| Question | Our answer |
|---|---|
| Where to pick up? | Fiumicino (FCO) for choice and long opening hours; Ciampino (CIA) if you arrive on a low-cost flight |
| When to book? | In advance, especially May to September and for an automatic |
| Fuel | "Full to full": you return the tank full |
| Insurance | Check the excess amount; reduced excess avoids a heavy deposit |
| Payment | Credit card in the main driver's name (debit cards are often refused for the deposit) |
| In Rome | No car: ZTL and parking |
| Who is it for? | Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio, the coast: see the Tuscany road trip from Rome |
Fiumicino or Ciampino: which airport?
Fiumicino (FCO, Leonardo da Vinci) is Rome's main airport, to the south-west on the coast. Many rental companies operate there, which means more choice and often better deals. The desks and the car park are in a dedicated building linked to the terminals: follow the "Rent a car" or "Autonoleggio" signs on arrival and allow for a short walk. Check your booking voucher for the exact desk location, as some companies run a shuttle.
Ciampino (CIA) is smaller, to the south-east, and serves mainly low-cost airlines. There are fewer rental companies, but you avoid crossing central Rome if you are heading south or east (Castelli Romani, Naples).
To compare companies at each airport: Booking Cars at Fiumicino, at Ciampino or in the city. Picking up in the city is rarely a good idea: you have to drive out through the ZTL and the traffic.
If you don't need the car right away, get to the centre without driving (see the Rome airports guide and the transfer comparison) and rent the car on the day you leave, from an outer branch or the airport.
Documents you need
- Driving licence: a European Union licence is enough. Outside the EU, Italy generally requires the national licence together with an international driving permit; check with the rental company and your issuing authority before you go.
- Passport or ID card, and a credit card in the main driver's name.
- Age: most companies set a minimum age (often 21, sometimes higher for larger cars) and charge a "young driver" surcharge for under-25s. Read the conditions before paying.
Insurance and excess: what to understand
The advertised rate usually includes damage and theft cover with an excess: the amount you pay if the car is damaged, sometimes several hundred euros. Three ways to reduce it:
- Excess waiver at the desk: simple, but often more expensive than the alternatives.
- Excess insurance bought in advance from the comparison site: cheaper, but after an incident you pay the rental company first and are reimbursed afterwards.
- A bank card that covers rentals: check the limits and exclusions in your bank's terms.
The deposit blocked on your card is tied to the excess: the lower the excess, the lower the deposit. At the desk you may be offered extras; accept only what is useful (additional driver, child seat).
At the desk and at return
- Condition check: photograph and film the car from every angle, inside too, before leaving, and have each scratch noted on the contract.
- Fuel: choose "full to full" and fill up at a station near the airport, keeping the receipt. Fuel charged by the rental company costs more.
- Return: respect the agreed time, have the car checked in your presence and keep the signed return document.
- Automatic: a minority in Italy, book early.
Italian roads, tolls and traps
- Tolls: motorways (autostrade) are toll roads. Take a ticket on entry; on exit pay by card or cash in the signed lanes. Avoid the Telepass lanes reserved for subscribers. Check the Autostrade per l'Italia website for the cost of a trip.
- ZTL: in many Italian cities a sign bans entry to the centre without a permit. A camera reads the plate, the fine reaches the rental company months later, and it bills you an admin fee too. The Rome details are in our guide to driving and the ZTL in Rome.
- Parking: blue lines are paid, white are free, yellow are reserved for residents.
- Navigation: your phone's GPS is enough; download the offline map and beware of routes that cut through a historic centre.
What you can do without renting
For Orvieto, Florence or Siena, the train or bus is often enough: see day trips from Rome and Florence from Rome. A car makes sense for villages, vineyards and a free itinerary.
If you have an accident
On the spot: get to safety, switch on the hazard lights, check for injuries and call emergency services (112 (emergencies), 113 (police), 118 (ambulance)). Fill in the European accident statement with the other driver; call the police if anyone is hurt, if you disagree, if the other driver leaves, or if your rental contract requires it. Photograph the vehicles, the plate, the road and the damage, note the other driver's details, and call the rental company before any repair.
Who pays what: damage to the car is covered by the rental company's protection (CDW), subject to its excess (deductible), or by an excess cover bought with the rental; injuries and medical costs fall under your travel insurance. Travel insurance does not pay for the rental car or for damage to third parties.
SafetyWing covers medical costs after an accident abroad; check the policy's conditions for driving (a licence valid in the country, a helmet on a scooter).
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an international driving permit to rent a car in Rome?
With a European Union licence, no. With a licence from another country, Italy generally requires the national licence together with an international permit: confirm with your rental company before you travel.
Can I rent with a debit card?
Usually not: the deposit is blocked on a credit card in the main driver's name. Check your rental company's conditions before booking.
Where are the rental desks at Fiumicino?
In a building dedicated to rental companies, linked to the terminals. Follow the "Rent a car" signs; your booking voucher sometimes mentions a shuttle.
Can I drive into central Rome in a rental car?
Not without a permit: much of the historic centre is a ZTL, with fines sent to the rental company. Leave the car on the outskirts.
Which fuel policy should I choose?
Choose "full to full": you return the tank full and keep the station receipt.
Ciampino or Fiumicino for a rental?
Fiumicino for choice of companies and opening hours; Ciampino if your flight lands there and you are heading south or east.
Our advice
Book in advance with free cancellation, compare the excess and the deposit and not just the price, photograph the car before leaving, and never drive into central Rome. Next, read our Tuscany road trip from Rome and the guide to getting around Rome.
