Italy
Book trains direct, use city-specific taxi apps, and treat every ZTL sign seriously
Italy does not have one app stack that works equally well in every city.
The essentials
What to know before you go to Italy
For rail, buy direct from Trenitalia or Italo and understand the ticket type: high-speed trains have reserved seats and can become more expensive, while regional trains normally do not sell out and use different validation rules. For taxis, itTaxi has the broadest national network, FREENOW serves ten named cities, and appTaxi fills useful gaps such as Florence and Venice. Uber is only a partial backup because products vary by city; ordinary UberX has only a very limited rollout, while most Uber bookings are licensed taxis or premium NCC cars. Uber Eats left Italy in 2023, so use Glovo, Just Eat or Deliveroo.
No Italy-specific payment app is worth installing for a short visit. Cards and contactless payment are broadly accepted, but carry a physical Visa or Mastercard plus modest euro cash for small practical gaps. Rome and Milan support simple contactless transit payment, while other cities use their own operators and ticket rules. Never drive past a ZTL sign unless your vehicle is authorized, even if a navigation app suggests the route.
Book major attractions through their official websites, download Italian for offline translation, and call 112 in an emergency.
Ride Hailing
itTaxiEssential
Best national taxi starting point, connecting travelers with licensed fleets across more than 87 Italian cities.
Freenow
Licensed taxi booking in ten current cities, including Rome, Milan, Naples, Bologna, Turin, Palermo and Catania.
Uber
Partial backup whose Italian products are usually licensed taxis or premium NCC vehicles, depending on the city.
appTaxi
Useful licensed-taxi alternative in more than 50 cities, including Florence, Venice, Rome, Milan and Naples.
Food Delivery
GlovoEssential
Best first delivery app for restaurant food, groceries and local shops, with coverage determined by the exact address.
Just Eat ItaliaEssential
Broad restaurant marketplace that can include direct restaurant delivery and different prices or coverage from rivals.
Deliveroo
Current food and grocery delivery alternative with a different restaurant mix and address-specific availability.
Messaging
Useful optional contact channel for confirmed accommodation, restaurant, taxi, transfer and tour providers.
Navigation
Google MapsEssential
Best general map for addresses, walking, driving and first-pass transit planning, with downloadable offline areas.
Transit
Google MapsEssential
Best first-pass local transport planner, although live data and route completeness depend on each city operator.
MooneyGo
Optional multi-city ticketing app for more than 140 participating transport operators, plus parking services.
AVM Venezia Official App
Official Venice app for ACTV bus, tram and waterbus tickets, route planning and service information.
Travel & Booking
TheFork
Optional restaurant discovery and reservation tool with live availability and venue-specific promotions.
Musei Italiani
Official Ministry of Culture app for information and tickets at participating Italian state museums and sites.
Language
Google Translate
Useful optional offline translation and camera tool for Italian menus, signs, addresses and simple conversations.
Intercity Transport
TrenitaliaEssential
Essential official app for Frecce high-speed, Intercity and regional trains, including direct ticket management.
Italo Treno
Official alternative for selected high-speed routes between major cities, often worth comparing on price and schedule.
Utilities
112 Where ARE U
Optional official emergency app that can share location and support silent or text contact where the local 112 center enables it.
Also covered
Internet in Italy
Mobile internet eSIM Best option when traveling
Guac
RecommendedReliable mobile internet at better prices than most travel eSIMs, with polished iOS and Android apps and support for making and receiving phone calls.
Airalo
One of the biggest travel eSIM brands, with a very large destination catalog.
Holafly
Known for unlimited-data plans in many destinations, at a higher price per gigabyte.
Buying a local SIM card ID registration required
- Anonymous SIMs are illegal in Italy, so every line must be linked to an identity: non-EU citizens need a passport, EU citizens can use a national ID card. Short tourist packs generally activate on a passport alone, while standard or monthly plans usually also require a codice fiscale (Italian tax code), which foreign citizens can obtain free from the Agenzia delle Entrate.
- Among the best value in Western Europe. Vodafone's prepaid deal runs around EUR 15 (roughly $18) for 200 GB in Italy plus 25 GB of EU roaming with minutes and texts and no activation fee; Iliad charges around EUR 8 to 10 for 150 GB with unlimited calls, TIM's basic tourist SIM also carries 200 GB, and WindTre sells roughly EUR 10 to 20 bundles with 20 to 100 GB.
- Operator stores in town centres and malls, plus big electronics chains like MediaWorld and Unieuro that stock several carriers so you can compare. Tabaccherie (marked with a 'T') and newsstands sell prepaid SIMs and top-ups with limited setup help, TIM and Vodafone have points at every major train station including Milano Centrale, and Iliad's Simbox vending machines in shopping centres issue a card in about three minutes against an ID document.
- Mild. Kiosks at Fiumicino, Malpensa, Venice and Naples charge a reasonable EUR 15 to 30 for around 30 GB over 30 days, but expect 15 to 30 minute queues at peak arrival times and unclear pricing until you reach the counter. The friction, not the markup, is the reason to buy elsewhere.
- All four major operators support eSIM, but local eSIMs usually require either an in-store visit or a digital identity check via SPID or CIE, both Italian-resident systems, so remote self-activation of an Italian eSIM is generally not open to tourists. Travel eSIMs need no codice fiscale but give you no +39 number.
If you might want a longer or non-tourist plan, get a codice fiscale free from the Agenzia delle Entrate early on: a PDF or the official email is usually accepted rather than the plastic card. Passport registration is mandatory even at airport kiosks, so budget 5 to 10 minutes of paperwork. Some MVNOs such as Very Mobile require an Italian tax code and delivery to an Italian postal address, so they are not a tourist route, and EU roaming allowances are a capped sub-allowance rather than the full domestic bundle.
Local carriers
TIM
The old incumbent, with the best rural and mountain coverage.
Vodafone
Fastest 5G in cities and the best English-language support. Also the strongest network on Sardinia.
WindTre
The largest network by tower count, with high-value bundles. Strong on Sardinia too.
Iliad
The price disruptor, with transparent low-cost high-data plans. Few staffed stores, but its self-service Simbox kiosks issue a SIM in minutes.
Frequently asked questions
What are the must-have apps for traveling in Italy?
The essential apps for Italy are itTaxi, Glovo, Just Eat Italia, Google Maps, Trenitalia.
How many travel apps does Italy have?
We've curated 18 apps across 10 categories for traveling in Italy, including 6 essential apps.
What is the best ride hailing app in Italy?
itTaxi. Best national taxi starting point, connecting travelers with licensed fleets across more than 87 Italian cities.
Keep exploring
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Latvia
Mobilly tickets, Bolt rides and direct Vivi train bookings
Montenegro
Use licensed local taxis, carry euros, and verify every bus connection
North Macedonia
Skopje taxi apps, official bus tickets and reliable offline backups
Malta
Island travel with live buses, ferry checks and one crucial booking rule
Netherlands
Tap through public transport, plan trains carefully and keep a card plus cash backup