Rent a car in Rome

There is useful advice on car rental in the capital of Italy. Please, remember that the road traffic regulations in Italy and in Rome in particular are very strict and try not violating them.

Rome is a tourist destination for many travelers who come to Italy and even for those who come to Europe from other continents. Rome is a city which dazzles people with its history and architecture, shines with antiquity and allows disregarding existing problems. It is really worth spending your holidays in Rome.

There are two airports in Rome where you can hire a car.

• Fiumicino-Leonardo da Vinci International airport

This is the main air gate for international travelers. This airport is located just 28 kilometers away from the city. This is a very large airport and moving around it can be stressful. A good idea is renting a car right at the airport. There is also another perfect variant. You can reach the Termini railway station and hire a car there. The trains go every half an hour. The first train leaves at 6:37 and the last one leaves at 23:37. The ticket costs 9.5 Euro. Companies which offer car rental at the Fiumicino airport are located at terminals A, B and C.

• Ciampino Airport

This airport accepts internal and charter flights. It is a little bit smaller than Fiumicino-Leonardo da Vinci. However, it also has offices of car rental companies. All large European car rental agencies have their branches at Ciampino. The conditions are standard and the choice of cars is perfect. You can also easily reach the Termini railway station from this airport. This will take you just 20 minutes.

There are the representative offices of car rental companies in Rome itself. However, this variant will be suitable for those who have chosen Rome as their main ‘travel dish’ and saved driving along the outskirts and other Italian cities for last.

Average prices for car rental in Rome

In the Eternal city, it is possible to find a car of any class. Cars are represented by the Italian brand Fiat as well as by other brands inclusive of Mercedec-Benz, the most luxurious one. The prices are different. They depend on the class of the car, rental term and other conditions. Such companies as Firefly, Avis, Budget, Goldcar, Green Motion, Hertz, InterRent, Maggiore, Sicily By Car, Sixt, Smile Rent and Thrifty are represented in Rome.

The rental cost includes the standard package of requirements. In special cases, the sum can be increased. Additional paragraphs, which can be stipulated in the agreement, are another driver, the necessity to install additional equipment and child seats as well as many other paragraphs. In order to get a car, you need to have not only a Russian driving license but also the international one.

Road traffic regulations and their observance in Rome

Traffic in the Eternal city is very difficult. However, the observation of road traffic regulations is the real guarantee that you will not get a fine receipt at the end of your trip. As a rule, the Italians drive emotionally since this is one of the peculiarities of their character. Expressive and rude in many respects, they do not bear drivers who do not know where to go and where to turn. You ought to rent an in-car navigation system. This will significantly simplify your driving in Rome.

The main regulations you are not recommended to violate:

1. You should always fasten the safety belts even when your trip in a car is short. This concerns both the driver and all car passengers.
2. Children must travel in child seats. At that a child seat must be chosen according to the age, height and weight of the child. Children under the age of 12 are not allowed to sit up front.
3. Speed infringement is strictly forbidden. Speed monitoring equipment is installed everywhere. That is why seeming calm and happy ignorance will result in a couple of fines.
4. There are many limited traffic zones in Rome entrance to which is not allowed. Try planning your route beforehand in order to avoid misconceptions with the police.

All abovementioned violations as well as the failure to observe the road marking, driving in forbidden places and other offences can result in a fine. Fines are quite significant in Italy. There is one more point. You shouldn’t try agreeing with the representatives of the Roman police and exciting pity. It won’t work. It will conversely cause much more severe consequences.

Insurance packages and a franchise

Travelers with car rental experience in different countries advise to try spending money on the insurance package which does not contain a franchise. The so called zero franchise will prevent you from numerous problems. It is known that even the most careful driver feels stress when driving on Roman roads. Concerning parking in the Eternal city, legends go about this procedure. Marred face bar and mirrors are considered to be normal. You have nothing to endure in such a situation. However, in the event there is a franchise which can be from 800 till 1500 Euro, you can pay much more than you initially planned.

