Florence Airport Car Rental

By Santorini Dave

See Also

• My Favorite Places to Stay in Florence
• My Favorite Hotels in Florence
• My Favorite Family Hotels in Florence
• Florence Wine Tours

I prefer walking (and bus for longer distances) when exploring central Florence. Then, I rent a car for day trips to nearby towns and wineries.

Florence Car Rental – Airport & Downtown

My recommendation: You do not need a rental vehicle for sightseeing in central Florence. A rental car is highly recommended for exploring the Tuscan countryside, wineries, and nearby cities and towns. If arriving by air then reserve cars in advance at the Florence airport. If arriving by train reserve cars at Santa Maria Novella Train Station – there are several car rental companies on Via Borgo Ognissanti a short walk south of the station.

It’s common to pick up at one location and drop off at a different location (e.g. pick up at Pisa airport, Rome airport, or Milan airport and drop off at the Florence airport).

If you can’t drive a standard transmission then definitely reserve an automatic in advance. Also best to reserve family minivans in advance as well.

Renting A Car in Florence, Italy

• RentalCars.com is the best site for reserving cars in Florence. They find the best deals with all the big car rental companies (Avis, Enterprise, Budget, Alamo, Firefly).
• If arriving by plane it’s best to pick up your rental car at the airport:
  Florence Airport Rental Cars • Pisa Airport Rental Cars • Rome Airport Rental Cars
• For rental cars near the Florence train station select pick up area: “Florence – Santa Maria Novella Train Station”. Most of these car companies will be on Via Borgo Ognissanti which is very close to the Florence train station.
• Renting a car in Florence is a great way to see the Tuscan countryside. While there are many great tours of Florence and the surrounding area, having a car undoubtedly allows you more freedom to explore the less-touristy areas.
• Book rental cars in advance for visits from April to October.
• Most rental cars in Italy have a manual transmission. If you only drive automatic then definitely reserve in advance.
• Take pictures of the vehicle (inside and out) before driving away from the rental company.

Florence Airport Car Rental

The Florence International Airport is small and easy to navigate. Follow signs to the rental car shuttle if you’ve reserved a car in advance.

For most visitors renting a car from the Florence Airport is the best option. There is a wide selection of rental vehicles, good prices, and a large parking lot for easy pick up and drop off. Driving to and from the airport rental car parking lot is much easier than driving in and around the train station. A free shuttle bus takes customers from the airport terminal to the rental car lot at Via Palagio degli Spini.

Car rental companies at Florence International Airport: Budget • Europcar • Avis • Hertz • Thrifty • Sicily by Car • Dollar • Alamo • Enterprise

Florence Car Rental

RentalCars.com consistently finds the best rates among the big car rental companies (Budget, Hertz, Sixt, Enterprise, Avis, Alamo, and a few others). You can do pick up (and drop off) from central Florence (near the main train station), Florence Airport, Pisa Airport, central Rome, and the Rome Airport. The airports will have the largest variety of rental cars and usually offer small, medium, and large sedans; family-friendly mini-vans; and large SUVs.

What rental cars are available in central Florence?

All the major rental car companies are here (most are close to the train station): Budget, Sixt, Thrifty, Firefly, Goldcar, Alamo, Avis, Enterprise, Hertz, and Dollar.

RentalCars.com has several options for pick up and drop off. Select “Florence International Airport” to pick up at the airport terminal (there is only one airport in Florence). Select “Florence – Santa Maria Novella Train Station” to pick up your car near the main Florence railway station.

