Transport in Italy

Italy has a well developed transport system that helps people and goods move around the country. The Italian rail network is one of the largest in the world, with many miles of tracks connecting cities. It even includes special fast trains that link major cities like Naples, Milan, and Turin. The Florence–Rome high-speed railway was the first of its kind in Europe, opening in 1977.

Italy's paved road network is also very wide, with many miles of roads and motorways. Italy was the first country to build motorways, called autostrade, which are roads just for fast traffic and cars. The first motorway in the world, the Autostrada dei Laghi, opened in 1924 and connects Milan to nearby lakes.

Italy has many airports, and lots of people fly from places like Malpensa International Airport in Milan and Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Rome. Since 2021, the main airline in Italy is ITA Airways, which took over from another airline that stopped operating.

Because Italy has a long coastline, it also has many busy harbors. The Port of Genoa is the largest, and other ports are becoming more important for trade, especially with Asia and Africa. All these transport ways are part of big networks that connect Italy to the rest of Europe and the world.

Railways

Main article: Rail transport in Italy

See also: List of railway companies, List of town tramway systems in Italy, and List of trolleybus systems in Italy

The Italian rail network is very big, especially in the north. It has fast trains that connect major cities from Naples through northern cities like Milan and Turin. Italy has one of the largest rail networks in the world.

Fast trains in Italy come in three types: Frecciarossa trains, which can go up to 300 km/h (186 mph); Frecciargento trains, which can go up to 250 km/h (155 mph); and Frecciabianca trains, which can go up to 200 km/h (124 mph).

The Italian railway system is very long, with active lines covering 16,723 km (10,391 mi). The network is growing with new fast rail lines being built.

High speed trains

Main article: High-speed rail in Italy

Italy's fast train service started in 1938. Major improvements began in 1967, and the first fast rail line in Europe opened in 1977.

In 2009, a new fast line between Milan and Turin opened, and other fast lines have been upgraded since then.

Today, you can travel from Turin to Salerno in less than five hours. More than 100 fast trains run each day.

The main operator of fast trains is Trenitalia. Since 2012, a new private operator, NTV (branded as Italo), also runs fast trains.

Night trains

Main article: Nightjet

The Nightjet train service runs to big cities in Italy like Rome, Venice, Florence, and Milano. These trains offer different types of seats, including beds for a comfortable night trip.

Intercity trains

Main articles: Inter-city rail and InterCity

With the introduction of fast trains, intercity trains now have fewer services. They help connect towns and cities that are not on the main fast rail lines.

Regional trains

Trenitalia runs regional train services across Italy. There are also regional train agencies in different parts of the country.

Rail links with adjacent countries

Italy has 11 rail crossings over the Alpine mountains with neighboring countries. These connect Italy to France, Switzerland, and Austria.

The Vatican City has a railway station linked to Italy, used for special occasions. San Marino used to have a rail connection with Italy, but it was taken down in 1944.

Stations

Main article: Railway stations in Italy

Rapid transit

The Rome Metro is a rapid transit system that started in 1955 and is the oldest in Italy. It has three lines and serves over 800,000 passengers each day.

Milan Metro is the largest rapid transit system in Italy, with five lines and over 125 stations. It began operations in 1964 and continues to grow.

The Naples Metro serves the city of Naples and nearby areas, featuring three underground lines and many art installations at its stations.

15 cities in Italy have commuter rail systems, offering convenient travel options for local journeys.

Airport shuttle services are available in many cities, helping travelers get between airports and train stations easily.

Two cities, Rome and Sassari, have tram-train systems that combine tram and train services for flexible travel.

Roads

Main article: Roads in Italy

Roads in Italy are very important for moving around the country. Italy has many paved roads, and the rules for these roads are set by the Italian traffic code.

Italy has more cars per person than many other countries. There are about 690 cars for every 1,000 people. Italy has about 487,700 kilometers (303,000 miles) of paved roads. Out of these, 7,016 kilometers (4,360 miles) are motorways, which usually have a speed limit of 130 kilometers per hour (81 miles per hour). In towns, the speed limit is often 50 kilometers per hour (31 miles per hour).

A big bridge connecting Sicily to mainland Italy was approved in August 2025 and will be finished in 2032. When it opens, it will be the longest suspension bridge in the world.

Technical classification

Motorways

Main article: Autostrade of Italy

Italy was the first country in the world to build motorways, called autostrade. These roads are only for fast traffic and motor vehicles. The first motorway in the world, called the Autostrada dei Laghi or "Lakes Motorway," connects Milan to Lake Como and Lake Maggiore. It was built in 1924.