As a rule, there are three types of insurance which apply to a particular rental car:

1. Car theft insurance. This type of insurance is very important since the criminal situation in Rome makes you think about the car safety.
2. Insurance from the damage caused to third parties. Irrespective of how accurate a driver is different situations can wait for him in Rome. It is impossible to insure from everything. However, a zero franchise allows worrying about nothing.
3. Insurance from the rental car damage. This insurance type should also be applied without a franchise. The Italian drivers usually do not pay attention to trifles but every new score mark is on a car renter’s conscience.

Fuel and its cost

The price for fuel 95 and fuel 98 in Italy is perhaps the highest one in Europe. You can complain as much as you wish, but it is better to go along Rome and the whole country by car. On average, you will need to pay 16.7 Euro for 10 liters of fuel 95 and from 18.5 till 18.7 Euro for 10 liters of fuel 98. Diesel fuel is a little bit more profitable than petroleum fuel. 10 liters will cost your approximately from 15.5 Euro till 15.7 Euro. However, the rental cost of a diesel car is always a bit higher than the rental cost of a fuel one.

Roman parking lots

It is very difficult to park a car in Rome, especially if you want to do it at a particular place comfortable for you. It is much easier to leave the car at one of the large parking lots located on the outskirts of the city and travel along Rome by public transport. The public transport entirety corresponds to the European standards by such criteria as cleanness and convenience. The transport goes strictly according to the schedule. This allows accurately planning your trips.

In Rome, it is customary to divide parking spaces by the road marking color:

• If the parking space is marked with yellow traffic lines, you must not leave your car here.
• If the white lines are laid on the paving asphalt, you are lucky to have found a free parking lot.
• The blue road marking is the optimum variant. It means the parking space is paid.

The car park payment is made by purchasing a special ticket. There is always a parking meter at the parking space, the instructions on which are written in Italian and English. Parking meters usually accept only coins. This is why you should suit yourself with them beforehand.

1. Free parking lots. The conditional absence of payment is often the reason for controversial cases. This is because a free parking lot can be limited by time. For example, Friday and Saturday are regarded as market days in Rome. On these days, it is allowed to park a car at free parking spaces within not more than 90 minutes. It is difficult to find free parking lots in the historical areas of the city. They are more often located on the outskirts and in new districts. The main drawback of free parking lots is the absence of security service and cameras. This is why, when you leave a car at a free parking space, you ought to learn whether this district is considered safe beforehand. In order to fix the parking time, it is necessary to leave a special disc called ‘disco orario’ under the windscreen.
2. Paid surface car parks. The majority of such car parks are situated in such districts as Colonna, Trevi, Pinya, Campitelli and Trustver. The car park price differs a lot depending on the particular parking space. It can be from 2 to 6 Euro on the outskirts of the city till 30 Euro in the city center. The cost of the parking hour at a paid surface car park is from 0.6 till 1 Euro. The payment is usually made at the cash desk. There are also surface car parks with parking meters. You are obliged to put the parking ticket under the windscreen.
3. Underground car parks. As a rule, such car parks are situated at the location areas of large trade and entertainment centers and office buildings. The main peculiarity of underground car parks is the lifting gate at the car park exit. This gate gives you a ticket on which the time of your arrival at the car park is pointed out. When you leave the parking space, the ticket is scanned and the total cost of the car park is defined. There is often a special time period within which it is allowed to park a car for free. If you exceed this period, you will need to pay for the car park.

Visiting other countries

Many travelers try to visit not only Italy and Rome but also other European countries after receiving the Schengen visa. As a rule, care hire companies allow visiting other Western European countries in rental cars. However, going to Eastern European in leased vehicles is forbidden. If you wish to travel to many countries, you should read all useful information and ask a company all necessary questions concerning the opportunity of crossing the Italian border.