Car Hire at Rome Fiumicino Airport: Pick-up, Tolls & Tips

Where to pick up your hire car at Fiumicino (FCO)

Fiumicino, officially Leonardo da Vinci, is Rome's main airport, and the big car hire brands sit right on the airport site. According to the operator Aeroporti di Roma (ADR), the rental offices are in Office Tower 2 (Torre Uffici 2), and you collect the car from the Multilevel Parking, split into Buildings A, B and C.

From arrivals, follow the car rental signs. Pedestrian tunnels link the terminals with Office Tower 2 and the car park, so there is no road to cross and no shuttle bus. With luggage, allow a few minutes for the walk.

ADR lists which company is in which building on its website. An extract (October 2026):

ADR names 16 companies in total, including smaller ones such as Autovia, Noleggiare, Rent4u and Viaggiare Rent. Allocations change, so check the ADR page or your booking confirmation before you set off.

A quick word on Ciampino (CIA)

Ciampino is Rome's smaller airport, used mainly by low-cost airlines. According to ADR, the rental stations are at the airport entrance on Via Mameli, in car parks P6, P8 and P12, linked to the terminal by a free shuttle. You return the car to the car park where you picked it up.

• P6: Sixt and Autovia
• P8: Europcar, Hertz / Thrifty / Dollar, Drivalia, Locauto / Enterprise / National / Alamo, and Sicily by Car / Auto Europa
• P12: Avis / Budget

ADR does not publish desk opening hours at either airport. If you land late, check how long your company's desk is staffed and give your flight number when booking.

From the airport to Rome, the coast or Tuscany

From Fiumicino, the A91 Roma–Fiumicino motorway runs towards the city. It is operated by the state road company ANAS and is free to use. After about 12 kilometres it meets the Grande Raccordo Anulare (GRA, A90), the roughly 68-kilometre ring road around Rome, which is also toll-free.

For Tuscany you can go north along the coast on the A12 towards Civitavecchia, or round the GRA onto the A1 towards Florence. Both are tolled. According to Autostrade per l'Italia, the A12 Rome–Civitavecchia is an open system, where you do not take a ticket, while most Italian motorways use a closed system: take a ticket on entry, pay by distance on exit.

The beaches at Fiumicino, Fregene and Ostia are minutes from the airport. If you stop on the way, remember that GOV.UK advises against leaving luggage in a car for any length of time, even out of sight in the boot.

How to pay tolls on Italian motorways:

• Cash and credit cards: both are accepted, and the lanes are signposted by payment method.
• Telepass: the yellow lanes marked with a “T” are only for vehicles with a Telepass transponder. Without one, do not use them; you cannot take a ticket in these lanes either.
• Lost ticket: you may be charged the toll from the most distant entry point unless you can show where you joined; Autostrade per l'Italia lets drivers self-certify their entry booth.
• Unpaid toll: if you could not pay at the barrier, Autostrade per l'Italia says the unpaid toll can be settled without extra fees within 15 days.

Watch out for the ZTL: do not drive into the centre

Rome's historic centre is a ZTL (Zona a Traffico Limitato), marked by signs with “ZTL” in black on a yellow background. GOV.UK warns that if you pass the sign without a pass, your registration is likely to be photographed and you will be fined. According to the Government of Canada, the rental company may pass your details to the authorities, and tickets can arrive by post several months after you get home.

If you are staying in the centre, ask your accommodation in advance where to park and whether they can register your number plate. For times, cameras and exemptions, see our ZTL Rome guide.

Driving licence and IDP: UK, Irish, US, Canadian and Australian drivers

Article 135 of the Italian Highway Code (Codice della Strada) lets visitors with a non-EU licence drive in Italy if they have not been resident for more than a year and carry either an International Driving Permit (IDP) or an official Italian translation alongside the licence. An IDP from your home country, obtained before you travel, is the simplest option. The UK has its own arrangement:

Rental companies can be stricter than the law: GOV.UK notes that hire firms often ask for a minimum period of driving experience, a higher minimum age or an IDP. Sixt, for example, requires drivers in Italy to be at least 18 with a licence held for at least one year, with a surcharge for drivers under 25. Compare these conditions before booking.

