Should I rent a car for the Amalfi Coast? No, you do not strictly need a car if you plan to stay 3 or more nights in a single town, because SITA Sud and TravelMar ferries connect most of the Costiera Amalfitana and the Sorrento Peninsula. A TravelMar ferry from Amalfi to Positano is typically €10-18, while a SITA Sud bus from Amalfi to Ravello is usually €1.30; for context, the route is served along the SS163 Amalfitana under traffic controls set by the Prefettura and local municipal ordinances. A car becomes practical if you want day trips to Pompeii, Mount Vesuvius, Paestum, or Sant'Agata sui Due Golfi, if you are travelling with 3+ passengers and luggage, or if you plan to change base towns between Amalfi, Praiano, and Vietri sul Mare. Can I pick up my rental car in Amalfi town itself? No major international rental chain has a standard counter in Amalfi town, while most local operators in the center focus on scooters, vintage cars, or short-use vehicles rather than multi-day family rentals. The most efficient pickup point is Naples Capodichino Airport, also called NAP and IATA NAP, where arrivals use Terminal 1 and follow signs for the Navetta Aeroporto to the rental village; from there, the drive via Tangenziale di Napoli and the A3 autostrada Napoli-Salerno to Amalfi is about 74 km. If you prefer a delivery service, agencies such as Amalfi New Service, Hire Car Amalfi, Spider Lifestyle, and Amalfi Rent Point may deliver to Amalfi, Positano, or Ravello for a fee usually quoted in the €60-100 range. How do the “targhe alterne” (alternate license plates) affect my rental? On specific high-traffic dates in 2026, vehicles with license plates ending in an odd or even digit are barred from driving the SS163 Amalfitana between 10:00 and 18:00 on the regulated stretch. Based on Anas Ordinance 340/2019, the rule is enforced daily from Mar 30 to Apr 6, Apr 24 to May 2, and Aug 1 to Sep 30, and on weekends and holidays only during June, July, and October; this matters on approaches through the Valle del Dragone and toward Amalfi, Conca dei Marini, and Praiano. Scooters, public buses such as SITA Sud, licensed NCC chauffeur services, and the cars of registered hotel guests on arrival and departure days only are exempt. What happens if I accidentally enter a ZTL (Limited Traffic Zone)? An automated camera in a ZTL, Isola Pedonale, or restricted access street can record the plate and trigger an administrative fine of about €83-332, usually sent to the rental company as the registered owner. Under the Codice della Strada, Articles 201 and 135 are commonly cited for notification and licensing issues, and municipal notices are typically routed through the Prefettura, with appeals in some cases heard by the Giudice di Pace; rental desks often add a €30-50 processing fee before forwarding the notice. If the municipality misses the legal notification window for a non-resident, the driver can challenge the penalty through the local Sportello Telematico or the relevant appeals process. Do US, UK, or Australian drivers need an International Driving Permit (IDP)? Yes, an International Driving Permit is legally required for non-EU license holders who want to drive in Italy, and the rule is rooted in Article 135 of the Codice della Strada. Driving without an IDP alongside your national license can lead to fines in the €408-1,634 range and can also create coverage problems under RCA if there is a crash on the A3 autostrada Napoli-Salerno or on the SS163 Amalfitana. Drivers should obtain the IDP from the official authority in their home country before travel, and it should match the name and class shown on the domestic license. What rental car insurance should I get in Italy? The safest option is a Super CDW or FDW package with zero excess, full coverage, and explicit protection for glass, mirrors, tyres, roof, underbody, and towing, because cliffside scrapes on the SS163 Amalfitana are common in tight bends. Base quotes usually include CDW and third-party liability (RCA), but the franchise or excess/deductible can still be high, and some desk offers exclude wheels or underbody damage even when they look comprehensive. Premium card insurance can help, but the card issuer’s written terms should be checked before you decline the desk cover, especially if the booking also requires a preauthorisation or a non-refundable deposit. <strong>Why this matters:</strong> A compact car with full coverage can still cost less overall than a larger vehicle with a high excess, because one broken mirror or tyre on the Amalfi Coast can exceed the difference in daily rental rate. Can a family of 5 drive the Amalfi Coast comfortably? Yes, but a compact station wagon such as a VW Golf Variant or Skoda Octavia is usually more