Getting Around Florence

• Florence Hotel Map

There are five ways to get around in Florence

• Walking is the best for exploring the historic heart of the city. The city is small with all of the best attractions, dining, and hotels close together. Travelers can walk the full length of the historic center from Piazza Della Libertà in the north to Porta Romana in the south in just 40 minutes, though most points of interest are within 10 to 20 minutes of each other. Most of Florence’s streets are pedestrian-only or fall in the ZTL (limited traffic zone), making a car more of a burden than a help when sightseeing.
• Bike is a popular for locals and active travelers. Bikes are allowed in all parts of the ZTL, though they share the roads with scooters and taxis, who drive as fast as they can get away with. A bike is not necessary in central Florence, but cycling in the Oltrarno hills, along the Arno River, or in the countryside is a fantastic way to escape the crowds and see the sights. The best bike rental shop in Florence is Florent – they offer good rates on city bikes (geared and fixies), electric bikes for hill climbs, and even tandem bikes.
• Bus is an easy way to get to and from the further-flung parts of Florence, like Piazzale Michelangelo and San Niccolo, though buses are not allowed in City Center/Duomo area at all and have limited access within the ZTL. From the SMN train station, several bus routes serve nearby Tuscan cities, such as Fiesole and Siena. To take the bus, you’ll need to plan ahead. Bus tickets are sold at tobacco shops here, labeled “tabacchi” and with ATAF stickers in the windows. A standard ticket costs €1,20, with multi-ride passes available at an additional rate. You may also buy a ticket from the driver for €2 (no change given), but they often run out of tickets to sell. Board from the front or rear door; the middle door is the exit. Once you board, validate your ticket in the machine, which is usually near the front of the bus. The ticket is valid for 90 minutes after the time stamp for unlimited transfers. Stamp your ticket when you board the first bus, and stamp the opposite end on the final bus. Officers regularly board the bus to check passenger tickets for validation, so do not skip this step, or you may face a hefty fine.
• Taxis are the most expensive public transport option, but they are permitted to drive through most of the ZTL, making this a necessary choice for traveling with luggage, kids/strollers/car seats, or for late nights. You cannot flag down a taxi from the street here. Instead, grab a ride from one of the many taxi stands, located at nearly every major landmark, piazza, train station, or the airport, or you may schedule a taxi over the phone. Base rates differ whether traveling in the day (€3,30), night (€6,60), Sunday/ holiday (€5,30), and go up from there based on distance, time, total passengers, and baggage. For detailed rate information, check the taxi websites directly. Taxi Firenze 4242 is the most ubiquitous; you can find their rates and official price list on their website, as an example. Other taxis are similarly priced.
• Driving is doable in Florence, no matter what you’ve heard. The rest of this article will walk you through driving options, the rules of the road, and the most common road signs – so you’ll know what to expect before you go.

Driving in Florence

There is a lot of hype around driving in Florence, mostly due to the ZTL (limited traffic zone), narrow streets, and notoriously aggressive Italian drivers. But it’s really a whole lot easier than people may expect, especially with the new rideshare options available. And while having a car in the city is way more trouble than it’s worth, driving is the best way to take a day trip into the Chianti region, Tuscan countryside, and nearby cities, such as San Gimignano. The best scooter rental company is Florence Station Rental. The best rates will usually be found through RentalCars.com while the best local car rental company in Florence is Knowleggi. But the best and easiest way to rent a car and drive in central Florence is through car-sharing apps like Addumacar or Enjoy. (More on that later.)

You must be at least 18 to drive in Italy. Driving here requires an International Driving Permit (unless you already have a European Union license). You can pick one up quickly and easily at any AAA location (recommended), order via mail through AAA, or order online using Fastport Passport. If ordering online or by mail, do this a few weeks in advance of your trip. You will need an IDP in addition to your driver’s license to rent any car or scooter in Florence.

Limited Traffic Zone

The main concern of most travelers considering driving in Florence is the Limited Traffic Zone – aka the ZTL (Zona Traffico Limitato). This area encompasses the historic center of Florence and includes a large, pedestrian-only area that surrounds the most heavily trafficked attractions, including the Duomo, Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio, and the Accademia. The ZTL gives restricted access to motorized vehicles, and driving into the ZTL without the proper pass can incur a hefty fine.

Above is a simplified map of the ZTL. There are other more detailed and complex maps online with specific hours listed valid for only specific times of the year, but using this map is the easiest to follow for travelers. The yellow part (Section A) in the middle is the pedestrian-only zone. This area is open to bicycles, scooters, and some taxis with special permits. The blue portions (Section B) are open to bikes, scooters, some taxis, some buses, and rideshares. Delivery trucks are allowed into the whole ZTL (sections A&B) but only during a brief window of a couple of hours very early in the morning.

