Renting a Car in Milan: Everything You Need to Know
Planning to explore Milan and the breathtaking lakes and mountains of Northern Italy? Renting a car might be your best option for discovering the region’s hidden gems. Having recently rented a car at Milan airport to explore the stunning lakes and mountain areas, I’m excited to share everything you need to know before booking your vehicle.
From navigating Milan’s three airports to understanding local traffic rules and finding the best rental deals, this guide covers all the essential information for a smooth driving experience in one of Italy’s most beautiful regions, all done by a bloke (me) born and raised in Milan and the lakes area.
Milan’s Three Airports: Which One to Choose?
Milan is served by three airports, each with its own advantages depending on your travel plans.
Malpensa (MXP) is the largest airport in the area and the ideal choice if you’re planning to visit Lake Maggiore, Lake Como, Lago d’Orta and the northern mountain regions. This is the main international hub with the widest selection of rental companies and vehicles.
Orio al Serio (also known as Milan Bergamo BGY) is located close to Bergamo and provides excellent access if you’re planning hiking trips in the mountains east of Milan and you will have easy accesso to Lake Como through Lecco.
Linate (LIN) is the closest airport to Milan’s city center. While convenient for city access, it’s not necessarily the best option if your primary goal is to rent a car for exploring the surrounding areas.
If you’re flying into Malpensa, be aware that it has two terminals located on opposite sides of the airport. A frequent shuttle service connects them, taking approximately 5-7 minutes to travel between terminals.
When renting a car, check which terminal your rental company is located in to avoid unnecessary shuttling. In Terminal 1 (the larger terminal), car rental companies are conveniently located on level -1. At Terminal 2, rental counters are outside the terminal building, requiring a walk of about 300 meters.
My recommendation is to focus on finding the best deal available rather than prioritizing a specific terminal location. Even if you need to take a shuttle to an off-airport rental facility, the journey typically takes only about 5 minutes and won’t significantly impact your travel plans.
Driver’s License Requirements
To rent a car in Milan, you’ll need:
- A valid driver’s license from your home country
- An International Driving Permit (IDP) if your license is not issued by a European country or the UK
While some rental companies might provide a car without an IDP, this could create serious problems if you’re stopped by police or need to make an insurance claim.
The IDP costs approximately $20 and must be obtained in your home country before traveling. Consider it an essential investment for peace of mind during your Italian driving adventure.
Finding the Best Rental Deal
There are global brands like AVIS, Europecar, etc that are mostly located on-site (inside the airport). The local Italian providers are usually locate off-site and you will need a shuttle which is usually pre-organised and free of charge.
As I previously said, these shuttle trips take between 5 and 10 minutes so it’s better to focus on the car model and price you are after than saving possibly 2-3 minutes with on-site options.
For the past several years, I’ve used an aggregator website called DiscoverCars to compare prices from both local and international rental companies. What I particularly appreciate about this approach is that the website functions similarly to Airbnb, with rental companies ranked based on customer feedback. This helps you avoid potentially scammy providers while securing competitive rates.
The website also offers full insurance coverage for just €8-10 per day—an option I highly recommend. Italian streets, particularly in older towns and cities, can be narrow and challenging to navigate. Having comprehensive coverage provides valuable peace of mind, knowing that minor dents or scratches won’t result in significant charges when you return the vehicle.
Traffic Conditions Around Milan
Traffic in the Milan area varies significantly depending on location and time of day:
In Milan and other major cities: Traffic can be heavy, particularly during commuting hours. Avoid driving between 7:30-9:00 AM and 5:00-7:00 PM if possible, especially on Milan’s ring highway (tangenziale), which can become extremely congested.
Lakes and mountain areas: These regions generally have much lighter traffic, except on Sundays when city residents often take day trips to the lakes, creating temporary congestion.
A Shopping Detour Worth Making
If you enjoy fashion at discounted prices, consider making a stop at the Armani Outlet, located about 30 minutes from Malpensa Airport in the direction of Como. You’ll typically find discounts of 20-30% on designer items. For even better deals, plan your visit for late July or early January, when discounts can reach an impressive 70-80%.
