Parking in Florence - Guide to the ZTL of the city
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Getting to Florence by car: parking and restricted traffic zone guide (ZTL)

Advice and warnings for those arriving in Florence by car.

If you are the type to travel on the road and are arriving in Florence by car, it is very important that you know the rules to make the most of the city's services and not run into hefty fines. Disclaimer! We warmly advise you, where possible, to reach Florence by train :)

ZTL – LIMITED TRAFFIC AREAS IN THE HISTORIC CENTER OF FLORENCE

Let's start from the basics. The first fundamental thing to know if you arrive in Florence by car is that any ZTL area in the centre, delimited by large red-light signs and cameras, is an area which you cannot enter for any reason. Access to these areas during the day is reserved for residents, taxis and buses. Any attempt, even if brief, to enter will result in a fine that you will remember! 

The timetables of the ZTL: the ZTL is active (when the light signal is red) all year round, on weekdays, with the following times: from Monday to Friday from 7.30 am to 8.00 pm and on Saturday from 7.30am to 4.00pm. From the first Thursday of April to the first Sunday of October the summer night-time restricted traffic zone is active. The ZTL regulation, in this period, is also extended to Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from 11pm to 3am. Consult all the sectors of the ZTL here.

PLEASE NOTE: There are only two exceptions to this rule. 1) if the light sign is green, it means that access is permitted. This occurs at night (except weekends in the summer) and on public holidays. It is therefore possible to enter at that moment, and exit whenever you want. 2) if you are staying in a hotel in the historic center, you may have a permit as a guest of the hotel. It is mandatory to ask the hotel for all the information and follow the directions. 

WHERE TO PARK IN FLORENCE

Within the ZTL and all surrounding areas, called ZCS - Parking Control Zone, parking spaces marked in white or yellow are reserved exclusively for residents. The parking spaces delimited by blue lines are free for residents and paid for others (you will have to pay the hourly rate and leave the ticket visible). These car parks are free for everyone from 8.00pm to 8.00am, but it is always necessary to make sure of this by reading the reference sign and the indications on the parking meter. 

ATTENTION: if you find a deserted road, most likely you have not been miraculously lucky, but you have ended up on a road that will be cleaned by the ALIA service in a few hours. Always check the sign indicating the days and times of "road cleaning" to avoid fines or even removal of the vehicle!

An excellent and highly recommended alternative for those visiting Florence for the day, to avoid clogging up the center and being prey to unnecessary nervousness, is the use of the "Drive & Tramway" parking lots. These car parks are located near the highway in conjunction with a tramway stop from which you can reach the center without further worries:

  • T2 Guidoni exchange car park, (Florence North) open every day from 0 to 24 hours (including holidays), parking will cost 1 euro for 10 consecutive hours then the rate of 4 euros per hour will apply, which can be divided into 30 minutes. 
  • Villa Costanza exchange car park, (A1 highway between the Firenze Scandicci and Firenze Impruneta exits), open every day, 24 hours a day. You can leave your car parked for up to a maximum of 30 consecutive days. You pay a maximum of 50 cents an hour. And a full day costs only 7 euros.

Finally, if you prefer to leave your car in the centre, in the paid guarded parkings managed by Firenze Parcheggi, here you can consult their availability in real time.



Photo credits ZTL: https://ilreporter.it/