travel bus italy

Italy: Discover all the cities you can travel to by bus

• Agnone Cilento
• Alba Adriatica
• Alba di Canazei
• Alberobello
• Albissola Marina
• Alessandria
• Arcavacata (Unical)
• Ascoli Piceno
• Bari Airport
• Battipaglia
• Belforte del Chienti
• Belvedere Marittimo
• Bergamo Orio al Serio Airport
• Bivio Cantinella
• Borca di Cadore
• Borghetto Santo Spirito
• Bozen (Bolzano)
• Bozen Airport
• Busto Arsizio
• Croce di Magara
• Cagnano Varano
• Calolziocorte
• Calopezzati
• Caltanissetta
• Camigliatello Silano
• Campo Carlo Magno
• Campora San Giovanni
• Canale d'Agordo
• Casale Monferrato
• Casalecchio di Reno
• Casamassima
• Casavecchia
• Caselle In Pittari
• Castel di Sangro
• Castelfranco Veneto
• Castellabate
• Castellammare di Stabia
• Castello del Lago
• Castello di Fiemme
• Castelrotto
• Castiglione della Pescaia
• Castrovillari-Frascineto
• Catania Airport
• Ceglie Messapica
• Celle di Bulgheria
• Celle Ligure
• Cirò Marina
• Città di Castello
• Cittadella del Capo
• Civitanova Marche
• Civitavecchia
• Colle di Val d'Elsa
• Contrada Amica
• Contrada Foresta
• Contrada Frasso
• Contrada Toscano
• Conza della Campania
• Cortina d'Ampezzo
• Cupra Marittima
• Castelnuovo del Garda (Gardaland)
• Desenzano del Garda
• Diano Marina
• Fabrizio G.
• Falerna Marina
• Fiè allo Scillar
• Fiera di Primiero
• Finale Ligure
• Fiordimonte
• Fiumefreddo
• Francavilla Fontana
• Gioia Tauro
• Gizzeria Lido
• Gravina in Puglia
• Grottaminarda
• Grottammare
• Guardia Piemontese
• Igea Marina
• Klausen (Chiusa)
• L'Aquila
• Lamezia Terme
• Lamezia Terme Airport
• Locorotondo
• Longobardi Marina
• Madonna di Campiglio
• Mandatoriccio
• Manfredonia
• Marina di Camerota
• Marling (Marlengo)
• Martina Franca
• Martinsicuro
• Meran (Merano)
• Mercogliano
• Milan Linate Airport
• Milan Malpensa Airport
• Milano Marittima
• Mirabilandia
• Mirto Crosia
• Misano Adriatico
• Mola di Bari
• Molina di Fiemme
• Mongrassano
• Montallegro
• Monte San Savino
• Montecassiano
• Montecatini Terme
• Montecorice
• Montecosaro
• Montemarano
• Morra de Sanctis
• Naples Airport
• Nocera Inferiore
• Nocera Terinese
• Ogliastretti
• Olbia Airport
• Passa Tempo, MG
• Passo del Tonale
• Passo Rolle
• Passo San Pellegrino
• Penia di Canazei
• Pera di Fassa
• Peschiera del Garda
• Pescopagano
• Pian del Lago
• Piano di Sorrento
• Pievebovigliana
• Pietra Ligure
• Pietrapaola
• Pieve al Toppo
• Pieve Torina
• Piragineti (Tabacchi)
• Pisa Airport
• Poggio Imperiale
• Polignano a Mare
• Pont Saint Martin
• Ponte di Legno
• Ponte Mucone
• Ponte Nelle Alpi
• Porto Cesareo
• Porto d'Ascoli
• Porto Empedocle
• Porto Garibaldi
• Porto Potenza Picena
• Porto Recanati
• Porto San Giorgio
• Porto Sant'Elpidio
• Portogruaro
• Pozza di Fassa
• Praia A Mare
• Pre Saint Didier
• Principina a Mare
• Quattromiglia
• Rapolano Terme
• Reggio Calabria
• Reggio Emilia
• Rodi Garganico
• Rome Ciampino Airport
• Rome Fiumicino Airport
• Roseto degli Abruzzi
• Ruvo del Monte
• Ruvo di Puglia
• Silvana Mansio
• San Lorenzo
• Saint Vincent
• Sala Consilina
• Salerno Airport
• San Benedetto del Tronto
• San Candido
• San Cassiano
• San Cristina Valgardena
• San Demetrio Corone
• San Donà di Piave
• San Giorgio Albanese
• San Giorgio del Sannio
• San Giovanni in Fiore
• San Giovanni Rotondo
• San Licandro
• San Lorenzo al Lago
• San Lorenzo al Mare
• San Martino di Castrozza
• San Miniato
• San Nicola Arcella
• San Pietro in Guarano
• San Potito Ultra
• San Teodoro
• San Vincenzo
• San Vito dei Normanni
• San Vito di Cadore
• Sansepolcro
• Sant'Agnello
• Sant'Andrea di Conza
• Sant'Antonio di Mavignola
• Santa Maria Apparente
• Santa Maria del Cedro
• Santa Maria di Leuca
• Santa Marina
• Santa Sofia d'Epiro
• Selva di Valgardena
• Serra San Bruno
• Serravalle Scrivia
• Sestri Levante
• Sestri Ponente
• Sicignano degli Alburni
• Spezzano Albanese
• Spezzano della Sila
• Sterzing (Vipiteno)
• Strongoli Marina
• Tai di Cadore
• Termini Imerese
• Torano Castello
• Torre Melissa
• Torremezzo di Falconara
• Torretta Crucoli
• Trapani Airport
• Treviso Airport
• Trieste Airport
• Turin Caselle airport
• Torre Voluta di Frassa
• Vaccarizzo Albanese
• Vairano scalo
• Val Vibrata
• Valdidentro
• Valle di Cadore
• Valle la Fontana
• Vallo della Lucania
• Venas di Cadore
• Venice Marco Polo Airport
• Ventimiglia
• Verona Airport
• Vibo Valentia
• Vico Equense
• Vigo di Fassa
• Vigo San Giovanni
• Villa San Giovanni
• Vodo di Cadore
• Volturara Irpina

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Italy by bus

Traveling by bus in Italy is definitely one of the safest and cheapest ways of traveling while ensuring at the same time that you don't miss out on the beautiful natural landscapes around the country. Thanks to the well connected bus network between Italian cities it is easy to reach the majority of the most popular destinations within the country in a day.

Table Of Contents

Intercity buses in italy.

In Italy intercity buses are available on more than 4469 travel combinations, while traveling with an average speed of 71 km/h . Of course, intercity bus routes via highway have a higher average speed. The majority of the Italian intercity buses are comfortable long distance coaches, but older vehicles might be used on busier travel days.

The timetable for popular intercity bus routes like Giardini Naxos - Taormina or Taormina - Castelmola can be found online, but for some shorter intercity bus routes you might have to go to the bus station. Tickets are sold both online and on the spot, but after the COVID-19 pandemic an increasing number of travellers prefer buying their tickets online.

Domestic routes

As mentioned above there are more than 4469 domestic intercity bus travel combinations in Italy . Below you will find some of the most popular Italian travel routes with minimal or no stops along the way:

Travel Giardini Naxos to Taormina

Travel Taormina to Castelmola

Travel Taormina to Giardini Naxos

Travel Castelmola to Taormina

Travel Taormina to Letojanni

Travel Noto to Syracuse

Travel Syracuse to Noto

Travel Salerno to Matera

International routes

From Italy there are international bus routes to neighboring countries such as Croatia , Switzerland , and Slovenia , as well as to other countries such as Serbia , Albania, and Vatican City.

The majority of these international bus lines are daily departures, that are operated by various Italian bus companies.

Most of the International bus departures drive from Trieste , Venice - Mestre , and Bologna . Of course, there are also some international bus departures from other cities throughout the country. Below we have listed the most popular international bus routes:

Travel Trieste to Pula

Travel Trieste to Rovinj

Travel Trieste to Porec

Travel Trieste to Buje

Travel Venice - Mestre to Ljubljana

Travel Trieste to Piran

Travel Trieste to Pazin

Travel Trieste to Belgrade

Travel Venice - Mestre to Rovinj

Travel Venice - Mestre to Koper

Travel Bologna to Belgrade

Travel Trieste to Buzet

Travel Brescia to Zavidovici

Airport buses in Italy

If you are flying to Italy you will land in one of 32 airports located throughout the country. From the majority of Italian airports you have a bus shuttle to the nearest largest city and in some cases even intercity buses to other cities in the region. Click on the airport name below and read more about getting to and from the airport.

International airports:

Verona (Airport)

Turin (Airport)

Genoa (Airport)

Cagliari (Airport)

Olbia (Airport)

Perugia (Airport)

Pescara (Airport)

Rimini (Airport)

Rome Ciampino (Airport)

Domestic airports:

Foggia (Airport)

Lampedusa (Airport)

Crotone (Airport)

Reggio Calabria (Airport)

Bus companies in Italy

There are over 121 bus companies operating in Italy . 61 companies offer intercity bus lines , 23 companies drive airport shuttles , 30 companies operate regional and local lines , 54 bus companies offer bus rental and 20 companies offer bus tours . The bus companies are located in 68 cities throughout the country. The majority of companies can be found in Rome and Naples .

61 intercity bus companies operating in Italy are very different in size. The largest Italian company Marino Autolinee connects more than 159 cities , whereas the smallest intercity bus company Livigno Express only has service to 2 cities . Below we have listed some of the most popular bus companies in Italy . Full list of bus companies in Italy can be found here .

Bus stations in Italy

In most cities there is a dedicated bus station, in smaller cities the bus station might be a parking lot with a shelter or a section on the road marked for multiple buses. In some cities buses also stop at public road bus stops or at gas stations and hotel parking lots. In larger cities you will find bus stations with amenities like toilets, luggage storage, kiosks, fast food restaurants and other useful services for travellers. In Italy there is a total of 227 bus stations , below we have listed 15 of the most popular bus stations, for a full list of bus stations in Italy click here .

Civitanova Marche

Reggio Emilia

Hire a coach in Italy

Italian bus rental companies offer coaches for any kind of group trip, whether it’s a transfer from the airport to your hotel, or single and multi day excursions to the many sights in Italy . Rest assured you will be able to find a suitable partner. If you are travelling during the high season, it is advisable to book your bus in advance to secure one of the best vehicles for your group. Here you can see a list of some companies offering bus rental in Italy :

• Florentia Bus
• Calanda Viaggi Reisen
• Viaggi l'Aurora

Public transportation in Italy

In the majority of larger Italian cities , public transportation is available, in the cities like Naples or Milan you have an extensive network of buses connecting all suburbs to the centre of the town.

Buying tickets for public transportation varies from city to city, sometimes they are bought at dedicated sales points and other times they are bought on the bus for example, so be sure to check which options are available for the city you are travelling in.

Here is a list of some Italian companies operating both local and suburban bus lines.

• Prestia e Comandè
• Sais Autolinee
• Gruppo Torinese Trasporti
• Azienda Trasporti Automobilistici Pubblici
• Arriva Italia
• Busitalia Nord
• DolomitiBus

What to see in Italy

As a visitor of Italy, you have lots of great Italian sights to visit. Some of the most popular sights are Ponte Rosso ( Trieste ), Rialto Bridge ( Venice ), and Doge's Palace ( Venice ). That said, there are a lot of other sights in Italy worth visiting! Some of the sights do not have an entrance fee, whilst others charge for entrance. Below you will find a list of the most popular sights in Italy:

Ponte Rosso

Rialto Bridge

Doge's Palace

Piazza delle Erbe

Duomo di Siena

Uffizi Gallery

FAQ about buses in Italy

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How to Use Buses in Italy in 2024: Everything Tourists & New Expats Must Know

Last updated on August 9th, 2024 at 03:05 pm

Planning a budget-friendly trip across Italy? Or are you a new expat in Italy trying to get around? Buses may be the right mode of transportation for you. But, like traveling or living in any new country, understanding all the ins and outs of how buses in Italy work is overwhelming. So, as a seasoned Italy traveler and now as a local, I’m sharing everything you must know about getting around by bus in Italy.

There’s one other thing to note about this guide: Italians like to do things in their own way.

So, while I am going to cover everything you need to know about buses in Italy, you should also know that details will vary from city to city and region to region.

