On The Autostrada In Italy?

Due to logically improved regulation over the past several years, speeding on the Autostrada is far less prevalent than it once was. The Italian Highway Patrol (Polizia Stradale) also drives several unmarked cars outfitted with sophisticated speed radars and video systems to penalize drivers who speed and engage in dangerous driving. An automatic system called Tutor with automatic license plate recognition is installed on several Italian highway sections. It measures the average speed of all moving cars over a particular stretch. More and more highways are being added to this system’s coverage area. You may occasionally be reminded of the existence of this system via road signage.

It’s a good indication that there is some enforcement mechanism on that route if almost all of the cars surrounding you appear to be driving carefully at the posted speed limit or even a little slower. Even though locals’ reckless driving might make you believe that a speed limit or “no passing” sign was just a suggestion, it is always better for foreigners to err on the side of caution and observe all rules and regulations. This is because, occasionally, those reckless locals run into the police while traveling.

Unless otherwise indicated, the following are the standard speed limits:

• 130 km/h (Autostrada) on highways (110 km/h in the event of rain);
• 110 kph on grade-separated, split roads with blue motorway signs at the entrances (superstrate);
• a general speed restriction of 90 km/h on motorways and rural roads;
• 50 km/h in urban areas, defined as those with a white sign with the name of the town or city in black and a red-barred version of that sign at the end.

Italy’s legal maximum speed tolerance is 5 km/h, or 5%.

In general, fines are highly costly. You will be hit with a fine of more than €500 and an automatic driving prohibition of one to three months if you are detected going more than 40 km/h over the speed limit, forcing you to immediately take to the streets on foot (you may reach the destination of your current journey). Non-resident drivers of vehicles with foreign registration must either pay their fines in full on the spot if they accept them or pay a deposit on the spot if they intend to appeal later. In either case, you must pay something right away, and the police won’t hesitate to accompany you to the closest ATM to withdraw the money you need.

Even if the likelihood of being caught is undoubtedly low, you don’t want this to happen to you.

Traffic Laws 

All vehicles must always be equipped with headlights outside cities, especially on highways. Motorcycles are required to operate with their headlights on continuously.

Drunk driving has drawn much attention following a string of fatal incidents in recent years. The acceptable limit for blood alcohol content is 0.50g/L; exceeding it is a crime punishable by steep penalties, license suspension, jail time, and, in the most severe circumstances, even the instant seizure of one’s car. Drivers under 21 years old have less than three years of driving experience, and professionals have no limit. Unfortunately, although being tougher than previously, enforcement is still impaired, and drunk driving is still a problem to some extent.

Children under the age of 10 must sit in the back seats, and seat belt use is compulsory for all passengers. Depending on their age, children under 12 must use a seat booster or an authorized car seat.

You are required to yield to any oncoming traffic at unmarked junctions. Be alert since many Italians appear to disregard this law and will insist on a nonexistent right of way simply because they are traveling straight ahead or on what they believe to be the main route, even though the intersection is entirely unmarked.

Large cities experience this at night when certain junctions’ traffic lights are turned off. The secondary roads at such crossroads typically have a “give way” sign, but occasionally they don’t. This is problematic since you could anticipate the automobile coming from your left to let you pass when it presumes you have a “give way” sign and continue driving like a bullet.

It can be strange if you’re from somewhere north of the Alps because many Italians need to take road markings more seriously (some need to recognize there are road markings). On multi-lane highways, you should constantly look for traffic from adjacent lanes squeezing into your lane on bends. In multi-lane roundabouts, lane lines are routinely disregarded, and almost all drivers “cut off” when navigating the roundabout and again when departing, of course, without signaling.

It’s best to drive cautiously in Italy because there needs to be more clarity about how to behave in large roundabouts. It would help if you never drove side by side with another vehicle in a roundabout, assuming the other will obey the lane markings. You should also expect vehicles to enter, turn, and exit at any time without signaling.

Navigating The Italian Autostrada

Useful Apps For Driving In Italy’s Autostrada

Although there is a specific Autostrada app, the most widely used navigation applications are Google Maps and Waze.

Maps For Using The Autostrada

We advise bringing a paper map with you to Italy if you want to do a lot of driving (in addition to a GPS or Google Maps on your phone).

My favorite regional maps are those produced by TCI – Touring Club Italiano, such as those for Puglia (green and yellow). They’re simple to locate here in Italy, but not so much outside of Italy. If you want to prepare for your journey with a physical map, you may get them on Amazon.com.

