Pammca

I will be doing a lot of driving during my holiday in northern Italy (Valle d'Aosta to Lakes Como and Maggiore to the Dolomites) and would be very grateful for any advice you might have from when you last drove there. Are non-motorway petrol stations still closed on Sundays? Did you have any difficulites paying for petrol with cards? Can you use only credit cards, or are debit cards (payment taken from bank account) accepted too?
All information gratefully received!
Thank you all! Pam

tedgale

It depends on where you are.

Basically, we checked out the local gas stations when we arrived and never failed to top up the car whenever we reasonably could, using a manned station during normal working hours (which excludes lunchtimes and evenings and Sundays)

BUT:

1 minute from where we were staying was a small gas station that advertised 24 hour service.

When we asked whether they only use bank cards, the operator explained that they have a separate payment-station that takes BANK NOTES of any denomination.

That was a new one on me and a great innovation!

Now that

Pammca

Any one else, please?

Marko

As soon as the fuel guage reaches half, stop at the next service station and fill up. No where is more than a half a tank of fuel away! It is also a good chance to double check your directions, take your road map in with you and if your italian is not good just point and say "doh-ve"??

hopscotch

In the old days Italian gasoline stations would be <i>chiuso</i> during the three hour lunch break. No gas till the owner came back.

I made part of your trip about ten years ago in the other direction. In the Valle d'Aosta I pulled up to a 24 hour station but it appeared to be closed. Then I saw the credit card self servce machine and tanked up. Same thing north of Milan a few months ago in a non-motorway village station on Sunday afternoon.

bobthenavigator

DRIVING IN ITALY &amp; SOUTHERN EUROPE

Q. SHOULD WE DRIVE IN ITALY?
A. Of course you should if your driving skill &amp; confidence would allow you to drive a rental car in Vermont, Colorado or California. But, be advised of these tips:
* Avoid driving in the major cities except for picking up or dropping cars
* Have good maps—study them in advance—and have a good navigator
* Stay in the right lane except when passing and use your rear view mirrors

Q. WHAT CAR SHOULD I GET AND WHERE DO I GET IT?
A. It is best to rent your car before you leave for Europe. The best source we have found is AUTOEUROPE [800-223-5555] who is a broker for several car vendors. They will quote you prices to include the variables that are often omitted by others, such as unlimited mileage, full mandatory insurance coverage, and VAT taxes. The best model will depend on your needs, but for best value we suggest you select a compact car with manual transmission. Automatics are available but will cost you about 30% more and may limit your model options &amp; pick up locations.

Q. ARE ITALIAN DRIVERS AS CRAZY AS I HAVE HEARD?
A. Yes &amp; no! They are certainly aggressive, but they are also more skilled than many USA drivers—both are a function of necessity. Italy is one of the most crowded countries in the world and the drivers have evolved these characteristics
* They are notorious tailgaters. If that bothers you, pull over and let them past.
* On the AUTOSTRADE they will drive fast, but will stay in the right lane except when passing and will use their blinkers when passing—you should too !
* They will often pass on 2-lane roads with traffic coming. Frankly, they expect you, and the oncoming car, to adjust to the shoulder and make 3 lanes of traffic.

OTHER ROAD TIPS FOR YOUR DRIVING SANITY:
1. Learn the meaning of the sign “ SENSO UNICO” and take heed [ONE WAY ].
2. Be sure to get your ticket when you enter the AUTOSTADA system &amp; be prepared to pay the toll when you exit it [ rule of thumb—300 km=15 Euro]. You can use your credit card in the VIA lane at the toll both, or buy a debit VIACARD in advance.
3. Do NOT attempt to follow road numbers—that will frustrate you. But, do pay attention to the directional signs that point to your destination [ TO MONTALCINO]. And, be aware if that road leads eventually to a larger city [ ROMA—SIENA ETC.]
4. Unless you have a diesel car, you will want to fill the tank with benzina from the green pump. Most stations will pump gas for you and will take credit cards.

