Italy enacts new rules If you get stuck in traffic in a vacation paradise, you'll soon get your money back
Holidaymakers in Italy are familiar with this: you have to pay a hefty toll on the highways. Next year, there will be refunds for delays caused by roadworks.
26.03.2026, 11:18
dpa
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- In Italy, the highway toll will be partially refunded from June if roadworks cause delays.
- Whether and how much money is refunded depends on the route and time lost.
- There is no compensation for traffic jams caused by accidents, weather or rescue operations.
In Italy, money will be refunded in future if you are stuck in a traffic jam for too long on a toll highway due to roadworks. The traffic authority in Rome has stipulated that if the normal driving time is significantly exceeded, part or even all of the toll paid must be refunded. The new regulation will come into force in June next year - i.e. before the start of the peak summer travel season.
It will be possible to apply for compensation via an app that brings together all operators of private freeways. Drivers will already receive money back if their journey takes ten minutes longer than usual over a distance of up to 50 kilometers. For longer journeys, there will be a refund for delays of 15 minutes or more. In the event of a delay of at least three hours due to traffic jams, the entire toll must be refunded.
What does this mean for foreign drivers?
The amount of compensation is to be determined by the operators themselves. However, there are guidelines from the authorities. It is not yet known in detail how this will be implemented. However, payment only has to be made if the amount to be reimbursed is more than one euro. It was initially unclear to what extent foreign drivers would also be able to benefit from the new regulation. A large number of Germans also drive on Italy's freeways every year.
There are to be no refunds for so-called emergency roadworks or in the event of accidents and weather-related disruptions. Italy's Transport Minister Matteo Salvini described the decision as a "turning point" for the implementation of drivers' rights. On the other hand, the consumer protection association criticized the feasibility of implementation. "It is obvious that for years there will be no real penalties for those who offer users a poor service," they said.
Italy has a total of around 7,000 kilometers of freeways. In contrast to Germany, where use is free, tolls have to be paid for the vast majority of them. The new system is due to be fully operational in December 2026 after its launch next June. Italy also claims to have the oldest highway in the world: The 50-kilometer stretch between the major city of Milan and Varese, 50 kilometers further north, was put into operation in 1924.