The majority of what I mention should apply everywhere, and I will reference specific cases where it doesn’t. I recommend taking in all this info, heading to the official bus company website in the area you plan to travel or move to, and taking note of any particular differences they might operate with.

If you have questions about a specific bus company, city, or region, write them in a comment so I can give you a detailed and relevant answer!

For now, I will do my best to comprehensively cover Italy’s bus systems.

Some of these links are affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through that link, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read my full disclosure !

Must-Know Italian Words Related to Bus Travel

Buses are not the most common transportation choice of tourists ( traveling by train in Italy is much more popular), so if you are reading this post to prepare for an upcoming trip, you’ll want to note these Italian words you may see. As a new expat, they’ll help you navigate the bus system the first few times.

Don’t worry too much though! You will find most labels and signs have an English translation, but this list will also be helpful if you have to ask for directions and information, or while buying your ticket.

• Autobus or Pullman – Bus
• Stazione degli autobus – Bus station
• Linea – Bus line/route
• Orari – Bus schedule
• Posto – Seat
• Abbonamento – Bus pass ( mensile = monthly, annuale = yearly)
• Biglietto – Ticket
• This refers to the routes buses take. How many zones your route travels through affects your ticket. In essence, if you have to travel longer through more zones, the ticket costs more. This usually applies to city bus routes (but not all cities, so check with the city you will be traveling in or moving to!)
• When you buy your ticket, you may want to buy more than one at a time. For example, you can ask for “un biglietto 3 zone, 10 corse”. This means your route covers three zones and that you are buying a ticket that is valid for 10 rides.
• This is an important phrase to know when planning to take any public transportation in Italy. Scroll to the section “on the bus” to know exactly how to validate your ticket to avoid a fine.
• Fermata – Bus stop
• You’ll see this sign light up on the bus if someone has requested a stop.
• Capolinea – First and last stop
• Uscita/Entrata – Exit/Entrance

Types of Buses in Italy

Since this post is about buses in Italy , I couldn’t leave anything out! Throughout this guide, you’ll find information specific to the different kinds of buses in Italy so you know exactly how to get around on each one.

Italian cities have a robust transportation system, particularly in the north. Buses are frequent and cover many different routes.

City-specific companies operate city buses. For example, in Bergamo, the bus company is ATB – Azienda Trasporti Bergamo. In Milan, it’s ATM – Azienda Trasporti Milanesi. So, you will likely find the most differences using buses in Italy from city to city just because each is run in its own way by a local transportation company.

Regional Buses

Italy is made up of 20 regions, and within those regions are provinces. Regional buses connect you to smaller towns and cities within the province and region, so they cover further distances.

These buses typically have fewer s tops along their route than city buses.  Arriva Italia  and  Busitalia  are two of the many regional bus companies.

Although buses aren’t the go-to transportation for visiting tourists, regional buses can better connect you to hidden gems and areas off the beaten path where trains don’t stop !

Third-Party Buses

Here’s the catch: there is no national bus line in Italy. You cannot travel from one region to another by bus unless it is operated by a third party.

Third-party bus companies that operate in Italy are Flixbus , Itabus and those that cover airport transfers, like Terravision .

Flixbus is a super affordable way to travel around Italy . Bus travel isn’t usually preferred since it takes so much more time than train travel, and it’s less flexible than renting a car and driving in Italy .

But for budget travelers with a lot of time, it is definitely the perfect way to get around.

One last group of buses to consider is tour company buses that you can book for day excursions, usually popular routes (like Florence to Cinque Terre).

Understanding the Bus Timetables in Italy

Know that understanding the bus timetables in Italy is super confusing at the beginning .

As a new ex-pat, you will have some time to adjust and even make a few mistakes to learn from along the way. As a tourist, I recommend you actually go to the bus station or headquarters early (maybe even the day before you plan to use it) to make sure you have the right route and the right ticket.

Regional bus timetables are usually straightforward – they make stops in the main areas of cities and towns, which are usually all listed on the route. The price to take a regional bus will vary based on the distance you are traveling.

The city bus network includes many different bus lines. When reading the city bus timetable for your route, keep in mind that buses usually make extra stops  at bus stops that aren’t listed on the timetable .

For some city buses, the bus ticket cost depends on how many “zones” you are traveling through. The more zones you travel through, the higher the price of the ticket. Every city is different, though – the beauty (and sometimes pain) of Italy.

This example bus schedule shows you what time the bus arrives along with each stop. Your job is to find the bus that includes both your pick-up and destination and look at those columns of times only!

Since every area is different, I won’t elaborate too much on reading this specific example. Luckily, lots of city bus websites now have search engines to help you calculate your ride and help you get where you are going!

How to Buy Bus Tickets in Italy

Types of Tickets

When you go to buy your ticket ( biglietto, carnet ) may depend on the type of ticket you need.

Abbonamento

The “abbonamento” or pass, which can be monthly or annual, best serves the interests of people living in Italy who use buses more than 10 times a month.

If you travel frequently by bus, bus passes offer two advantages: first, you don’t have to worry about always buying a ticket, and second, they are cheaper compared to the cost of one-way tickets.

On city buses, the price of these passes also varies depending on how many zones your desired route covers. The longer the route, usually the more zones, and therefore the more expensive the pass.

Good to know: You usually have to purchase these passes from the bus company office in your city because they require you bring identification to create a new bus ID card for you.

One-way ticket

One-way tickets are most commonly sold for city buses. They have a period of time that they are valid for use, usually 90 minutes. Within 90 minutes of validating your ticket on the bus, you can use that ticket for as many rides as you want.

However, if it’s after 90 minutes (or whatever time period your ticket says) from the time the ticket is validated, you’ll need a new ticket to take the bus.

Read on to find out why validating your ticket is so important!

Roundtrip ticket

Regional buses usually sell roundtrip tickets, and it’s pretty straightforward – keep your ticket for the return trip!

A “carnet” is a collection of tickets you buy at one time. For example, if you have to take the bus back and forth for 5 days, you would want to buy a “carnet 10 corse” and then you’d specify how many zones your route covers so the seller knows what ticket to give you.

Every time you get on the bus, you validate your ticket, and the machine punches out one of the numbers to show you have used that ride.

This can be a good ticket option for tourists staying a bit longer in a specific area, but I still suggest comparing the price with the tourist tickets (details below). The tourist tickets allow for unlimited rides in a specific time period, whereas the carnet will allow you however many rides you purchase.

Tourist Tickets (24-hour and 72-hour)

Many city bus companies offer friendly prices for tourists. These tickets usually have a validity of 24 to 72 hours, so tourists can have unlimited rides within that time period.

Again, the length of the routes usually affects the price of these tickets. The further you go, the higher the price.

Good to know: Depending on the bus company, you may have to pay extra to bring suitcases on board. Consult the specific area in Italy you are traveling in to find out if bringing luggage on the bus is an extra charge.

Where to Buy

Tabaccheria.

Shops called “tabaccheria”, which are small convenience stores that also sell stamps, cigarettes, and newspapers, also sell bus tickets! You will find them scattered around town and marked with a big “T” sign outside.

To buy a ticket, you have to ask the clerk at the counter exactly what kind of ticket you would like. They should also know enough about the bus system to help you if you’re not sure what ticket you need.

Good to know: When buying tickets at the “tabaccheria” shops, you will likely only be allowed to pay in cash. Plus, you won’t find the option to pay for monthly or annual passes here.

Bus Company Touchpoints

Bus companies in cities and regions will have a headquarters. The regional buses usually have their offices/ticket windows at the main bus station, which is typically near the train station.

It is usually only at the headquarters that you can purchase a monthly or yearly pass, renew your pass, or handle any other customer service-related problems. They also sell all the other types of tickets.

On city buses, there are several machines where you can pay for your ticket. Some regional bus companies may also let you buy your ticket in cash while getting on the bus.

There is a machine that takes cash (remember the currency is the euro in Italy) , but note that these machines don’t give change . The tickets printed on the bus are already validated.

There is also a machine that allows you to buy your ticket with a debit or credit card. Some buses are also equipped with contactless pay machines, where you just have to tap your card, and you are good to go.

Most bus companies also have apps these days through which you can purchase your ticket. Because this ticket doesn’t get stamped by the validation machine on the bus, you are fine with just this ticket available on your mobile device.

Bus Stops in Italy

City bus stops.

What do bus stops look like in Italy ? Italy is well-connected by public transportation, so you will see lots of buses all the time in cities, as well as pass by many bus stops.

Bus stops are usually a small covered area with a bench next to a tall pole labeled “fermata”, or “stop” in Italian. The pole will also have a sign displaying information for that bus stop—what route is passing there, in which direction is it going, if there is an airport bus, etc. It should also have the hours of the bus schedules printed (if you’re not at a super busy bus stop with many lines).

Good to know: You will use different bus stops to go and come back on the same route since the direction of the route changes. The sign attached to the pole will tell you what bus route stops at that stop and in what direction the bus is going. You will always get on and off the bus from the right-hand side, so whatever side of the street the bus stop is on, you can figure out easily if it’s the route to go towards your destination or to return.

Bus Stations

Bus stations are typically where regional buses will stop. They are bus hubs, usually close to train or tram stations in main cities.

The layout of bus stations in Italy varies, but you will usually find that there is a ticket office, a departure board, and numbered platforms where buses pull in and out, picking up and dropping off passengers.

The departure board will let you know which number platform your bus is located at and advise you of any delays/changes to the schedule.

Third-Party Bus Locations

If you book a bus with a third-party company for airport transfer or traveling between regions, the company should let you know where the stop is once you purchase your ticket.

How to Use the Bus in Italy

Once you’ve done all the pre-trip prep, it’s time to “salire su” (get on) the bus! From here, it’s pretty simple, but I remember how nerve-wracking it was for me the first time I navigated the bus system.

What to Expect on the Bus

First, let me give you a quick overview of the bus. City buses typically have three entrances (one at the front, middle, and back), but regional buses can vary. When I took a regional bus in Tuscany, it was like a coach bus and had one entrance at the front. Other regional/provincial buses are super long and have more than three entrances.

Seats face both the front and back of the bus. If you get motion sickness easily, try to get a seat facing the front. There are also many poles and overhead handrails to hang onto.

In the middle of the bus, there is an open area dedicated to those with strollers or wheelchairs. Next to designated seats, there is signage for handicapped/elderly seating. If you sit in one of those seats, it’s proper bus etiquette to give it up to someone who is handicapped or elderly.

Buses in Italy are accessible to wheelchairs.

Provincial buses more often resemble the style of a coach bus, as I mentioned before, with cushioned seating all facing the front of the bus.

As a rule of thumb, you enter from the front or back and exit out the middle. Buses also thoroughly mark emergency exits.

Good to know: You’ll want to grab a handrail or sit down quickly – bus drivers do not wait to get underway!

How to Validate Your Ticket

In Italy, on nearly all public transportation, you’ll need to “timbrare il biglietto”, or validate your ticket.

There will be a small box on the bus (one at the front and back) in which you must insert your ticket. When you hear a loud click sound, you can withdraw your ticket. The machine stamps (or punches if you have a carnet) your ticket with a time.

You have until this time to use your ticket to get on and off the bus as many times as you like.

If you have a bus pass, you don’t have to do any type of validation.

The reason you must validate your ticket is that you could incur a heavy fine for not doing so . Buses can be randomly checked at any time, like other public transportation in Italy, to verify you have a valid ticket for your ride.

If you don’t stamp the ticket, authorities don’t know if you are using that ticket beyond its monetary value.

How to Request a Stop

You’re on the bus, you’ve validated your ticket, and now all you have to do is worry about getting off at your destination!

On city and provincial buses, you just have to hit a button , which is conveniently located throughout the bus. Once you hit it, there should be a sign at the front or middle of the bus that flashes or lights up saying “ fermata prenotata “, meaning stop requested. A “ding” sounds to confirm that your stop was requested.

Once the button is hit once, you don’t have to hit it again, even if someone else hits the button for the same stop.

On regional buses, it’s typical that the bus will stop at every stop listed on the route. You shouldn’t have to reserve a stop – just pay attention when you’re approaching your destination town.

