Page 626 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

624  SUR VIV AL GUIDE

TRAVEL INFORMATION

Italy has transport systems of varying Europe are good, though Alpine roads can be
efficiency, from the modern road, bus and rail adversely affected by the weather in winter.
networks of the north to the slower systems Motorways and other roads within the
of the south. Numerous airlines operate country are generally good, but can be busy
flights to several of the country’s major at weekends and peak periods. Italy also has
airports. Within Italy itself, the national carrier an efficient system of ferries connecting
Alitalia and several smaller companies Sicily, Sardinia and many of the smaller off-
provide an extensive network of internal shore islands. Many of these are car ferries,
flights. Connections by road to the rest of and are busy in summer.

Green Travel Arriving by Air
An excellent public transport Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci (Fiumicino) and Milan’s Malpensa are the
network makes travelling in key airports for long-haul flights into Italy. Milan’s Linate airport
Italy – without using high- handles some European flights, and most European airlines also fly to
impact flights or long car Venice, Turin, Naples and Pisa (for Florence). Many airlines are now
drives – quite straight forward. flying regularly to smaller cities such as Florence, Genoa, Bologna,
Rail and bus systems both offer Verona and Bergamo, while charter flights serve summer destinations
regular and reliable services in peak season such as Catania, Olbia and Rimini.
and are reasonably priced.
Connections with major
European cities are good and
travellers can often choose
between day services on the
Eurocity trains and overnight
services on the EuroNight trains.
There are also high speed trains,
known as the Alta Velocità
(see pp628–9).
In places where only a few
people use a service (such as
to outlying hamlets in the
Alps and Apennines), some
authorities have set up a servizio The bright hall at Fiumicino airport, Rome
a chiamata (demand-responsive
service), whereby passengers
phone a toll-free number to Long-Haul Flights European Low-Cost Flights
book a vehicle. This results in If you are flying from the United It has never been so easy to get
cost savings for the council States, Delta and United to Italy by air. British Airways
and a reduction in carbon Airlines operate regular direct and Alitalia and its partners
emissions, plus passengers scheduled flights to Rome and fly to major destinations in
get a personalized taxi for the Milan, with services from New Italy from large European
price of a single bus ticket. York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, cities. However, low-cost,
Within cities, less polluting Boston and Chicago. Air “no-frills” airlines offer many
vehicles such as battery- or Canada flies from Montreal and more destinations.
methane-powered buses and Toronto, and Qantas flies from Ryanair flies to more than
vaporetti have been introduced. Sydney and Melbourne. 20 airports (including Genoa,
Bicycle tracks and cycle A regular service between Rome-Ciampino, Turin and
hire points are increasing in Rome and Milan and New York, Venice-Treviso) from Stansted;
number, and many cities such Boston, Chicago, Miami and while easyJet, from Gatwick,
as Milan and Rome have plenty Toronto is also offered by the Luton or Stansted, serves
of hire points and marked safe Italian state airline, Alitalia. Rome-Ciampino, Milan, Venice,
tracks. The Trentino-Alto Adige It may, however, be more Pisa, Palermo and Naples, and
regions are especially well convenient and cheaper for also Rome, Olbia and Pisa from
organized, with long-distance long-haul passengers to take a Bristol. Meridiana flies to
cycle routes. For a small budget flight to London, Florence and Olbia from
charge bicycles can be trans- Frankfurt, Paris, Athens or Gatwick and, like Blu-Express,
ported on many regional and Amsterdam and then continue also offers a number of
inter national trains. to Italy from there. domestic flights.

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