|
|
| Home > City Guide - Milan - Getting There By Road | ||
|
||
|
Getting There By Road Italy has an excellent network of motorways (autostrade – designated A roads), the main north–south link being the Autostrada del Sole (or A1), which links Milan with Reggio Calabria, in the toe of Italy. Speed limits on motorways are 130kph (81mph) for cars of 1100cc or more, and 110kph (68mph) for smaller cars. All motorways are tolled – driving from Milan to Rome will cost approximately €27. The Information Centre in Rome provides advice on tolls and traffic (tel: (06) 4363 2121; website: www.autostrade.it). Those on a budget may prefer the strade statali (SS), which are often fast, have multi-lane carriageways and are toll free. The speed limit on these roads is 110kph (68mph) – too slow for the speed-obsessed Italians and therefore a more leisurely drive for the rest of the world. By law, both driver and passenger must wear their seatbelts or face an on-the-spot fine of €31. Random breath tests can be imposed, and the penalties for drink driving are severe – the maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio is 0.08%. Speeding fines follow EU standards and are levied at between €31 and €351, depending on the speed. Driving through a red light incurs a fine of €61. The minimum age for driving is 18 years. All those without an EU licence must carry an International Driving Permit. EU nationals taking their own car will need an International Insurance Certificate, also known as a Green Card (Carta Verde). Automobile Club Italiana (ACI; tel: (06) 49981 or 4477, 24-hour information) provides further information. Emergency breakdown service: Automobile Club Italiana 116 Routes to the city: Milan is a major crossroads for traffic heading north, south, east and west. The busiest roads are the A1 and A4. Italy’s central artery, the A1 (Autostrada del Solei) travels due south from Milan to Reggio Calabria via Bologna, Florence, Rome and Naples. The A4 (Turin–Milan–Bergamo–Brescia–Verona–Venice–Trieste) forms the ring road skirting the north of the city. Named Autostrada Serenissima after Venice’s nickname, this is the trouble spot where north–south and east–west traffic meet and drivers often feel anything but serene. Traffic from Varese and Lake Maggiore on the A8 and from Switzerland and Como on the A9, can also get tied up here. Genoa, to the southwest of Milan, is reached by the quieter A7. Approximate driving times to Milan: From Turin – 1 hour; Bologna – 2 hours; Florence – 3 hours; Venice – 3 hours; Rome – 6 hours. Coach services: Milan has no coach station. Coaches for the airports run from the Air Terminal at the Stazione Central (see Getting There By Rail), while the principal intercity and international coaches depart from Piazza Castello, next to Castello Sforzesco. The coach company, Autostradale (tel: (02) 801 161), provides information on connections to the rest of Italy. The Azienda Trasporti Milanesi (tel: (02) 7252 4360; website: www.atm-mi.it) office in Stazione Centrale also offers advice. Visitors to the country should remember that in Italy’s heavy traffic, coaches are no faster than trains and are often more expensive. The international departures, operated by Eurolines (tel: (02) 7200 1304; website: www.eurolines.it) from Piazza Castello, connect with services to most European cities. Direct services from Milan include Warsaw, Prague, Vienna and Istanbul. |
||