Travelers renting a car can gain access to the ZTL via a pre-determined route, using the entries and exits marked with a purplish-blue T on the map. This requires planning ahead with the car rental company and the hotel where you’ll be staying. Your car rental company (inevitably located inside the ZTL) will explain the route you are allowed to take to and from their storefront, and your hotel will help arrange parking (usually offsite) and will tell you how to get from the hotel to the parking garage. Street parking in a rental car in the ZTL is pretty much not allowed for non-residents, as your rental car won’t have the proper permits.

Driving or parking on the street in a traditional rental car in the ZTL is not permitted, and doing so will incur a steep fine. GPS systems don’t know where the ZTL starts and stops (GPS systems here don’t even always know which streets are one-way), and will guide drivers on the most direct route, often right into the ZTL. There are cameras stationed at every entry and exit point of the ZTL that will snap a photo and send a ticket every time the boundary is crossed. The tickets will be sent to the car rental company, along with a forwarding fine. The car rental company will send the tickets directly to whoever paid for the rental, after tacking their own fee on top, of course. The ZTL makes driving a headache, but all of that can be avoided by renting a car share instead.

Sign marking the ZTL. This states that Sections A and B are restricted to vehicle traffic Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and on Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. But don’t be fooled! There are several exceptions to these times that are not listed the sign, such as the Summer Extension, which means that from April through early October (more than half the year) the ZTL is also restricted at nights on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 11:00 p.m. until 3:00 am. There are other exceptions, too, depending on the specific area, date, and time; to be on the safe side, just treat this area as off-limits, except for your pre-determined paths.

Alternate sign marking the entry to the ZTL. If the red light is on, then the ZTL is enforced. If the green light is on, then drivers have access to the ZTL. Sometimes the lights aren’t on at all, as you can see here. Just avoid driving a rental car into an area you are unsure of. Also, in this photo, the red circle with the 30 in it shows that you are entering an area with a 30kph speed limit. The far signs on the right, red and blue circles with red slashes indicate a no parking zone during certain times (Sundays from midnight to 6:00 a.m.) and no parking at all for anyone anyway, except for disabled drivers.

Renting a Car Share in Florence

This relatively new option makes getting around Florence so much easier. Because it is a car share and not a traditional rental car, Addumacar and Enjoy cars are exempt from most rules governing the ZTL. They are treated the same as scooters; allowed on any street within the ZTL, including the pedestrian-only zones. (But avoid driving in the pedestrian areas as much as possible anyway, because you will get stuck behind multiple walking tours.) Just stay out of the bus lanes, go the right direction on one-way streets, and only park in spaces marked with blue or white lines, and you should have absolutely no problems driving in the ZTL.

A car share two-seater. Sadly, Car2Go left Florence in early 2020, but there are still other car share options.

Car share rentals are available by the hour or for the day. In addition to allowing you to skirt the ZTL rules, all rates include gas, insurance, and free parking in any blue-marked spots on the street or in any public parking lot.

To rent a car share, download the Addumacar or Enjoy app and register on your phone if you don’t already have an account. It’s best to do this after arriving in Italy so that it creates an Italian account. Be sure to carry your driver’s license, international driving permit, credit card, and passport when on the road. There will be a one-time registration fee, then all rides thereafter are paid for individually.

Renting a Scooter in Florence

Scooters are a very fun, very Italian alternative to a car for traveling in and around Florence. Their compact size makes them easy to maneuver through the narrow streets in or out of the ZTL, they are about half the price of a rental car, plus you can park them just about anywhere. These are ideal for zipping around town or for day trips to Fiesole or the Chianti wine region. To rent a scooter, you will only need your driver’s license and international driving permit. Unlike in the U.S., you do not need a motorcycle license or endorsement to ride, no matter what size scooter you choose.

Scooters and scooter parking.