ZTL Zones: Restricted Traffic Areas
One of the most important things to understand when driving in Milan and other Italian cities is the concept of ZTL (Zona Traffico Limitato) – restricted traffic zones. These are typically historical centers where access is limited to residents and authorized vehicles.
Entering a ZTL without permission will result in significant fines, which will be forwarded to your rental company and ultimately charged to you, often with additional administrative fees.
The best approach is to park outside these zones and explore the historical centers on foot or via public transportation. Milan has an excellent metro system that makes life so much easie as you park at the city edge and explore the historical centre on foot.
Speed Limits and Enforcement
Speed limits in and around Milan are strictly enforced:
- 30 km/h in certain areas of Milan
- 50 km/h in urban areas (including most of Milan and surrounding towns)
- 90 km/h on secondary roads
- 130 km/h on highways (autostrade)
Never exceed these limits, as speed cameras are abundant throughout the region. These automated systems will capture violations and forward fines to your rental company, which will charge you the fine amount plus an administrative fee. Even small infractions of 5-10 km/h over the limit can result in costly penalties.
Parking: Understanding the Color Codes
Parking in Milan and surrounding areas follows a color-coded system:
- Blue lines: Paid parking, typically hourly
- White lines: Free parking, but often time-limited
- Yellow/orange lines: Reserved for loading/unloading or for drivers with disabilities
Parking in major cities like Milan can be challenging. I recommend leaving your car at the periphery of the city and using public transportation to reach the center. Milan’s comprehensive metro network makes this particularly convenient.
If you park in a white-lined area with time restrictions (indicated by nearby signs), you’ll need to use a “disco orario” (parking disk) to indicate your arrival time. Rental cars typically come equipped with this device, which allows you to park free of charge for the designated time period (often one hour).
Most of the town and villages in the lakes area offer easy to find free or paid parking. In saying that, Sunday is typically a challenging day, with most of the Milanesi (city people) trying to escape to the lakes area for a day out. Things can get really congested in summer.
Fuel Stations and Payment Options
You won’t have trouble finding fuel stations in Milan or the surrounding areas. In more remote mountain regions, I recommend using Google Maps, which not only shows station locations but also displays fuel prices, allowing you to find the best deal.
Italian fuel stations offer two service options:
- Servito: Full-service where an attendant refuels your vehicle
- Self-Service: You refuel the vehicle yourself
Self-service is approximately 10% cheaper than full-service. For example, at a typical station, self-service might cost €2.05 per liter while full-service costs €2.16 per liter. The difference can add up significantly over the course of your trip.
Security Considerations
While serious crime isn’t common, petty theft from vehicles does occur, particularly in urban areas. Never leave valuables visible in your car—not even empty bags or backpacks, as these might suggest to thieves that something valuable is hidden inside.
If you must leave items in your vehicle, store them in the trunk (boot) before arriving at your destination, ensuring no one observes you placing items there. Ideally, keep all valuables with you whenever possible.
Is Renting a Car in Milan Right for You?
Whether renting a car makes sense depends entirely on your travel plans:
Consider public transportation if:
- You’re only visiting major destinations like Milan, Como, Stresa, or Bellagio
- You’re staying primarily in city centers
- You prefer not to deal with parking challenges
A rental car is ideal if:
- You want to explore the lakes and mountain regions thoroughly
- You plan to visit smaller towns and villages
- You’re interested in taking scenic routes rather than just reaching destinations
- You’re traveling with family or carrying significant luggage
- You’re planning skiing trips in the mountains
- You want to experience the area than just move from destination to destination
The true value of having a car isn’t just reaching the major destinations but experiencing the charming small towns and breathtaking viewpoints along the way that aren’t easily accessible by public transportation.
Final Thoughts
Renting a car in Milan opens up Northern Italy’s spectacular landscapes in ways that public transportation simply cannot match. The freedom to stop at picturesque villages, discover panoramic viewpoints, and explore at your own pace makes the minor challenges of renting and driving a car in Italy well worth the effort.
And my last tip, remember to take photos to document the car status at pickup time. You may need them in case the car rental company wants you to pay for pre-existing damages that were not regularly marked on the rental contract.
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