DRIVING A CAR IN ISCHIA
Latest page update: 8 January 2025
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The possibility of driving a car in Ischia can be one of the easiest ways of moving around the island.
It has a good road network including the main SS270 highway that completes a rough circle of the island linking the main towns and districts of Ischia Porto & Ischia Ponte, Forio, Casamicciola, Lacco Ameno, Serrara Fontana and Barano. The road network also stretches to each of the smaller towns and important destinations such as the beaches and thermal parks and gardens. |
There are also many roads on the mountain areas as well as the ability of cutting directly across the island.
The island's roads are almost entirely single-lane highways shared with buses and smaller vehicles such as scooters or agricultural vehicles such as Apes (small farm vehicles). Depending on the time of year a complete lap of the island can take between an hour and an hour and a half with the busiest periods being between July and August when the tourist season is at its peak.
The island's roads are almost entirely single-lane highways shared with buses and smaller vehicles such as scooters or agricultural vehicles such as Apes (small farm vehicles). Depending on the time of year a complete lap of the island can take between an hour and an hour and a half with the busiest periods being between July and August when the tourist season is at its peak.
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CHOICE BETWEEN TAKING YOUR OWN CAR OR HIRING ONE IN ISCHIA
It is possible to bring your own car on the island of Ischia by ferry or alternatively to hire a car on the island. There are several things to consider when making this decision:
Ferry prices:
The cost of putting a car on a ferry from Naples or Pozzuoli is around €60 each way for an average-sized car with small variations in price up or down for larger or smaller vehicles.
Car Parking in Naples:
Some travellers choose to park their car in Naples to avoid paying to put their own cars on the ferry. Daily charges for car parks at the ports on Naples and Pozzuoli vary from as little as €10 per day to as much as €30 per day depending on the quality of car park facilities such as security, shuttle-bus frequency and proximity to the port. We have a list of recommended car parks in Naples here.
Hiring a car in Ischia
It’s very easy to arrange car hire in Ischia with a good choice of cars available. Most visitors choose something fairly small such as a Fiat 600 or a Renault Twingo, with air-conditioning an option depending on the time of year. Prices vary according to model-type and time of year but here is a selection of guideline prices:
Make and Model Price Per day High Season Price Per Day (July and August)
Renault Twingo with air-conditioning €35-€40 €45-€50
Fiat 600 without air-conditioning €35-€40 €45-€50
6 Seater Mini-Bus €50 - €55 €60-€65
Car-Parking in Ischia
Ischia is well served by privately and local government run car parks with prices very reasonable compared to the rest of Europe. Depending on the time of year and the location of the car park you should expect to pay around €2 per hour on average with that figure increasing or decreasing according to the proximity of the parking space in relation to a major attraction, place of interest or main town.
Most car parks are either paid for by meter or when you leave. When parking on the street take note of the colour of the lines that mark out the space you are interested in. If the lines are blue this means you must pay at the nearest meter and display your ticket so that it’s visible for parking inspectors. If the lines are white this means the space is free of charge but in most cases there will be a time-limit attached to it. Where time-limits do apply it’s advisable to take a timing-disc with you which allows you to display and change when necessary the time at which you arrived in the space so that the parking inspectors can judge whether or not you have infringed the limitations.
Alternatives to driving a car
Ischia has a public transport system in the form of its bus network that covers the island well with most of the major destinations reachable. Tickets cost €2.10 and can be purchased from many bars, newsagents and tobacconists. The tickets are valid for 90 minutes and must be stamped by using the machine on the bus to validate them. We have a list of destinations and bus timetables here. However, it must be said that particularly during the busier summer months it can be difficult to find a seat and there are some destinations that can't be reached such as Sorgeto Hot Springs which would require a walk from Panza.
The final alternative is to use a taxi with many available at most times of day. Depending on your location, the frequency of travel and the areas you wish to visit this may be the best option with a list of taxi prices to the main destinations available here.
Ferry prices:
The cost of putting a car on a ferry from Naples or Pozzuoli is around €60 each way for an average-sized car with small variations in price up or down for larger or smaller vehicles.
Car Parking in Naples:
Some travellers choose to park their car in Naples to avoid paying to put their own cars on the ferry. Daily charges for car parks at the ports on Naples and Pozzuoli vary from as little as €10 per day to as much as €30 per day depending on the quality of car park facilities such as security, shuttle-bus frequency and proximity to the port. We have a list of recommended car parks in Naples here.
Hiring a car in Ischia
It’s very easy to arrange car hire in Ischia with a good choice of cars available. Most visitors choose something fairly small such as a Fiat 600 or a Renault Twingo, with air-conditioning an option depending on the time of year. Prices vary according to model-type and time of year but here is a selection of guideline prices:
Make and Model Price Per day High Season Price Per Day (July and August)
Renault Twingo with air-conditioning €35-€40 €45-€50
Fiat 600 without air-conditioning €35-€40 €45-€50
6 Seater Mini-Bus €50 - €55 €60-€65
Car-Parking in Ischia
Ischia is well served by privately and local government run car parks with prices very reasonable compared to the rest of Europe. Depending on the time of year and the location of the car park you should expect to pay around €2 per hour on average with that figure increasing or decreasing according to the proximity of the parking space in relation to a major attraction, place of interest or main town.
Most car parks are either paid for by meter or when you leave. When parking on the street take note of the colour of the lines that mark out the space you are interested in. If the lines are blue this means you must pay at the nearest meter and display your ticket so that it’s visible for parking inspectors. If the lines are white this means the space is free of charge but in most cases there will be a time-limit attached to it. Where time-limits do apply it’s advisable to take a timing-disc with you which allows you to display and change when necessary the time at which you arrived in the space so that the parking inspectors can judge whether or not you have infringed the limitations.
Alternatives to driving a car
Ischia has a public transport system in the form of its bus network that covers the island well with most of the major destinations reachable. Tickets cost €2.10 and can be purchased from many bars, newsagents and tobacconists. The tickets are valid for 90 minutes and must be stamped by using the machine on the bus to validate them. We have a list of destinations and bus timetables here. However, it must be said that particularly during the busier summer months it can be difficult to find a seat and there are some destinations that can't be reached such as Sorgeto Hot Springs which would require a walk from Panza.
The final alternative is to use a taxi with many available at most times of day. Depending on your location, the frequency of travel and the areas you wish to visit this may be the best option with a list of taxi prices to the main destinations available here.
