Driving in Italy is right-hand (steering wheel on the left).
Italy has an extensive network of railways and highways. More than 90% of passengers and over 80% of cargo are transported by cars. In external traffic, sea transport prevails.
In the domestic transport of goods and passengers, road transport plays the main role, followed by rail. In terms of the level of electrification of railways, the country is one of the first in the world.
In Italy, 1/4 of all European highways are concentrated (about 7 thousand km), including the world's oldest highway Milan - Varese, built in 1924.
The main transport artery of the country is the Highway of the Sun, which runs through the whole of Italy, from Turin through Milan, Florence, Rome, Naples to Reggio di Calabria.
Five international motorways pass through Italy: London-Paris-Rome-Palermo, London-Lausanne-Milan-Bryn-Disy, Rome-Berlin-Oslo-Stjordan, Rome-Vienna-Warsaw, Amsterdam-Basel-Genoa.
About half of the roads are in northern Italy, in the South of the country the density of the road network is much less.
Public transport
Italy has a developed bus and rail network public transport... It will not be difficult to get to almost anywhere in the country. There is also a subway: Milan, Rome, Naples, Catania, Turin, Genoa, Baria, Palermo.
The city bus is the main public transport in Italy. The entrance to the bus is carried out only through the back door with the inscription: "Salita", and the exit - through the front door with the inscription: "Us-cita". Once on the bus, you must validate your ticket in a special - yellow or orange - punch located at the entrance. The driver does not sell tickets, they must be bought in advance at automatic ticket offices, tobacco kiosks "Tabacceria" with a black and yellow sign and the letter "T". You can also buy tickets in the metro and some bars.
The same tickets are valid for all types of public transport (including the railroad within the city). One trip within 75 minutes from the moment the ticket is validated allows any changes to another mode of transport. On the metro, this ticket can only be used once. There are also passes for a day, a week, a month, a year.
A one-day tourist ticket (BIG) costs 3-5 EUR and entitles you to unlimited travel by any type of public transport. A weekly ticket ("Settimanale" or CIS) costs 12 EUR. You can buy it only at ATAC kiosks.
Taxi
Catching a taxi in Italy on the street is generally not accepted. In cities, there are special parking lots in squares, near metro stations, train stations, etc. But the easiest way is to order a taxi by phone from a hotel, restaurant or bar; if you do not know the language, then ask the employee to call a car for you, the word taxi is understood everywhere.
The fare is ~ 1 EUR / km plus the cost of the call ~ 3 EUR. Trips are paid by the counter, but after 22 hours, on holidays and Sundays, as well as if you have luggage or travel to another city, an additional fee is charged. Tipping is encouraged, usually the amount is rounded up to the nearest whole euro.
Each official taxi has a special sign in English, which indicates additional surcharges for luggage, travel at night, on Sundays and holidays, or for travel to the airport.
Underground
The Metro of Rome has two branches. Line A, 18 km long, connects the city center from Ottaviano near the Vatican to the eastern outskirts of the city, passing through Cinecitta (Anagnia). Line B runs north to the outskirts of the city (Rebbibia) and to EUR, a modern industrial complex in the south. The lines cross at Termini. You can buy a special ticket, it is called "big", you can travel with it both by bus and by metro during the day on any line.
The Milan Metro is considered the best in Italy. MM consists of two lines (1 and 2) and serves the city and the outskirts. Tourists usually take the 1 heading south near Stazione Centrale via Piazza del Maria della Grazie. Tickets are sold at vending machines at each station and are valid for 1 hour. 10 min. A one day ticket allows you to use all types of transport.
Air transport
All major cities in Italy are connected by air lines, both with all countries of the world and among themselves.
Air tickets are significantly more expensive than train and bus tickets, but when traveling long distances, it is better to use an airplane.
Railway transport
An extensive national railway network connects many cities of the country; in the north it is denser, in the south, motor transport is more developed.
Trains are mostly modern and comfortable. Within the country and abroad, there are high-speed trains - "espresso" (espresso), super-fast trains - "rapide", direct trains - "di-retto", commuter trains - "regio-nale" locale. The trains have both sleeping and seating places, and the cost of the first and second classes differs almost twice.
There are several types of trains: R - Regionale (regional, with a common salon, making all stops), IC - Intercity (intercity, with compartments for 4-6 passengers), ES - Eurostar (between cities, better service on a trip, common salon , higher price), EC - Eurocity (between cities in Italy and Europe, coupes for 4-6 passengers), Espresso (express trains without stops).
There is a flexible system of discounts and benefits on the railway. Tourists hoping for a long stay in Italy and intending to travel around the country should purchase the Italy Rail-card or Italy Flexi-card for 4, 8, 12 or 30 days. Such cards are sold at railway stations or in travel agencies.
