Car Rental in Milan: the Fashion Capital of Italy
For a visit to the best of modern Italy — its fashion sense, its great shopping, opera and theatre, football, and nightlife—head to Milan, the heart of Italy’s most populous metropolitan area. You won’t want to miss the major landmarks that represent this modern facet of Italy, such as the Duomo, La Scala, and the Pirelli Tower. See more than the average visitor to Milan by renting a car and getting off the beaten track. Book your rental car today.
Milan is a great city to visit year round; winters are chilly, with the temperature hovering around or below freezing, but Christmas is a fun time to visit. Both spring and fall are comfortable seasons to explore the city and its surroundings. In hot, humid August most of the locals are on vacation themselves, so you may find that many of the shops are closed.
The official language of Italy is Italian; you are likely to find speakers of other European languages speckled throughout the country. English is most likely spoken in areas that see a lot of tourism.
Milan is in the Central European Time Zone, UTC+1.
The currency of Italy is the euro, and credit cards are widely accepted at grocery and retail stores. Take advantage of frequent ATMs to have cash on hand for restaurants, bakeries, and butcheries.
Automobile hire is available in over 30 locations throughout Milan, including the Milan Bergamo Airport, the Milan Linate Airport, and the Milan Airport Malpensa, as well as downtown Milan and beyond.
Visa Regulations
As a Schengen country, Italy accepts visitors from many countries around the world visa-free for up to 90 days. Double check entry requirements for your nationality before you depart, as you may be required to apply for a visa in advance of your departure.
Driving in Milan
Milan has a number of large tolled highways, which means that the roads are in good condition, but they’re also pretty packed. Many of the roads are also one-way, so invest in a good map or ask your rental company about your GPS or satnav options. If you can avoid driving in Milan during the work hours, you’ll find navigating the city fairly easy.
Right-Hand Driving
- Traffic drives on the right-hand side of the road in Milan, as throughout the rest of continental Europe.
Speed Limits
- In the city: 50 km/h
- Outside towns and cities: 90 to 110 km/h
- On the Autostrade: 130 km/h.
- It is prudent to pay attention to any shifts in speed limit, as speed cameras regulate all of the roads throughout Italy.
Other Regulations
- Parking in central Milan is difficult to find and expensive when you do find it. If you don’t book a hotel with complementary parking and you’re staying outside of central Milan, consider parking at the numerous Park and Ride parking lots located along the ring road that circles the city center.
- All drivers with licenses from non-EU countries will need an international driver’s permit in addition to their valid domestic driver’s license to rent and drive a car in Italy. Domestic driver’s licenses issued in the EU are sufficient on their own.
- Most motorways—called the autostrade—are tolled.
- To enter the city center, you’ll have to pay a congestion fee at the fee area known as Area C.
- The minimum driving and car rental age is 18 in Italy, though all drivers under the age of 25 are likely to incur young-driver surcharges.
Cheap Car Rental in Milan
Car hire in Milan can start as low as $5 a day, but is typically around $7 to $10 a day. Here are some of the best deals in Milan:
- Toyota Aygo or similar (mini class) – $5/day
- Fiat Panda or similar (economy class) – $6/day
- Ford Focus or similar (compact class) – $7/day
- Citroen C4 Picasso or similar (intermediate class) – $14/day
- Volkswagen Touran or similar (standard class) – $19/day
Note that prices vary depending on the availability of each specific car and the season in which you rent. For the most accurate offers, use the search bar above.
Tips for Renting a Car Inexpensively in Milan
While winter rentals are typically as low as $7 in Milan, summer rentals tend to cost around $12 a day. Regardless of the season, some of the best deals are available in Milan if you book your rental car just weeks before your planned arrival, though you do run the risk of limited vehicle availability.
Airports are typically the cheapest locations to pick up your rentals in Milan, where numerous local car rental agencies such as Joyrent and Sicily by Car offer the most inexpensive prices. Green Motion and Auto Click also offer cheap automobile hire. Some of the best prices in the region are available at either Milan Bergamo Airport or Milan Linate Airport.
You can also typically save around $1 a day on these already low prices by extending your rental period to over a week.
