By bus, train or ferry you can get to almost anywhere in Italy. Longer distances are more convenient to fly by plane.
Having your own car gives you more freedom, but remember that gasoline and motorway traffic in Italy are very expensive. The optimal solution is to travel by public transport between big cities and ride personal car just outside the city.
Water transport
Navi - big ferries from Sicily and Sardinia, traghetti - small ferries and aliscafi run between small islands. The main landing points for passengers in Sardinia are Livorno, Civitavecchia and; in Sicily - and Villa San Giovanni in Calabria. The points of arrival in Sardinia are Cagliari, Arabatax, Olbia and Porto Torres; in Sicily - and Messina.
Detailed information on all ferry services in Italy can be found here. The website lists all routes, and there are also links to companies where you can book trips and buy tickets.
Tirrenia Navigazioni (0810 171 998; www.tirrenia.it) serves almost all Italian ports. There are also companies like Grandi Navi Veloci, Superfast, Ventouris and Montenegro Lines.
Many ferry rides take place at night. You can choose your seat in a 2/3/4-seater cab or even a separate Poltrona seat. The Deck class means that you can sit or sleep on the deck or in the common halls. Almost all ferries carry cars.
Hitchhiker's guide in Italy
In Italy, it's pretty a rare thing. Public transport quite reliable and most Italians prefer to use it over cars. Catching a ride is not safe, especially for women.
Buses and trams are a popular public transport in Italy
Bus services in Italy are represented by many companies. They cover both local routes and long distance connections. Traveling by bus is not always cheaper than by train, but in terms of moving to a small town, the bus is a very advantageous option.
Route schedules are available from local tourist offices. In large cities, most bus companies have ticket offices or offices. In some villages, bus tickets are sold on the buses themselves or in bars. Please note that buses always leave on time.
It is not necessary to book tickets. This is only relevant at the peak of the tourist season and for long trips.
Metro and bus tickets
You must buy a ticket before boarding the bus and return it for verification. For violations, a fine is given on the spot (about 50 euros).
The metro operates in Rome, Milan, Naples and Turin. The situation with tickets here is the same as for buses.
Every city, big or small, has an efficient urban and intercity bus network, reaching even the most remote villages. Tickets can be bought at tobacco and newsstands, at ticket offices and vending machines at bus stations... One ticket costs about 1 euro. Also, almost everywhere there are promotions for one-day tourist tickets.
Cars and motorcycles
Italy has a highway network that can be recognized by the white road sign And on a green background. Del Sole connects north and south - this route stretches from Milan to Reggio di Calabria (A1 from Milan to, A2 from Rome to and A3 from Naples to Reggio di Calabria).
There is a toll on most freeways. You can pay by cash or credit card. To avoid queues, buy a prepaid card (Viacard). They are sold at banks and ACI offices. The denomination is 25, 50 and 75 euros. You can use this map throughout Italy. For more information on tolls, call 800 26 92 69 or visit www.autostrade.it
Strade statal - such roads are represented on maps with S or CC signs. This is a two-, go four-lane highway, on which traffic does not move quickly, especially in mountainous areas... Strade provinciali - rural roads connecting small villages. Strade locali - local roads that may not yet be paved.
Trains are the fastest and most convenient form of transport in Italy
Trains in Italy are relatively inexpensive compared to other European countries. It is a fast and convenient form of transport.
The railways are almost entirely state-owned and are operated by the partially privatized company Trenitalia (800 89 20 21 in Italian; www.trenitalia.com). And there are also private rail lines.
There are several types of trains in Italy. Some of them stop at all stations, for example regional or interregional trains, while faster trains - Intercity (IC) or the faster Eurostar Italia (ES) - stop only in large cities.
Almost every train station has either left-luggage offices or lockers. The security cameras are usually open either from 6:00 to 00:00, or around the clock. The cost is 3 euros per seat.
Classes and train fares
Seats on most Italian trains are divided into first and second classes. A 1st class ticket costs a little less than two 2nd class tickets.