Also keep in mind that the seat number on the ticket is affixed only when booking, and when buying a ticket at the box office (without booking), you need to be pretty quick and take any free place... In the midst tourist season there are not enough seats, and passengers often stand in the aisles. Also, before boarding, do not forget to validate the ticket in a special punch on the platform, otherwise it will be considered invalid.
More detailed information about by rail in Italy can be obtained from the website: www.trenitalia.com
Water transport
In Italy, the borders of which are washed by more than 90% of the seas and in which most of the territory is coastal regions, the marine fleet is also important in the internal transport of passengers and especially cargo.
90% of goods arriving in Italy for imports and 55-60% for exports pass through seaports. The largest Italian port of Genoa is one of the most important in the entire Mediterranean. Genoa serves as a gateway to the outside world for the entire Northwest of Italy, as well as for Switzerland. The main rival and competitor of Genoa on the Adriatic is Trieste, the second in Italy in terms of cargo turnover and one of the most important oil ports in Europe. Through Trieste, northeastern Italy connects with other countries of the Mediterranean, the Near and Middle East, East Africa and East Asia.
River transport in Italy it is poorly developed (except for Venice, of course) due to the absence of large rivers and is represented mainly by gondolas and river taxis.
Car rental
To rent a car, you need an international driver's license, credit card (or in some cases a cash deposit), the driver must be at least 21 years old.
When booking a car, you can also overpay a little and take the full insurance service (full insurance, from 10 EUR per day), which includes payment for any scratches and bruises that drivers may purchase on the trip.
If the car was given to you with a full tank of gasoline, then you must also return it with a full tank. For an additional fee, you can agree on an individual return location.
Helpful information
The speed limits in Italy are: city 50 km / h, national roads 90 km / h, superstrada 100 km / h, autostrada 130 km / h. As a rule, the speed limit on motorways is controlled by AUTOVELOX devices, which automatically photograph the cars of violators.
It is worth noting that the penalties for drunk driving are very high. The permissible blood alcohol level is no more than 0.8 ppm (one glass of dry wine or a mug of beer). We do not advise you to neglect these rules, since in Italy even a punishment in the form of imprisonment is possible.
Traffic police in Italy are principled and incorruptible. Even for a hint of a bribe to a car inspector, a motorist can pay with arrest. It is useless to argue with the police - "for discussion" the fine can be increased almost twice.
Fines for traffic violations are quite high - you will have to pay about 50 euros for driving through a red light, for incorrect parking - from 25 to 70 euros, for speeding - from 33 to 131 euros. Fines are usually paid locally.
If you are going to travel in Italy by car, then you should know that there are three types of roads in Italy: autostrade, superstrade and sta-tale.
Travel on large modern highways is paid. Motorways are marked with green signs with a white "A" followed by a number. At the entrance to the motorway, you need to get a ticket, and pay for it at the exit. You can also pay for travel using Viacard or Telepass cards, which are purchased at payment points or service stations.
Autogrill is lined along the freeways, where cafes, gas stations, toilets, supermarkets, ATMs and much more are located.
In big cities streets historic center closed to cars at certain times, and the problem of parking is also very acute. Italian drivers often park in any vacant spot without worrying too much about police action. Tourists are not recommended to behave this way - and the rental cars themselves (especially those with license plates from other regions) immediately attract the attention of the police, and the "familiar places" for such ersatz parking lots are usually unknown. It is forbidden to park in parking lots bounded by the yellow line. Parking spaces bounded by the blue line are paid, the white ones are free or paid through the meter (disco orario, time limit - 30, 60 or 90 minutes). Near hotels, as a rule, it is allowed to leave the car for a short time, but each institution has its own rules - somewhere there is its own parking lot, and it is forbidden to park cars at the entrance, somewhere it is used for this courtyard or the nearest lane.
Petrol stations in urban areas usually work from 8.00 to 13.00 and from 14.30 to 19.30, however, on suburban roads, almost all gas stations work around the clock. In large cities, there are mini-gas stations, which are 1-2 automatic machines installed literally on a patch. There are no attendants at such stations, all actions are performed by the driver, payment is by credit card.
The success of foreign tourism in Italy is undoubtedly aided by an efficient, country-wide transport service. The mobility of foreign tourists on the Apennine Peninsula is associated with the convenience of choosing any high-speed means of transportation. Reasonable prices, cumulative speed, guaranteed safety, frequency of flights at regular intervals, modern comfort, technological reliability and quality of service - these are the basic characteristics of the transport system in Italy. All this has a positive effect on tourist flows from abroad. The following types of transport are developed in Italy:
Figure: one
There are around 133 airports in Italy, including two transport hubs, Malpensa International, outside Milan and Leonardo Da Vinci International, near Rome.
