Get the app
Get the app

Country guide · Italy

Italy travel apps and what you need before you go

Italy follows Schengen rules: many visitors, including US, UK, Canadian and Australian citizens, can stay up to 90 days in any 180 without a visa, and since April 2026 non-EU travellers are registered at the border in the EU Entry/Exit System (EES). ETIAS is not running yet. On the ground, book trains with Trenitalia or Italo, tap a contactless card on the Rome and Milan metro, call taxis with itTaxi or Freenow, and book restaurants on TheFork. Venice's day-tripper fee is paused until spring 2027.

Checked against official sources on 22 October 202613 apps · 4 to set up at home
The Grand Canal in Venice and the dome of Santa Maria della Salute, seen from the Accademia bridge
Photo: Wolfgang Moroder, CC BY-SA 3.0

What you need to enter Italy

Rules depend on your passport. Check if you need a Schengen visa with an Italian consulate or the EU's official travel site before you book.

Schengen visa or visa-free stay

Italy is in the Schengen area. Many passports, including US, UK, Canadian and Australian, are visa-exempt for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period across all Schengen countries combined. Nationals of countries on the EU visa list need a Schengen visa from an Italian consulate.

Source: Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: rights and duties on entry (type C visa) · EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, visa lists

Passport validity

Non-EU visitors need a passport issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave the Schengen area.

Source: Your Europe: travel documents for non-EU nationals

Entry/Exit System (EES)

The EU's Entry/Exit System started in October 2025 and has been fully running at all external Schengen borders since 10 April 2026. Non-EU short-stay visitors have their passport details, a face photo and fingerprints recorded on first entry, and passports are no longer stamped. Allow extra time at the border on your first trip.

Source: European Union: EES · eucrim: EES fully operational since 10 April 2026

ETIAS

ETIAS, the planned EUR 20 travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, is not in operation and no start date has been announced. The EU says it will give several months' notice. Do not pay any site offering an ETIAS today.

Source: European Union: ETIAS · SchengenVisaInfo (19 October 2026)

Funds and declaration of presence

Border police may ask for proof of funds, accommodation and a return ticket. Italy's official table for a solo tourist is EUR 269.60 in total for 1 to 5 days, EUR 44.93 per day for 6 to 10 days, and lower daily rates for longer stays. If you arrive from another Schengen country you must declare your presence within 8 days; at a hotel, the form you sign at check-in does this, so keep your copy.

Source: Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: means of subsistence table · Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: rights and duties on entry (type C visa)

Venice access fee

Day-trippers to Venice's historic centre paid an access fee on 60 set days in 2026, but it has not applied since 27 July 2026. The City of Venice says it returns in 2027 on set days between 26 March and 15 August, with details due by 31 December 2026. Overnight guests pay the city's tourist tax instead. Pay or register only on the official portal.

Source: City of Venice: Access fee portal

Before you fly: 7 steps

  1. Check if your passport needs a Schengen visa.
  2. Make sure your passport is under 10 years old and valid 3 months beyond your departure from Schengen.
  3. Keep hotel bookings, your return ticket and proof of funds handy at the border.
  4. Book Frecciarossa or Italo trains early for lower fares.
  5. Install itTaxi or Freenow and add your card before you fly.
  6. If you plan a Venice day trip between March and August 2027, check the access fee calendar on cda.ve.it.
  7. Pack a Type C/F/L plug adapter if your devices need one.

The apps that matter in Italy

Grouped by the job they do. Set up at home means install it and sign in before you fly, while you still have your home number and Wi-Fi.

Taxis and ride hailing

itTaxi

National taxi app that books licensed radio taxis in Rome, Milan, Naples, Florence, Bologna, Venice-Mestre and over 100 other places.

Set up at home

Ride-hailing with private drivers is very limited in Italy, so a taxi app is the most reliable way to get a car. Set it up before you fly.

Official siteSource: itTaxi

Freenow by Lyft

Taxi app that books licensed taxis in Rome, Milan and other Italian cities.

Set up at home

One account also works in France, Spain and Germany. Fares are the regulated taxi meter price.

Official siteSource: Freenow Italy · Quotidiano Motori: Freenow taxis at Milan Design Week 2026

Uber

In Italy, Uber offers only Uber Black and Van (licensed chauffeur cars) and Uber Taxi in selected cities, not low-cost UberX.

Set up at homeLimited for visitors

Expect taxi or chauffeur prices, not budget fares. Uber Taxi uses the itTaxi network in many cities.

Official siteSource: Uber Italy newsroom: Uber in Veneto

Metro, buses and city transport

ATM Milano

Milan's transport operator app for routes, live times and tickets on the metro, trams and buses.

You can skip tickets and tap a contactless Visa, Mastercard or Amex, or Apple Pay or Google Pay, on the metro, trams and buses. On the metro tap in and out; the system charges the best fare and caps the day at EUR 7.60 in the city area. It does not cover S-line or Trenord trains.

Official siteSource: ATM: Contactless cards

ATAC Roma (MyATAC)

Rome's transport operator, with an app for routes and tickets on the metro, buses and trams.

Tap a contactless bank card or phone on the gates and on-board readers to pay a single fare instead of buying a ticket. Use the same card for every tap. Rome is phasing out paper tickets by the end of 2027.