Italy Bus Travel Tips

• You’ll need to fill out paperwork to apply for a monthly or annual bus pass. You’ll have to provide information from your ID (or permit to stay, “permesso di soggiorno”) and about the bus route you are taking, so they can give you the appropriate pass.
• Arrive at bus stops 5 minutes before the timetable’s arrival time.  This is the rule of thumb in Italy. The bus has the right to pass and continue on if it arrives within that margin of time.
• Subscribe to alerts on strikes and service changes. Check alerts on the bus company’s website for news like national strikes that result in fewer buses passing (or sometimes not at all within a specific time period.) Also, around the holidays, bus lines will change their services.
• Students take public buses to get to school. There are no separate school buses in Italy! If you can control when you get on the bus, try to avoid around school hours – it will be much fuller. Buses also base their schedules on the school week and school holidays.
• Don’t get spooked by how bus drivers drive. Being an expat for almost a year now, I have to say I still have not gotten used to the chaotic driving in Italy. That being said, drivers know what they’re doing. It’s incredibly impressive seeing them navigate the narrow streets and make the tightest turns (but I do wish they would go slower sometimes!)

The SGTD Take

The bus system in Italy varies from city to city and region to region. Travelers and expats will undoubtedly need to get used to it, and there will be a quick learning curve.

But what I love about taking the bus in Italy is the same thing I love about solo travel – the confidence-boosting satisfaction of achieving something on my own . It’s an objectively small accomplishment that can make a big difference in your confidence in being independent while traveling or adjusting to your new life abroad.

Have a question about buses in Italy? Leave it in a comment so I can answer it!

Italy Trip Planning Resources

• Accommodation : For Italy, I mainly use Booking.com to search and book places to stay.
• Booking flights : I like to search for flights through Skyscanner , but I also book direct depending on the airline.
• Activities & experiences : For things to do that require a ticket, and for more unique trip activities, I use Musement .
• Road trip : For renting a car, I get the best prices by comparing companies with AutoEurope . I then use ViaMichelin to estimate road trip costs and Autostrade.it to find gas stations/have live updates on traffic.
• Transportation : Traveling by public transportation is a great way to see Italy. I use Trenitalia or Trainline to book tickets for trains and Flixbus for long-haul bus trips.
• Accessories : I always travel with this portable charger to stay connected and with a universal adapter to accommodate Italy’s plug types.
• Need help planning an itinerary? Fill out my form for a custom itinerary request !

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I hope this guide to buses in Italy is super useful to your travel plans!

Michela is a travel writer and photographer living in northern Italy. She is passionate about helping people make the most of their travels by sharing advice gained from her personal experiences, off-the-beaten-path destinations and memorable itineraries. Browse her top articles or have her help you plan your itinerary to your dream destination!

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Thank you very much for such a comprehensive article about bus travel in Italy. You’ve taken quite a load off my mind. I was feeling really intimidated about the process, but I think now that I’ll be able to tackle it with a lot more confidence. Take care.

I’m so glad it was helpful!

Hello Michela, My daughter, granddaughter and I will be traveling in Italy in June. We need to take a bus from Rome to Ascoli Pechino and back again several days later. I think the bus company is “Start” but when I go to their website it is in Italian and no option for an English translation. How do I get a bus schedule from them so I can figure out the bus stations and time tables? Thank you for any help you can give us.

Hi Karen! I found the link to the timetable here: https://startspa.it/orariroma/startroma_orariocompleto.pdf

The bus schedule has daily times back and forth between the cities and then it also has an extra evening bus going to Rome only on Sundays and an extra morning bus going to Ascoli Piceno only on Mondays.

So, from Rome Tiburtina Station (it says the bus will depart from platform 18) to Ascoli Piceno, the bus leaves at 1:50 pm (13:50) daily or 5:00 pm (17:00) daily. On Mondays, there is an extra bus line that leaves at 7 am to Ascoli Piceno.

For your return trip, Ascoli Piceno to Rome, the bus will depart from Ascoli Piceno Station at 6:00 am and 9:30 am daily and on Sundays there is an extra line that leaves at 5:45 pm (17:45).

It says these hours are valid from January 11th, 2022 but doesn’t say if there is an end date to this schedule. It’s possible that during summer more hours could be added, so I would check back at the company’s website in the coming months just to make sure nothing changes. I also was able to find on the Rome2Rio bus search site times and information in English, so it could be easier to reference that, but I would trust the actual bus company’s timetable the most! Here’s the link: https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Rome/Ascoli-Piceno#r/Bus/s/0

I hope this helps and that you all enjoy your trip! If you have any other questions or do notice changes in the future to the schedule, feel free to write again and I can help out! 🙂

Thank you for the useful information.. I am traveling solo and I always like to use the public transportation while traveling to a new city.. I was just wondering about the price range for the tickets .I mean for inside cities..and can you use same tickets in other cities, like If I bought a ticket from Rome , can I use it in Venice ?? Not for the route from city to city (a train will be better) but inside the cities.. thank you again 🙂

Love that you’re traveling solo! The bus companies that operate within cities are typically separate companies – so Rome wouldn’t be operated by the same company that operates the public transportation in Milan. Therefore, you’d have to buy your tickets either at their separate websites or bus kiosks and they would only be valid for the city you are traveling within. So, if you buy your ticket in Rome, it will only work with the bus company operating in Rome.

Prices will vary usually based on distance (across how many neighborhoods you are traveling within the city) but I’ve found buses (or the metro) are similarly priced and usually hover between 1-4€ per journey. Lots of city buses also offer tickets that are valid for a total period of time, like 72 hours for example, for visitors who are going to be using the bus more frequently and this is typically the most cost-effective option!

I hope this helps, and if you have a specific city you need more info on, let me know and I can provide you with the exact details 🙂 have an amazing time on your trip!

Hi. Thank you for this post! We will be in Verona and want to get to the Valpolicella region. I have found the route (103 bus) that goes, but concerned about timing as this bus only leaves hourly. If we need to be there at 11:30 and it is a one hour journey from Verona should we leave at 9:30 just to be safe? We really don’t want the hassle/expense of renting a car. Does Italy have Uber or are there similar car services available? Thank you so much for your help. Jen

Hi Jennifer!

I just did some digging and found buses 103, 93, and 21 all go to the Valpolicella area. This should give you more flexibility in planning what time you’d need to leave to get to your destination! If you want to share with me the exact stop you’d like to depart from and the town you’re looking to arrive at, I can tell you exactly which bus would be best. Here are the timetables for all three so you can also reference them:

Line 21 Line 93 Line 103

Keep in mind I don’t know exactly when you’re traveling and the bus timetable can change significantly once school is out for the summer. To get the most updated timetable, you can go to this website and scroll down to Valpolicella!

Buses in Italy are pretty much like clockwork – only a few times has a bus been late 10 minutes or more (and I take the bus almost every day). Plus it usually only occurs on days when the weather is bad.

To answer your second question, Italy has Uber but it is not widely used at all. Like, it may as well not have Uber! If anything, you could take a taxi from the center of Verona since the drive is only 20 minutes, or there are day trip options if you prefer an experience and for someone to handle the transportation for you.

I hope this is helpful!!

Wonderful post, thank you so much! We’re planning our Italy trip now. We’re taking a bus from Cortina d’Ampezzo to Venice, then hoping to catch a high-speed train from Venice to Naples. If the bus is scheduled to arrive in Venice at 13:45, how likely is it to make that time? (In America I’m accustomed to Greyhound buses arriving hours late). In other words, if we buy a high-speed rail ticket for 14:26, will we be able to make that train time? Or should we plan to just get a ticket on the day of (and how likely is it that there will still be Executive-class seats?)

Buses usually work like clockwork in Italy. That being said, you never know what could happen and especially since you are taking a bus over a longer distance, you could run into traffic.

You could definitely still get a ticket the day of. I’m not sure the likelihood of the business-class seats still being available, I would assume that those are typically the first seats to go so it’s not likely!

I hope this helps and that you have a wonderful trip!

Hi, thank you for this helpful post. I’m travelling to Trieste later this year, arriving early September on a cruise. I’ve been told by fellow traveller that it’s possible to get a bus from outside the port area to Castell di Mirimare and back. I see from you blog that the buses in Italy are accessible to wheelchairs, but is the same for small mobility scooters? Any help would be appreciated.

Hi Carrolyn!

So I did some research to confirm that the bus you will take is Line 6 with Trieste Trasporti. And on the Trieste Trasporti website , they confirm that they have the means also for mobility scooters to get on and off the buses. You just have to let the driver know so they can help get the scooter on and off! Hope this helps and that you have a great trip! 🙂

Hi, this is such a great resource thank you so much. We are due to travel to Rome in August as a group of 7 (3 kids in this group) and I wondered if you could help me work out which bus company we should use if we are staying here Via di Malafede, 205, 00125 Roma RM (Camping Village Fabulous) we want to explore Rome and it seems easier and cheaper than car hire. Many thanks for your help, Jaime 🙂

Sounds like such a fun trip! Public transport will definitely be cheaper than car hire.

From where you are staying, you would have to reach Rome city center with a combo of bus and metro. First you will take bus line 709 from this bus stop: https://goo.gl/maps/4rUA5uYbEutjxSvT6

You will get off at the last stop (Eur/Fermi), which is also a metro station. You then have to take the Metro line B, which will bring you directly to the city center!

I will also leave you this link which is basically a calculator provided by the Rome public transport company and will let you input your specific destination in the city center from Via di Malafede and tell you exact instructions on what buses/metros you can take: https://viaggiacon.atac.roma.it/

It is also available in English!

I hope this helps and that you have an amazing trip! Feel free to let me know if you have any more questions!

Hi – thanks for this really informative article! Do you happen to know anything about the bus system in Varese? We’ll be there for a week, going between Villa Panza and Lago Varese. It looks as if the N bus will work for that, but I can’t find info online about whether there’s a weekly / tourist pass available.

I did some research and can confirm the N bus will work for that! You’ll have to get off at this stop: Varese, Carcano 27/Cairoli, 21100 Varese VA (you can put that directly in Google Maps) and it’s an 11 minute walk from Villa Panza.

There is a weekly pass that costs €9.60 🙂 Here’s the link to the ticket prices (you’ll want the abbonamento settimanale). I hope this helps! 🙂

hey, thank you for the post it’s very helpful!

I wanted to ask about the bus\train\tram time in general, like when they start working and when could be the last bus? on what days they are less working?

The schedule completely depends on the city/region you are in. Each city has their own bus company and the regions/provinces have their own bus company on top of that. If you’d like to let me know a specific area you’re curious about, I can go ahead and check out the timetables!

Hi! So glad I found your article. I’m planning to go on a pilgrimage to Monte Sant’Angelo and I googled my route. I will be taking a train from Rome to Foggie and will then need to take a bus from Foggia – Nodo Intermodale – Stazione to Monte Sant’Angelo – Via Manfredonia 33 CONAD dir.MSA. Will it be possible to know if with this particular bus I can buy tickets directly from the bus driver and to find out how many stops there are before I reach my destination? Can I just ask the driver to warn me when I’ve reached my stop? (which will have to be in English as I don’t speak Italian.) This will only be my second time in Italy and the first time using public transportation there. Thank you so much!

I’m glad it is helpful! So, I’ve been doing some research on the transportation website to see if I can find this info. I succeeded in finding out that you can buy tickets on these buses, but they do cost a little bit more than if you were to buy one at the sales point. I got this info from this document under the section “Titoli di Viaggio” where it says you can buy the ticket “a bordo degli autobus con sovrapprezzo” meaning on the bus with a surcharge.

You could also buy it at one of these sales points .

As for asking the bus driver to let you know which stop is yours, it could go either way. The drivers are typically helpful but I wouldn’t say they go out of their way to make sure passengers get where they are supposed to be going, so you can always ask, but especially if it is busy, they probably won’t be able to remind you (also because of Covid the driver’s seat is usually isolated in a glass-enclosed area, so they’re not usually interacting with the passengers much.)

My best advice would be to sit or stand close to the driver’s seat so you have your best chance at getting their help! If you want to try asking in Italian in case the driver doesn’t speak English, you can say “Questa è la fermata Via Manfredonia 33 CONAD?”

I’m sorry I don’t have more direct info but I hope my insight helps!

Thank you for some great information. I am traveling from Roma Tiburtina to Siena. I was told that a bus would be better than the train. I’ve read a lot about Flixbus but there is another company (Itabus) that apparently is only a couple years in business. What can you tell me about Itabus?