The main domestic carriers are Alitalya, ATI and several subsidiaries. Flights from Russia are carried out on a regular basis by Alitalya and Aeroflot, and in Italy itself - in addition to flights with Milan, Rome and Venice - more than 45 airports are covered by regular flights. A characteristic indicator that most reflects tastes and moods russian tourists, is an increase in the number of seasonal and charter flights to Rimini, Trieste, Genoa, Ancona, Catania, Naples, Forlì, Palermo. Water transport also plays an important role in the external and internal transport of the country. This is due to the significant length of the coastline, general provision Italy on the sea route, as well as the presence of the islands that make up the country. 144 ports - there are so many of them on the shores of Italy. The largest is the port of Genoa, which is famous all over the world. The largest passenger port in Italy is Naples, which is the center of connections with Sardinia, Sicily and other islands. Sea excursions from Naples to the islands of Capri and Ischia are very popular.
Ferry crossing is the best way admire the sea and coastal beauties of Italy. The ticket price depends on the class of the vessel and the category of the seat. There are also a variety of discounts and benefits. The most famous cruise line in Italy is Costa Cruises. Costa Cruises is one of the largest cruise lines in Europe. Has been operating in the cruise market for over 50 years. Based in Genoa. Costa Cruises offers Italian style cruises, representing Italian style in everything from design to food: elegant liner interiors, Italian language lessons, culinary demonstrations with recipes for the finest authentic Italian cuisine. In Italy, the role of road transport is extremely important. Most of the roads are in the north of Italy; in the south, the density of the road network is noticeably less.
The length of Italian roads is 490,700 km, which makes it 6th in Europe for this indicator.
The bus transportation system in Italy is quite developed, but not very popular, as train travel is much cheaper. The schedule does not always correspond to the real state of affairs. In the provinces, the bus can be faster than the train, and sometimes the only way to get to your destination. In Rome, public transport is represented by buses, trams, metro and trains running within the city.
The only means of public transport in Venice are river trams, which run from 6: 30-8: 00 to 20: 00-22: 00, depending on the route. A single ticket, valid for an hour after the first pass, will cost € 7. In terms of importance, railways in Italy are inferior to automobile ones. Still, traveling in Italy by train is very convenient and cheap. IN last years the construction of railways is carried out more intensively, an active modernization of technical equipment is underway, and the volume of capital investments in this industry is rapidly increasing. That is why it became possible to carry out high-speed passenger transportation. At the moment, the length of the Italian railways is 21,600 kilometers.
There are several types of trains long distance... Eurostar Italy, Italians call these trains Pendolino. These are the fastest trains connecting the main cities of the country; cover the distance between Milan and Rome in 4 hours, Intercity (IC), high-speed trains running on all main directions both within the country and abroad. Each such train has its own name, for example, Milan - Turin - Paris, Milan - Brussels. In Italy, there are also Servizio Notte night trains, which have both seating and sleeping carriages of various classes.
The cost of tickets depends on the length of the route, while as the latter increases, the price per kilometer is proportionally reduced. In addition, there are various discount cards that provide discounts on tickets and a number of other services. The train stations of large cities have almost everything a traveler needs. There are tourist information centers where you can get a map of the city for free, cafes work from early morning until late at night, as a rule, there are lockers, there is a toilet, sometimes showers. Railway and train stations shopping centers work even on days and hours when all other shops in the city are closed. Big train stations sell souvenirs, photographic goods, city guides and maps, magazines and much more. Smaller stations have a more modest range of services, but there is always a small waiting room, buffet, toilet and newsstand.
In the domestic transport of goods and passengers, road transport plays the main role, followed by rail. In terms of the level of electrification of railways, the country is one of the first in the world. A dense network of modern highways and railways links the cities of Northern Italy. In the domestic transport of goods and passengers, road transport plays the main role, followed by rail.
River transport in Italy is poorly developed due to the lack of large rivers. The civil aviation of Italy is developing quite rapidly. Air lines keep in touch largest cities Italy with many cities in Europe as well as other continents. The country's largest airports - Leonardo da Vinci near Rome, Malpensa and Linate near Milan serve as important hubs for the international airline network.
Due to the elongation of the country from north to south, its network of railways and highways developed mainly in the meridian direction. Latitudinal communications, with the exception of the Padan Plain, are not enough. Many roads and railways in Italy are laid on steep mountain slopes and therefore have many bridges, tunnels, etc., which makes them more expensive to operate. In international road and rail transport, roads in the Alps play an especially important role.
