Rome Car Rental
If you are a DIY type of traveler, you’ll surely appreciate the value of a Rome car rental. Even though many central city areas are restricted to non-residents and parking can be a hassle, with a car rental, you can forget all about tedious rides with public transit means and expensive taxi journeys. Moreover, you can easily explore the nearby areas or even other big Italian cities and drive to regions otherwise almost unreachable.
Do I Need a Car in Rome?
If you intend on staying within city limits, you shouldn’t opt for a Rome car rental. Verily, most of the popular sites are to be found at the historical center, a ZTL (zona traffico limitato) zone. Overall, only residents can circulate downtown, as the city’s authorities have implemented this rule in an effort to reduce pollution in the zones that tend to get congested. Even more so, parking in the heart of the city can be really challenging. Conversely, if you want to travel to the close by areas, the most convenient way to do so is to rent a car in Rome. To sum up, you should settle on a Rome car rental if your trip’s schedule includes other destinations as well, whereas, for rides inside the Aurelian Walls, Rome’s public transit network should be your number one choice.
How to Rent a Car in Rome?
Several car rental companies operate in Rome. From local providers to international agencies, you can find top car rental deals if you take the time to search and compare the options. If you want to make your life easier, you should use a search engine. In that way, you’ll check all the available Rome car rental options, compare them, and come up with the best value-for-money vehicle that suits your requirements and keeps your pocket happy. As soon as you reach your decision, you’ll have to fill out the relevant booking form. Once completing the procedure, you’ll receive a confirmation email. This email will, most probably, also be the voucher for your reservation.
How Easy Is it to Rent a Car in Rome?
Although finding the top Rome car rental for you is easy if you search and compare your options, there are some tips to optimize your car hire experience:
- In-advance bookings are highly recommended. In fact, the sooner you make your reservation, the better prices you’ll ferret out and the more available vehicle types you’ll have access to.
- You can derive useful guidelines from previous customers’ reviews.
- It is advisable to take some pics of your vehicle before starting your ride from the pick-up point. In that way, you’ll capture any already existing damages.
- Rome car rental companies charge per day (per 24h). Hence, you should return your vehicle within that period of time to avoid getting charged for an extra day.
- You should refill the car by yourself before dropping it off. Verily, car rental agencies usually overcharge gas.
- Extra amenities such as additional driver, GPS, or child seats bring surcharges. In any case, you may find car rental deals, including some add-ons to the initial price.
- You can pick up your Rome car rental from one location and return it to a different one. You’ll probably be charged extra. Still, if it allows you to save on fuel, it can be a bargain choice.
What Documents do I Need to Hire a Car in Italy?
To rent a car in Rome, you’ll need a valid, at least one-year driver’s license and an ID or passport. Moreover, a credit card will probably be required. In some cases (if the country of origin is outside the EU or the driver’s license isn’t written in Roman characters), the issue of an International Driving Permit will also be necessary. As a matter of fact, even if the car rental company doesn’t ask for it, during a potential inspection, the police will certainly ask you to hand it over.
Our Tip: Please keep in mind that you should carry your documents with you at all times.
How Old do you Have to Be to Rent a Car in Rome?
Although the legal age to drive in Italy is 18, you aren’t allowed to rent a car in Rome unless you are 21 years old and you obtained your driver’s license at least one year before the car renting date. However, higher age limits are set for some luxury models. Thus, you can rent a luxury car if you are at least 23 years old. In general terms, young drivers (less than 25) usually pay an extra fee.
Where is the Easiest Place to Pick up a Rental Car in Rome?
If you are landing at Rome Fiumicino Airport, picking up your car rental at the airport is definitely the most comfortable option. Still, choosing an airport as your pick-up location can result in slightly higher car hire fees. Thus, you can settle on a city location, as it is highly possible that it will be a more value-for-money alternative. Opting for a pick-up point near a major Rome transit hub should be a convenient choice.
What Car Rentals are Best in Rome?
You can find every possible vehicle type in Rome. Thus, your Rome car rental can be an economy, compact, luxury, SUV, mini, full-size car, or even a van. For rides around Rome, a mini or compact car would be ideal as parking is difficult and streets are often narrow. Conversely, for long trips outside the city limits, an SUV vehicle would be recommended. Overall, the most popular rental cars in Rome are Fiat 500, Peugeot 208, and Kia Picanto.
How Much does it Cost to Rent a Car in Rome?
The price of a Rome car rental is dependent on various factors. The time of the year, the car rental duration, the type of vehicle, and any required extra amenities affect the final fare. What’s more, early bookings come with lower prices. Overall, the average price to rent a car in Rome is 45€/50$.
Is there a Speed Limit in Rome?
The speed limit inside the city limits is 50km/h (30mph), while outside that zone, the limit is 110km/h (68mph). On urban highways, you can drive at an up to 70km/h (43mph) speed, while on motorways, at a 130km/h (80mph). Nevertheless, during rainy days, the speed limit for motorways is 110km/h (68mph) and 90km/h (55mph) if traveling on a main extra-urban road.
Do Rental Cars Need Full Insurance?
In general terms, each Rome car rental’s price includes basic Collision Damage Waiver insurance. However, full insurance is recommended to be on the safe side in case of an accident or damage. On the other hand, if you want to save money on your insurance expenses, you should check if the credit card you plan to use offers car rental insurance coverage.
Where to Park a Rental Car in Rome?
To begin with, you should be aware of two facts. Firstly, street parking in Rome is marked with 4 different colors. White lines indicate free parking spots (for up to 3 hours, mostly to be found around Rome’s hospitals), and blue are for paid parking (they are usually out of charge during public holidays), while yellow lines point out the parking spaces for persons with special needs, and pink lines the available spots for pregnant women and women with infants.
On the other hand, you should note that the busiest parts of Rome are usually ZTL zones, meaning that only taxis and residents are allowed to circulate around them. Verily, Rome’s historical center is only accessible to non-residents from 06:00 pm to 06:30 am and from 06:00 pm to 02:00 pm on Saturdays. On Fridays and Saturdays, the ZTL zones are also activated from 11:00 pm to 03:00 am. During public holidays, those operational hours may differ. A red light at the entrance of each ZTL zone indicates that it is activated, and a green one that you are allowed to enter.
Alternatively, you can leave your car rental in a car park. Many parking lots are scattered around the city. Nevertheless, the closer they lie to the city center, the higher they charge for a parking spot.
Useful Info About Car Rental in Rome
- When planning on traveling around, you should check if there are mileage restrictions for your Rome car rental.
- The motorists in Rome drive on the right side of the road.
- You should at all times respect traffic laws. Speed cameras detect violations of the speed limit, while motorists who disobey traffic rules are likely to get fined.
- Pedestrians almost always have the right of way.
- Seatbelts are compulsory.
- Child seats aren’t optional for Rome car rentals.
- Tolls in Rome are considered rather expensive.
- The alcohol limit is set at 0.05%.
- The emergency number is 112.