Avoiding ZTL while returning car to Florence

There is no ZTL near the airport. You'll be fine returning the car there.

As for Siena, if parking in the city be sure to get specific directions from the hotel and follow them to the letter. If you stray you'll get a fine. Be sure to have the hotel owner report your plate number to the authorities. Remember, this is a parking privilege, it does not include in and out privileges. If you plan on doing driving day trips you'll want to find a garage outside the city.

Donna

We returned our car at the Florence Airport and took the Express bus to the train station. Easy peasy. We drove from Siena to Florence, but I don't recall the route.

We drove from Siena to Florence and stopped in San Gimignano along the way -- we took the route provided by our phone GPS, and it was beautiful and easy. As far as ZTL in Florence, we drove to our hotel so they took care of everything. However, they also told us that there are no ZTL fines until you pass the Arno, so that may help you some.

there are ZTL cameras at Porta Romana well before the Arno. When we stayed at Palazzo Ravissa we had in and out privileges but perhaps the rules have changed, it has been awhile.

If you see this sign, basically a white circle with a red border, it means NO MOTOR VEHICLES ALLOWED.

Read the website below. You have nothing to fear but fear itself.

http://www.athomeintuscany.org/2011/10/15/pisa-ztl-limited-traffic-zone/

The forbidden zone in Florence is roughly what was enclosed within the former city walls. You can still see the walls at Porta Romana, along viale Petrarca and viale Aleardi; there are no more walls but alleys circling the inner core of the city continuing via del Ponte Sospeso - Ponte alla Vittoria - viale fratelli Rosselli - Fortezza and viale Filippo Strozzi - viale Lavagnini - viale Matteotti - viale Gramsci - viale della Giovane Italia - Ponte S. Niccolo - and the the viale up to the hill going to Porta Romana again.

You can assume you cannot enter the city core. Actually, there are a few allowed itineraries crossing part of the core, but you should know what you are doing and these itineraries may change with time. (For example, access to railway station through via Nazionale will be no more allowed after April 1st). What does not change is the circle around the city along the former walls.

Please note that you can get fines also out of the city walls circle. There are radars for speeding and there are a few streets that have a direction reserved to buses and taxis. If you dodge these rules you can get a fine everywhere and at any time. The rule that in built up areas the top speed is 50 km/h is severely enforced and much more fines are issued for this form of overspeeding than for ZTL. As soon as you see a sign that you are entering a town or a city, you should expect a speed radar monitoring if you are really slowing down.

Thank you all so much for the advice--the articles were very helpful, and the caution about speeding. I feel more prepared!