In Italy, the role of road transport is extremely important: it accounts for 3/4 of all land transportation of goods. The total length of highways reaches almost 300 thousand km, and about half of them are in Northern Italy, while in the South of the country the density of the road network is much less.
In 1924, the world's first motorway was built in Italy (Milan - Varese). Now, in terms of the length of motorways (5.9 thousand km), Italy ranks second after Germany among the capitalist countries of Europe. The densest motorway network in the North. The main transport axis of the country, the Sun Highway, the best of italian roads, connecting Turin with Milan, Florence, Rome, Naples and going further to the extreme south, to the city of Reggio Calabria. The development of road transport in general and, in particular, road construction was adversely affected by the fuel and energy crisis.
Railways are inferior in importance to automobile ones. Railway transport Italy is less developed than in other capitalist countries. However, in recent years, more capital has been invested in railway construction than in road transport. In terms of technical equipment, some of the main lines, modernized at the end of the 60s, stand out sharply. As a result of this modernization, for example, on the Rome-Florence line, the train can reach speeds of up to 200 km / h. The length of Italian railways exceeds 20 thousand km. Sea transport plays a very important role in both domestic and foreign transport of the country. This is due to Italy's position in the Mediterranean waterway, long coastlines, the presence of islands in the country. There are 144 ports on the shores of Italy.
90% of imported goods and 60-65% of exported goods are transported by sea. A significant part of domestic traffic is also carried out by sea. An important source of foreign exchange earnings in Italy is international freight. More than half of the total tonnage of the Italian maritime fleet is carried by oil tankers, which is associated with a powerful oil refining industry.
Oil and other mineral raw materials prevail in the turnover of Italian ports. The largest Italian port of Genoa with an annual cargo turnover of over 50 million tons is one of the most important in the entire Mediterranean. Genoa serves as a gateway to the outside world for the entire industrial North-West of Italy, as well as for Switzerland. It is one of the leading container ports Mediterranean Sea... The main rival and competitor of Genoa on the Adriatic is Trieste, the second in Italy in terms of cargo turnover (42 million tons) and one of the most important oil ports in Europe. It is also the main coffee transhipment point in Europe. Through Trieste, northeastern Italy connects with other countries of the Mediterranean, the Near and Middle East, East Africa and East Asia. It also serves as the main port on the Mediterranean for the Danube countries, primarily for Austria. Trieste is predominantly a transit port, in contrast to Venice, which plays a direct role in the economy of northeastern Italy. The development of the Venetian port in recent years has been facilitated by the increase in Italian trade with the Russian Federation, countries of Asia and Africa.
Over the past decades, the cargo turnover of the ports of Southern Italy (Augusta and Taranto) has significantly increased, which is primarily due to the rapid development of the oil refining and petrochemical industries.
Peninsular Italy is connected with its islands, as well as with some Yugoslav and Greek ports by sea ferries. The ferry line connecting Sicily with the Apennine Peninsula is especially busy. Therefore, the question is being raised about the construction of a tunnel or bridge across the Strait of Messina.
River transport in Italy is poorly developed due to the lack of large rivers. The development of the oil refining and petrochemical industries stimulated the spread of pipeline transport in Italy. The total length of main oil and gas pipelines exceeds 8 thousand km. The densest pipeline network in the North. Some of them are of international importance, such as the gas pipeline that transports natural gas from Russia to northern Italy.
The civil aviation of Italy is developing quite rapidly. Air lines connect the largest cities in Italy with many cities in Europe and other continents. The largest airports in the country - Leonardo da Vinci near Rome, Malpensa and Linate near Milan, etc. serve as important centers of the international airline network.
In a country like Italy, elongated in its configuration, jutting deep into the Mediterranean Sea at its very center, located at the intersection of many international transport routes, and being the southern outpost of the European Economic Community on trade routes across the Mediterranean, transport, both domestic and external, plays a very important role. Italy has a well-developed transport network. The network of railways and roads in Italy developed mainly in the meridian direction. Latitudinal communications are not enough, with the exception of the Padan plain. Many roads and railways run on steep slopes, pass through tunnels or over numerous bridges and viaducts, so building and maintaining them is very expensive. In international road and rail transport, the roads laid in the Alps play an important role, especially through the passes of Simplon, Mont Cenis, Tarvisio, Saint Gotthard, Brenner and others, under which tunnels are made. In Italy, over 90% of passengers and over 80% of cargo is transported by road. Of 293 thousand km. about half of the roads are in Northern Italy. In Italy 1/4 of all European motorways are concentrated (about 6 thousand km), including the world's oldest motorway Milan-Varese, built in 1924. The main transport artery of the country is the Highway of the Sun, which runs through the whole of Italy, from Turin through Milan, Florence, Rome, Naples to Reggio di Calabria. Five international highways pass through the territory of Italy: London-Paris-Rome-Palermo, London-Lausanne-Milan-Brin-disi, Rome-Berlin-Oslo-Stjordan, Rome-Vienna-Warsaw, Amsterdam-Basel-Genoa. The Italian car park has over 20 million vehicles, including about 18 million cars.
