Car rental in Bari – Fantastic stay in Puglia

Yes - a valid credit card under the main driver’s name is required for deposit purposes. All major credit card are accepted - namely Visa and Mastercard. No digital, prepaid or debit cards will be accepted. Only physical credit cards. For some rentals, two or more credit cards are required. Deposit amount can be viewed by clicking the blue ‘i’ info icon next to your rental rate. Alternatively, you can find this in your rental voucher’s terms.

A deposit is a requirement in which a certain amount is held on your credit card upon collecting the car by the local supplier. This deposit is then released back onto the same card once the car is returned in the same condition as when it left. Due to this it is important that you inspect the car during pick-up, noting anything of concern on the pick-up slip. Take video and photographic evidence if required. Upon returning the car, make sure a member of staff inspects the vehicle and signs it off as okay. Once released the deposit will take up to 14-business days to show on your bank statement.

Failure to provide a physical credit card under the main driver's name may mean that your vehicle isn’t released by the supplier. You will therefore lose your money. On very rare occasions, a supplier may accept a debit card but only if you take out extra insurance locally. These situations can only be confirmed by the supplier at location and are very rare. Industry standard is to use a credit card only.

Your basic rental rate will include the minimum legal insurance requirement for the country. This is Limited Liability - with or without excess, Theft Protection and Collision Damage Waiver (CDW). Although important to have, this insurance cover does not cover every eventuality or all parts of the vehicle. If you are concerned and would like additional cover, then we recommend taking out our Full Protection Cover.

For a small additional fee, this extra cover will protect more parts of your vehicle and under a greater amount of eventualities. This cover can be added to your reservation during the booking process. The amount charged is based on the vehicle type, duration of your rental and location. Click on the blue ‘i’ info icon during your online booking for more information or consult your voucher’s terms and conditions after booking.

Please note that suppliers also offer local insurances which are optional. Such insurances include Super CDW, Roadside Assistance, Travel Insurance, Personal Effects Insurance (PEI), Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) and many more. These are optional and will not be refunded even if deemed unnecessary afterwards. Some suppliers may charge a ‘Young Driver Fee’ if you are under 26 years of age, whilst other might charge a ‘Senior Driver Fee’ if you are over 70 years of age - please consult your booking to see if this applies. Have a read of our car rental coverage section for more information.

Bari wasn’t built to accommodate too much traffic. Due to this, traffic congestion can occur around main intersections and in central locations, or around points of interest. During the summer, traffic increases significantly. Bari has many narrow roads, especially in the city centre. It also has one-way streets, so it's therefore important to plan your journey.

Pay particular attention when driving around as some areas might have adopted traffic restrictions. For example, the ‘Limited Traffic Zone’ (ZTL) has been applied to some areas of Bari. These zones are normally reserved only for residents. If you happen to be staying in such a zone. Your accommodation must register your car number plate with the local police, or risk getting a fine.

Parking in Bari can be complicated the further into the city you head with your car. On-street parking is a good option, although very hard to come by, and can also be costly. Metres or pay-&-display machines are provided for payment. Free on-street parking gets taken up very quickly, unless you are further out of the city. Popular tourist attractions and shopping centres may have parking garages - which are a good option.

In general, a blue street line means a paid parking bay, a yellow street line means reserved for residents, disabled or commercial use. A white street line means that this parking spot is free. Parking is normally indicated by a blue street sign with the letter ‘P’. Car park garages can be found throughout Bari, Parcheggio di Porto and Garage Tiemme Bari Centro - being the most popular. Car park garages are normally secure, close to points of interest and a cheaper alternative to paid street parking.

It depends - you are only able to drive into this restricted zone if your accommodation registers your car rental number plate with the local police. Failure to do this will mean that every time you enter a ZTL area you will receive a fine. Bari, like many other Italian cities, has adopted Limited Traffic Zones (ZTL) to improve the local environment and general pleasantness of certain areas.

ZTL areas restrict traffic to only those who are resident in that zone. In Bari, the following streets come under an ZTL: Corso Vittorio Emanuele - Piazza Massari - Piazza Isabella of Aragon - Corso Senator Antonio De Tullio - Emperor Augustus Promenade - Piazza IV Novembre. Your vehicle must be registered as aforementioned in order to enter these areas.

We recommend confirming that your car is registered before entering such a zone. Either contact the supplier or your accommodation for confirmation. Any fines obtained will be sent by the supplier directly to you, and in many cases this will also include an administration fee on top.