Intercity or Eurostar trips are subject to a surcharge of € 3 to € 16 based on the length of the distance. The Eurostar ticket price includes surcharge and booking fees. For current route prices, visit the Trenitalia website.
To the cost of night crossings, it is worth adding a surcharge for a bed - about 20 euros.
It is not necessary to book tickets, but it is advisable, as tickets on popular routes are sold out quickly. Pre-order will cost you 3 euros. It is always worth booking tickets for Eurostar trains.
You can book a train ticket at most travel agencies on the Internet. You can also buy a ticket by arriving at the station in advance. For the sale of tickets for Eurostar trains, special ticket offices are set aside at some stations.
Carta Verde can be bought at all major stations. This card costs 40 euros and is valid for a year. It entitles you to a 10% discount on domestic flights within Germany and 25% for intercity. Carta d'Argento costs € 30 and offers a 15% discount on domestic flights and 25% on intercity flights.
Public transport within the city
All major cities are well developed transport systems buses and metro. However, in Venice, for example, the only travel option is by vaporetto (small passenger ferries) or on foot.
Taxi
There are taxi ranks at train and bus stations. Vote "on the roads is illegal. If you called a taxi by phone, then keep in mind that the meter started working when you called, and not when you got into the car. Minimum price for taxi services - from 2.33 to 4.91 euros, depending on the time of day, plus 0.78 euros per kilometer (in Rome, this price is 1.29 euros), and as a result, the shortest trips around the city will cost from 10 to 15 euros. No more than 4-5 people can travel in one taxi.
The major local airlines are Air One (phone: 199 207 080; Alitalia (phone: 06 22 22; www.flyairone.it); and Meridiana (phone: 89 29 28; www.flyairone.it); Ryanair (phone: 899 678 910; www.flyairone.it); also has domestic flights within Italy.
The country's main airports are located in Rome, Pisa, Milan, Bologna, Genoa, Naples, Venice, Catania, and Cagliari.
Bicycles
The whole country rides bicycles. There are no special rules, but it is recommended that you wear helmets and turn on your headlights. Bicycles are not allowed on motorways. If you are planning to take your bike on holiday to Italy, check with the airline for additional costs. The bike must be disassembled and packed for transport. Do not forget to take spare parts and tools for repairs with you as well.
If the train has a bicycle icon, it means that you can carry your "two-wheeled friends" on it. The cheapest way is to buy a separate ticket for a bicycle, it costs from 3.5 to 12 euros for intercity, Eurostar and Euronight trains. This ticket is valid for 24 hours, which is quite economical. Disassembled and packed bicycles can be accepted free of charge on night trains, and they can always be carried on ferries without additional charges.
Italy is one of the most economically prosperous countries in Europe. And this can be seen not only in the level of well-being of its inhabitants, but also in the quality transport links within the country, which is a necessary factor for the development of business and tourism.
The road network in Italy is well developed and is evenly distributed throughout the country, although there is some predominance of roads in the north of Italy compared to the south. However, this does not in the least affect the quality. road transport... Due to the dense network of roads, 80% of freight and 90% of passenger traffic is carried out by cars.
If speak about external transport, then sea transport prevails here... There are more than a thousand ships in Italy and they perfectly cope with the largest loads and long distances.
There is a great demand for rail transportation... A dense network of railways connects cities and towns in Italy. Like roads, many railways were laid directly on the slopes of the mountains. This explains the large number of bridges and tunnels that exist on any road in all parts of the country. Today, the Italian authorities are paying special attention to rail transport, modernizing it and investing heavily in the repair of existing trains. Not only the technical equipment of the railways is undergoing changes and improvements, but their total number is also increasing. This already today makes it possible to quickly and easily get to any city in Italy.