Railway transport could not stand the fight with such a powerful competitor and for a long time was in a state of crisis. Only in recent years, the state, which owns 82% of the railways, has begun to invest in their enhanced development. Some lines have been modernized, the Rome-Florence high-speed railway (“Direttissima”) has been built, on which trains can reach speeds of up to 200-260 km per hour, this route is part of the future high-speed highway connecting Milan with Florence, Rome, Naples. The total length of railways is 19.8 thousand km (including sidings), of which 10.2 thousand km are electrified.
With the development of the oil refining and petrochemical industries, the pipeline transport network has grown. The total length of main oil and gas pipelines exceeds 8 thousand km. Some of them are of international importance, such as the pipeline that supplies Russian gas to northern Italy, the Trieste-Ingolstadt oil pipeline. An oil pipeline has been laid from Genoa to Milan, Munich, Switzerland.
Civil aviation is developing quite rapidly. She features prominently in Western Europe... Major airports (Fiumicino near Rome, Linate near Milan) serve as important hubs for the international airline network connecting Europe with other continents. The airports of Naples, Palermo, Venice, Genoa are important in domestic traffic. The country's air transport is 75% controlled by the state through the Alitalia company.
Different values \u200b\u200bof the share of sea transport in import and export traffic in physical and value terms are due to large differences in the nature of the transported goods. Import transportation is mainly associated with the import of such bulk cargo as oil, coal, ore, grain, timber and certain types of food, which, with a large physical volume, have a relatively lower cost. In contrast, export transportation is mainly associated with the export to foreign markets of a wide variety of industrial products, which, with a smaller physical volume, have a much higher cost. For these reasons, the physical volume of imported goods is 5-6 times higher than the volume of exported goods. For the implementation of sea transport, Italy has a wide network of large and small ports, ship traffic and cargo turnover of which is increasing from year to year. In terms of cargo turnover in ports, Italy ranks 1st among the Mediterranean countries.
River transport in Italy is poorly developed due to the absence of large rivers. On the canals of Venice, its lagoon and on the alpine lakes, small passenger ships of the “river tram” type run, and cargo is transported in small quantities.
Italy has a fairly large merchant fleet in terms of the number of ships. It ranks eighth among the capitalist countries of the world (after Liberia, Japan, Great Britain, Norway, Greece, USA and West Germany). Among the EEC countries, Italy takes the 3rd place in terms of the total gross tonnage of merchant ships, second only to Great Britain and the Federal Republic of Germany. Along with the ships flying the Italian flag, Italian shipowners have a significant number of ships registered in other countries and used in foreign markets under FOCs. The total number of such ships reaches 20-25% of the total tonnage of the Italian merchant marine. These ships are not included in the official statistics on the Italian merchant marine.
The ships of the Italian merchant marine are used for their foreign trade and coastal shipments passing through the Italian ports of transit cargo neighboring countries, as well as for international transport between foreign ports. Most of Italy's foreign trade cargo is transported through the chartering of foreign ships, for which foreign ship owners are paid annually significant amounts of currency. So far, Italian ships retain an increased role only in international passenger transportation, which is largely supported by subsidies allocated annually.
Along with foreign trade transport, sea transport plays an important role in ensuring the internal transport of Italy. It accounts for about one third of the country's total domestic traffic. These shipments are usually carried out on ships flying the Italian flag.
The Italian merchant navy has a complex organizational structure. In addition to the presence of the Ministry of the Merchant Marine and several large shipping companies controlled by state organizations, such as the Finmare group, the joint-stock company SNAM and Sidemar, there are a number of other large shipping companies in Italy and several hundred private shipping and shipping companies differing in the composition and nature of their activities. ...
Most of the private shipowners are members of the so-called national federation of independent shipowners - Confitarma. The Ministry of the Merchant Marine has limited functions, which are more often manifested in resolving issues such as allocation of appropriations for the fleet, preparation of bills on specific issues of the merchant marine and shipping, general issues of material security and insurance of seafarers, and other issues.
When solving general issues in the field of sea transport, serious complications arise due to the lack of a single body for the management of the activities and development of seaports. Moreover, a number of large and important ports (Genoa, Trieste, etc.) have their own autonomous administrations with varying degrees of administrative and financial independence. Some other ministries are also involved to consider and resolve issues that go beyond the functions and responsibilities of the Ministry of the Merchant Marine, including ports.
