By Air
Italy has about forty airports distributed throughout the country, providing a dense network of national, international, and intercontinental flights.
The main entry hubs are the intercontinental and international arrival points of Italy: “Leonardo da Vinci” Rome Fiumicino Airport and Milan Malpensa Airport, yet almost all Italian airports operate international connections.
The offering of flights by the main carriers and low-cost airlines is very broad and covers a large number of destinations. Italy is connected by air with most European nations and all continents. Visit the websites of the main airlines to obtain more information about routes, timetables, prices, and availability. More or less all airports are served by an impressive network of taxis, buses, and trains, ensuring comfortable and fast connections to city centers so that you can reach your final destination with relative ease.
By Train
You can take advantage of EuroCity trains to travel to Italy easily. These international convoys connect various European cities and offer a wide choice of timetables and routes.
For example, Geneva, Marseilles, Innsbruck, and Munich all have direct connections with Venice, Bologna, Verona, or Milan.
If you prefer to travel at night, the equivalent service is offered by EuroNight trains, thereby enabling you to sleep for the duration of the journey.
Naturally, in addition to using these lines, you can also arrive in Italy thanks to the complex European railway network connecting our cities to other capitals.
By Car/Motorcycle
The extensive European motorway network and the availability of several passes over the Alpine chain make access to Italy by car or motorbike easy: Italy can be reached from Austria, France, Switzerland, and Slovenia.
The main passes open all year round are:
- the Mont Blanc tunnel (from Chamonix, it connects France to the A5 motorway for Turin and Milan);
- the Gran San Bernardo tunnel (connects Switzerland to the A5 motorway for Turin and Milan);
- the Brenner Pass (traveling from Austria, it joins the A22 motorway towards Bologna).
Alpine tunnels are often closed during the winter and sometimes even in autumn and spring because of snow.
Visit the “Getting Around” section to discover useful information and the main driving rules to drive in Italy.
For real-time information: www.autostrade.it www.stradeanas.it
By Coach
Italy can also be reached from all over Europe by bus along routes that have always connected our country to the rest of the continent. There are many scheduled agencies running such trips by road, including recent low-cost companies offering the service at very competitive prices.
By Sea
Thanks to more than 8000 km of coastline, Italy offers many opportunities to arrive by sea at the country’s numerous ports. Before leaving, find information about crossing times and international routes that include stops in Italian ports. Many national and international shipping companies connect the main European ports with Italy. Ticket prices are higher in the summer and vary – if you are traveling with a vehicle – depending on its size.
The Grandi Navi Veloci fleet connects Barcelona to Genoa. Connections from Greece to Italy are assured over the most popular routes: from Igoumenitsa, Corfu and Patras, Blue Star Ferries arrive directly in Venice and Brindisi while Superfast Ferries travel to Ancona and Bari. Fragline Ferries covers the Corfu-Brindisi route; Grimaldi Ferries, one of the best-known Italian companies, connects Tunis and Barcelona with Civitavecchia, Salerno, Livorno, and Palermo. Tirrenia Navigazione ferries run numerous connections throughout the year between Tunis and the main Italian islands, Sicily and Sardinia. Marmara Lines connects the Turkish city of Cesme with Ancona and Brindisi. Jadrolinija connects Dubrovnik, on the Croatian coast, with Bari, while Virtu Ferries is the best company to reach Malta from Catania.