NOTE: As of 2005, an International Drivers Permit[IDP] is required in Italy.
You can obtain them from your local AAA office. You will need a valid US driver’s license, two passport photos, and $10. The photos can be taken at the AAA office.

hopscotch

BTN's reply reminded me of the tailgating nuisance. When driving in Italy, make sure you are right on the bumper of the car ahead of you at all times. Otherwise another car will cut you off.

Also, another item to take care of before you hit the roads, especially in Italy but all over Europe also, is to have good road maps and study them well before you hit the road. Exit and intersection signs are not usually marked with route numbers, and never with N, S, E, and W indications. They normally show only the closest village so if you are going to the second village you need to know the name of the village closest to the road you are on. Of course this is a generalization and there are exceptions but don't bet on the exceptions.

GianniFL

Pammca, Maybe I have been lucky, but nobody seemed to mind when I took an extra lap or two around the traffic circles to be sure (more or less) of my turns. Staying to the left during this exercise is helpful. If you get a diesel car, be very careful that it is only filled with diesel, otherwise you will have quite a comedy unfold in front of you, or a real mess. Enjoy the rush! Gianni

kbrennan

Do the &quot;credit card self-service machines&quot; take all kinds of credit cards?

Marko

In regard to maps use this site to print out each segment, it is fairly up to date and if your navigator is not &quot;map savvy&quot; the instructions will help!
http://www.drive-alive.co.uk/route_planner.php

Pammca

Thanks to everyone for your replies - can anyone tell me if the automatic payment machines take debit cards and/or credit cards?
Cheers! Pam

artvark

&gt;In the old days Italian gasoline &gt;stations would be chiuso during the &gt;three hour lunch break. No gas till the &gt;owner came back.

When we returned a car near Malpensa airport about ten years ago, all of the stations were closed. We found a closed station with a vending machine style pump that took 5000 and 10000 lira notes and were able to fill up that way. I'm not sure what they do now (have credit card slots, euro vending machine gas pumps, or whatever).

GianniFL

I found one near Malpensa that took 5 euro notes or some credit cards I didn't recognize. While topping off, I ended up with 2 euro I couldn't use. The machine printed a credit ticket, but it expired before my next trip, so I gave it to an Italian gent. Still, it was cheaper than turning in the car less than full.

annabelle2

Pammca, one comment about driving in the Dolomites -- lots of bicyclists and motorcyclists. Not really a problem, but it seemed the bicylists were usually in groups (bike clubs, I assume) and quite used to being a priority on the road. Also were many motorcylcists, (many coming down from Austria) and also seemed to travel in small groups.

Other than that, and the many hairpin turns, the driving was fine!

tedgale

While I expected tail-gating and &quot;bat out of Hell&quot; driving, I was surprised sometimes at how SLOW some drivers were in the countryside. Many old gents and ladies behind the wheel, apparently.

And on the motorway: truckers seem to have a competition with their peers that involves passing one another, even on hills, when the &quot;passer&quot; clearly does not have enough juice to do so. Hence traffic bunches up behind the dueling drivers. To my surprise, those held back by these turkeys generally did not flash lights -- WE were the only ones who comported ourselves as we had been told Italians do!

I guess nobody messes with those truckers. Flashing and tailgating are reserved, it seems, for use on the small and vulnerable.

Doble_Vergasser

We had a car for a week in northern italy. There is nothing about driving in Italy to be afraid of. You do want a good map (and a navigator if possible).

Take a sense of humor. You will make some wrong turns. You will end up in some places that you don't intend (once we ended up in a pedestrian only area).

Fill up when the gas guage shows half full and don't worry about the avalaiablility of fuel.

The only thing that I might add is: If you plan to visit any small towns out in the countryside, then you might want a compass (even a cheap, dollar store compass would be okay).

Alec

When you try to drive your car to the center of old villages or towns, 'centro storico', remember the roads are usually very narrow and your car's paintwork may be in danger. It's often best to leave your car in a parking lot just outside the center and walk in.