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Italian
Public Transportaition
A. Air Travel - National and International
Airports, Aeroporti, can be reached by public transport, generally
buses start from the Stazione Centrale, central railway station. If
you reach the airport by car follow Partenze for departures and Arrivi
for arrivals.
General information regarding airports in Rome and Milan:
MILAN
Two major commercial airports, Linate and Malpensa serve Milan.
Linate is located about 10 Km east of the city centre, it handles internal
flights as well as some European ones. The airport can be reached by
bus from the terminal at the Stazione Centrale, and from the city with
bus 73. Travel time is about half an hour.
Malpensa 2000 was inaugurated in December 1998.The airport is situated
49 km north west of Milan. It can be reached by cab or regular shuttle
bus, "Malpensa Shuttle" that starts from the Stazione Centrale
terminal or from Piazza Castello with stops along the city route. Travel
time is about one hour.
At the end of May 1999 a direct train, "Malpensa Express",
will be available from the Stazione Nord, travel time 39 minutes.
Malpensa airport handles intercontinental, national and international
air-traffic as well as charter flights.
ROME
Air-traffic in Rome is handled by Leonardo da Vinci airport at Fiumicino
and Ciampino Airport.
Fiumicino is 26km –south west of Rome. The airport handles both
national and international flights. Train service is available from
the Termini Railway station, journey time 25min.trains leave every hour
– every 30min. at peak times – ticket costs L.13.000.
Trastevere, Ostiense, Tuscolana and Tiburtina railway stations run
trains to Fiumicino – journey time between 40 and 70 minutes.
Ciampino Airport is situated 15km south east of Rome. It handles charter
flights. The city can be reached by bus. Busses start from the subway
line A, station Anagnina.
AIRLINES- LINEE AEREE
Airlines are listed in the Yellow Pages under Linee Aeree.
B. The Train Network
The national rail network is operated by the Ferrovie dello Stato-FS-,
while every region has an independent regional railway service. Trains
are efficient and widely used since they are relatively inexpensive.
Train tickets can be bought at the station or from authorized travel
agents. Seats can be booked in advance in first or second class and
in smoking and non-smoking compartments.
A fee is charged for advance booking and a Supplemento, supplementary
charge, for express trains. Tickets are valid for two months and must
be date-stamped Obliterato in the yellow boxes found along platforms.
Special concessions are available for groups, senior citizens and youth
under 26 years. Children travel free, without a seat, if under 4 and
pay half-price between 4 and 12.
Special cards for frequent travelers are also avaiable.
Information offices in railway stations and travel agents will provide
you train timings and other information. A very useful booklet Orario
Ferroviario, train-timetable, can be bought in news-stands and bookstores,
or you may consult Televideo or Internet.
Railway stations have signboards announcing Arrivi, and Partenze, as
well as Binario, platform and Ritardo, delay.
C. Public Transportation
Public transport within a city is normally controlled by the local
administration. Private transport companies run between the city and
the surrounding suburbs and towns.
Bus and tram stop signs are marked Fermata. The entrance doors, Salita,
are at the end and in front, the exit Uscita is in the middle.
ROME
Bus, tram and Metro, subway, service are operated by ATAC –Azienda
Tramvie e Autobus del Comune di Roma. City route maps are on sale in
bookshops and news-stands. The route map published by ATAC is available
at the information kiosk in Piazza dei Cinquecento.
Tickets, Biglietti, should be purchased before boarding and punched
in the machines on buses and trams and validated before starting a journey
on the Metro. Tickets can be bought from news-stands, tobacconists,
machines in Metro stations and end-of-line ATAC kiosks.
Various types of tickets are available. Metrebus tickets can be used
on all means of transport including FS trains in second class, except
on the Fiumicino tract.
BIT tickets can be used for 75 minutes from time of validation.
BIG tickets are valid 24 hours starting from validation time.
CIS or monthly pass and other long duration passes can be purchased.
Buses operate from 5.30am to midnight
Trams operate from 5am to 9pm.
Metro trains operate from 5.30am to 11.30pm.There are two lines, Line
A and Line B.