Recently, in the maritime transport system, there has been an increase in the activities of the ministry on state participation. Its activities have extended to some shipping companies that are subsidized by the State Institute for Industrial Development. An important role in ensuring state influence on maritime transport is played by the policy of the Italian government providing loans and various subsidies. It is based on the provision of financial assistance primarily to companies controlled by state organizations.
From 80 to 90% of the volume of import, 55-60% of export cargo and about one third of the total volume of domestic traffic in Italy pass through the seaports. In addition, a number of ports (Trieste, Genoa, Venice) are widely used for transit transportation of foreign trade goods from neighboring countries.
There are more than 144 ports on the mainland coast and islands. However, most of them are small in size and are used mainly by cargo-passenger and fishing vessels for local use or pleasure and sports boats.
Up to 90% of the total volume of sea traffic passes through 220-25 major ports, each of which has an annual cargo turnover of more than 1 million tons. These ports are located in areas of large industrial and economic centers or individual large oil refining, chemical, metallurgical and machine-building plants with which the ports are closely connected and which they mainly serve.
In 1981-1992, the total cargo turnover of Italian ports increased 2.5 times and in 1992 it amounted to 357.3 million tons, with a tendency to further growth. More than 2/3 of the total cargo turnover of ports is associated with servicing foreign trade traffic and about one third - with servicing domestic traffic.
Genoa is the largest Italian port. Located at the top of the Genoa Gulf of the Ligurian Sea. The total length of its berths is 22.4 km, depths in the port basins are from 7 to 10 m. The semicircular basin of Vecchia, to which the old city quarters descend like an amphitheater, is the oldest part of the port, where all its activities were concentrated at the beginning of the century. Now it is used mainly by passenger ships. The port of Genoa began to develop westward. The long breakwater formed a new artificial harbor, which includes a deep-water outport and several rectangular basins separated by piers. Large-capacity vessels use the eastern entrance to enter the port.
Immediately west of the port, in an artificially reclaimed territory, is Italy's largest iron and steel works, and further to the west is a major airport on an artificial peninsula that encloses a new deep-sea oil harbor. Genoa is the second most important (after Marseille) port on the Mediterranean. during the Middle Ages, Genoa was the largest trade intermediary between the countries of the West and the East. After the construction of railways in the middle of the last century, the port became a sea gateway for the densely populated and economically developed Po valley, especially for the industrial triangle Milan-Turin-Bologna. Genoa is the home port of the Italian merchant fleet.
Naples is the main port of the southern part of the country. Located on the shores of the bay of the same name Tyrrhenian Sea at the foot of the active Vesuvius volcano. Is one of the oldest cities and tourist centers Europe. More than 2 million passengers, tourists and expatriates pass through the sea terminals of Naples every year. The port water area is fenced by a breakwater, two breakwaters and consists of several pools, separated by short breakwaters. The port is divided into three zones: passenger (western part), grain and general cargo (central part) and bulk and liquid cargo zone (eastern part). One of the piers in the central part has the status of a free zone. Situated about halfway between Gibraltar and Port Said, Naples serves as a convenient port of call for ships of the line. Raw materials for oil refineries and metallurgical plants in the vicinity of Naples, as well as their products - the main part of the cargo turnover of the Port of Naples. The share of vegetables, fruits and canned food traditional for Naples in the modern cargo turnover is small. The hardest crisis hit the Neapolitan port in the 1980s due to a sharp decline in international maritime passenger traffic (the reason for which was a decrease in emigration). This forced Naples to cede the position of the country's first passenger port to Brindisi.
Venice is the main Italian port on the Adriatic Sea and one of the most distinctive cities in the world. Located in the shallow lagoon of the Gulf of Venice on 119 islands separated by 160 channels. The depth of the entrance to the lagoon, in the upper part of which the port is located, is: Lido - 10.6 m, at Alberoni - 9.14 m.To Marghera, the new industrial port of Venice, there is a canal accessible for sea vessels with a draft of up to 9.45 m. According to passenger traffic Venice is second only to Naples and Genoa. The port is partly located in the western part of the city, partly on the coast of the mainland (Marghera), 10 km from the city. The main part of the port's cargo turnover falls on its mainland, where three industrial zones are located on the territory reclaimed from the sea, including over 200 industrial enterprises.
Trieste is the largest free harbor in Europe. The proximity to continental countries that do not have their own access to the sea creates a large area of \u200b\u200bgravity, including Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and other countries, therefore transit cargo prevails in Trieste's cargo turnover. The port consists of four harbors: new, old, customs and industrial. The length of the mooring front is about 20 km. Trieste is the deepest Italian port. After the construction of the oil berths and their connection with the transalpine oil pipeline, the cargo turnover increased 5 times. The industrial area of \u200b\u200bTrieste, like many other Italian ports, includes an oil refinery and a metallurgical plant.