I’m glad you found the information helpful! I’ve actually never personally traveled with Itabus and I don’t think I’ve ever seen one, whereas Flixbus I know is reliable, I see them all the time, and since it’s been around longer I think their customer service reputation is very good. Since Itabus is so new and I’ve never taken it, I can’t recommend it, but I would recommend Flixbus. I’m sorry to not have more info but I hope this helps a bit!

Thanks very much for the article. We have a few months planned in Italy next year. All of our travel will be by train except there are a few trips that might be better by bus. Perhaps you can suggest whether these trips are best by bus or train? Verona to Lago di Braes Florence to Siena (central old town) Siena (central old town) to Bologna

We will be doing these in Aug/Sep so should we / can we book tickets in advance, or is it safe to turn up on the day? If buying in advance – is there a good website we can get all these tickets, or are there different ones for each region?

Thanks for your help

Hi Graham, Sounds like an amazing trip! The toughest trip of the three to make with public transport is Verona to Lago di Braies. My best suggestion to you would be to rent a car for that trip, but you can also get there by a combo of bus and train. You can take the train from Verona to Niederdorf (Villabassa) and then take a bus from there to Lago di Braies.

From Florence to Siena, you can’t go wrong with train or bus. They both cost about the same, around €10, and are between 1 and 1 and a half hour journeys. The bus takes you closer to the city center than the train station, so you may want to go by bus on this trip.

For Siena to Bologna, again both train and bus have their advantages and disadvantages, but you may want to go bus for this one too. On Flixbus, tickets are about €30 and the journey is nonstop from Siena’s city center. The train instead will always have at least one change in Florence.

Because you’re traveling in one of the busier periods, I would recommend you buy your tickets ahead of time. I don’t think you’d be guaranteed availability if you buy on the day of. The only one that you may be able to get away with is Florence to Siena (you can go to the Autostazione in Florence right by the Santa Maria Novella station and usually buy your tickets right then and there.)

Here are the websites that I typically use to buy tickets on Italian transportation: – Flixbus – Trenitalia – Omio

I hope this helps and that you have an amazing trip!

Thank you so much for the detailed explenation. I will be travelling on my own for 1 week to Syracuse, Sicily. I will land on Catania airport. This means i have to take some sort of public transportation to Syracuse. I was looking online and found the website from interbus where i can buy the ticket in advance, but i do have to choose the time i take the bus. My question is: does it matter if i dont get on the bus the same time as i choose? If it does matter, can i also buy a ticket on the bus?

For tickets reserved ahead of time, it does likely matter the time that you choose to take the bus. At the same time, from using airport buses in the past, it is very likely you will be able to buy a ticket also on site, either at the counter in the airport, or there is usually a person at the airport bus stop from whom you can buy tickets!

Thank you Michela. I have been in Ancona, Italy for one month. I bought a city bus ticket but did not know I had to validate it. When I got on the bus, I showed the ticket to the driver but he waved me on. I went and sat. Afterward I wondered how the driver would know I paid. When I returned home I stopped at a tourist information kiosk and asked and was told the about the heavy fine for not stamping the ticket. Whew! I did not see any of the teenage students stamping their tickets, but your article explains why. Some articles I’ve read say you have to stamp the ticket before getting on the bus. Is that I accurate? Thank you for a most informative article.

Hi Nita, I’m so glad you have found this post helpful. It doesn’t seem like it, but using transportation in a foreign country is much harder than it looks!

Normally, the machines to stamp your ticket are only located on the bus and not at the station or stop, so if you do have to stamp you ticket, you would stamp it as soon as you get on the bus. It stamps the time on your ticket in order to track its validity for the time period it was bought for (for regular tickets it is usually 90 minutes.)

I’m so glad nothing happened to you, but there is definitely always that risk that staff could hop on the bus at any time and give you a fine if you’re not riding with a valid ticket!

I hope you have a great rest of your time in Italy!

Hi! Thank you for all of your super helpful info! I will be traveling from Rome to Siena in Feb. I am wanting the most scenic route and am looking at Itabus ($5 approx!) or Marinobus ($15 approx). Or I could also take a train of course. Do you have any suggestions? I do know to take the bus at least for the last part of the journey as it drops you off closer to Siena town square. Thank you so much!

I would bet the bus will be more scenic than the train. People close to me have traveled with Itabus and I’ve never heard of Marinobus, so if I had to give a suggestion, I would say to go with Itabus!

Thanks for such an informative article. I’ll be in Milan next week, I can’t wait! I was wondering, as the tickets are valid for 90 minutes, if I have to take a journey which is two separate buses (but shorter than 90 minutes), do I have to validate my ticket on each bus? Or is validating it only on the first bus enough? Thanks <3

Hi Penny, I’m glad you found it helpful!

When you validate your ticket, it will be time stamped. So, you won’t have to validate it again if you get on a separate bus within those 90 minutes! Hope that is clear. Have a great trip!

Grazie mille, Michela. I am planning on using a bus for travel between Firenze and Villa del Sole, San Gimignano. I will be taking the 131 Siena-Via Tozzi and the 130 San Gimignano-Strada bus lines. Any advice about where and when to buy tickets? Can I purchase one ticket for the entire trip, or will I need to buy two tickets?

I will then go from Villa del Sole to Villa Sabolini, Mensanello by bus 130 Roncalli, 131 Siena-Via Tozzi, and 259 Lano. Again, how do I pay for these tickets, individually or separately? Is there a simpler way to make this trip?

So, I looked into these specific bus routes for more information. The tickets are valid for 70 minutes, meaning you can hop on and off the buses within those 70 minutes using that same ticket and not have to buy another, even if you are transferring bus lines. You will likely then only need to buy two tickets – 1 for the first leg of your trip and 1 for the second leg.

You can find where to buy the tickets on this website: https://www.at-bus.it/en/tickets-and-passes/travel-tickets/urban-tickets/urbano-maggiore

And here you can find the information about buying your tickets directly on the bus: https://www.at-bus.it/en/tickets-and-passes/travel-tickets/urban-tickets/board-ticket

Unfortunately, I don’t see a simpler route to get between these towns using public transport, but I hope this information helped!

Hi there, I need to take a bus from Bologna Station to a b and b near the airport on Friday. I was wondering, if I use a contactless card point, does that work for validation? In the UK you often have to tap on and then off again so that they know how long you have travelled for/how many zones you have passed through. Thanks for the article!

Hi there! It may vary from city to city, but typically you just tap once when you enter the bus 🙂

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Popular bus routes in Italy

• Bus Milan to Barcelona
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• Bus Milan to Paris
• Bus Milan to Rome
• Bus Naples to Rome
• Bus Rome to Chieti
• Bus Rome to Civitavecchia
• Bus Rome to Florence
• Bus Rome to Giulianova
• Bus Rome to L'Aquila
• Bus Rome to Matera
• Bus Rome to Milan
• Bus Rome to Naples
• Bus Rome to Perugia
• Bus Rome to Pescara
• Bus Rome to Rome Ciampino Airport
• Bus Rome to San Benedetto del Tronto
• Bus Rome to Siena
• Bus Rome to Teramo
• Bus Rome to Venice

Cities with the most bus connections in Italy

• Alberobello
• Civitavecchia
• L'Aquila
• San Benedetto del Tronto

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Buses to Milan

Buses to Rome

Buses to Naples

Buses to Catania

Buses to Venice

Buses to Turin

Buses to Bologna

Buses to Florence

Buses to Bari

Buses to Palermo

Plan your next bus trip in Italy

• Bus from Catania to Taormina
• Bus Catania - Syracuse
• Naples - Capri
• Bus from Bari to Matera
• Bus Palermo - Trapani
• Naples - Amalfi
• Bus from Trapani to Palermo
• Bus Naples - Sorrento
• Sorrento - Capri
• Bus from Syracuse to Catania
• Bus Cortina d'Ampezzo - Venice
• Sorrento - Positano
• Bus from Bologna to Florence
• Bus Naples - Positano
• Salerno - Amalfi

Most popular airports and destinations

• Taormina to Catania Airport
• Milan to Linate Airport
• Rome to Rome Ciampino Airport
• Naples to Amalfi Coast
• Salerno to Amalfi Coast

Top bus and train stations

• Buses to Terminal Bus di Lampugnano
• Buses to Rome Tiburtina Bus Station
• Buses to Aeroporto Linate Airport (LIN)
• Buses to Piazza I Maggio, 1
• Buses to Lampugnano

Sustainable travel

• Travel from Milan to Frosinone
• Travel from Milan to Bologna
• Travel from Milan to Monza
• Travel from Parma to Milan
• Travel from Udine to Milan
• Travel from Milan to Verona
• Travel from Verona to Milan
• Travel from Milan to Empoli
• Travel from Milan to Lecce
• Travel from Lecce to Frosinone
• Travel from Bologna to Lecce
• Travel from Empoli to Bologna
• Travel from Udine to Bologna
• Travel from Lecce to Verona
• Travel from Verona to Lecce

Plan your next trip

• Trains to Naples
• Trains to Sorrento
• Trains to Milan
• Trains to Florence
• Trains to Rome

• Public Transport

Rome has currently over 350 bus lines and it can sometimes be a bit confusing to find the right bus. Find out the main bus lines in Rome, their schedules and frequencies and tips to help you get around the city on this type of public transport.

Since the metro lines of Rome are rather limited, visitors will most likely need the bus public transport system to get to certain parts of the city. It may not be the most comfortable or punctual form of transportation . Nevertheless, to get to certain monuments and museums it is essential to use the bus .

Currently, Rome has 338 bus lines that run throughout the day, 22 night buses and 8,260 stops . While the size is impressive based on the numbers alone, delays and long waits are also worth mentioning as quite common occurrences.

Presently, Rome has introduced a fleet of electric vehicles .

Types of buses

In Rome there are various types of lines, these are the most popular:

• Urban lines (U) : The large majority. They start between 5 am and 6:30 am and finish at midnight. It's important to note that the frequency varies.
• Night buses (N) : These lines operate while the urban lines "rest", that is to say, between midnight and 5:00-6:00 am. They operate with very little frequency but are very punctual.
• Express (X) : These lines are for the outskirts of Rome, for longer journeys.
• Exact (E) : These lines link the centre with the surrounding neighbourhoods. They run on fixed timetables.

How to catch a bus?

Are the bus lines in Rome the most complex in Europe? They might just be. Fortunately, each stop provides detailed information about the bus lines that serve it.

This includes the route, operating days, and the schedule for the first and last buses. While this information seems straightforward, the reality on the ground can be different. When you've been waiting for half an hour without seeing a bus, you'll understand the challenge.

Luckily, many bus stops are being upgraded with electronic displays showing the time until the next bus arrives. Buses also transmit their location to dispatchers, who notify passengers in three different ways

• In arrivo : the bus is arriving
• 3 Fer 2' : 3 stops away (fermate), arriving in 2 minutes
• A capolinea : the bus is at the first stop along its route

Where to buy a bus ticket?

Bus tickets can be bought in any metro station, newsstand or convenience store . If you are planning on using the bus regularly, we recommend you buy a few at a time or get a travel card , which might be a better option.  

Always validate your ticket

Although at first you may think that everyone sneaks on the buses, the reason no one validates the ticket is because they have monthly passes. Remember that you can enter through any door, but don't forget to insert the ticket in the machines or you may be fined even if you have the ticket .

You may also be interested in

The Metro of Rome only has three lines and is currently the smallest metro system in Europe. Nevertheless, it reaches the city's most important landmarks. 

Rome Sightseeing Bus

Rome's sightseeing buses make different stops at the most interesting points of the city, offering the possibility of getting on and off each bus as many times as you like.

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Transportation in Italy

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When you’re planning a trip to Italy, one of the important things you need to decide is how to get around. There are several options for transportation in Italy and in this article, we’ll tell you when to use each one depending on your itinerary, travel style and budget.

If you are visiting from the United States or outside Europe you may not be familiar with some of the Italian transportation options so we’ll take you step by step through each one and what to expect when before and during your trip to Italy.

Getting around Italy by train

The best way to travel around Italy, if you mainly want to visit the cities like Rome, Florence and Venice, is by train. Italy has an extensive network of both fast speed inter-city trains and regional services that connect the smaller cities and towns.