Sea transport also plays a large role in external and domestic transport country. This is due to the considerable length of coastline, the general position of Italy on the sea route, as well as the presence of the islands that make up the country. 144 ports - there are so many of them on the shores of Italy. The largest is the port of Genoa, which is famous all over the world. This port is a "sea gate" for ships in the North-West of Italy and Switzerland. Trieste is the second port in terms of cargo turnover after Genoa. He sends ships to the countries of the Middle East, East Asia and Africa. Thanks to the development in last years petrochemical and oil refining industry in Italy, the cargo turnover has increased significantly and two more large ports of the country - Taranto and Augusta. The largest passenger port in Italy is Naples, which is the center of connections with Sardinia, Sicily and other islands.
For lack of large rivers in Italy, river transport is poorly developed here. This cannot be said about civil aviation... There are many daily flights from Italy to the most different countries the world. The largest airports in the country are Rome's Leonardo da Vinci, Milan's Linate and Malpensa.
It is very important for Italy that all trade routes are constantly functioning and in the best condition, since the country's foreign economic relations largely depend on this. What does Italy import? First of all, the products of engineering industries, agricultural products, footwear, clothing, industrial equipment and raw materials for various industries. The most active foreign trade is in Italy with Germany and France. Hospitality business of this country serves more than 50 million tourists from all over the world per year, the entire infrastructure of Italy is ready to work for guests, so it ranks first in western Europe according to the number of places in hotels.
In the internal transportation of goods and passengers, the main role is played by road transport, followed by rail. In terms of the level of electrification of railways, the country occupies one of the first places in the world. A dense network of modern highways and railways links the cities of Northern Italy. In the internal transportation of goods and passengers, the main role is played by road transport, followed by rail.
River transport in Italy is poorly developed due to the lack of large rivers. Developing quite fast civil Aviation Italy. Air lines connect the largest cities in Italy with many cities in Europe and other continents. Major airports countries - Leonardo da Vinci near Rome, Malpensa and Linate near Milan serve as important hubs for the international airline network.
Due to the elongation of the country from north to south, its network of railways and highways developed mainly in the meridional direction. Latitudinal communications, with the exception of the Padan plain, are not enough. Many roads and railways in Italy are laid on steep mountain slopes and therefore have many bridges, tunnels, etc., which makes them more expensive to operate. Roads in the Alps play an especially important role in international road and rail transport.
In Italy, the role of road transport is exceptionally great: it accounts for 3/4 of all land transportation of goods. The total length of highways reaches almost 300 thousand km, and about half of them are in Northern Italy, in the South of the country the density of the road network is much less.
In 1924, the world's first motorway was built in Italy (Milan - Varese). Now, in terms of the length of motorways (5.9 thousand km), Italy ranks second after Germany among the capitalist countries of Europe. The densest motorway network in the North. The main transport axis of the country is of great importance - the motorway of the Sun, the best of the Italian roads, connecting Turin with Milan, Florence, Rome, Naples and going further to the extreme south, to the city of Reggio di Calabria. The development of road transport in general and, in particular, road construction was adversely affected by the fuel and energy crisis.
Railways are inferior in importance to automobile ones. Railway transport in Italy is less developed than in other capitalist countries. However, in recent years, more capital has been invested in railway construction than in road transport. In terms of technical equipment, some of the main lines, modernized at the end of the 60s, stand out sharply. As a result of this modernization, for example, on the Rome-Florence line, the train can reach speeds of up to 200 km / h. The length of Italian railways exceeds 20 thousand km. Sea transport plays a very important role in both internal and external transport of the country. This is due to the position of Italy on the Mediterranean waterway, the long coastline, the presence of islands in the country. There are 144 ports on the shores of Italy.
90% of imported goods and 60-65% of exported goods are transported by sea. A significant part of domestic traffic is also carried out by sea. An important source of foreign exchange earnings in Italy is international freight. More than half of the total tonnage of the Italian maritime fleet falls on oil tankers, which is associated with a powerful oil refining industry.
