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Italy by bus

Traveling by bus in Italy is definitely one of the safest and cheapest ways of traveling while ensuring at the same time that you don't miss out on the beautiful natural landscapes around the country. Thanks to the well connected bus network between Italy cities it is easy to reach the majority of the most popular destinations within the country in a day.

Table of contents


Intercity buses in Italy

In Italy intercity buses are available on more than 6621 travel combinations, while traveling with an average speed of 72 km/h. Of course, intercity bus routes via highway have a higher average speed. The majority of the Italy intercity buses are comfortable long distance coaches, but older vehicles might be used on busier travel days.

The timetable for popular intercity bus routes like Venice - Mestre - Cortina d'Ampezzo or Cortina d'Ampezzo - Venice - Mestre can be found online, but for some shorter intercity bus routes you might have to go to the bus station. Tickets are sold both online and on the spot, but after the COVID-19 pandemic an increasing number of travellers prefer buying their tickets online.

Domestic routes

As mentioned above there are more than 6621 domestic intercity bus travel combinations in Italy. Below you will find some of the most popular Italy travel routes with minimal or no stops along the way:


International routes

From Italy there are international bus routes to neighboring countries such as Croatia, Switzerland and Slovenia, as well as to other countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Vatican City and Serbia.

The majority of these international bus lines are daily departures, that are operated by various Italy bus companies.

Most of the International bus departures drive from Trieste, Venice - Mestre and Padua. Of course, there are also some international bus departures from other cities throughout the country.

Below we have listed the most popular international bus routes:


Airport buses in Italy

If you are flying to Italy you will land in one of 32 airports located throughout the country. From the majority of Italy airports you have a bus shuttle to the nearest largest city and in some cases even intercity buses to other cities in the region. Click on the airport name below and read more about getting to and from the airport.

International airports:

Domestic airports:


Bus companies in Italy

There are over 124 bus companies operating in Italy. 63 companies offer intercity bus lines, 24 companies drive airport shuttles, 30 companies operate regional and local lines, 54 bus companies offer bus rental and 20 companies offer bus tours. The bus companies are located in 69 cities throughout the country. The majority of companies can be found in Rome and Naples.

63 intercity bus companies operating in Italy are very different in size. The largest Italy company Marino Autolinee connects more than 142 cities, whereas the smallest intercity bus company Arenaways only has service to 2 cities.

Below we have listed some of the most popular bus companies in Italy. Full list of bus companies in Italy can be found here.

Itabus
Marino Autolinee
Interbus Autolinee
Barzi Service
Etna Transporti
Autoservizi Salemi
EXPRESS BUS S.R.L. / LEONETTI BUS
Simet
Autolinee Federico
Inter saj

Bus stations in Italy

In most cities there is a dedicated bus station, in smaller cities the bus station might be a parking lot with a shelter or a section on the road marked for multiple buses. In some cities buses also stop at public road bus stops or at gas stations and hotel parking lots. In larger cities you will find bus stations with amenities like toilets, luggage storage, kiosks, fast food restaurants and other useful services for travellers. In Italy there is a total of 228 bus stations, below we have listed 15 of the most popular bus stations, for a full list of bus stations in Italy click here.


Hire a coach in Italy

Italy bus rental companies offer coaches for any kind of group trip, whether it’s a transfer from the airport to your hotel, or single and multi day excursions to the many sights in Italy. Rest assured you will be able to find a suitable partner. If you are travelling during the high season, it is advisable to book your bus in advance to secure one of the best vehicles for your group.
Here you can see a list of some companies offering bus rental in Italy:

Brusutti
Florentia Bus
Calanda Viaggi Reisen
Viaggi l'Aurora
SitBus

Public transportation in Italy

In the majority of larger Italy cities, public transportation is available, in the cities like Naples or Milan you have an extensive network of buses connecting all suburbs to the centre of the town.

Buying tickets for public transportation varies from city to city, sometimes they are bought at dedicated sales points and other times they are bought on the bus for example, so be sure to check which options are available for the city you are travelling in.

Here is a list of some Italy companies operating both local and suburban bus lines.

Brusutti
Prestia e Comandè
Lamezia
Sais Autolinee
Sita Sud
Gruppo Torinese Trasporti
Azienda Trasporti Automobilistici Pubblici
Arriva Italia
Busitalia Nord
DolomitiBus

Public transportation in Italy

As a visitor of Italy, you have lots of great Italy sights to visit. Some of the most popular sights are Rialto Bridge (Venice), Ponte Rosso (Trieste) and Doge's Palace (Venice). That said, there are a lot of other sights in Italy worth visiting! Some of the sights do not have an entrance fee, whilst others charge for entrance. Below you will find a list of the most popular sights in Italy:

Rialto Bridge

Rialto Bridge

monument
Ponte Rosso

Ponte Rosso

monument
Doge's Palace

Doge's Palace

monument

Colosseum

monument

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

monumental building
Miramare

Miramare

monumental building

FAQ about buses in Italy

Generally speaking, bus travel in Italy is one of the safest forms of transportation. Therefore, you can just sit and relax and enjoy the scenery while the drivers are making sure your bus travel goes as planned.

You have many ways of purchasing the bus ticket for your journey. One of the quickest ways is to book your ticket in advance online. However, if you don’t want to use your credit card for the bus ticket purchase, you can also buy the bus ticket at the bus station or directly on the bus (provided that there are seats left).

In order to check what documents you need to bring with you when traveling throughout Italy, it is best to check the websites of the competent authorities prior to your travel given the fact that different rules apply depending on your citizenship.

Normally, the luggage storage is charged extra, directly on the bus. Before you board the bus, you will get a receipt for each piece of luggage that you put down into the luggage compartment and you will be charged an extra amount that can vary depending on the carrier.

Unfortunately, the general answer is no as the majority of bus companies that operate departures in Italy do not allow pets on board. However, you can always contact the carrier directly prior to your journey or check if there is a PET icon next to their departure on our website which would typically mark the ones that do allow you to carry your pet with you on the journey.

To check the rules that apply to journeys in Italy as far as the COVID-19 restrictions are concerned, we advise you to check the website of the Ministry of Health of Italy. You should find all the necessary information there, and if you are unable to do it on your own, you can always contact them via email address provided on the website.

It is unfortunately not possible to give a specific answer to that question, since it all depends on the carrier you’re traveling with and the bus that will operate the route on the day of your departure. Even though the majority of the bus fleet in Italy is of a newer generation, there are still some vehicles which are not equipped with all the necessary amenities.

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