Your Guide to Car Rental at Bari Airport (BRI)

If you're from an EU/EEA country, your domestic licence is sufficient. Drivers from non-EU countries—including the UK, USA, Japan and South Korea—require an International Driving Permit (IDP) alongside your original licence. The IDP is a mandatory translation, not a replacement. Without it, you risk fines starting from €150 or being refused rental entirely. Apply for your IDP before departure through your national automobile association.

UK drivers face a significant adjustment: Italy drives on the right, meaning roundabouts and overtaking work in the opposite direction. Take extra care at roundabouts—give way to traffic already on the circle, not from the left as in the UK. Motorway driving (autostrada A14 runs through Bari) is straightforward, but rural Puglian roads are often narrow with blind bends. Expect potholes on secondary roads outside towns. A sat-nav is strongly recommended.

Italy's autostrada network uses electronic tolls—look for the 'Telepass' lane at Bari's A14 exits, accepting credit cards and the small device most rental cars provide (check with your company). Expect to pay roughly €10–15 for a full day on the A14. Street parking uses blue zones (€1–2/hour, typically 9am–8pm) and white zones (free but limited). Beware of Bari's ZTL (limited traffic zones)—entering without authorisation incurs fines of €85–330, and rental companies pass this charge plus an admin fee to your card.

Petrol (benzina) and diesel are both widely available. Approximately 40% of Italian fuel stations are self-service—look for 'Fai Da Te' pumps and pay at the counter or at the pump with card. Nearly all rental cars in Italy run on diesel, which is noticeably cheaper (around €1.55/litre vs €1.75 for petrol). Most rental agreements operate on a 'full-to-full' policy: you receive the car with a full tank and must return it full to avoid steep refuelling charges at up to twice the pump price.

Bari city itself rarely sees snow, but if you plan to explore the inland Puglia region or the karst plateaus of the Murge (including the tourist road to Castel del Monte), winter conditions can appear from November through March. Italian law mandates snow chains or winter tyres (catene or pneumatici invernali) on specific mountain roads when signage indicates—fines range from €80–318. When renting in winter, confirm whether the agency includes these; many do at no extra cost for mountain routes, but always ask when collecting.

Yes, virtually all Italian rental companies apply a 'giovane conducente' (young driver) surcharge for drivers under 25, typically ranging from €15–30 per day on top of the base rate. The minimum age is usually 21, though some premium or specialty vehicles require 23 or 25. Drivers over 70 may face a senior surcharge from certain agencies, though this is less common than the young driver fee. Always check the rental terms for age-related conditions before booking.