Travel by train in Italy is fast, efficient, comfortable and convenient. Trains go up to speeds of 300km / 185 miles per hour which cannot be matched by car, even if you’re driving a Ferrari! You can relax in your seat with access to power and wifi. There’s usually a snack bar. And room for your luggage in the overhead racks or in compartments at the end of each carriage.

Train stations are generally located in the center of cities and towns which means there is no need to negotiate traffic and congestion or find expensive and secure parking.

It’s also cost-effective if you book in advance. There are fares as low as €15 for fast speed trains from Rome to Florence that will get you to the Renaissance city in an hour and a half compared to at least 3 hours by car.

Train schedules and tickets

Italy has two main train companies. Trenitalia is the government-owned carrier that operates fast speed inter-city rail and regional train services. Italo is a privately owned company operating fast train services between the major cities.

We recommend using Omio website if you want to check the timetables and fares for your train journeys. They give you a handy comparison of train departures, travel times and prices for both operators. When you’re ready to book your travel, your tickets are held in their app so there is no paper or extra documentation to manage.

Main fast-speed train routes in Italy

If you want to see the major cities and perhaps do a side trip to smaller towns like Pisa, Verona and Bologna, train travel is the easiest option. Below are the main train lines in Italy

• Venice – Padua – Bologna – Florence – Rome – Naples – Salerno
• Turin – Milan – Bologna – Florence – Rome – Naples – Salerno
• Milan – Brescia – Verona – Vincenza – Padua – Venice

You can also reach popular destinations like the Cinque Terre, Lake Como, Lake Garda , and Sorrento by train.

READ MORE: In our guide to Traveling by train in Italy .

Bi-annual schedule updates

Be aware that train timetables are updated twice a year in June and December. Generally there are minimal changes so if you need to know schedules well in advance and the times are not available on the date you are looking for, choose the same day of the week in an earlier month.

Italy train map – the major routes

READ: Best itinerary ideas for your trip to Italy

Travel by car in Italy

Driving in Italy is fun and can take you to places that others will not be able to reach easily using trains and buses. In fact, many off-the-beaten-path towns and villages are only accessible by car. The best places to drive in Italy are Tuscany , Sicily, Puglia , the Dolomites, along the Riviera coast and through Umbria and Le Marche. This is where you’ll see the picturesque villages, rolling green hills and coastal vistas of your dreams.

DISCOVER: Everything you need to know on Driving in Italy .

We recommend renting a car if you want to explore the countryside and lesser-known regions that are not well connected by high speed trains and other regional services.

However, if you are thinking of driving in Italy you’ll need to be aware of some important differences to the conditions you experience at home:

• automatic transmission cars are rare and you may need to drive a manual or stick shift model
• Italian cities are very congested and it is often difficult to find parking, and when you do it is expensive
• Towns and cities restrict entry to their historic zones – known as ZTL (more info on that here )
• Tolls apply on most highways known as autostrada – they are the fastest way to get around by car
• Gas or petrol is expensive
• Italian drivers are known for their fast and fearless skills!

That being said, if you want to experience the countryside, discovering Italy by car is one of the most thrilling experiences you’ll have on your trip.

Car rental in Italy

We usually do a sweep of Auto Europe and Car Rental by booking.com  to find the best deals for car rental in Italy.  You will find all the major and Italian brands on those sites. We’ve used many different car rental companies including Italian providers via these sites and they are all comparable in terms of vehicles available and services provided.

If you’re planning a longer driving trip in Italy and Europe, consider Auto Europe’s long term car rentals and short-term lease options. They offer the best rates available for trips of one month or more.

READ MORE: In our guide to renting a car in Italy .

Private drivers and airport transfers

If you’re not keen on driving, you might consider a private driver or transfer. There are some places that are easier to get to by car and let’s face it, Italian drivers have a fairly fearsome reputation.

Getting from Naples to Sorrento or the Amalfi Coast is the most popular route to do this. You can arrange this transfer from the station or airport easily online with Suntransfers . T hey have long standing global reputations, competitive prices and 24/7 customer service. You just book online and your transfer is confirmed instantly. For those traveling in large groups, they have larger vehicles and you can also book child car seats if required.

We also use Suntransfers for airport transfers in the major cities. In Rome, we also like to use Welcome Pickups – a friendly airport transfer service with an easy-to-use and reliable system for booking airport transfers. Rates include meet and greet service for around the same price as a local taxi.  Customer service is available via their passenger/driver chat system. In Venice, we recommend arriving in style in a water taxi .

READ: Our guides to airport transfers in Rome and Venice .

Flying within Italy

Flights in Italy are available but with the exception of a few key routes, they rarely make sense from a convenience or cost perspective. Although you can find cheap flight deals (we use Skyscanner ), many of them are with low cost airlines that will charge extra for checked luggage and seat allocation.

The airports are generally on the outskirts of major cities so you’ll need to factor the time and cost of getting to and from each one. Plus the waiting time for security and potential air traffic delays.

That being said, there are some routes for flying in Italy that make sense from a time, cost and convenience perspective:

• mainland to Sicily – short, inexpensive flights beat out long overnight uncomfortable ferries and train journeys
• mainland to Sardinia – flights are short and ferries take upwards of 8 hours
• Venice to southern Italy – Naples, Bari or Brindisi (for Puglia) – or vice versa
• Milan (Linate airport) to Puglia (Bari or Brindisi) – or vice versa
• Rome to Reggio Calabria and vice versa

READ: our guide to Italy’s main airports for international and regional travel

Buses in Italy

If you’re looking for a budget alternative to trains, Italy is also served by buses. There is no national bus service however so finding the best routes and prices requires a bit of scouting around.

Flixbus has a huge network of bus routes in Italy between the main cities as well as smaller cities. With comfortable seats, power and wifi onboard, if you are not on a tight schedule and want to save some cash then the bus is a great solution.

Some cities in the south of Italy, especially Puglia, are not well served by trains. In this case, Flixbus can be very useful and a great alternative to driving long distances.

In regional areas like Tuscany, Puglia and beyond local bus networks connect the smaller towns. These local bus networks are run by various different companies, many of which do not publish timetables online. In this case, you need to go to the bus stops and check out the schedules. We would not recommend bus travel unless you have plenty of time to get around.

Ferries in Italy

The Italian peninsula relies on several ferry services between the mainland and Sicily and Sardinia as well as islands in the Bay of Naples and throughout the lakes region.

To get to Sicily there is a short car ferry ride from Reggio Calabria to Messina or overnight ferry services from Naples, Civitavecchia (port of Rome) and Genoa to Palermo.

The ports of Sardinia – Olbia, Golfo Aranci and Porto Torres – have services to Livorno and Genoa. With journeys taking 8 hours or more they are useful only if you are taking a car over to the island.

Different ferry companies run services throughout Italy and their websites are hard to navigate. Direct Ferries is a useful English-language site that has easy-to-understand travel routes, times and prices for Italian ferries.

Best Italy transportation options for your trip

When we’re planning our trips to Italy, some of the most useful tools are Google Maps and Rome to Rio . These online applications give you the various options for the journeys you want to take by train, car, bus and plane.

In the Google maps example below you can see various options for getting between Rome and Florence. In this case, the train icon is highlighted which gives you the public transportation results. You can also choose car and plane icons to find out the driving and flying times.

Google allows you to view the upcoming train schedule via the schedule explorer and you can even change your preferred departure and arrival time to find the best option for you. In this example, you can see that the 280-kilometer journey takes 1 hr 44 mins by train and 3 hours by car.

Using these tools is one of the first things we do when planning our trips to Italy. They give you a general overview of travel times, prices and schedules for using public transportation in Italy as well as driving and flying alternatives.

READ: Our guides to Using your cellphone in Italy and the Best Travel apps – for access to maps and apps while on the go.

Andiamo! Let’s go to Italy

We hope you now have a better idea of the best ways to travel in Italy. You should now know how to travel to different cities in Italy and explore the countryside. With a little forward planning, getting around this amazing country is a breeze.

Discover our useful A to B guides for specific journies within Italy:

• How to get from Milan to Lake Como
• How to get from Rome to Venice
• How to get from Rome to Florence
• How to get from Rome to Amalfi Coast
• How to get from Rome to Sorrento
• How to get from Naples to the Amalfi Coast
• How to get from Naples to Sorrento

Katy is the founder of Untold Italy and host of our eponymous podcast . Passionate about helping travelers planning their dream trips to Italy full of unforgettable experiences and memories, she has produced this site since 2018 – more info .

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Bus Travel in Italy

There are, however, times when getting around Italy by bus is the better (or only) alternative, even if you’re not straying too far from the beaten path. One of the places where it’s easier and faster to use the bus is Siena – especially if you’re going from Florence to Siena , but almost no matter where you’re traveling from. There are other places in Italy, too, that either don’t have a train station or where bus connections are more plentiful, so planning on a few bus trips isn’t a bad idea when you’re in Italy.

Unfortunately, there’s no national bus network in Italy the way there’s a national train network – so figuring out bus travel in Italy isn’t always terribly straightforward.

Getting to/from Italy by Bus – From Another Country

Because the European backpacker circuit has long included Italy, there are still cheap ways to get from country to country in Europe – and the train is only one of them. In Italy, trains remain inexpensive enough for most backpackers, but in other countries the price of a train ticket means that the most serious budget travelers choose the bus instead. And for getting between countries, it can be a really economical option.

A couple of routes which may be of interest to you are getting from Paris to Rome and getting from Lyon to Milan .

There are a few companies which run multi-country bus routes, including Eurolines and Busabout. The former offers point-to-point travel between countries, the latter offers organized bus tours of various destinations. Eurolines will get you from one country to another, but although there may be multiple stops in one country it’s not designed for getting you from one region of a country to another. Busabout, while designed as package tours, does call itself a hop on/hop off tour.

For more information about these companies, see the Eurolines website and the Busabout website .

Getting Around Italy by Bus – From One Region to Another

Bus travel, like most government functions in Italy, is more regional than national. If you’re traveling between two cities in one region – like two cities in Tuscany, or Lombardy, or Puglia – you’ll be able to find one company (sometimes more) that serves the routes you’re looking for (traveling within one region is discussed in greater detail below). But try to start in one region and travel by bus to another region and things get complicated.

Update: May 2010 When I originally researched and wrote this article, I had had little to no success finding information about bus lines that crossed regional borders in Italy. I thought I was missing something obvious, so I questioned several friends in different parts of Italy and they all said the same thing – basically, you can’t get there from here, at least not by bus. I’ve since recommended taking the train when traveling between regions, and forgetting about the bus.

Then I got a note from a blogging friend, Robbin of Vineyard Adventures , that she had taken a bus – successfully! – from one region to another on a previous visit to Italy. She dug up the website for me, and that website combined with some more digging on my part has resulted in an update to this section.

I still think it’s generally most straightforward and least complex to take a train between regions in Italy, but there are a few bus companies that do cross regional borders, so if you’re traveling in one of these areas and are looking to save money the bus can be a good option. If you know of an inter-regional bus in Italy that I don’t have listed here, please let me know so I can add it to the list.

• SAIS Autolinee – The SAIS company operates urban routes in one Sicily, but they also have some national lines . The schedules are a bit sparse in some places, but there are SAIS buses that will connect Milan, Bologna, Pisa, Florence, Siena, Perugia, and Pescara (among other cities). Note: This site appears to be entirely in Italian.
• SENA Autolinee – The SENA bus company operates several different routes from major Italian cities to other cities all over Italy, and this site has an English version. There are super-budget SENA buses that depart from Milan, Rome, Florence, Siena, Bologna, Grosseto, and Perugia – the destinations served depend on which city you’re leaving from, but they’re all laid out nicely on the front page of the site. For the more complete information on SENA routes throughout all of Italy, see the “Recerca Orari” page .
• SITA Autobus – The SITA company operates regional buses in several Italian regions, so as a result they connect the dots between a few regions as well. Their long-distance buses are listed on this page , and they’re limited – but if you’re trying to get from Lecce to Padova, or Naples to Bari, or Salerno to Pisa (among other select routes) it can be very handy. Note: This site appears to be entirely in Italian.
• Tra-In – I love that this bus company’s name spells out “train” in English. Aside from that, I love that their route maps are so great on their website. These buses serve Tuscany, so if you’re hoping to explore more of the countryside without a rental car and want to visit towns that don’t have train stations, the Tra-In buses may be a good bet. Not all of the site is in English, but much of it is – and the maps are PDFs.
• SAIS Trasporti – This appears to be a different company from the SAIS Autolinee link listed above, and this one has quite an extensive selection of long-haul bus routes around Italy. Upon closer inspection, however, some of the routes are partly on trains and then connecting to SAIS Trasporti buses. Still, for some routes they’re entirely on buses, and quite inexpensive. Note: This site appears to be entirely in Italian.