practical than a large SUV or 7-seat van on the SS163 Amalfitana. The road narrows to under 6 meters in multiple sections near the Lattari Mountains and the Valle del Dragone, and a SITA Sud bus meeting a too-wide vehicle can force one side to reverse; for families, a Fiat 500X or Opel Mokka can work if luggage is limited. If the trip includes Salerno, Minori, Maiori, Cetara, or Marina del Cantone, a smaller body size reduces stress at tight bends and in village parking. Is an automatic transmission worth the extra cost on the Amalfi Coast? Yes, an automatic is usually worth the extra cost if you are not fully confident handling steep grades, frequent stop-start traffic, and hill starts on roads above Praiano, Conca dei Marini, and Ravello. In peak season, automatic transmissions commonly cost 20-30% more than manuals, while a manual booking can save €80-150 on a one-week rental depending on the class and pickup day. Drivers who already use manuals daily may prefer a Fiat Panda, VW Polo, or Smart Fortwo in manual form because the choice is wider and the daily rate is often lower. <strong>Evidence point:</strong> Rental fleet mix at Naples Capodichino Airport changes by season, and small cars such as Fiat 500, Fiat 500X, and VW T-Cross are often the first automatic categories to sell out. Where do I fill up with fuel? The most efficient plan is to refuel near Naples Capodichino Airport before entering the peninsula, using stations around the Tangenziale di Napoli or A3 autostrada Napoli-Salerno corridor rather than waiting until the coast. Based on April 2026 data from the MIMIT official observatory, regional prices in Campania average €1.752/L for benzina and €2.087/L for diesel. On the coast itself, reliable choices are limited, so drivers often rely on the Q8 station in Amalfi, the station in Maiori, or fuel stops before reaching Sorrento or Salerno. <strong>Fuel choice:</strong> Petrol cars such as the Fiat Panda, Fiat 500, and VW Polo are usually cheaper to refill than diesel SUVs, but the best option depends on daily mileage and luggage weight. What do I do if the rental agency charges me for a scratch I did not cause? You should formally dispute the charge through ECC-Net Italia, the cross-border consumer network that handles rental complaints between Italy and other European jurisdictions. To strengthen the case, submit timestamped pickup and return photos, the contract, the inspection sheet, and the charge notice; a documented file is more persuasive than a phone call alone. If the amount is under €100 and the evidence is weak, a quick settlement may save time, but the final decision should depend on whether the scratch was marked at pickup and whether the desk noted the damage on the vehicle report. <strong>Example workflow:</strong> Photograph the car at pickup, photograph it again at return, keep the fuel receipt, and request a written acknowledgment from the desk agent before leaving the airport or garage. What is the minimum driver age for renting a car on the Amalfi Coast? The minimum age is usually 21 at major brands such as Europcar, Hertz, Avis, Sixt, Budget, Goldcar, Locauto, Enterprise, Maggiore, and InterRent at Naples Capodichino Airport, while premium sedans and SUVs often require age 25. Drivers aged 21-24 usually pay a young-driver surcharge of about €10-25 per day, and some off-airport providers may accept age 19 if the license has been held for at least one year and the driver presents a valid credit card. Policies can vary by category, so a Fiat 500 or Smart Fortwo may be available to younger renters when a Nissan Qashqai or Skoda Octavia is not. Parking, fines, and local driving rules Parking on the Amalfi Coast is usually a paid-service problem, not a free-street problem, because municipal parking in Amalfi, Positano, Ravello, and Praiano is limited and regulated. Public lots and garages such as Luna Rossa garage, De Gennaro garage, and Mandara garage often advertise hourly and daily tariffs, while local apps and signs may reference InfoParkingAmalfi for guidance on availability. Drivers should also remember that Codice della Strada Articles 142, 173, 193, and 201 can be enforced through roadside checks for speed, phone use, insurance, and documentation. <strong>Local transport backup:</strong> SITA Sud remains the main inland bus operator, while TravelMar ferries are useful for Amalfi, Positano, Minori, Maiori, Cetara, and Salerno connections when the road is congested. Need more help planning? Read our detailed guide to SS163 driving and ZTL survival rules, then compare logistics for Naples Airport pickup and review the day-trip itineraries before booking. Each of those sections has the specific numbers, dates, and official references you need for a 2026 trip.