If you are a traveler planning a trip to Milan and want to rent a car before leaving for the city, there are quite a few websites that have a search service for this.
These include rentalcars.com and autoeurope.se.
In addition, each individual rental company provides search functions on their own websites, such as avis.se and europcar.se.
Where to rent a car most easily
Since finding your rental car can be a hassle, here are some tips.
At the airport
At Malpensa Airport, located just over 50 kilometers from central Milan, the rental companies' customer counters are located in both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.
Passengers arriving at Milan Malpensa Airport for a business trip or for a vacation can use this customer service provided by car rental companies to comfortably drive to the well-known sights of the city and its surroundings.
For those flying into Milan Linate Airport, located 7 kilometers east of central Milan, and wishing to book a car on site, a number of car rental companies are available at the terminal. These include Sicily By Car - AutoEuropa, Goldcar and Thrifty.
Search for a rental car
On rentalcars.com you can search among all the major companies' cars.
At the central station
If you arrive by train or by bus at Milan Central Station - Milano Centrale - it is also possible to rent your car directly upon arrival from a number of car rental companies.
Car rental companies available on site include Sixt, Hertz, which is located 750 meters from the station on the Via Alfredo Cappellini road, and Avis Budget, whose office is located at Galleria Carrozze at the central station.
The same applies, for example, to Milan Porta Garibaldi, which is the main station for the city's commuter train service. It's important to note that driving a car in the dense traffic in the area can be tricky, but it's not impossible.
It is recommended that you check the local traffic rules as they may vary with what you are used to from your home country.
Keep in mind that during rush hour traffic can be quite heavy and it may take longer to reach your destination.
Even if you are planning to visit the San Siro football stadium (Stadio Giuseppe Meazza), but want to be able to use a car to see the surroundings, it is possible to rent a car on site. Car rental company Sixt has an office at the Gamma Garage, located on Via Francesco Primaticcio.
In addition, it is possible to rent a car, either through the company Morini Point - Milano - San Siro, located on Via Chinotto, or through Herz, which has an office on Via Monte Bianco, both of which are located a few blocks from the stadium.
For those who rent a car and drive in the center of Milan (Area C), a congestion tax is charged on weekdays between 07:30 and 19:30. Some tips on what to consider when driving in Milan and Italy are as follows: When speeding on the highway, the left lane is for overtaking only.
Keep your distance from others on the road and use turn signals to show where you intend to go.
Some motorways have tolls and it is also useful to know that some cities are closed at certain times of the day.
When it comes to parking in Milan, you may encounter some problems. Many travel guides advise tourists not to drive inside the city. However, if you do decide to drive a car, the best option may be to use parking garages when you want to park. The cost is usually around €5 per hour and can be paid in cash.
If you prefer to park on the street, it is important that you check carefully where you park your car as parking fines are quite high. It may be better to park your rental car outside the city center and take public transport instead. Here are a few suggestions for parking garages that are located near a few key points in the city:
Garage Velasca (near Milan Central Station), Via Pantano 4, Traversi (near San Babila), Via Baguetta 2, Diaz (near Duomo) Piazza Armando Diaz.
It is also important to know that in most provinces in Italy it is mandatory to have winter tires or a pair of snow chains in the car if the rental period is from November 15 to April 15.
For a summary of these rules, visit www.poliziadistato.it. In compliance with these regulations, in the locations covered by this requirement, vehicles are equipped with snow chains and the price for them is included in the rental costs through a charge for a "Winter Fee".
If you decide to bring your own snow chains or do not intend to drive on the roads covered by this requirement, you can decline this equipment by signing a contract stating this. The change will then be reflected in the car rental contract.
It is recommended that you check before renting a car in other regions whether your trip includes any of the roads covered by this requirement and then also, if necessary, require the snow chains to be equipped on the car.