MILAN
ATM- Azienda Trasporti Municipali- Milano –controls Milan’s
public bus, tram and Metropolitana, subway, system. Besides operating
within the city it provides transportation to 88 suburban towns around
Milan. Transport route maps are available in bookstores and news-stands
and in ATM information offices.
Tickets are available in news-stands, tobacconists and ATM offices,
ticket dispensers in Metro stations and in some bars. They are common
to all means of transport and must be stamped on starting the journey.
An ordinary ticket, Biglietto Ordinario, entitles you to travel for
75 minutes from time of validation, within the city limits, on all surface
transport and allows one entry in the Metro. You can buy single tickets
or a Carnet of 10 tickets.
A "Bl 4"ticket entitles you to 4 journeys each having 75min
validity.
Settimanale 2 x 6, weekly commuter ticket, allowing two daily journeys
for 6 days.
Abbonamento Giornaliero, one day or two days pass, allows you the use
of all means of urban transport for 24 or 48 hours.
Abbonamento Settimanale, weekly pass, usable Monday through Sunday.
Abbonamento Mensile, monthly pass, special rates for students and senior
citizens.
Abbonamento Annuale, annual travel pass, special rates for students.
The Metropolitana has three lines: MM1 or Linea Rossa-red line, MM2
or Linea Verde -green line and MM3 or Linea Gialla - yellow line. It
operates between 6am and 12.30 am.
Main line buses and trams run past Metro timings, some being available
as late as 2.30am.
Passante Ferroviario or Metropolitan railway connects the railway stations
of Bovisa, Lancetti, Garibaldi MM2, Repubblica MM3 and Venezia MM1.ATM
tickets and passes are valid for travelling.
Driving
your own car
Drivers holding an EU license or an International Driving License are
allowed to drive in Italy for one year. After a year of permanence you
have to acquire an Italian license.
The procedure is rather complicated and lengthy, certificates, translations
and photocopies accompany the application. It is advisable to start
a couple of months before the year is over. Your Relocation Assistant
will help you sort out this problem.
If you are caught driving without an Italian license, after the period
of grace, you pay a heavy fine and your license can be confiscated.
Drivers with EU licenses or with licenses from countries with a reciprocal
conversion agreement with Italy, can obtain conversion without sitting
for a test. All other license holders must take the theory and road
test.
License conversion ,driving tests and all other vehicle related procedures
are controlled by the Ispettorato della Motorizzazione, the Motor Vehicles
Authority.
If you decide to move your residence to another city, the address on
your license will have to be updated at your new Comune.
If you come to Italy on a temporary basis as a non-resident you may
import your car duty-free for a one-year period.
If you plan to stay in Italy for six or more months, and you are a
non-EU national, you can bring in your car duty-free, only once. The
car must arrive within the first six months only if you have acquired
residence and are able to produce a Certificato di Residenza.
Once you have obtained Customs Clearance , you apply for a Collaudo
, inspection ,of the car at the Motorizzazione, to see if it complies
with Italian standards. If the car does not require modifications you
are given a Libretto di Circolazione, registration booklet.
Within six months your car must have Italian number plates.
It is advisable to enquire about specific requirements related to Italian
standards from your forwarding agent before shipping a car.
Buying a car is much easier than importing one.
The main requirement to buy a car in Italy is a residence certificate.
Car dealers normally take care of all the paper work for new cars.
If you buy a second-hand car, you need to register the change of ownership,
Trapasso. Car dealers or specialized Agencies listed under Pratiche
Automobilistiche handle the necessary procedures.
Under Italian law the following documents must always be available
when driving:
- Patente - the
driver’s licence
- Libretto di Circolazione
– registration booklet.
- Bollo –
annual road tax payment . Payment varies according to the horsepower
of the engine, Cavalli Fiscali and whether it runs on Benzina, petrol
or diesel oil, Gasolio. Charts of payments and deadlines are posted
in post offices, tobacconists and at the ACI (Automobile Club Italiano),
where the tax can be paid.
- Contrassegno
d’Assicurazione - proof of insurance coverage on the windshield.