Again, taking the train may still be your best bet for most journeys (or, if you’re in a group and can split the cost, perhaps even renting a car and driving isn’t a bad idea) – but even if you don’t see the ideal bus route for your trip listed above, it doesn’t hurt to ask at the local tourism office to see if there is perhaps a bus that goes exactly where you want to go.

>> The Orari Autobus website has listings for many bus companies in Italy, including their routes and links, although most of them are regional and not inter-regional.

Getting Around Italy by Bus – Within One Region

To find the bus station in a given city, first check around the train station (assuming there is one). Most cities have their biggest bus station near the main train station for easy transfers. You can also check the main piazza in town, as most cities will have a bus stop in or near it. But if you’re having trouble locating the main bus station, the question you want to ask is, “Where’s the bus stop?” You can say that two ways – either “Dov’è l’autostazione?” (doh|VEH LAO|toh|stah|tzee|oh|neh) or “Dov’è la stazione degli autobus?” (doh|VEH la stah|tzee|OH|neh dehl|yee OW|toh|boos). If all that seems like too much, a lost look and the words “stazione autobus” (stah|tzee|OH|neh OW|toh|boos) with an implied question mark at the end should probably do the trick.

The Bus Station website is my favorite for all the links to Italian bus companies. The list is color-coded so you know which ones are official sites, which have route information, and which ones are set up by “enthusiasts.” (Italian bus enthusiasts? Do they really exist?) There are also notes after each listing to tell you where the bus company is based, to give you an idea of what part of Italy it covers. Note that many of these sites are in Italian only, so recruit an Italian-speaking friend to help you figure them out.

Getting Around Italy by Bus – Within a City

I’ve also written about public transportation in a couple places where it’s a very good idea to master your options. To learn more, you can read about how to get around Rome , how to get around Venice , and how to use the Metro in Milan .

>> You can read more information about your other options for transportation in Italy , too.

photos, top to bottom, by: Pete Reed , khairul22 , xueexueg

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Book a Bus in Italy

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Here are some important facts to note while planning your Italy travel itinerary -

• Population: 58,981,000 inhabitants
• Official language: Italian.
• Other Languages: Albanian, Catalan, Corsican, Croatian, Emiliano-Romagnolo, French, German, and Greek.
• Currency: euro EUR (€)
• Geographical location: This southern European country borders the Adriatic Sea on the east, with the Tyrrhenian Sea in the west and the Ionian Sea in the south. Italy’s geography extends to the whole area of the Apennine peninsula, which has a boot shape.

History and Culture of Italy

Etruscans, an ancient civilisation, dominated the peninsula. Italy was the birthplace of the Roman empire, founded in 753 BC. During Roman dominance, it was governed by a non-hereditary succession of kings.

During the Middle Ages, Italian territory developed differently in the north, middle, and south. The Renaissance period was an important period for the country. Intellectuals such as Michelangelo and Galileo Galilei belong to this period. Cities sprawled and developed independently, having a huge artistic explosion.

In January of 1805, Napoleon proclaimed himself the king of Italy. The constant attacks made nationalism grow until it finally became a single state in 1861.

Weather and Geography

The eastern regions of Umbria and The Marches are dominated by plains, olive groves, pine forests, gentle mountains, and rivers, which make it a very fertile land.

Central Italy, known as Tuscany, has rolling hills, rivers, valleys, and minor mountains.

The southern part of the country is drier, with sierras, and volcanic lands. Here, you can find three famous volcanoes (Vesuvius, Etna, and Stromboli). At the heel of the boot, is the region named Puglia, made of plains and olive groves. The Sicily and Sardinia islands have mild Mediterranean weather.

Popular Cities to Visit in Italy

If you are planning a tour of Italy, you must plan a visit to the following places -

Rome: The capital city is full of history and tradition, and can give you both, the most glamorous cosmopolitan vibe, and a glimpse into some of the famous artworks.

Naples: A beautiful port city, where you can taste the local cuisine, meet friendly locals, and visit cultural places.

Florence: A museum made into a city, the capital of the Tuscan region has a lot to offer from cathedrals, gothic basilicas, palaces, gardens, and museums.

Milan: A city full of art and architectural richness. As a cosmopolitan city, Milan is the perfect spot for shopping. This city cannot be missed during your vacation in Italy.

Pompeii: A whole overview of old history, one of the most emblematic natural hazards happened here during the year 79 AD when the Vesuvius volcano erupted.

Venice: A unique city in which instead of roads you have water channels. The magical place of the gondoliers cannot be missed during your tour of Italy.

Verona: The setting city of Romeo and Juliet is full of arches and architectural magic.

Sicily: Capital of Palermo, this island city has 7 UNESCO heritage sites ranging from ancient Greek temples to the Monreale Cathedral.

Transportation in Italy

• Buses: The best places to visit in Italy are sometimes hidden on the map. If you are willing to get to the most unique, authentic places with a small budget, getting on a bus is always a great solution. Travelling by buses in Italy allows tourists to get into a small village where the rail infrastructure is non-existent, giving you the chance to get down at every stop and to marvel at the uniqueness of the country. From travelling within a region to arriving from an international destination, buses always offer a great opportunity to explore a little bit more of Italian culture.
• Trains: Italy has a vast train infrastructure, making it a good travel mode to go around the country and connect between different cities.
• Flights: Italy is connected by flights to various locations around the world. While flying is the fastest mode of travel to Italy, it can also be expensive.

Accommodation in Italy

Italy’s accommodation options adapt to every traveller’s budget. You can book hotels or albergos that offer different levels of luxury. You can also find cheaper alternatives such as hostels or ostellos .

The country also offers unique accommodations, such as farm holidays facilities. This last option, called agriturismo, offers you to experience nature, go horseback riding, taste wine and olives.

Another unique experience is to stay in a renovated monastery or convent. You can also opt for camping.

Food in Italy

Italian cuisine is a set of diverse delicatessens. In central Italy, spaghetti and pizza are the star dishes. In the north, risotto, Tuscan beef, and vegetables are famous.

In Bologna, tortellini is the main dish. In the south and coastal lines, you will find a Mediterranean diet, in which tomatoes, peppers, olives, artichokes, and seafood take the central role in the local cuisines.

In the islands, the influence from African and Arab cultures can be experienced in a unique, varied cuisine. For pasta lovers, remember each region has its specialty. If you have a sweet tooth, you have to try gelato, cassata, and tiramisu.

Shopping in Italy

There are plenty of shopping options in Italy. If you are in Rome, going to Via del Corso is a great idea as you can find many international and local boutiques.

You can also get great, fashionable products in Milan, in Via Montenapoleone. If you are looking for accessories, Via Giovan Battista Zannoni in Florence is a great place to purchase classy items.

You can go shopping in every main city during your tour of Italy that has fashionable and cultural items. Some other examples are Le Mercerie at Venice or Via Toledo at Naples.

Entry Requirements to Italy

During the covid pandemic, if you are a citizen of the European Union, you would probably be in the list B countries. Passengers coming from list B can always enter Italy with a Green Certificate (which will certify that the passenger has completed the vaccination cycle, has recovered from a COVID infection, or has a prior negative molecular or antigen test).

For non-EU countries, you need to check whether your departure point is in the list D or E of countries. For D countries, you need a Passenger Locator, a negative 72 hours prior test, and a certificate of completion of the vaccination cycle. In the case of List E, only some special cases are allowed to enter the country.

If you are an EU or EEA country national, you will only need a valid ID to enter Italy. For other nationals, it depends on whether you are a national from a third-world country or not. If not, you can simply visit Italy with a valid passport. In case you come from such a country, you will need to get a visa in advance at the local Italian consulate or embassy before you start your Italy trip.

How To Take Bus In Italy? Everything You Need To Know

This article will explain How To Take Bus In Italy? Italy is renowned for its rich history, breathtaking landscapes, and vibrant culture. Navigating this beautiful country by bus can be both an economical and enriching experience. Whether you’re a tourist or a local, understanding the nuances of bus travel in Italy is essential for a smooth journey.

Key Takeaways

• Discovering Bus Services: Learn about the different types of bus services available in Italy.
• Ticketing Essentials: Understand how to purchase and validate bus tickets.
• Navigating Routes: Tips for deciphering bus routes and schedules.
• Cultural Insights: Gain insights into local bus etiquette and practices.
• Safety Measures: Stay informed about safety protocols while using Italian bus services.

How To Take Bus In Italy?

Taking a bus in Italy involves several steps, from understanding the bus system to navigating your way to your destination. Here’s a detailed breakdown of each step:

1. Research Bus Routes and Schedules

Before you travel, research the bus routes and schedules for your destination. This can be done through:

• Online: Bus company websites and transit apps often provide route maps and timetables.
• Local Tourist Information Centers: These centers offer valuable information and sometimes printed route maps.
• Local Residents: Don’t hesitate to ask locals for advice. They can often provide the most direct and current information.

2. Purchasing Tickets

Bus tickets in Italy can be bought through various means:

• Tabaccherie (Tobacconists): Small shops selling bus tickets, often marked with a ‘T’ sign.
• Automated Ticket Machines: Located at bus stations and major stops.
• Newsstands and Bars: Some also sell bus tickets.
• Online Platforms: Ideal for intercity or long-distance buses where you can choose seats and receive electronic tickets.

3. Validating Tickets

Once you have your ticket, you need to validate it:

• City Buses: Look for a machine on the bus as you board. Insert your ticket to stamp it with the date and time.
• Intercity Buses: Your ticket is usually checked and validated by the driver or a conductor.

4. Finding the Right Bus Stop

Bus stops in Italy are usually marked with a sign showing the bus numbers that stop there and sometimes the route map. Ensure you are at the correct stop for the direction you wish to travel.

5. Boarding the Bus

When the bus arrives, let passengers alight first before you board. If you haven’t bought a ticket in advance, ask the driver if it’s possible to purchase one.

6. Riding the Bus

During your bus ride:

• Monitor Your Stop: Pay attention to the stop announcements or display screens if available.
• Ask for Help: If you’re unsure, ask a fellow passenger or the driver.

7. Exiting the Bus

Press the stop button in advance of your stop to signal the driver that you wish to alight. Gather your belongings and exit the bus.

8. Safety and Etiquette

• Keep an Eye on Your Belongings: Especially on crowded city buses.
• Offer Seats: To the elderly, pregnant women, or those with disabilities.
• Respect Local Customs: Such as greeting the driver upon boarding.

9. Dealing with Challenges

• Missed Buses: Check for the next available bus or alternative routes.
• Lost Items: Contact the bus company as soon as possible.

By following these steps, you can navigate the Italian bus system effectively, making your journey through this beautiful country a smooth and enjoyable experience.

Discovering Bus Services in Italy

Types of bus services.

Italy boasts a variety of bus services, catering to different travel needs . The country offers everything from local city buses to long-distance coaches.

City buses are the lifeline of urban areas. They operate extensively within cities, connecting various neighborhoods. Major cities like Rome, Milan, and Florence have well-developed bus networks.

Regional and Intercity Buses

For longer distances, regional and intercity buses are ideal. They connect different cities and towns, offering a more scenic route compared to trains.

Major Bus Companies

Several companies operate bus services in Italy. Some of the notable ones include:

• ATAC: The primary operator in Rome.
• AMT: Serving the Genoa region.
• SADEM: Operating in the Turin area.

Ticketing Essentials

Purchasing Tickets

Bus tickets in Italy can be bought from various sources:

• Tobacconists (Tabaccherie): These are common outlets for bus tickets.
• Automated Ticket Machines: Found at bus stations and some major bus stops.
• Online Platforms: Many bus companies offer online ticket purchasing.

Validating Tickets

Once you have a ticket, it’s crucial to validate it. Failure to do so can result in fines. Ticket validation machines are usually located on the bus or at the bus stops.