Right-hand (steering wheel on the left).
Italy has a developed network of railways and highways. More than 90% of passengers and over 80% of cargo are transported by cars. In external traffic, sea transport prevails.
In domestic transportation of goods and passengers, the main role is played by road transport, followed by rail. In terms of the level of electrification of railways, the country occupies one of the first places in the world.
In Italy 1/4 of all European motorways are concentrated (about 7 thousand km), including the world's oldest motorway Milan - Varese, built in 1924.
The main transport artery of the country is the Highway of the Sun, which runs through the whole of Italy, from Turin through Milan, Florence, Rome, Naples to Reggio di Calabria.
Five international motorways pass through Italy: London-Paris-Rome-Palermo, London-Lausanne-Milan-Bryn-Disy, Rome-Berlin-Oslo-Stjordan, Rome-Vienna-Warsaw, Amsterdam-Basel-Genoa.
About half of the roads are in northern Italy; in the South of the country, the density of the road network is much less.
Last changes: 27.01.2013
Public transport
Italy has a well-developed bus and rail network of public transport. It will not be difficult to get to almost anywhere in the country. There is also a subway: Milan, Rome, Naples, Catania, Turin, Genoa, Baria, Palermo.The city bus is the main public transport in Italy. The entrance to the bus is carried out only through the back door with the inscription: "Salita", and the exit - through the front door with the inscription: "Us-cita". Once on the bus, you must validate your ticket in a special - yellow or orange - punch located at the entrance. The driver does not sell tickets, they must be purchased in advance at automatic ticket offices, Tabacceria tobacco kiosks with a black and yellow sign and the letter "T". You can also buy tickets in the metro and some bars.
The same tickets are valid for all types of public transport (including the railroad within the city). One trip within 75 minutes from the moment the ticket is validated allows any changes to another mode of transport. On the metro, this ticket can only be used once. There are also passes for a day, a week, a month, a year.
A one-day tourist ticket (BIG) costs 3-5 EUR and entitles you to unlimited travel by any type of public transport. A weekly ticket ("Settimanale" or CIS) costs 12 EUR. You can buy it only at ATAC kiosks.
Last changes: 25.04.2010
Taxi
Catching a taxi on the street in Italy is generally not accepted. In cities, there are special parking lots in squares, near metro stations, train stations, etc. But the easiest way is to order a taxi by phone from a hotel, restaurant or bar; if you do not know the language, then ask the employee to call a car for you, the word taxi is understood everywhere.The fare is ~ 1 EUR / km plus the cost of the call ~ 3 EUR. Trips are paid by the counter, but after 22 hours, on holidays and Sundays, as well as if you have luggage or travel to another city, an additional fee is charged. Tipping is encouraged, usually the amount is rounded up to the nearest whole euro.
Each official taxi has a special sign in English, which indicates additional surcharges for luggage, travel at night, on Sundays and holidays, or for travel to the airport.
Keep in mind that in most cases taxi drivers do not know english language and it is best to write the address you want on paper in advance.
Last changes: 04.06.2010
Underground
Rome metro represents two branches. Line A, 18 km long, connects the city center from Ottaviano near the Vatican to the eastern outskirts of the city, passing through Cinecitta (Anagnia). Line B runs north to the outskirts of the city (Rebbibia) and to EUR, a modern industrial complex in the south. The lines cross at Termini. You can buy a special ticket, it is called "big", with it you can travel both by bus and by metro during the day on any line.Milan metro considered the best in Italy. MM consists of two lines (1 and 2) and serves the city and the outskirts. Tourists usually take the 1 heading south near Stazione Centrale via Piazza del Maria della Grazie. Tickets are sold in vending machines at each station and are valid for 1 hour. 10 min. A one day ticket allows you to use all types of transport.
Last changes: 04.06.2010
Air transport
All major cities in Italy are connected by air lines, both with all countries of the world and among themselves.Air tickets are significantly more expensive than train and bus tickets, but when traveling long distances, it is better to use an airplane.
Last changes: 04.06.2010
Railway transport
An extensive national railway network connects many cities of the country; in the north it is denser, in the south, vehicles are more developed.Trains are mostly modern and comfortable. Within the country and abroad, there are high-speed trains - "espresso" (espresso), super-fast trains - "rapide", direct trains - "di-retto", commuter trains - "regio-nale" and local ones - locale. The trains have both sleeping and seating places, and the cost of the first and second classes differs almost twice.