- Carta Verde –
green card showing that your insurance is valid outside Italy. Border
police will not let you proceed if you do not have one on board.
The law also requires you to carry an emergency triangle marker. In
case of accidents it must be set up behind the vehicle at a distance
of 50 metres on a city road and 100 metres on highways.
Responsabilità Civile, or third party liability insurance is
compulsory in Italy. Proof of insurance up-date must be exhibited on
the windscreen. All automobiles entering Italy need to have an international
insurance card – Carta Verde.
Italian insurance policies are automatically renewed for another year
if notice is not given 30 days before expiry. Remember to give notice
before you leave otherwise you will have to pay the premium.
A premium rating index – Bonus/Malus - based on accident records
may be used by insurance companies. There are 18 ratings and the premium
can increase or decrease according to the rating you are awarded.
Risks deriving from other hazards can be included in your insurance
policy:
- Incendio e Furto
– fire and theft
- Collisione –
collision
- Atti Vandalici
ed Eventi Naturali- damages caused by vandalism and natural events.
- Kasko- comprehensive
insurance policies are worth considering although they are the more
expensive.
Accident Report
Form
Your insurance company will provide you with accident report forms
called Constatazione Amichevole –friendly verification. Keep the
form on board at all times, it is most useful in case of minor accidents
and serves as a claims report. In case someone is hurt, do not leave
before the police arrives.
If you have a reasonable command of the Italian language you should
be able to note down the preliminary information required. The form
has a number of sketches showing accident situations, if you agree with
the other driver tick mark the one that applies to your accident. A
brief description of the accident is given and each driver signs the
others form. Take the form to your insurance company as soon as possible
or send it by registered mail.
If you do not feel confidant about filling in the form note down the
other car’s insurance company, number plates, driver’s license
number, name and address. If there are any willing witnesses take their
names and addresses as well. Inform your insurance company as soon as
possible.
Remember to set up the emergency triangle behind your vehicle. In case
someone is hurt wait for the police before leaving the scene of the
accident.
Useful Information
- Autostrade –
highways, are subject to toll. Some have fixed price tolls, while
on others you pay for the distance covered. A ticket is collected
at the entry toll gate and toll paid when you exit. Do not enter a
highway without collecting your ticket or you will be charged for
the longest tract on that highway.
- Pedaggio –
toll can be paid with cash in cash booths on all highways. Credit
cards or Bancomat and are accepted on certain highways in special
lanes. Pre-paid magnetic cards – Viacard- worth L.50.000 or L.90.000
can be bought at toll gates, at the Autogrill restaurants along the
highway or at Tabaccai. If you have a Telepass installed on your car,
toll is billed to your bank and you go through reserved toll gates
without stopping.
- Limite di velocità
– speed limit in towns is 50 km, outside built-up areas 90-110
km and 130 km on Autostrade.
- Parcheggio –
parking, areas marked by a blue line require payment. Parking payment
cards can be bought from a tabaccaio or from a parking attendant,
mark time and date of arrival and leave it on the dashboard. Areas
marked with a yellow line mean resident parking only. Zona Disco –
disc zones, are one hour free parking areas where you have to exhibit
arrival time on a disc –available at stationary shops and petrol
stations.
- Benzinaio –
petrol (Gas) stations are open from 7am to 12.30pm and from 3pm to
7pm.Very few are open on Sundays and holidays. 24-hour service is
available on highways and self-service stations at all times. Fuel
sold is Super- 4 star, Senza Piombo-unleaded 95 octane, Super Plus
–unleaded 98 octane and Gasolio- diesel.
- Precedenza-priority
must always be given to trams. Traffic arriving from the right has
priority unless there is a "yield" or "stop" sign.
- Vigili Urbani
– local police. Intervene in case of accidents and gives fines
for speeding, parking violations etc.
- Polizia di Stato
– State police. The police force is controlled by the Interior
Ministry. It is responsible for traffic violations on highways, accidents,
thefts and other bureaucratic procedures.
- Carabinieri –
belong to the Armed Forces, as far as traffic is concerned their duties
overlap the duties of the Polizia.
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