Navigating Routes and Schedules

Understanding bus routes.

Bus routes in Italy can be complex. It’s advisable to research routes in advance using:

• Bus Company Websites: They provide route maps and schedules.
• Local Tourist Offices: Offer guidance and sometimes route maps.

Timeliness and Frequency

Buses in Italy are generally punctual, but frequency can vary. In cities, buses run more frequently, while in rural areas, schedules might be limited.

Cultural Insights and Etiquette

Local customs.

Understanding local customs is key to a pleasant bus journey in Italy. For example, it’s common for passengers to greet the driver when boarding.

Seating Etiquette

Priority seating for the elderly and disabled is a norm. It’s polite to offer your seat to those in need.

Can You Pay On Italian Bus?

Paying directly on Italian buses varies depending on the city and type of bus service. In many urban areas, particularly in major cities like Rome, Milan, and Florence, you can pay the bus driver for a ticket .

However, this is usually more expensive than purchasing a ticket in advance. In some smaller towns or on regional buses, buying a ticket from the driver may not be an option.

It’s always best to check the specific bus company’s policies beforehand. Remember, if you do pay on the bus, having exact change is advisable as drivers may not have sufficient change for large bills.

How To Buy A Bus Ticket In Italian?

Buying a bus ticket in Italy is straightforward. Tickets, known as ‘biglietti,’ can be purchased from various outlets:

• Tobacconists (Tabaccherie): Widely available and easily recognizable by a blue ‘T’ sign.
• Newsstands: Many newsstands also sell bus tickets.
• Automated Ticket Machines: Found at bus stations and major bus stops, these machines usually offer instructions in multiple languages.
• Online: Bus company websites and mobile apps often provide options to buy tickets digitally.

When buying a ticket, you can simply ask, “Un biglietto per [destination],” which means “One ticket to [destination].” If you’re buying a standard ticket, you can say, “Un biglietto ordinario, per favore” (“A regular ticket, please”).

Do You Need To Book Buses In Italy?

Booking buses in advance in Italy is not typically required for local or city buses. For these, you can usually just buy a ticket and board the bus.

However, for long-distance or intercity buses, especially those operated by companies like FlixBus or MarinoBus, booking in advance is advisable. This can be done online or at bus stations.

Booking ensures you have a guaranteed seat and can often be cheaper than buying a ticket on the day of travel. During peak tourist seasons or on popular routes, booking ahead becomes even more important to avoid the risk of buses being fully booked.

Understanding how to take a bus in Italy enhances your travel experience, making it more enjoyable and efficient. It’s a window to the country’s soul, offering a blend of scenic beauty and cultural immersion.

Remember to familiarize yourself with the local bus services, ticketing norms, and cultural etiquettes. Embrace the journey, and let the Italian roads lead you to unforgettable experiences.

People Also Ask

Do i need to speak italian to use buses in italy.

No, it’s not necessary to speak Italian to use buses in Italy. Most bus drivers and ticket agents understand basic English. However, knowing a few Italian phrases like “Un biglietto per…” (One ticket to…) can be helpful.

How Do I Know Which Bus to Take?

To find the right bus, check the bus number and destination displayed on the front and side of the bus. Use online tools, apps, or local bus maps available at stations or tourist information centers.

Can I Buy Bus Tickets Directly from the Driver?

In many cities, you can buy tickets from the bus driver, but it’s often more expensive. It’s advisable to purchase tickets in advance from tabaccherie, kiosks, or automated machines.

Is There a Bus Pass Available for Tourists?

Yes, several Italian cities offer tourist bus passes. These passes allow unlimited travel for a set number of days and can be a cost-effective option for extensive travel.

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Getting Around Italy on Public Transport

While Italy may be the home of famous car manufacturers such as Ferrari and Maserati, anyone who has had to drive and park in one of the country's cities may not be too enthusiastic about having to relive the experience. The public transport network in Italy is quite good, and incorporates trains, buses, and ferry services around the coast, and is definitely worth considering if you are looking for a slightly less stressful holiday experience. Here is a look at the Italian transport network, and a few ideas on how to plan your travel without having to get behind the wheel of a car.

High-Speed Trains in Italy

For many years Italian railways had a poor reputation for their quality and timekeeping, but significant investment in the infrastructure and the trains serving the country now means that most journeys in between the major cities can be completed on high-speed trains that are faster than flying. If you are on a budget then you can still travel on local trains that will take a little more time, but booking ahead as much as possible, and using online booking systems can usually bag you a seat on one of the high-speed services for a very reasonable price.

If you are going on one of the longer journeys, such as Milan to Rome or traveling between Rome and Sicily, the range of sleeper trains are safe and comfortable, and well worth considering as an alternative to taking a flight and paying for an additional night's accommodation.

The Local Train Network

While they may not be as fast as the high-speed trains, the large number of branch lines and services that criss-cross the country cover most places and are affordable, and you will usually just buy a ticket at the station and hop on the train. Unlike the high-speed trains, you won't find any reservations about these services, and you may not always get a seat during the rush hour services. However, the prices are inexpensive, but just remember to ensure that you validate your ticket before you get on the train, using one of the self-service machines on the platform.

You can also purchase tickets that allow you unlimited rail travel in a particular region, which can be a very affordable way to get around if you are staying in one particular area.

Buses in Italy

The bus network in Italy is one that is growing quickly, particularly the long-distance bus services with companies that provide coach routes in many countries such as Megabus and Flixbus starting to offer long-distance fares in Italy too. Local buses can be a bit of a mystery , but your local tourist office will usually be able to help you find a particular bus or route. Tickets are purchased from shops or automated ticket machines at the bus station and are validated once you are on the bus, while there are a few inspectors that do come around to check tickets.

Boats And Ferry Routes in Italy

The Mediterranean and the Adriatic offer plenty of ferry routes to neighboring countries, while there are also plenty of services that travel to the Italian islands such as Sardinia and Sicily, with the busiest of these services operating from Genoa, Livorno, and Naples. There are several services online that allow you to search the different routes, with the Traghetti website being a useful resource for this purpose. With several large lakes in the country, you will also find some local services that are often very popular among sightseers who enjoy the views, with Lake Maggiore, Lake Como, Lake Garda and Lake Iseo among those offering ferry routes.

Metro Networks In Italian Cities

While Rome and Milan have the largest metro networks in the country, several cities have an integrated local transport system to help people get around, with Turin, Naples , and Genoa also having underground railway systems. Buses and trams also contribute to these systems, and one of the key benefits is that most cities will allow you to purchase one ticket that can be used for several different services. Most will ask you to validate your ticket, so make sure you check out how to do this, and avoid any awkward conversations with the local ticket inspectors.​

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Looking for a custom vacation in italy, tours straight to your inbox, public transportation in italy: by train and by bus.

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Public Transportation in Italy includes information on travelling by train, travelling by bus, as well as other general information to assist you with your travels in Italy.

Transportation between the major cities in Italy is fairly efficient, but once you start to travel-off-the-beaten track be prepared for delays and late arrivals. The further south you travel in Italy the worse the scenario gets as lack of government funding for the south of Italy has left this part of Italy without any real infrastructure.

Distances in Italy can be deceiving. The Italian peninsula is narrow, but as long as the state of California. To get from Venice to Naples would take 9-hours by car, Rome to Pisa around 4-hours, so plan ahead before committing yourself to an itinerary that involves more travelling than sightseeing.

Travelling by Train

For long journeys always try to use the Frecciarossa high speed trains when possible. These are the premier trains upon which you can reserve seats and generally they keep good time. There use to be a big difference in prices between regular trains and the more expensive hi-speed trains. But, nowadays there is hardly any difference and so there is no reason to use the less reliable state train system if you have the gi-Speed train alternative. Beware of travelling overnight by train within Italy, as the local state trains have had problems recently with bug-infested carriages. Also, some night trains are notoriously overcrowded such as the train between Milan & Naples that shuttle workers to and from work on Friday & Sunday nights.

Travelling by Bus

Quite often on minor routes, the only option is to travel by bus. Beware the majority of bus routes especially in the countryside are scheduled around the needs and desires of the local people. You'll find departures in the early morning and late evening for travelling students and commuters, but little else in between. So if you plan to visit a village hidden away in the hill country plan to spend the whole day there as there probably won't be an alternative. When you board the bus try to advise the driver where you wish to go to avoid missing your stop. Within towns and cities, buses are in many cases the most practical way of getting around. They also are the most economical with a selection passes that can be bought depending on your length of stay.

Travelling by Plane

Taking a flight within Italy use to be very expensive, but low-cost airlines have made this a plausible way of travelling around the Italian peninsula. Flights prices can range from a few Euro to a 100€ or more, and their numerous airports scattered throughout the country. If you are planning to travel a long distance, a plane might be a good solution. To travel by road or train from Rome to Venice would take around 6-hours with very good traffic. By plane it would take an hour and probably wouldn't cost much more!

Private Transfers & Tours

We offer a unique program of transfers throughout Italy which offer great value to families and groups. They also can assist you making the cost of your time while travelling in Italy. Our popular transfer tours enable our guests to make the most of their vacation. Instead of wasting a day as they travel between cities, we offer transfer tours through which our guests can visit other cities or destinations en route between the major tourist cities of Italy.

If you have travel back to Milan from Venice to catch a flight back home, why not take our transfer tour pausing along the way at Verona to enjoy a fascinating walking tour of the city, or perhaps stopping at Lake Garda to have a boat tour of the Lake.

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How to travel around Italy: everything you need to know about driving, cycling and public transport

May 30, 2023 • 14 min read

A rented scooter can help you cut through traffic in Italy's busy cities © Ben Pipe Photography / Cultura RM Exclusive / Getty Images

Italy has more must-see sights than you could squeeze into a lifetime. From the exceptionally well-preserved Roman ruins of the capital to the blissful Mediterranean landscapes of Sicily and Sardinia, roaming around the boot-shaped peninsula is a journey of discovery that never fails to astonish.

With so much to see and do, it’s only natural to think that Italy must have set up an optimally functioning public-transportation system to make roaming around easy for the millions of visitors that travel to the country each year. Think twice. While major hotspots are well connected, getting off the beaten track can be tricky without your own vehicle and some planning.

With this article, we’ll guide you through all there is to know to get around Italy, from navigating the twisting roads of the rural countryside to booking a high-speed train ticket at the cheapest price. Whether you have your heart set on touring Tuscany , time-traveling in Rome or eating your way around Emilia-Romagna , here's what you need to know about touring Italy independently.

How to get around Italy without a car: understanding the public transport system

Ranging from snow-capped Alpine peaks surpassing 4,000m in altitude to wild Mediterranean archipelagos, the diverse geography of the Italian peninsula doesn’t allow for one single mode of transport to move people around the country. Trains, buses, ships and ferries all contribute to helping you reach your destination.

Travel by train for views of the stunning Italian countryside

Italy boasts an extensive rail network spanning the length of the country, meaning most major cities – including Rome , Florence , Naples , Bologna and Palermo – are connected by regular train services. Best of all, you can sit back and soak in the gorgeous scenery in between them.

The vast majority of trains are run by Trenitalia , Italy's national train operator, while a handful of high-velocity services are handled by privately owned Italo . Routes are well integrated into the Europe-wide Interrail and Eurail rail-pass system. Trains in Italy broadly fall into three main categories:

• Regionale: the slowest and cheapest trains, generally stopping at all or most stations en route
• InterCity (IC): faster services operating between major cities (their international counterparts are called EuroCity)
• Alta Velocità (AV): modern, high-velocity Frecciarossa, Frecciargento, Frecciabianca (operated by Trenitalia) and Italo trains, with speeds of up to 300km/h and good connections between major cities.

How do you book tickets? 

Tickets can be reserved on the Trenitalia and Italo websites (which are now available in English as well as Italian), at railway station counters and at self-service ticketing machines, as well as through travel agents.

Note that when buying a paper ticket for regional and Intercity trains directly at the station – either at the ticket office or at the ticketing machines – it should be validated before entering the train, as these types of tickets are not date specific. When buying online, you can just jump on board without worrying about validation.

Do you have to book in advance? 

You don’t need to worry about booking regional trains in advance – the price doesn’t change and seats are not numbered. While regional trains traveling to and from major cities can be packed during peak hours (from 7am to 9am and 5pm to 7pm) as commuters travel to and from work, outside such times they hardly fill up and allow for spontaneous adventures.

