A very small survival guide to Veneto (for ignorant northerners). Vol 1 - transports and traffic

When friends of mine plan to visit Italy (but don't come to stay with me), I invariably take up the valiant role of interactive guidebook. I'm happy to: where else would they get custom information on all the Italian peculiarities from an Estonian point of view? Only that my Estonian point of view is not so Estonian any more, and my expertise more or less finishes at the borders of Veneto. I'll do my best though, and this time I'll write it down for next time. This is what Eveliis had to ask:

1. What's the deal with the transport? Trains? Scooters? Police? Is it really as crazy as everyone thinks?

Yes. The traffic is quite crazy, though for various reasons. Mostly, in all Italian territory it's just a little more lively than someone from North Europe would expect. It gets slightly more irregular towards the south, though the worst are the big cities - not because they're Italian, but because they're cities. I wouldn't suggest anyone uninitiated try driving in Naples...

By car:
In any case - Italians are good drivers. Most of them are, at least, and all of them consider themselves exceptionally good drivers, so speed limits and other such mundane affairs are more suggestions than actual rules. It would be an insult to an Italian driver's intelligence to make him/her drive exactly 50 km/h, no more, no less. Where's the romance in that? And it's not about speeding, either. It's about choice.

By "lively" traffic I mean that certain things are (socially, not legally) accepted in Italy that one might not try elsewhere, such as short-time parking in strange places, overtaking in the improvised middle lane, flashing headlights for communicating police presence or telling the slow car to get off the fast lane, etc. However, there are regional differences and best is just to say safe even if it means everyone behind you will hate your going too slow. It's especially useful to stay alert to modest little signs saying "controllo elettronico di velocità" which means, though not always, that there are speed cameras around.

What comes to the driving licence, you can use any EU one in Italy even long-term without any issues, though you should attach a version in Italian (just a small list to know which one is the expiry date and so on). The local driving licence system includes a point system: 22 points for each driver, of which some will be docked at every misbehaviour, double for a new driver, and if you run out, it's the exams all over again. This does not apply to foreigners yet, though I'm sure the carabinieri will have a way of making up for this little problem, such as giving you a higher fine or so on. Speeding up to 10 km/h over the limit isn't punishable, but more than that can cost a lot.

The Estonian police is much more strict on alcohol and driving, and for a reason, because the problems are much more evident. In Italy, where a glass of wine with dinner doesn't stop anyone from driving home, you should be ok with a little beer or wine, though I hear the times are changing here as well and the sanctions are going way up. The legal limit is 0,5 g/l.

The traffic signs are to be evaluated one by one. A small metal sign on a post somewhere is not necessarily the absolute truth, so you'll have to figure out it's true meaning. Italians do. For instance, a delightful example of Italian reasoning by B. Severgnini goes something like this: there's a red light. For most this will mean: stop. For Italians it's a call for discussion. What kind of red is it? Is it a speed-triggered red? Well, I'll go slower, so I could maybe pass. Is it a pedestrian red and the little old lady already passed? Well, I can pass then. Is it a dangerous crossing? I'll better stay put. OK, in any case it's still better to stop. But the temporary signs that are often left at the roadside months after all the digging is done, well, nobody really pays attention to those. In this case you should just see what everyone else does. Careful, though. Even if in Naples people will shout at you for stopping at a red light, it's safer to follow the rules as they are made.

There is a reason why Fiat produces tiny cars: the roads in historic city centres and in the countryside are often made for 1,5 cars, not 2. On roads that would have one-way traffic in Estonia, there is double parking and both directions. Not much room for cyclists. Not much room for big cars. You might get away with a suburban family car, but better fold your mirrors.

By bicycle:
Get a life insurance. Think well. If you still decide to do it, use the smallest roads possible, wear a helmet and reflectors.

Seriously, I really don't fancy going around by bike here. On the 70-limit country roads with considerable traffic you'll have to use the very last millimetre of paved road on the right-hand side and hope the cars don't push you off. Also, most of the roads are either uphill or downhill so it all becomes a little too exciting. As a driver I hate every last bolt on these bikes, especially when I happen to be behind one on a steep mountain road, not being able to get in second gear, but not being able to overtake either. It's torture both to the cyclists and the drivers.

By scooter:
The Vespa is Italian. Do I need to say more? In the historic city centre a scooter is the best way of getting around. It's still quite dangerous because the cars are not likely to consider you, but parking is easy and the rush-hour traffic will hardly go much faster than a scooter anyway.

Outside the cities it's a different matter. It's great to buzz around the country lanes and see places you'd never notice if travelling by car, but any roads with constant traffic are just as dangerous as for the cyclists.

By train:
Trains are good. At least in Veneto they are also mostly on time, so nothing much to worry about. You can check www.trenitalia.it for timetables and prices.

The various types of trains are:
R - reg - regionale - the local and cheapest trains. Most likely to be late because stops at every village station and might have to wait to make faster trains pass.

IC - intercity - faster trains, though not always more clean or comfortable than the regional ones. Drinks and snacks aboard and the staff will try to compensate for missing air conditioning if it should break. It's possible to book seats when paying extra, so if you're unlucky and happen to choose a booked car someone will invariably come and shoo you off your (his!) place. Better change the car when that happens and hope for better luck (I've yet to figure out a way to identify to booked train cars from free ones).

ES, CIS, etc - eurostar, cisalpino and other - the coolest, fastest and most expensive trains. Theoretically should never be late, everyone has booked seats, there are power outlets for your laptop (the Italian ones with three holes, obviously) and other comforts.

AND don't try to get smart with the tickets. It doesn't pay. In the regional trains they check the whole train once in the beginning, but in the more expensive ones the guy in the green Trenitalia uniform will pass through after each stop. The fines start from 25euros and the "stupid foreigner" routine went out of fashion decades ago, so don't even try. The smallest possible punishment is having to buy the train ticket right there from the controllore, except it will always cost 8 more euros.

You can get your tickets either online (printed confirmation code will do), from the automatic ticket machines in the stations (best, also has English) or the ticket booths. The latter will be best if you're really not sure where you're going and how to get there, but the lines are always long, so the machines are better. You should validate your ticket once you have it, either right at the machine or one of the small yellow boxes along the walls, exactly like for city transport. An unvalidated ticket means you could use it again any day, so it doesn't do much to help your cause if you get caught with a nice fresh ticket you just bought. In the south of Italy if the yellow validating machines are all broken you are allowed to write the departure time and date on the ticket yourself and you'll be fine. In the north that doesn't go down at all. If you can't validate your ticket, you should go to the head of the train and explain when you get on board.

Also, try to remember which is the central station in the city you're going to. Other ones, even if they have the name of the city, might not have much to do with the centre at all.

By thumb:
Forget about it.



Next: 2. What should I bring back? Which are the must-be souvenires? How much should I pay?