They are made of thin plastic, so if you spill anything on them or get them wet, they won’t rip or be damaged. For more significant regions like Italia Nord (Northern Italy), Italia Centro (Central Italy), and Italia Sud, TCI also produces road atlases (Southern Italy). On its website, TCI offers a variety of maps and atlases. However, they do not provide worldwide shipping.

Step-By-Step Instructions For Using The Autostrada

1. To get to the Autostrada, follow the green signs.

2You must pay a toll at an entry toll booth before you may travel on the Autostrada. Be mindful of where you enter. You must enter through a BIGLIETTO-designated lane as a tourist and pay for a ticket.

Push the red button and grab the ticket that comes out if it isn’t poking out of the machine when you arrive. Once you’ve purchased a ticket, the barrier will rise, allowing you to drive past.

3. Determine your course of action. This takes place rapidly! If you are coming from Florence, the directions are the following big cities in either direction on the Autostrada, such as Bologna and Roma. You must know which one you want to go in (Google Maps and GPS will tell you). Join the group of people who have just come through the entry toll booth as you merge onto the onramp of your choice.

4. Use Autostrada to travel. Stop at Autostrada’s service stations to get petrol or food.

5. To leave the Autostrada, you must pay the exit toll. To pay with cash (WHITE) or a credit/debit card, select the corresponding lanes (BLUE). The barrier will rise once you insert your ticket into the machine and make a payment, allowing you to drive past.

Is Italian Autostrade Advisable?

You should use the Italian Autostrade if you plan to travel vast distances when you are there.

Options besides utilizing Italy’s toll highways include:

• Use standard (non-toll) roads
• Utilize a private driver or public transportation (planes, trains, and taxis).

Advantages Of Using The Autostrada

• quicker than using regular roads
• immediately delivers you door to door (compared to public transport)
• social distance is simple
• Typically less wavy than regular roads
• Despite being closed elsewhere, gas stations are open on the Autostrada

Disadvantages Of Using The Autostrada

• Gas, toll, and parking costs (compared to public transport)
• aggressive drivers
• hefty trucks
• Not as picturesque as regular roads
• can become snarled in traffic without an escape nearby
• If we need to go a great distance effectively, we use Autostrada.

Eating On The Autostrada

You don’t have to exit the Autostrada to acquire food while driving down it. Service (gas) stations frequently have a structure with a café or restaurant, restrooms, and a small store.

The Autogrill is the most prevalent restaurant type, although you’ll also come across Chef Express, Sarni, and Fini franchises. The usual word you’ll hear is “auto grill.”

You may sometimes come upon a café with pastries, sandwiches, and coffee. Other Autogrills offer whole “restaurants” featuring grilled meats, spaghetti, risotto, salad bars, and more.

You may pick up snacks in the market and continue traveling if you need to stop for a meal.

Helpful Tips For Avoiding Traffic On The Autostrada

Avoid Bollini Neri And Rossi

On “black” and “red” days, terrible traffic is to be expected. Google “2023 calendario bollini neri e rossi” (with the year you’re looking for), and then look at the calendar that appears. Anywhere you see a red or black emblem, traffic is likely to be severe and critical (red) or critical (red). On those days, stay off the Autostrada! When most Italians travel to the coast, the mountains, or their hometowns in August, bollini neri and rossi are prevalent. Consequently, you’ll be stuck in traffic in the sweltering heat.

Try To Drive On The Autostrada Without Large Trucks

• Avoid peak commute times (morning and evening)
• Avoid the weekend’s start and finish throughout the summer.
• Avoid driving on a holiday weekend’s first and last days (Ponte)
• For traffic updates, see the Autostrada Italia official page.
• Use the traffic mode on Google Maps.

What To Do If Your Car Breaks Down On The Highway

On the right side of the Autostrada, there are frequently available emergency pullouts and an emergency lane.

Use your safety triangle and emergency vest as necessary (included with your rental car). Remove yourself and all other passengers from traffic (for example, to the other side of the guardrail).

There are emergency phones (in the short columns with ‘SOS’ on them) at the emergency pullouts where you may call and talk to an operator to request assistance.

Reach the ACI – Italy’s Automobile Club at 803.116 (free).

You can also obtain assistance at a gas station if you can get there.

Conclusion

The Autostrada is a vast network of toll highways in Italy that spans the country’s mainland from north to south, from its west coast to its east coast, and on the island of Sicily. The Autostrada is intended for faster travel than the superstrada (non-toll highway). We have mentioned above everything you need to know about Italian Autostrada.