Italy without a car: where the trains do the work.
A great deal of Italy is easy and pleasant without a car. Some of it is not. The trick is knowing which is which before you book.
Italy has one of the best train networks in Europe for travel between cities. Fast trains link Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, Naples and Bologna in a few hours, often city centre to city centre. For a trip built around cities, a car is usually a liability rather than a help.
The countryside and some stretches of coast are a different story. There, a car opens up the holiday. The honest answer is that it depends entirely on the kind of trip you want.
Where no car is the better choice
For cities and the classic first trip, leave the car at home.
Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, Naples and Bologna are all walkable and well connected by fast train. Venice has no cars at all. The lakes, Como in particular, work well by train and ferry. Cinque Terre is best by the local train, with driving actively discouraged. For these, a car only adds parking costs and stress.
Travelling without a car?
We help you build a route that works on trains and ferries.
Where you really want a car
For the countryside and the spread-out south, a car changes everything.
Rural Tuscany and Umbria, inland Puglia, much of Sicily and Sardinia, and most villa holidays are difficult without one. Buses exist but are slow and infrequent, and the best agriturismi, vineyards and villages are rarely near a station. If your trip centres on a rural base, plan to drive.
Planning a no-car trip
A no-car trip works best when you choose a few well-connected bases and travel between them by train.
A classic example is Rome, Florence and Venice, with day trips by rail. Add the lakes by train and ferry, or the Amalfi Coast by train to Salerno or Naples and then ferry and bus along the coast. Book fast trains in advance for the best fares, and keep the route simple.
Cities by train, countryside by car.
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Good to know
Can you visit Italy without a car?
Yes, easily, if your trip is built around cities and the lakes. Fast trains link the main cities and ferries serve the lakes and parts of the coast.
Where do you need a car in Italy?
Rural Tuscany and Umbria, inland Puglia, much of Sicily and Sardinia, and most villa holidays. The countryside is hard without one.
Is the train good in Italy?
Very. Fast trains connect Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, Naples and Bologna in a few hours, usually city centre to city centre.
How do you reach the Amalfi Coast without a car?
Take the train to Salerno or Naples, then use ferries and the local bus along the coast. A private driver is an easy alternative for transfers.