# Driving in Italy: where you cannot drive

> ZTL hours for Rome, Florence, Milan and Naples, the Amalfi plate rule, the Strait ferry fare and the Dolomite roads that shut at 9 am.

URL: https://myitalia.it/faq/driving
Last updated: 2026-09-02

Most of what goes wrong for a driver in Italy happens where cars are not allowed: camera-controlled historic centers, the Amalfi road on alternate plates from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, and mountain roads that close to private cars during the day.

## The ZTL is a camera, not a barrier

A ZTL is a camera zone, not a gate: authorized plates enter during set hours and every other vehicle is photographed. The permit is tied to a plate and a time band, the gate is unmanned, and the penalty notice is issued afterwards and posted to the address on the rental agreement.

That last step is what turns one wrong turn into two charges: the rental company bills an administrative fee for handing over your details, and the municipal fine follows separately.

## Four cities, four sets of hours

Rome runs five zones, of which the Centro Storico one is live Monday to Friday 6:30 am to 6:00 pm (06:30 to 18:00 on Italian signs) and Saturday 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Florence divides its whole center into five sectors, with A, B and O live 7:30 am to 8:00 pm on weekdays.

Milan charges instead of banning: €7.50 a day inside the Cerchia dei Bastioni, weekdays 7:30 am to 7:30 pm, with late payment at €22.50 until midnight on the seventh day. Area B, the low emission zone around it, has no ticket and a much wider perimeter.

Naples guards its Centro Antico with four gates, the busiest of which stays live until 2:00 am from Friday to Sunday.

## The roads where the plate decides

On the SS163 the last digit of your plate decides whether you can drive between 10:00 am and 6:00 pm. Under Anas ordinance 340/2019, plates ending in an odd digit stay off the coast road on odd-numbered days, even plates on even days. Hotel guests with a booking, residents, taxis and disabled badge holders are exempt, and outside those hours the road is open to all.

The dates change every year. In 2026 the measure ran March 30 to April 6 and again April 24 to May 2, both around holiday weekends.

## Mountain roads that close in daylight

At Lago di Braies the road is regulated from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm between July 1 and September 15, 2026, and a car needs a booked parking slot at €44, or €49 for vehicles over 2.2 m tall. Arriving before 9:00 am or after 4:00 pm needs nothing at all, and the lake itself is free to reach on foot or by bike.

## Crossing to Sicily with the car

The Strait crossing from Villa San Giovanni to Messina costs €43.20 one way for a car with up to five people, plus €2.30 of fuel surcharge and €0.60 of ETS levy, at the September 2026 tariff. Sailings run around the clock, all week, which makes it the one leg of an Italian road trip you cannot really miss.

City by city detail sits in the [ZTL pages](/themes/ztl); the drawn perimeters are on the [ZTL map](/map/ztl).

## FAQ

### How do I avoid a ZTL fine in Italy?

Park outside the historic center and walk in. Gate cameras read your plate and the penalty is issued by post, so there is no barrier and no warning at the roadside. In Rome the Centro Storico zone runs 6:30 am to 6:00 pm Monday to Friday, in Florence 7:30 am to 8:00 pm.

### What time does the ZTL start in Rome?

6:30 am on weekdays for the Centro Storico zone, which closes at 6:00 pm, plus Saturday 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm and no restriction on public holidays. The Tridente zone around via del Corso runs later, to 7:00 pm on weekdays and from 10:00 am on Saturday.

### Is the whole center of Florence a ZTL?

Yes, split into five sectors: A, B, O, F and G. In A, B and O the zone is live all year on working days, 7:30 am to 8:00 pm Monday to Friday and 7:30 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday, with a summer night zone added from the first Thursday of April.

### What is the difference between Area C and Area B in Milan?

Area C is the paid zone inside the Cerchia dei Bastioni, €7.50 a day, Monday to Friday 7:30 am to 7:30 pm. Area B is much larger, costs nothing and bans the dirtiest vehicle classes instead; the city says it acts on 65% of annual traffic emissions.

### Can I drive into the old center of Naples?

Only through four camera gates with a permit. The via del Sole gate is live Monday to Thursday 9:00 am to 10:00 pm and Friday to Sunday 9:00 am to 2:00 am; via Miroballo, via Duomo and via Santa Sofia run every day 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

### Is the Amalfi Coast road closed to rental cars?

Not closed, alternated. On the SS163, under Anas ordinance 340/2019, odd-numbered plates are barred on odd days and even plates on even days, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. In 2026 it ran March 30 to April 6 and April 24 to May 2. Motorbikes are exempt.

### How much does it cost to take a car across to Sicily?

€43.20 one way for a car with up to five passengers from Villa San Giovanni to Messina in September 2026, plus €2.30 fuel surcharge and €0.60 ETS levy. Caronte and Tourist sail 24 hours a day, every day, so there is no last crossing to catch.

### Do I need to book parking at Lago di Braies?

Yes, between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm from July 1 to September 15, 2026. A car space booked online costs €44, or €49 over 2.2 m tall. Outside those hours and dates you drive up freely, and walking or cycling in is never restricted.

