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Driving is on the right side of the road.

All Florence Santa Maria Novella Train Station rental cars are automatic transmission.

Your local drivers' licence is required.

An International Drivers' Permit (or IDP) may be required, especially if your local drivers' licence is in a language other than the local language (you may inquire when you pick up your car).

Florence Driving Stress Level: 7/10

Be aware that the Florence Santa Maria Novella Train Station is situated within the city's limited traffic area zone ("ZTL"). Obtain a map and detailed driving instructions from the car rental agent. You need to know both how to get out of the city centre, and how to get back again, in order to return your car. There are numerous one-way streets - and you don't want to be fined, or miss your train!

Driving in the historic center - inside the wide "viale" where the old city walls were (and still are, on the southern side of the Arno) - is strictly prohibited, except for residents with permits. Enforcement is by camera, and is ferociously efficient. If you drive in the prohibited areas, you will be tracked down, and you will receive stiff fines in the mail.

Parking in garages and parking lots is expensive, costing EUR 30 per night. There are three kinds of parking places on the street: white, yellow and blue. White is for residents only, yellow ones are reserved, so you can park only on the blue places. The price is €1 per hour and you have to pay from 08:00 to 20:00 (12 hours). Leave the ticket inside the car in a visible place. Attention: you need coins for the parking - the machine won't accept banknotes or cards. You can also find 'free' parking at all hours at "Piazzale Michelangelo" on the south side of the town. However, there are time limits for how long you can leave a car, which are rigidly enforced, and if you violate those limits, your car will be towed. It's about a 20 minute walk to the city centre (down the stairs and across the Arno). It has gorgeous views of the city as well.

Florence is connected by good highways to the rest of Italy. The easiest way to get in and out of the city from the A-1 Autostrada, which connects Florence to Bologna, Milan and the North, and to Rome and the South, is to use the "Firenze - Impruneta" exit. This is the same route for those leaving for or arriving from Siena on the "Fi-Si" highway. If you are arriving from or leaving for Pisa and the West on the A-11 Autostrada, it may be best to go by way of Firenze-Scandicci and use the A-1 to connect to and from the A-11.

Car Rental Protection
Learn how to protect yourself when renting a car at Florence Santa Maria Novella Train Station.