Driving in Amalfi — Why the Coast Road Is Better Left to the Bus
Amalfi, Italy · ZTL
Amalfi gives its name to Italy's most beautiful and most stressful coast road — the SS163, a ribbon of blind bends, tunnels and sheer drops where tour buses force oncoming traffic to reverse. The town has a ZTL and almost no parking (fines around EUR 83-160). The honest advice: don't drive it. Reach Amalfi by ferry from Salerno or Sorrento, or by the SITA coastal bus, and keep your nerves intact.
Amalfi gives its name to Italy’s most famous coast road — and one of its most punishing. The SS163 is a ribbon of blind bends and sheer drops where tour buses force oncoming cars to reverse. The town has a ZTL and almost no parking (fines around EUR 83-160).
This page covers reaching Amalfi. For the zone boundary and emission rules, see the Amalfi ZTL details.
The honest advice: don’t drive it
Reach Amalfi by ferry from Salerno, Sorrento, Positano or Capri — the most scenic and relaxing way — or by the SITA coastal bus. Both do the hard driving for you and skip the parking nightmare.
If you must drive: arrive very early, expect to pay a premium for scarce parking, and be ready to find none. In peak season some sections run alternating one-way traffic by plate. Italy’s limits: 50 km/h urban, 0.05% alcohol (zero for new drivers).
When the car helps
Only for remote inland stays. Most visitors keep the car in Salerno or Sorrento and travel the coast by boat and bus.
Speed limits, fines, equipment & license requirements
Full requirements, sticker info & exemptions
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Frequently Asked Questions
Most visitors regret it. The Amalfi Coast road (SS163) is spectacular but genuinely demanding — extremely narrow, endlessly twisting, carved into cliffs, and clogged in season with tour buses that leave no room to pass on the bends. Parking in Amalfi is scarce and expensive, and the town has a ZTL. The ferries and the SITA buses do the hard driving for you, leaving you free to enjoy the views.
By sea or by bus. Ferries and hydrofoils run to Amalfi from Salerno, Sorrento, Positano and Capri in season, and they're the most relaxing and scenic option, showing off the coast from the water. The SITA Sud buses run along the coast road connecting the towns. Both spare you the parking nightmare and the white-knuckle driving, which is why so many visitors leave the car behind entirely.
Parking is very limited and pricey — there are a couple of garages and lots near the seafront, but they fill fast in season and the town centre is a ZTL with fines around EUR 83-160. If you're determined to drive, arrive very early, expect to pay a premium, and be prepared for the possibility of finding nowhere to stop. It's the single biggest practical headache of driving the coast.
Italy's national rules: 50 km/h in town (much slower in practice on the coast road), a 0.05% alcohol limit (zero for new drivers), and the ZTL in the towns. Beyond the rules, the road itself demands confidence with narrow passing, reversing on bends, and sharing space with buses. In peak season some sections operate alternating one-way traffic by registration plate to ease congestion.
No — and you may be happier without one. The ferries and buses link all the main towns, and the driving and parking are the most stressful part of any Amalfi trip. A car helps only if you're staying somewhere remote inland or want total flexibility, and even then many keep it parked in Salerno or Sorrento and travel the coast by boat and bus.
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