Car rental in Bari

How to pick up your car at Bari airport

Bari airport is called Karol Wojtyła (code BRI). It's in Palese, north of the city, about 20 minutes from the center.

The rental desks are in the arrivals area or a short walk from the terminal, and you collect the car from the rental company's parking lot. Your voucher shows exactly where to go.

If you're spending your first days in Bari, you don't need a car: the center is best on foot. In that case, pick it up on the day you hit the road, at the airport or at a city office, and save on rental days and parking.

Something we're often asked: we don't offer a meet-and-greet service at the terminal door. We work only with official rental companies. That's what guarantees the car is there, the contract is right, and you have backup if anything happens.

What you need to pick up the car

Three things, and all three are mandatory. Without any one of them, the rental company won't hand over the car.

A credit card in the main driver's name. The rental company places the security hold on it. Debit cards, cash and a family member's card are not accepted.

A physical, valid driver's license. Digital licenses, photos and copies are not accepted. It has to be the card itself, valid for the whole rental.

A valid passport. The minimum age is usually 19, though it can vary by rental company and car category. Drivers under 25 usually pay a young driver surcharge. There's no maximum age.

International Driving Permit: in Italy it may be mandatory. If the rental company asks for it and you don't have it, they may refuse to give you the car. It's best to get one in your home country before you travel.

About the price: insurance, taxes and unlimited mileage are almost always included. If a rate doesn't include them, we'll tell you before you book. You can pay CarzRental by bank transfer in pesos or dollars, or with a card payment link.

Go small and, if you can, manual

Puglia's towns have very narrow streets, tight corners and small parking spaces. For two or three people, a small or compact car is the best choice: it fits everywhere and uses little fuel.

Most rental cars in Italy are manual. Automatics exist, but there are few of them, they cost more and they sell out first in summer. If you don't drive stick, ask for an automatic in your very first message: at the desk they can't switch you if none are available.

For four people with large suitcases, ask for a midsize or a station wagon. We guarantee the category, not the exact model: the rental company assigns that at pickup.

ZTLs: the most common fine in Puglia

Almost every historic center in Italy is a ZTL (zona a traffico limitato): only residents and authorized vehicles may enter. In Bari, the old town (Bari Vecchia) and parts of the center are restricted, and the same goes for almost every town in the region.

The entrance is marked with a ZTL sign and a camera. If the sign says "varco attivo", the camera is on and you must not enter. Your GPS doesn't always know about them, so watch the signs.

If your hotel is inside a ZTL, ask before you arrive whether they can register your license plate. If not, leave the car in a parking lot outside and walk in.

Fines reach the rental company weeks or months later, after you're home. The company charges them to your card and adds a handling fee. The same goes for unpaid tolls.

Highways, tolls and speed cameras

The A14 autostrada runs past Bari, north and toward Taranto. It's a toll road: you take a ticket when you get on and pay when you get off, by card or cash. Don't use the yellow Telepass lanes, which are only for drivers with the device.

Many of Puglia's fast roads are free, like the coastal road to Polignano, Monopoli and Brindisi.

There are many speed cameras (autovelox), fixed and mobile, and on highways there are also average-speed checks over long stretches. Stick to the limits, which change often and drop as you enter each town.

Parking: the color code

In Italy, the color of the lines tells you everything. Blue lines: paid parking, at the meter or with an app. White lines: free, though sometimes with a time limit. Yellow lines: reserved for residents, loading or disabled drivers. Don't park there.

In the busiest towns, like Polignano a Mare or Alberobello, the easiest option is to leave the car in a lot on the outskirts and walk.

Exploring Puglia by car

Bari is the best base for day trips. Less than an hour away you have Polignano a Mare and Monopoli on the sea, and Alberobello, the town of the trulli. Nearby is the Itria Valley, with Locorotondo, Cisternino and Ostuni.

About an hour away is Matera, already in the Basilicata region, with its homes carved into the rock. It deserves a full day.

Further south is Salento: Lecce, Otranto, Gallipoli and the tip of Italy's heel. It's better to stay there a couple of nights than to go and come back in one day.

If you want to end your trip somewhere else, like Brindisi airport, Naples or Rome, you can drop the car off in another city. The rental company charges a fee for that, and we include it in your quote.

Summer in Puglia: book early

July and August are the busiest months: small cars and automatics sell out first. The week of Ferragosto, in mid-August, is the hardest of the whole year.

If you're traveling in summer, book ahead. May, June and September are excellent: the sea is already warm, there are fewer crowds and more cars available.

The most expensive mistakes

Driving into a ZTL. It's the most common fine in Italy, and it arrives after you're home.

Putting in the wrong fuel. In Italy the pumps say benzina (gasoline) and gasolio (diesel). Check the fuel cap to see which one your car takes. If you get it wrong, the repair is on you.

Returning the car without a full tank. The rental company charges for missing fuel at a much higher price than a gas station. Fill up near the airport and keep the receipt.

Signing without reading. At the desk you'll be offered extras like roadside assistance, GPS or a child seat. Whatever you sign is paid there and isn't refunded. If something doesn't match your booking, message us before you sign.