Car Hire in Italy

Major international as well as Italian car-hire companies are represented at all airports and major railway stations throughout Italy, but in order to hire a car you must have had a full driving licence for at least one year. Most companies stipulate that the driver must be over 19 years old, and a 1993 law states that drivers who have had their licences for less than three years are not allowed to drive vehicles with a speed capacity of over 150km per hour.

Hire rates vary from company to company and from car to car, but it is rarely cheap and you will be lucky if you can find a car for much under £200 per week. When you ask for a quote check that it includes breakdown service, maintenance, oil and basic insurance. Find out the cost of additional insurance, and remember that 20 per cent IVA (VAT) will be added to your final bill. It is normal for a company to ask for a deposit which is equal to the estimated cost of the car-hire. Car-hire firms in tourist centres and cities also usually rent out mopeds, motorbikes and sometimes bicycles too.

Head offices of major car hire firms in Italy are:

Avis

123 1 Via Tiburtina
Rome
Tel: 06 41998

www.avis.com

Hertz

Viale Shakespeare, 43
Rome
Tel: 06 5922742

www.hertz.com

Europcar

Via Fiume Giallo
Rome
Tel: 06 52081 1

www.europcar.com

Maggiore Autonoleggio

225 Via di Tor Cervara
Rome
Tel: 06 2291530

www.maggiore.it