Official siteSource: Wanted in Rome: Rome to scrap paper tickets (August 2026) · NFCW: Rome contactless on buses and trams

AVM Venezia

Official app for Venice vaporetto, bus and tram tickets and passes.

Phone QR codes do not always scan at the gates. Tapping a contactless bank card on the Tap to Pay readers is often easier and moves you onto a pass automatically when that works out cheaper.

Official siteSource: Europe for Visitors: AVM Venezia app

Trains and long-distance travel

Trenitalia

The national rail app for Frecciarossa high-speed trains, Intercity and regional trains, in English.

Buy high-speed tickets early for lower fares. Digital regional tickets are validated automatically at the departure time you chose, but paper regional tickets must be stamped in a station machine before you board.

Official siteSource: Trainline: Trenitalia regional digital tickets · Italo: Do you need to validate train tickets in Italy?

Italo

Private high-speed operator linking Turin, Milan, Venice, Bologna, Florence, Rome, Naples and more.

Often cheaper than Frecciarossa on the same route, so compare both. Italo tickets need no validation; just show the QR code.

Official siteSource: Italo: Do you need to validate train tickets in Italy?

Trainline or Omio

Compare and book Trenitalia and Italo, plus buses, in English in one place.

Good for side-by-side prices; booking direct with the operator can avoid a booking fee.

Official siteSource: Trainline · Omio

Maps

Moovit or Citymapper

Public transport directions; Citymapper covers Rome, Milan, Florence, Venice, Naples, Bologna, Turin and Genoa, and Moovit covers many smaller towns.

Use them alongside Google Maps for live bus times and strike disruptions.

Official siteSource: Citymapper: all major cities in Italy · Moovit

Messaging and calls

WhatsApp

The default way Italians message, including hosts, B&Bs, restaurants and drivers.

Set up at home

Many small hotels and agriturismi send check-in details by WhatsApp, so keep it on your home number.

Official siteSource: WhatsApp

Food and delivery

TheFork

Restaurant booking app with a large Italian selection, some offering discounts at set times.

Book ahead in Rome, Florence and Venice in high season. Offers depend on the restaurant, day and time.

Official siteSource: TheFork Italy

Glovo or Just Eat

Food and grocery delivery in Italian cities.

Compare the same restaurant across apps, as fees differ.

Official siteSource: Glovo · Just Eat Italy

Money: Euro (EUR)

Cards and phone payments are widely accepted, including in most bars and taxis, and you can tap a contactless card to ride the Rome, Milan and Venice public transport. Keep some cash for small cafés, markets and rural areas. Restaurant bills often include a coperto (cover charge per person), which must be shown on the menu. When a card machine offers to charge in your home currency, choose euros.

Practical things to know

Plugs
Types C, F and L (Type L has three round pins in a row); 230 V. A Type C adapter fits most sockets.
Emergency number
112 for all emergencies, anywhere in Italy.
Mobile data
EU SIMs roam at home rates. Others can buy an eSIM or a prepaid SIM from TIM, Vodafone, WindTre or Iliad; you need your passport to register a SIM.
Tipping
Not expected, especially when a coperto or service charge is on the bill. Leaving a few euros or rounding up for good service is common.
Tourist tax
Most cities charge a tourist tax (imposta di soggiorno) per person per night, set by each city and usually paid at your accommodation, often in cash.
Validate tickets
Stamp paper regional train tickets in the station machine before boarding. Digital regional tickets and Frecciarossa or Italo tickets do not need stamping.

Questions travelers ask

Do I need to pay to enter Venice?

Not right now. The 2026 access fee for day-trippers ended on 26 July 2026. It returns in 2027 on set days between 26 March and 15 August; the City of Venice will publish details by 31 December 2026. Overnight guests pay tourist tax instead.

Can I use Uber in Italy?

Only in a limited way. Italy has no UberX; the app offers Uber Black and Van chauffeur cars and Uber Taxi in selected cities. itTaxi and Freenow book licensed taxis more widely.

Do I need to validate my train ticket in Italy?

Paper regional tickets must be stamped before boarding. Digital regional tickets are validated automatically at the departure time you chose, and high-speed Frecciarossa and Italo tickets need no validation.

Can I pay by contactless card on the Rome and Milan metro?

Yes. Tap a contactless bank card or phone at the gates in both cities, and on board buses and trams. In Milan, tap out on the metro too, and the daily fare is capped.

What is the coperto on my restaurant bill?

A per-person cover charge for bread and table service. It is normal and should be listed on the menu, so you do not need to tip on top.

Do I need ETIAS to visit Italy?

Not yet. ETIAS is not in operation and no start date has been announced. The EU says it will give several months' notice before it starts.

Sources

Checked on 22 October 2026. Entry rules change, so confirm with the official links before you travel.

Found a mistake? Report a correction and we’ll check it against the source.

More country guides

FranceTGVs, café terraces and a Paris metro you now ride with your phone.
SpainFast trains, late dinners and a tap-to-pay Metro in Madrid.
Türkiye (Turkey)Ferries across the Bosphorus, overnight buses and taxis you can book with an app.

All country guides →