Oil and other mineral raw materials prevail in the turnover of Italian ports. The largest Italian port of Genoa with an annual cargo turnover of over 50 million tons is one of the most important in the entire Mediterranean. Genoa serves as a gateway to the outside world for the entire industrial North-West of Italy, as well as for Switzerland. It is one of the leading container ports Mediterranean Sea... The main rival and competitor of Genoa on the Adriatic is Trieste, the second in Italy in terms of cargo turnover (42 million tons) and one of the most important oil ports in Europe. It is also the main coffee transhipment point in Europe. Through Trieste, northeastern Italy connects with other countries of the Mediterranean, the Near and Middle East, East Africa and East Asia. It also serves as the main port on the Mediterranean for the Danube countries, primarily for Austria. Trieste is predominantly a transit port, in contrast to Venice, which plays a direct role in the economy of northeastern Italy. The development of the Venetian port in recent years has been fueled by an increase in Italian trade with The Russian Federation, countries of Asia and Africa.
Over the past decades, the cargo turnover of ports has increased significantly Southern Italy(Augusta and Taranto), which is explained primarily by the rapid development of oil refining and petrochemical industry.
Peninsular Italy is associated with its islands, as well as with some Yugoslav and Greek ports sea ferries... The ferry line connecting Sicily with the Apennine Peninsula is especially busy. Therefore, the question is raised about the construction of a tunnel or bridge across the Strait of Messina.
River transport in Italy is poorly developed due to the lack of large rivers. The development of the oil refining and petrochemical industries stimulated the spread of pipeline transport in Italy. The total length of main oil and gas pipelines exceeds 8 thousand km. The densest pipeline network in the North. Some of them are of international importance, such as the gas pipeline that transports natural gas from Russia to northern Italy.
The civil aviation of Italy is developing quite rapidly. Air lines maintain communication between the largest cities in Italy and many cities in Europe and other continents. The largest airports in the country - Leonardo da Vinci near Rome, Malpensa and Linate near Milan, and others serve as important centers of the international airline network.
In a country like Italy, elongated in its configuration, jutting deeply into the Mediterranean Sea at its very center, located at the intersection of many international transport routes, transport, both internal and external, plays a very important role.
Due to the elongation of the country from north to south, its network of railways and highways developed mainly in the meridional direction. ... Of the 293 thousand km of roads, about half are in northern Italy, in the South of the country the density of the road network is much less. Railways are inferior in importance to automobile roads, but now more capital is invested in railway construction than in road transport.
Automobile transport dominates in domestic transportation of goods and passengers: it accounts for 3/4 of all land transportation of goods. More than 90% of passengers and more than 80% of cargo are transported by road. Italy contains 1/4 of all European motorways (about 6 thousand km), including the world's oldest motorway Milan - Varese, built in 1924.
home transport artery countries - the Highway of the Sun, going through the whole of Italy, from Turin through Milan, Florence, Rome, Naples to Reggio di Calabria. A high-speed railroad is being built along the same route, but the total length of existing railways, mainly electrified, is shrinking due to competition from road transport.
Convenient passes across the Alps provide a link between Italy and its northern neighbors. Despite the fact that the passes are at high altitudes, the Alps have never been a barrier between Italy and the rest of Europe. The main transalpine railways follow long tunnels under the Fréjus passes to France, the Simplons and St Gotthard passages to Switzerland, and the rather short Brenner tunnel to Austria. The road tunnel under the Greater Saint Bernard Pass was commissioned in 1963 and the Mont Blanc Tunnel in 1962. These roads are now complemented by a rapidly expanding rail network linking Italy's industrial cities with the rest of Europe.
Italy's position on the Mediterranean waterway, the long coastline, the presence of islands in the country explain the important role of sea transport, which is 80% controlled by the state. 80-90% of import cargoes and 60-65% of export cargoes are transported by sea transport, and a significant part of domestic traffic is also carried out. International freight brings significant revenues to the state.
The tonnage of the fleet is 8 million tons - the third place in the region after Norway and Greece, 1/3 of the vessels are tankers. The largest ports - Trieste and Genoa (cargo turnover of more than 30 million tons) - are gateways to the outside world not only for Northern Italy, but also for Switzerland, Austria and other European countries. The main center of coastal connections of the peninsula is Naples.