• Passport: GOV.UK advises carrying photo ID at all times; police who stop you will normally ask for your full passport.
• Credit card in the main driver's name for the deposit. ECC Ireland notes that many companies require a physical credit card even if you paid another way, and debit cards are not always accepted.
• Booking confirmation or voucher.

Taking the car to Switzerland, Slovenia or France? Clear it with the rental company first: whether cross-border trips are allowed and what they cost depends on each company's terms.

Deposit, CDW and excess: what to check at the desk

Hire cars come with third-party insurance, but damage to the car itself is usually covered by a collision damage waiver (CDW) with an excess, the amount you still pay if the car is damaged. European Consumer Centre (ECC) Ireland notes that many companies require a physical credit card in the main driver's name, even if you paid another way.

1. Check the excess before you book. ECC Ireland says excess insurance bought in advance is often much cheaper than at the rental desk.
2. Check the exclusions. The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) warns that a collision damage waiver often excludes damage to tyres or glass.
3. Do not buy duplicate cover at the desk, and compare the total price including extras such as child seats and additional drivers.

At pick-up: fuel, damage and equipment

Look for a full-to-full fuel policy: collect the car full and return it full, so you only pay for the fuel you use. The CMA warns that some providers make you buy a full tank from them, often at inflated prices, so check the policy before booking and again in the contract at the desk.

1. Walk all the way round the car before driving off, even if the car park is dark and the queue is long.
2. Photograph or film every scratch, dent, wheel, window and the interior, plus the fuel gauge and mileage. ECC Ireland suggests a phone torch to show up small scratches.
3. Make sure every existing mark is on the vehicle report and keep a copy.
4. Check for a warning triangle (compulsory, according to the RAC) and a reflective vest; the RAC warns you can be fined for walking on the road or hard shoulder without one.

Rules of the road in Italy

Italy drives on the right, so UK, Irish and Australian drivers should take extra care at junctions, roundabouts and when pulling out of the airport car park. Unless signs say otherwise, these limits apply to cars, according to the RAC:

• Drink-drive limit: 0.5 grams per litre. Under Article 186-bis of the Italian Highway Code, drivers under 21 and those in their first three years after passing their test must not drink at all.
• Headlights: the US State Department says they must be on whenever you drive outside cities.
• Winter tyres or snow chains are required on some roads in winter, especially in the mountains.
• In Rome, expect scooters from every side, and note GOV.UK's warning that a green pedestrian signal can still let cars turn right.

Returning the car at the airport without stress

At Fiumicino you return the car to the same car park building (A, B or C) where you collected it; ADR advises following the Rome–Fiumicino motorway signs on approach, then walking back to the terminal through the pedestrian connections. At Ciampino you go back to your pick-up car park (P6, P8 or P12) and take the shuttle.

• Fuel: on full-to-full, fill up close to the airport and keep the receipt.
• Time: rental days are usually counted in 24-hour periods, so returning late can mean paying for an extra day; check the terms.
• Buffer: allow time for refuelling, finding the right building, the inspection and the walk to check-in.
• Inspection: have the car checked with you present, get written confirmation and take fresh photos.
• Paperwork: keep the agreement, return report and deposit receipts until the deposit is released.

If an unexpected charge appears later, ECC Ireland advises asking for an itemised breakdown and complaining in writing to the rental company and any broker; a company should not keep a deposit without a good reason backed by evidence. EU residents, including the Irish, can also turn to the European Consumer Centre in their country; others should complain in writing and contact their card issuer if the amount has already been charged.

How much does car hire at Rome Fiumicino cost?

Prices depend heavily on season, booking time and car category. As a rough guide, KAYAK put the average at about 37 US dollars a day at Fiumicino (September 2026), with November the cheapest month and July the most expensive.

Frequently asked questions