Many motorways were built in Italy before World War II, such as the roads from Naples to Pompeii, Florence to Pisa, and Milan to Turin. As of July 30, 2022, Italy has about 7,016 kilometers (4,360 miles) of motorways. These roads help connect major cities across the country.

Extra-urban roads

In Italy, some roads outside towns are called superstrada (which means expressway). These roads have separate lanes for each direction and no crossings with people or bicycles. The speed limit on these roads can be up to 110 kilometers per hour (70 miles per hour).

Urban roads

Inside towns, roads are called urban roads. There are different types:

• strada urbana di scorrimento (urban expressway): These roads have separate lanes and traffic lights. The speed limit is up to 70 kilometers per hour (45 miles per hour).
• strada urbana di quartiere (urban neighborhood road): These are roads with one lane in each direction and sidewalks. Some parts might have special lanes for parking.
• strada locale (local road): These are smaller roads in towns or between towns.

Administrative classification

State roads

Main article: State highways (Italy)

The Strade Statali are roads managed by the Italian government. These roads are about 25,000 kilometers (16,000 miles) long. Some of these roads follow very old routes, like the Strada statale 7 Via Appia, which is based on an ancient Roman road.

Regional roads

Main article: Regional road (Italy)

Strada Regionale roads are managed by the regions of Italy. These roads are less important than state roads but more important than roads managed by provinces.

Provincial roads

Main article: Provincial road (Italy)

Strada Provinciale roads are managed by provinces or big cities. These roads are less important than regional roads but more important than roads managed by towns.

Municipal roads

Main article: Municipal road (Italy)

Strada Comunale roads are managed by towns. These can be roads inside towns or roads just outside towns that are important for the town.

Waterways

Italy has about 2,400 kilometers (1,491 miles) of waterways that boats can use for moving goods, though these are not very important for the country's overall trade.

In the northern parts of Lombardy and Veneto, small boats help people travel between towns and villages on Lake Garda and Lake Como. In Venice, the waterways, including the famous Grand Canal, are important for getting around. Many boats, called vaporetta, shuttle people to different places in Venice and its nearby islands. There are also boats that go directly from Venice to the Venice Marco Polo Airport.

Ports and harbours

Italy has been an important place for trade for many years, especially along the Silk Road. When the Suez Canal was built, it helped Italy trade more with East Africa and Asia. Today, Italy has many harbours along its long coast, which help move goods and people. In 2004, there were 43 big seaports, including the Port of Genoa, the biggest port in the country and the third busiest by cargo tonnage in the Mediterranean Sea.

Because of growing trade routes connecting to Asia and East Africa, Italian ports have become very important for Central and Eastern Europe. More trade is now happening in the Mediterranean Sea instead of northern Europe, saving time and helping the environment. The deep water port of Trieste is getting a lot of attention and investment.

Air transport

See also: List of airlines of Italy

Since October 2021, the main airline in Italy is ITA Airways. This airline took over many parts of Alitalia, which stopped operating. ITA Airways flies to 44 places and also runs a smaller airline called Alitalia CityLiner.

Italy also has smaller airlines, budget airlines, and airlines that fly for fun or special trips. There are also airlines that carry goods. In 2012, Italy had 130 airports, including big ones in Milan and Rome.

Main article: List of airports in Italy

Italy is one of the top countries in Europe for air travel, with around 148 million passengers in 2011. Many of these flights go to other countries, but some connect Italy's islands like Sardinia and Sicily to the rest of the country. Flights between big cities like Rome and Milan are still important but are becoming less common as fast trains become more popular.

Italy had 130 airports in 2012. Most of these airports have runways that are made of hard surfaces.

This is a list of the ten busiest airports in Italy in 2017.

Buses, trams and coaches

Local buses

Local buses in Italy are split into two types: urban lines, which travel within a city, and suburban lines, which connect nearby areas.

Trolleybuses

See also: List of trolleybus systems in Italy

Many Italian cities use trolleybus systems. These were supported by the government of Fascist Italy in the past. While many stopped using trolleybuses in the late 20th century, some cities still run them today. These include Ancona, Avellino, Bologna, Chieti, Genoa, La Spezia, Lecce, Modena, Naples, Parma, Rimini, Rome, and Sanremo.

Coaches

Italy does not have one big coach company for the whole country. Instead, many smaller companies operate in different areas, helping people travel between cities or go to airports. Some of the bigger names include Baltour, Marinobus, Buscenter.it, .italo, and FlixBus.

Tram

Thirteen cities in Italy have tram systems. These cities are Bergamo–Albino light rail, Cagliari light rail, Trams in Florence, Trams in Messina, Trams in Mestre, Trams in Milan, Trams in Naples, Trams in Padua, Trams in Palermo, Trams in Rome, Trams in Sassari, Trams in Turin, and Trieste–Opicina tramway.