Tickets for high-speed trains can also be purchased on the same day of travel, although it is well worth booking in advance to get access to offers and discounts.

How much does it cost? 

Ticket prices in Italy tend to be in line, if not slightly cheaper than, other Western European nations, and vary depending on train type and class. Most Italian trains have 1st- and 2nd-class seating, with a 1st-class ticket typically costing from a third to half more than 2nd-class.

How do you find discount fares?

Both Trenitalia and Italo offer decent discounts on advance purchases. Generally, the earlier you book, the greater the savings – though refunds and changes on such tickets are highly restricted. By signing up to Italo’s newsletter you’ll receive discount codes in your inbox when special offers are available (which happens frequently).

Trenitalia regularly offers discounts on its tickets to tourists. For instance, if you plan to travel over the weekend it is worth considering the Weekend Return Offer , which grants you a 40% discount on Intercity tickets. The Italia in Tour ticket allows for unlimited travel on regional trains for three or five consecutive days at a fixed price of €29 or €49.

Are you allowed to bring bikes onboard?

It is possible to take bicycles on many Italian trains by paying a small surcharge. When booking your ticket online, look out for the bicycle icon to know whether the train has a dedicated carriage for bikes.

Which trains offer the best views?

If it's classic Italian scenery you're after, plan your trip around some of Italy's dramatic mountain railway journeys.

The trip on the cute red Bernina Express train between Tirano and Chur, St Moritz or Davos in Switzerland is one of the best rail rides in the Alps. The “ Italian Trans-Siberian ” is a historic railway running from Sulmona to Isernia across the lower Apennines in Abruzzo and Molise, through spectacular mountainous landscapes. If you’d like to match nature with history and literature, you can travel on the Treno di Dante between Florence and Ravenna, in the footsteps of the great Tuscan poet.

Buses are the inexpensive way to explore Italy

Italy’s rail network does reach far and wide, but many areas are still not accessible by train. Suburban buses cover the distance between towns that are either too small or too remote to have a train station.

The public suburban bus network is typically managed on a regional level, meaning that there is no centralized website for purchasing tickets. Google is fairly reliable these days when it comes to schedules, together with the Moovit app. Intercity bus tickets can be bought in advance at newsagents and tobacconists.

Long-distance coaches are mostly managed by private companies, such as Flixbus , Itabus , Marinobus and Marozzi . Though slower than trains, coaches are a cheaper form of transport in Italy, with a web of routes that stretches to all corners of the country. Tickets can be purchased online through bus company websites.

Alternatively, in larger cities, most intercity bus companies have ticket offices (usually at or near the main bus station) or sell tickets through travel agencies. In villages and smaller towns, tickets are sold in bars or on the bus. Advanced booking is not generally required, though it is advisable for overnight or long-haul trips in high season.

Boats zip along the coast and out to the islands

Navi (large ferries) sail to Sicily and Sardinia, while traghetti (smaller ferries) and aliscafi (hydrofoils) serve the smaller islands. Most ferries carry vehicles, but hydrofoils do not. On long-haul ferries, travelers can usually book a two- to four-person cabin or a poltrona , an airline-style armchair. Deck class (which allows you to sit/sleep in lounge areas or on deck) is available only on some ferries.

The primary embarkation points for Sicily and Sardinia are Genoa , Livorno , Civitavecchia (near Rome) and Naples and involve a comfortable overnight trip across the Tyrrhenian Sea. Passenger tickets are cheap during the low season – a trip from Livorno to Olbia can cost as little as €25 – but rise in the summer. Taking your car onboard can be costly during the holiday season.

Ferries for Sicily also leave from Villa San Giovanni and Reggio Calabria . Main arrival points in Sardinia are Cagliari , Arbatax, Olbia and Porto Torres; in Sicily, Palermo, Catania , Trapani and Messina .

Local transport is inexpensive and efficient in urban areas

Most towns and cities have efficient local bus services, and some larger cities, such as Milan, Rome, and Naples, also have extensive metro networks. In Venice , water taxis, gondolas and vaporetti (small passenger ferries) perform the same role.

It's usually possible to reach nearby villages fairly easily by local bus. Bus tickets are sold at newsagents and tobacconists (stores marked with a T sign) and usually cost under €2. Buying tickets directly from the driver is possible, but it will incur a surcharge.

Taxis can be found around bus and train stations. If you call for a radio taxi by phone, the meter will usually start running when you place the call, not when you are picked up. Taxi drivers in major tourist destinations do not have a great reputation; make sure to ask in advance about the price and whether you can pay by card, and check that the meter is turned on.

Rideshares are limited in Italy. At the moment, services like Uber cannot legally operate in Italy as they do in many other European countries. Uber Black, used by licenced taxi drivers only, works in major cities.

Getting around by car, motorcycle or Vespa means maximum freedom

Unless you are planning to stick to art cities, having a private vehicle in Italy means you can travel at your own pace and visit regions with minimal public transport. This is particularly handy in the mountains, on the islands and in the rural countryside, where running buses are few and far between.

Driving your own car will allow you to sleep in isolated agriturismi (farm houses) and take all the time you need to admire the hilly scenery of the country’s interior. Car-hire companies operate throughout the country, allowing you to pick up and drop off vehicles in most major cities. Operators include Avis , Europcar , Hertz and Italy by Car , among others. Consider hiring a small compact car, as doing so will reduce your fuel expenses and make it easier to negotiate narrow city lanes and tight parking spaces.

In the past couple of years some of the regions that see a large influx of tourists during the summer – Sardinia and Tuscany, for instance – have experienced a shortage of rental cars. Much of that is a result of the pandemic: rental companies sold many of their vehicles as travel stopped, while people got increasingly used to relying on private rather than public transportation. As a consequence, prices skyrocket in the high season, so if you're planning to rent a car in the summer, book one in advance.

Who can rent a vehicle in Italy? 

Renters must generally be 21 or over, with a credit card and home-country driving license or International Driving Permit. To drive a vehicle in Italy you must have insurance against personal and material damage. All car rental companies offer optional (but recommended) “kasko” coverage, a comprehensive insurance that covers all forms of damage, regardless of who caused it.

How much does it cost to rent a scooter? 

Agencies throughout Italy rent motorcycles and scooters, ranging from small Vespas to large touring bikes. Prices start at around €35/150 per day/week for a small 50cc scooter and rise to more than €80/400 per day/week for a 650cc motorcycle. A license is required to ride a scooter – a car license will do for bikes up to 125cc; for anything over 125cc, you'll need a motorcycle license.

What rules do you need to know?  

It's obligatory to wear seat belts (front and rear), to drive with your headlights on outside built-up areas, and to carry a warning triangle and fluorescent waistcoat in case of breakdown. Wearing a helmet is compulsory on all two-wheeled vehicles.

How are the driving conditions in Italy?

Road conditions are generally good, but lax maintenance in some areas means you should be prepared for potholes and rough, bumpy surfaces, particularly on smaller secondary roads. Local driving conditions can also take some getting used to. Roads can be narrow and traffic congestion is common. Parking can also be hard to find in urban areas (one reason for the huge popularity of scooters), and local drivers have a reputation for being impatient and quick to use their horns.

What do you need to know about the roads? 

It is important to know where you can and cannot drive. Roads in Italy are split into three main categories: roads referred to as strada normale are those that run through urban centers and have a speed limit ranging between 30 and 70km/h. All vehicles can drive here.

A superstrada is a free, multi-lane state road marked by blue signs, with a speed limit of 90km/h. Scooters and bicycles are not allowed to enter such roads and doing so by mistake can be dangerous. The same goes for the autostrada, a toll motorway connecting major centers, where the speed limit reaches 130km/h.

When driving in historic centers you should also keep an eye out for the ZTL signs. A zona a traffico limitato is an area where non-residents are not allowed to enter with a car. Such areas are common, although typically only active during the day. Entering a ZTL translates into a guaranteed fine.

Internal flights are best reserved for longer trips

With Italy’s train and bus network being both cheap and reliable (and much more environmentally friendly) , flying is usually not the most convenient way to travel domestically in Italy. However, if you need to get from one part of the country to the other as quickly as possible, then air services are available, and most major cities have airports.

Italy's beleaguered flag carrier, Alitalia, was replaced in 2021 by a new state-backed airline called ITA Airways , with flights to cities across the Italian mainland and to Sardinia and Sicily . Several low-cost airlines also operate domestic flights, including easyJet and Ryanair . It’s cheaper to buy tickets in advance of travel.

Cycling is a great way to explore the countryside in Italy

Road cycling has long been a popular sport in Italy, but in recent years many regions have invested in building bike paths and itineraries to make this form of sustainable travel accessible to more people. The spread of electric bikes has also contributed to getting people to tour on two wheels – Italy’s hilly and mountainous countryside is no longer an obstacle, thanks to technology.

Northern Italy, especially the Alps and Dolomites , is at the forefront of this shift toward green mobility, offering endless routes for every level of fitness that can be tackled during summer months. But the rest of the country is catching up quickly.

Flat, enjoyable cycling paths run through much of the coast of Liguria . Abruzzo has recently inaugurated its Via Verde – a 40km green lane running parallel to its Costa dei Trabocchi – and the 60km path encircling Umbria’s Lago Trasimeno was completed in 2023. In various parts of Italy, discontinued rail tracks have been converted into mountain-biking routes.

River banks offer the perfect conditions for cycling. Rome, known for its infamous traffic, has a 32km-long path for cyclists, running along the Tiber river through the city center. Tuscany is slowly completing its Ciclovia dell’Arno, which will follow the region’s largest river East to West across 270km, and the VENTO project – aiming to connect Venice with Turin via a 705km path along the Po river – has been in the works for more than a decade.

Bikes are prohibited on motorways, but they can be carried on some ferries and on regional trains displaying the bicycle logo, where you'll need to purchase a separate ticket known as a supplemento bici . Bikes are available for hire in most Italian towns from €12 per day. E-bikes start around €35 per day.

Accessible transportation in Italy

Italy is not an easy country for travelers with disabilities. Cobblestone streets and pavements blocked by parked cars and scooters make getting around difficult for wheelchair users. And while many buildings have lifts, they are not always wide enough for wheelchairs. Not a lot has been done to make life easier for hearing- or vision-impaired travelers either, though awareness of accessibility issues and a culture of inclusion are steadily growing.

If traveling by train, you can arrange assistance through SalaBlu online or by calling 800 90 60 60 (from a landline) or 02 32 32 32 (from a landline or mobile). You can also see the full list of services and details of barrier-free stations on the Rete Ferroviaria Italiana ’s accessible travel information page.

Many urban buses are wheelchair-accessible, though some of the stops may not be – check before you board. Some taxis are equipped to carry passengers in wheelchairs; ask for a taxi for a sedia a rotelle (wheelchair).

Two good online resources for disabled travelers are Village for All , which performs on-site audits of tourist facilities (namely accommodation providers) in Italy and San Marino, and Fondazione Cesare Serono , which provides a list (in Italian) of accessible beaches. For more information, download Lonely Planet's free Accessible Travel guide .

This article was first published May 20, 2021 and updated May 30, 2023.

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Bus tours in Italy

Welcome to OsaBus bus tours in Italy. Our designed coach tours in Italy offer you the key to unlocking this beautiful country’s hidden treasures. Whether you’re seeking a small group family tour, or a group of friends eager to explore, our tours are designed to cater to all your travel desires.

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Our bus tour in Italy is perfect for families looking to create cherished memories together. With a minimum requirement of just 4 people, families can explore the wonders of Italy in a comfortable and engaging environment. Guides ensure that both adults and children have an enriching experience, catering to the interests of all family members.

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Our small group tours in Italy, accommodating up to 16 people, can be tailor-made just for you or you can choose from our ready to go coach trip package deals in Italy. These small group bus tours allow for flexibility, spontaneous stops, and a deeper connection with the destination, making your journey through Italy truly unique.

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What to expect on a bus tour around Italy

Prepare for an unforgettable bus journey through the most captivating regions of Italy.

With our local guides, you’ll unravel the mysteries of iconic landmarks, indulge in gourmet delights throughout the entire coach trip in Italy. Expect seamless travel, delightful cultural encounters, and memories that will last a lifetime.

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