The civil aviation of Italy is developing quite rapidly. Air lines maintain communication between the largest cities in Italy and many cities in Europe and other continents. The country's largest airports - Leonardo da Vinci (L "aeroporto di Roma Fiumicino) near Rome, Malpensa (Aeroporto di Milano-Malpensa) and Linate (Aeroporto di Milano-Linate) near Milan serve as important centers of the international network of airlines connecting Europe with other continents. The airports of Naples, Palermo, Venice, Genoa are important in domestic traffic.The country's air transport is 75% controlled by the state through the Alitalia company.
People involuntarily begin to think about how the country's transport network is organized. This issue especially worries Russians who are accustomed to road difficulties.
Roads and transport services in Italy are at the proper level, as befits the status of a tourist country. Trains, buses, cars - movement around the country is organized, systematized and debugged. So, tourists, feel free to plan your travel itineraries in Italy.
Rail transport in Italy
Trains in Italy, as elsewhere, run on a strict schedule in accordance with established routes. Railway connection connects everything Largest cities into a single transport network. Traveling in Italy by train is chosen by people who, leisurely, in comfortable conditions, want to admire the picturesque beauty of the Italian provinces, its amazing landscapes.
The level of travel comfort depends on the desire and capabilities of the traveler himself.
Train tickets in Italy are stamped on the platform, not in the train carriage. In italian railroad flexible rates, there are various discounts. Therefore, when buying a ticket, indicate the age of the children and show the student age. In general, perhaps the most convenient way to travel in Italy is by rail.
If you want to provide yourself with the most comfortable conditions, buy tickets for trains of the Eurostar Italia or TBiz class. Passengers of these trains can count on:
Exact timetable compliance, eliminating delays in the arrival and departure of trains.
High speed of movement.
Limited number of stops throughout the train route. Stops at intermediate stations are excluded. These trains have green lights on all lines.
Comfortable compartment. Restaurant car. High level service. There are even electrical outlets in the cars.
Traveling with friends, family? It will be more convenient for a company of travelers to use the "Intercity" class train. These intercity trains are equipped with six-seater compartments. A pleasant pastime with friends will make the trip interesting and stress-free.
Choosing trains of the "Regionale" and "Interregionale" class, be prepared for the fact that the speed of movement may seem slow to you, and also these trains often stop at insignificant stations, stand for a long time on the railway lines major cities... But on the other hand, the price of tickets for these trains is pleasantly surprising.
Do you have a long way to go? For example, it takes a long time to travel from Rome to Milan by train. So why not combine the trip with a night's sleep? Having bought a train ticket of the "Treni Notte" class, you can get on the train at the railway station in Rome in the evening, get comfortable in a comfortable compartment and sleep all the way to the lulling sound of wheels. In the morning, having rested and had a good night's sleep, I was surprised to find that the train was already arriving at Milan. By the way, many tourists do just that.
In Italy (especially in tourist areas), buses may not stop at stops without a passenger request. When at a bus stop, just wave your hand to indicate to the driver that you are about to board the bus. The bus cabins are equipped with special buttons.
Attention! Railway transport in Italy has its own characteristics. When planning to use it, you need to remember several important points.
1. It is better to book train tickets in advance. This can be done by phone or on the website of the Railway Company. If you decide to buy a ticket just before the trip, at the box office, then come to the station in advance. Sometimes there are a lot of travelers, the queues for tickets are long and move at a snail's speed. It is possible that you may simply not get tickets for the planned flight.
2. When ordering a train ticket on the website of the carrier company, remember that most of all you will be offered extremely expensive tickets. If you do not want to overpay for the trip, click on the "other options" button - perhaps you will find cheaper trains and tickets among them. And one more thing: after paying for the purchase of a ticket remotely, do not forget to remember (write down) the code that will allow you to receive your ticket from the ticket machine at the station.
3. If you do not put on your ticket a special stamp confirming the ticket, then, in fact, although you have a ticket in your hands, you will find yourself in the position of a “hare” - a free rider. In this case, when checking tickets, you will have to pay a fine (more than 50 euros). Tickets are stamped in small vending machines installed in the station building. It is easy to recognize them: they are bright yellow and bear the inscription "Convalida".
