Car rental in Bergamo – The heart of northern Italy

Yes. When you arrive to pick up your car rental in Bergamo, one of the first questions you'll be asked is to present a major credit card (ie Visa, Mastercard, Diners, American Express, etc.) in the name of the main driver as stated on the rental contract. The main reason the supplier needs the card is to hold an amount for the value of the cover, which is duly returned to the card once the vehicle has been returned undamaged. Please note that in the case of Luxury-category cars, a second credit card might also be requested due to the high value of such vehicles. You can find all the information you need regarding the use of credit cards for car rental simply by making a quick search through the Auto Europe booking engine at the top of this page, after which you just need to click on the blue and white info icon (i) in the car details. All the credit card info relevant to your search is included in the Mandatory Deposit Information and Supplier Payment Policy Information sections in the Terms and Conditions.

Auto Europe's standard rates always include the minimum amount of legally-required coverage for your car hire in Bergamo and all other popular destinations in Italy, notably Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), Theft Protection (TP) and Third Party Liability. Because this coverage doesn't cover every single part of the vehicle, it's always best to spend a little bit more on products like our very popular Full Damage & Theft Protection policy (either with or without breakdown cover) for total peace of mind during your visit to northern Italy. As with credit cards, all the information you need regarding coverage can be found quickly and easily on our website simply by making a quick search and clicking on the blue and white info icon (i), after which you'll see all the relevant coverage details in the Standard Package Rate and Additional Information sections in the T and Cs.

Please take into account the fact that occasionally a member of the local car rental staff in Bergamo will sometimes try to up-sell their company's products and services on top of the ones you might have already purchased through the Auto Europe website. It's important to remember that whatever they try to sell you is completely optional and will most likely prove to be surplus to the requirements of your trip, so our advice is to resist what they are offering politely but firmly. Follow the link to our dedicated Car Rental Coverage page.

Traffic around Bergamo can be challenging due to its narrow cobbled streets, especially in and around the Upper Town (Città Alta), which is often easier to navigate by bicycle or on foot. Bergamo is easily accessible by car via the A4 Milan-Venice motorway (Autostrada A4), taking the 'Bergamo' exit. This provides a direct route to the city from both Milan (to the west) and Venice (to the east). The entire Upper Town is closed to traffic on specific days and times corresponding with peak times, which means it's best to try and avoid Città Alta at these times if possible. Like many large Italian cities, the traffic tends to get more congested during the morning and evening rush hour, so if you find yourself travelling at these times, then it's best to leave plenty of time in which to reach your destination, especially if you are heading for the airport. The motorways connecting Bergamo with Milan are particularly popular and can become heavily congested, especially around the major intersections. Vehicle volume is high and often includes trucks and heavier vehicles en route to Milan and other large industrialised areas. If you plan to visit Milan on a day-trip for instance, we would advise you to leave early and take time to enjoy the countryside and lovely scenery along the way.

Bergamo is relatively small compared to other cities in northern Italy (such as Milan) and many of its main tourist attractions and points of interest can be reached on foot. Bergamo has various parking zones indicated by colours (white, blue and yellow) with ample on-street parking spaces available around both the Upper and Lower Town. Nevertheless, the demand for prime on-street parking spaces in Bergamo is high (especially on weekdays) with many locals using their cars to get to work. It is therefore advisable to either head into town early enough to find a parking space near the museums and other top tourist attractions or park in one of the many municipal car parks located in and around the city centre. The Bergamo Tourist Board recommends using the following car parks: Parking Piazza della Libertà, Central Parking - via Paleocapa, Triangolo - via Palma il Vecchio, Predaparking - via Pitentino, Ecolparking - via Ghislandi, Via Borfuro, San Marco - Piazza Repubblica, Via Camozzi (presso Pam), Via Tiraboschi (presso Oviesse/Billa), Via Casalino Via Baschenis, Via Pinamonte da Brembate, Via B. Palazzo (presso GS), Via Previtali and Parking Express (via Spino, 12). Along with Parking Piazza della Libertà, San Marco Car Park (open 24/7) is located in the heart of the city centre and is one of the best car parks for tourists visiting Bergamo's attractions.

Some parts of central Bergamo, chiefly its historic quarters (Centro Storico di Città Alta and Città Bassa) are permanently closed to traffic while other areas have periods of temporary exclusion to help reduce emissions. When you arrive at the pick-up point to collect your car rental in Bergamo, it's important to make sure that you check with your vehicle provider which parts of the city you can and cannot access during your rental period. Furthermore, please consult the Bergamo ZTL info webpage for more details. Please also take a look at our dedicated page on ZTL - Zonas Traffico Limitato for an overview on what Italy's Limited Traffic Zones are and how they work.

Yes. Although there are no toll roads located within the city of Bergamo itself, there are several toll roads in and around the Bergamo area, most notably the A4 motorway (autostrada) that connects directly with the nearby city of Milan, the tolls of which are calculated according to the total distance travelled. This motorway also links Milan with Venice, passing through the Bergamo area en route. In order to drive on the motorway, you must take a ticket when you enter the autostrada and pay when you leave (do not go into the Telepass lane) using either cash or your credit/debit card. Please note that unlike many other European countries, Italy does not use vignettes (stickers) for toll roads. In Italy, green signs indicate that the road is an autostrada and if you’re not on an autostrada but are following green signs, then they will lead you to one. Vehicles' speeds are monitored by cameras located at intervals along the motorways and speeding fines are issued automatically and sent by mail to the local car hire company who will add their own processing fee to any penalties you may incur during your rental period.