## Sources

| Fact | Source | Confidence | Valid until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nelle citta' d'arte italiane il centro storico e' quasi sempre una Zona a Traffico Limitato (ZTL): l'ingresso e' consentito solo ai veicoli autorizzati in determinate fasce orarie, i confini sono presidiati da varchi con telecamere che leggono automaticamente le targhe e la sanzione e' emessa d'ufficio a chi transita senza permesso registrato (2026). | [Roma Servizi per la Mobilita' (Roma Capitale)](https://romamobilita.it/infomobilita/ztl-orari-citta/); [Comune di Firenze](https://mobilita.comune.fi.it/muoversi/muoversi/ztl.html); [Comune di Milano](https://www.comune.milano.it/aree-tematiche/mobilita/area-c); [Comune di Napoli](https://www.comune.napoli.it/articolo_tematico/trasporti-mobilita/ztl-e-aree-pedonali/ztl-del-centro-antico/) | high | 2027-09-01 |
| Roma ha cinque Zone a Traffico Limitato; quella del Centro Storico e' attiva dal lunedi' al venerdi' dalle 6:30 alle 18:00 e il sabato dalle 14:00 alle 18:00 (festivi esclusi), mentre la ZTL del Tridente e' attiva dal lunedi' al venerdi' 6:30-19:00 e il sabato 10:00-19:00 (2026). | [Roma Servizi per la Mobilita' (Roma Capitale)](https://romamobilita.it/infomobilita/ztl-orari-citta/); [doc 2](https://romamobilita.it/it/servizi/ztl) | medium | 2027-03-31 |
| L'intero centro storico di Firenze e' Zona a Traffico Limitato, divisa in cinque settori (A, B, O, F, G); nei settori A, B e O la ZTL e' attiva tutto l'anno nei giorni feriali dalle 7:30 alle 20:00 da lunedi' a venerdi' e dalle 7:30 alle 16:00 il sabato, con una ZTL notturna estiva aggiuntiva dal primo giovedi' di aprile alla prima domenica di ottobre (2026). | [Comune di Firenze](https://mobilita.comune.fi.it/muoversi/muoversi/ztl.html) | medium | 2027-04-30 |
| Area C e' la Zona a Traffico Limitato del centro di Milano (Cerchia dei Bastioni): l'ingresso e' a pagamento, con ticket giornaliero da 7,50 euro per la generalita' dei veicoli, ed e' attiva tutto l'anno dal lunedi' al venerdi' dalle 7:30 alle 19:30, festivi esclusi (2026). | [Comune di Milano](https://www.comune.milano.it/aree-tematiche/mobilita/area-c); [doc 2](https://www.comune.milano.it/documents/20118/35188/Area+C+nuove+tariffe+dal+2023+Area+C.pdf) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| Area B e' la zona a basse emissioni di Milano, distinta e molto piu' estesa di Area C: non prevede un ticket ma vieta l'accesso ai veicoli piu' inquinanti, e secondo il Comune interviene sul 65% delle emissioni annue da traffico veicolare della citta'. | [Comune di Milano](https://www.comune.milano.it/aree-tematiche/mobilita/area-b) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| Il Centro Antico di Napoli e' Zona a Traffico Limitato presidiata da quattro varchi elettronici: quello di via del Sole e' attivo dal lunedi' al giovedi' 9:00-22:00 e da venerdi' a domenica e nei festivi 9:00-02:00, mentre i varchi di via Miroballo, via Duomo e via Santa Sofia sono attivi tutti i giorni 9:00-17:00 (2026). | [Comune di Napoli](https://www.comune.napoli.it/articolo_tematico/trasporti-mobilita/ztl-e-aree-pedonali/ztl-del-centro-antico/) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| Sulla Strada Statale 163 Amalfitana e' in vigore la circolazione a targhe alterne dalle 10:00 alle 18:00, disposta con ordinanza Anas 340/2019: nei giorni dispari non possono transitare i veicoli con targa che finisce con cifra dispari e nei giorni pari quelli con cifra pari. Nel 2026 il provvedimento e' stato applicato dal 30 marzo al 6 aprile e dal 24 aprile al 2 maggio. | [Comune di Amalfi](https://comune.amalfi.sa.it/Novita/Comunicati/Anche-per-il-2026-targhe-alterne-sulla-statale-163-a-partire-dalla-Settimana-Santa) | medium | 2027-04-30 |
| Con l'auto lo Stretto si attraversa da Villa San Giovanni a Messina con Caronte & Tourist, che opera 24 ore su 24 tutti i giorni: nel settembre 2026 la corsa semplice per un'auto con fino a cinque passeggeri costa 43,20 euro, piu 2,30 euro di supplemento carburante e 0,60 euro di tassa ETS. | [Caronte & Tourist S.p.A.](https://www.carontetourist.it/it/stretto-messina/tariffe-auto); [doc 2](https://www.carontetourist.it/it/stretto-messina/orari) | medium | 2026-12-31 |
| Dal 1 luglio al 15 settembre 2026, fra le 9 e le 16, al Lago di Braies si arriva in auto solo con prenotazione online del parcheggio (44 euro, 49 per veicoli oltre 2,2 m di altezza) o con permesso di transito; fuori da quella fascia oraria e da quel periodo l'accesso in auto e' libero, mentre a piedi e in bici non c'e' alcuna limitazione | [Braies/Prags - portale ufficiale della regolamentazione](https://www.prags.bz/it); [Provincia autonoma di Bolzano](https://news.provincia.bz.it/it/news/piano-braies-accesso-al-lago-con-prenotazione-dal-10-luglio) | high | 2027-06-30 |

## Other languages

- it: https://myitalia.it/it/domande/driving.md
- es: https://myitalia.it/es/preguntas/driving.md
- fr: https://myitalia.it/fr/questions/driving.md
- de: https://myitalia.it/de/fragen/driving.md