4. If you have a lot of trips, then it makes sense to think about purchasing a travel ticket.
Do not argue with a traffic policeman in Italy, the fine for a violation from this can double. An attempt to "negotiate" may result in arrest for the violator.
Knowing about all the features of traveling in Italy by train, the journey will seem comfortable and enjoyable. The main advantage railway transport- reliability and safety.
Italian road transport
Automobile transport is the choice of those travelers who independently plan their routes of movement around the country. Highways in Italy are unevenly distributed. The northern provinces are interconnected by an extensive network of highways, their quality meets European standards. But the southern cities and provinces, unfortunately, cannot boast of this. The length of highways here is much shorter, and the quality of the road surface does not always please motorists.
Car rental prices start from thirty euros per day. This amount includes unlimited mileage during use, car insurance, third party damage insurance, taxes. Do not forget to check the condition of the car before picking it up from the rental company. Theft insurance is not always included in the daily rate. Most gas stations in Italy are open until 19.00, with a siesta break. Most gas stations are closed on Sunday. Petrol stations on the main highways still work around the clock.
When choosing a trip to cities in Italy by car, you need to know:
Many motorways in the country require a charge. You can pay for tolls on the highway in special booths (they say "Viacard"). They are usually installed at the entrance to the motorway, in some cases at the exit. Sometimes you only have to pay for a certain section, for example, a bridge. You can pay the road credit cards, cash, or buy a special prepaid card.
Italian roads are often crammed with modern road video surveillance devices. They record everything that happens on the monitored section of the road: who drove by, how fast he drove, what rules he violated. Fines for violations are sent to the violator's mailing address. If a resident of another state violates the rules, he, in addition to the fine itself, will be forced to pay the cost of measures taken by the Italian police to search for him. And this is not a small amount! Therefore, when traveling on the roads of Italy by road, be extremely careful, careful and in no case violate the traffic rules. Needless to say that, not knowing these rules, it is better not to drive at all!
Never drive drunk. Driving a motor vehicle in a state of alcohol (drug) intoxication is punished very severely, up to and including imprisonment.
If you are taking a child with you on a trip, then remember that children under 10 years old should only be in the back seat and only in car seats!
Seat belts must be fastened!
And finally, one more tip: buy a road map of Italy, or use the navigator. So you will definitely not get lost in an unfamiliar country.
Bus transport in Italy
Incorrectly parked cars with rental numbers are the first to get the attention of the police. For a short period of time, you can usually park near hotels. It is forbidden to park in parking lots bounded by the yellow line. Parking spaces bounded by the white line are free, the blue line is paid through the meter (disco orario, time limit - 30, 60 or 90 minutes).
Traveling around Italy by bus is very popular among local residents and among tourists. Bus transport in Italy is represented by quite a number of companies engaged in both urban and intercity transportation. The largest of them are united in a special alliance - "IBus". The services for the transportation of goods and passengers, provided by its member companies, are systematically distributed and cover almost the entire territory of Italy. Also "IBus" provides an opportunity to use bus routes when leaving Italy for another country.
It is possible to clarify routes, departure and arrival times of buses, as well as order tickets via the Internet, on the official website of the alliance "IBus".
Italian water transport
In order to come to Italy, you can use by water transport... Motor ships, ferries, pleasure boats, gondolas are quite serious competition for the railway and road transport... Their popularity among tourists (and the Italians themselves, however, too) is due to the fact that Italy is immediately washed from three sides by the seas, the country's territory is completely dotted with large and small rivers and canals. In addition, the province of Italy is part of Italy: Sardinia, Sicily and others. Ferry crossing is the most profitable and convenient way their communications with the mainland. Ferries run on predetermined routes periodically, sometimes making 4-5 trips a day, depending on the demand for this type of transport. The ferry carries both passengers and land transport: buses, cars; as well as cargo, including container cargo.
