Tolls in Italy

Tolls are payable on almost all Italian motorways, with the exception of the A2 in the South of Italy from Salerno to Reggio di Calabria (until the end of 2016 still numbered A3), which is not subject to tolls. In Sicily, only the A20 between Messina and Palermo and the A18 from Messina to Catania are subject to tolls.

In Italy, tolls on all motorways average 7 cents per kilometre (as of 2024). Only the A2 from Salerno to Reggio di Calabria is not subject to tolls. In Sicily, tolls only have to be paid on the A20 motorway between Messina and Palermo and the A18 from Messina to Catania.

There are specially marked Telepass lanes at the toll stations. Travellers with a maut1.de Telepass toll box can pass through these lanes without stopping and payment is made automatically afterwards. Travellers who do not have a maut1.de Telepass toll box should take care not to accidentally enter such a lane, as no payment option other than the maut1.de Telepass toll box is available there. In this case, please do not turn round under any circumstances, but call for help by pressing the button in front of the barrier at the toll station. 

At the toll stations, it is also possible to pay either in cash or with a credit card. For customers who wish to pay by credit card, there are special lanes labelled "Carte". In addition to the credit card, a so-called Viacard can currently also be used. The Viacards will soon be discontinued, but they can currently still be purchased with a value of 25, 50 or 75 euros at all manned toll payment points (caselli di Autostrade per l'Italia con esattore), at the "Punto Blu" points on the motorway and in banks and tobacco shops. 

With the Viacard, which is currently still available, it is also possible to pay with staff at the cash payment points. Please ensure that there is sufficient credit on the Viacard when using the lane for card payers. In contrast to the lanes for cash payers, it is not possible to make up a missing amount with cash there.

The (yellow) Telepass lanes are intended exclusively for registered users of the maut1.de Telepass toll box, where the toll is automatically billed with a toll box. If you queue in a white lane at the toll stations, you can pay with cash, credit card or currently still with Viacard, whereas if you queue in a blue lane, you can only pay with credit cards, EC cards or the Viacard, which will soon be phased out. 

If you have got into the wrong lane and are unable to pay the toll, you should not turn back under any circumstances. Turning round or reversing at toll gates is punishable by a heavy fine. Instead, stop and press the help button in front of the barrier at the toll station. You will then receive a receipt from the machine ("Mancato pagamento") and must settle the payment within 15 days.

There are three different toll collection systems in Italy. In the familiar closed system, you drive to a toll station, take a ticket and then pay the toll costs based on the kilometres driven and the respective vehicle class when you leave the motorway. 

It is even easier with the maut1.de toll box: here you simply drive slowly through the toll station, the toll box makes contact by radio, registers the passage(s) and then, after approx. 4-6 weeks, all toll routes are automatically billed. In the open system, which is mainly used in urban centres to avoid traffic jams, a flat rate is charged at each toll station. 

These routes are part of the open toll system in Italy: A9: Como - Milan, A8: Varese - Milan, A5: Mont Blanc - Aosta, A32: Fréjus Tunnel - Turin, A12: Rome - Civitavecchia, A46: Naples - Pozzuoli and A3: Naples - Salerno. 

The FreeFlow model is a new type of toll system that has so far only been used on the A36 (near Milan), A59 and A60 motorways. It enables fully automatic registration of vehicles based on their licence plate number and vehicle category in order to avoid traffic jams at toll stations. To pay, you need to register by entering your licence plate number online or in the "Pedemontana Lombarda" app, or even more simply with the maut1.de toll box.

When travelling to and in Italy, the traffic regulations are sometimes different or stricter than in Germany. All important information about the traffic rules, penalties and fines in Italy can be found in our maut1.de blog.