There are several types of trains: R - Regionale (regional, with a common salon, making all stops), IC - Intercity (intercity, with compartments for 4-6 passengers), ES - Eurostar (between cities, better service on a trip, common salon , higher price), EC - Eurocity (between cities in Italy and Europe, coupe for 4-6 passengers), Espresso (express trains without stops).
There is a flexible system of discounts and benefits on the railway. Tourists hoping for a long stay in Italy and intending to travel around the country should purchase the Italy Rail-card or Italy Flexi-card for 4, 8, 12 or 30 days. Such cards are sold at railway stations or in travel agencies.
Also, keep in mind that the seat number on the ticket is affixed only when booking, and when buying a ticket at the box office (without booking), you need to be pretty quick and take any free seat in the carriage. At the height of the tourist season, there are not enough seats and passengers often stand in the aisles. Also, before boarding, do not forget to validate the ticket in a special punch on the platform, otherwise it will be considered invalid.
For more information on rail connections in Italy, please visit: www.trenitalia.com
Last changes: 27.01.2013
Water transport
In Italy, the borders of which are washed by more than 90% of the seas and in which most of the territory is coastal regions, the sea fleet is also important in the internal transport of passengers and especially cargo.90% of goods arriving in Italy for import and 55-60% for export pass through seaports. The largest Italian port of Genoa is one of the most important in the entire Mediterranean. Genoa serves as a gateway to the outside world for the entire Northwest of Italy, as well as for Switzerland. The main rival and competitor of Genoa on the Adriatic is Trieste, the second in Italy in terms of cargo turnover and one of the most important oil ports in Europe. Through Trieste, northeastern Italy connects with other countries of the Mediterranean, the Near and Middle East, East Africa and East Asia.
River transport in Italy is poorly developed (except for Venice, of course) due to the absence of large rivers and is represented mainly by gondolas and river taxis.
Last changes: 04.06.2010
Car rental
To rent a car, you need an international driver's license, a credit card (or in some cases a cash deposit), the driver must be at least 21 years old.When booking a car, you can also overpay a little and take the full insurance service (full insurance, from 10 EUR per day), which includes payment for any scratches and bruises that drivers may purchase on the trip.
If the car was given to you with a full tank of gasoline, then you must also return it with a full tank. For an additional fee, you can agree on an individual return location.
Last changes: 04.06.2010
Useful
The speed limits in Italy are: city 50 km / h, national roads 90 km / h, superstrada 100 km / h, autostrada 130 km / h. As a rule, the speed limit on motorways is controlled by AUTOVELOX devices, which automatically photograph the cars of violators.It is worth noting that the penalties for drunk driving are very high. The permissible blood alcohol level is no more than 0.8 ppm (one glass of dry wine or a mug of beer). We do not advise you to neglect these rules, since in Italy even a punishment in the form of imprisonment is possible.
Traffic police in Italy are principled and incorruptible. Even for a hint of a bribe to a car inspector, a motorist can pay with arrest. Arguing with the police is useless - "for discussion" the fine can be increased almost twice.
Fines for traffic violations are quite high - you will have to pay about 50 euros for driving through a red light, for incorrect parking - from 25 to 70 euros, for speeding - from 33 to 131 euros. Fines are usually paid locally.
If you are going to travel in Italy by car, then you should know that there are three types of roads in Italy: autostrade, superstrade and sta-tale.
Travel on large modern highways is paid. Motorways are marked with green signs with a white "A" followed by a number. When entering the motorway, you need to get a ticket, and pay for it at the exit. You can also pay for travel using Viacard or Telepass cards, which are purchased at payment points or service stations.
Autogrill is lined along the freeways, where cafes, gas stations, toilets, supermarkets, ATMs and much more are located.
In large cities, the streets of the historic center are closed for cars at certain times, and the problem of parking is also very acute. Italian drivers often park in any vacant spot without worrying too much about police action. Tourists are not recommended to behave this way - and the rental cars themselves (especially those with license plates from other regions) immediately attract the attention of the police, and the "familiar places" for such ersatz parking lots are usually unknown. It is forbidden to park in parking lots bounded by the yellow line. Parking spaces bounded by the blue line are paid, the white ones are free or paid through the meter (disco orario, time limit - 30, 60 or 90 minutes). Near hotels, as a rule, it is allowed to leave the car for a short time, however, each institution has its own rules - somewhere there is its own parking lot, and it is forbidden to park cars at the entrance, somewhere for this, a courtyard or the nearest lane is used.
Petrol stations in urban areas usually work from 8.00 to 13.00 and from 14.30 to 19.30, however, on suburban roads, almost all gas stations work around the clock. In large cities, there are mini-gas stations, which are 1-2 automatic machines installed literally on a patch. There are no attendants at such stations, all actions are performed by the driver, payment is by credit card.