If you’ve never driven a scooter before, consider booking a scooter tour first, such as the one offered through Tuscany Vespa Tours. This exceptional day tour begins with a driving lesson in a quiet, suburban parking lot before cruising the gorgeous roads through the Chianti countryside. After a full day of riding here, you’ll be ready to scoot to nearby Fiesole or Prato.

Scooting through Chianti.

Rules of the Road

The driving laws in Italy are straightforward and most are similar to driving in the U.S.

• You must be 18 to drive.
• Driving is on the right-hand side of the road.
• Keep right unless passing another car; only pass on the left. Italians drive fast and will pass you, no matter how fast you are going, so seriously – keep right. Don’t be intimidated by other drivers to exceed the speed limit. There are speed traps and cameras everywhere.
• Seatbelts are mandatory at all times for drivers and all passengers.
• Trains and trams always have the right of way. At an intersection, vehicles approaching from the right have the right of way.
• Absolutely do not drink and drive. Blood alcohol legal limits are lower in Italy than in the U.S. A blood alcohol level of 0.05 is considered legally intoxicated, while a level of 0.08 will land you six months in jail. That’s not to mention the fines, ranging from €500 to €6000. Refusing blood alcohol testing incurs a fine of €2500 to €10,000. Fleeing the scene of an accident is three years in jail. No joke. If you’ve been drinking, take a taxi.

Scooters and cars in front of the train station.

Street Signs and Markers

Aside from the ZTL signs, there are a few important signs to familiarize yourself with.

Sign indicating a highway straight ahead and the ZTL coming up on the right.

Speed limit signs are red and white circles with the maximum kilometers per hour shown in black, as seen on the top of this photo. Just underneath that sign is another round sign showing a red and a black car. This is a No Passing sign.

The red and white triangle means Yield. The blue circle with counterclockwise arrows indicates that a roundabout is coming up and shows which direction the traffic flows around it. In the background in front of the roundabout is another round blue arrow sign indicating that cars should keep to the right when moving through.

A red and blue circle with a red slash through it means No Parking. The bottom sign says No Parking 24 hours or you’ll be towed. The top sign says No Parking, because on the 1st and 3rd Mondays from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon, there is a street sweeper (indicated by the truck with a brush on its front), and your car will be towed.

No Parking here, except for 15 minute loading and unloading.

Similar to a No Parking sign is this No Stopping sign, a red and blue sign with a red X in the middle. The sign on top with an arrow and the words Senso Unico indicates a one-way street. Often these signs are just arrows with no words. Also, note the address numbers: a red 13, black 11, and red 15. Florence has a dual numbering system for addresses with red numbers for businesses and black numbers for residences. So, sometimes #05 and #49 are neighbors if one is a business and one is a residence. When looking up a business, the address will indicate this by a letter “R” after the number.

A red circle with a white horizontal line means Do Not Enter. Usually this sign is seen at one-way streets, like this one.

OK, this one’s loaded! In the foreground, we can see a P for Parking sign. This is parking for bicycles, motorcycles, and scooters. But there is No Parking allowed on first Wednesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. because of the street sweeper. In the background on the left, there are two white signs with red circles. The bottom sign is partially obscured, but it has a black number in the center of the circle, indicating the speed limit. The top sign has just a red circle with nothing in the middle – this is yet another type of ZTL sign. In the center background, there is a red triangle Yield sign, with a person crossing the street in the middle, so Yield to Pedestrians. The white sign with a black hill in the middle marks a speed bump ahead. The bottom sign says the speed limit is 30kph. To the right of these is a STOP sign – that one’s easy.

Red slashes that extend out from a circle mean something is ending, usually because the driver is leaving an area. Here is the end if the ZTL and the end of a 30 kph speed zone.

Blue lines on the street mark paid parking spots. Look for a P for Parking sign and pay at the parking meter there. Pay to park Monday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sundays are free, and nights are free, even overnight, as long as there’s no street sweeper scheduled.

White lines mark resident parking. Yellow lines mark disabled parking.

Parking for bikes, scooters, and motorcycles.

Some very faded scooter/motorcycle parking spots.

How not to park a car.

Don’t be fooled by the street art! This still means Do Not Enter.

So does this.

And this.

And this is the super spooky ZTL.