Driving in Italy

ZTL Pisa: there is a free way in, and almost nobody uses it

Pisa's historic centre is divided into two sectors, north and south, with pedestrian areas inside them under stricter rules again. The council does not publish a single set of hours, which makes the city look harder than it is — because there are two clean ways in for a visitor, and one of them costs nothing.

Verified against PisaMo, the council's mobility company, page updated 17 March 2026 · reviewed monthly

The short answer

Book a garage inside the walls and the ZTL costs you nothing. Vehicles heading to a garage or a commercial car park inside the zone are admitted free of charge. Failing that, anyone can buy a temporary permit: €20 for six hours, €28 for twelve, €40 for a full day. And for a short visit to the Leaning Tower, leaving the car outside and walking in avoids the question entirely — the Field of Miracles is a comfortable walk from the station.

Who gets in, and at what cost

Heading to a garage or commercial car park

FREE no charge at all

The route almost nobody knows: a vehicle driving to a booked garage or paying car park inside the zone is admitted free of charge. If your accommodation has an arrangement with a garage, the ZTL problem disappears.

Temporary permit — 6 hours

EUR 20 buy in advance

Temporary permit — 12 hours

EUR 28 buy in advance

Temporary permit — 24 hours

EUR 40 buy in advance

Motorcycles, mopeds, quadricycles, bicycles

Free access and free parking

They may enter, circulate and park in the bays reserved for two-wheelers.

Electric cars, non-residents

EUR 101 a year no free exemption

There is no automatic exemption in Pisa, contrary to what visitors assume. An electric hire car needs a permit like any other.

Why we do not publish hours for Pisa

Because the council does not. The times are set by ordinance, and PisaMo — the company that runs the scheme on the council's behalf — does not publish a single timetable on its ZTL index page. Rather than invent a figure that would look authoritative and be wrong, we say plainly that we do not hold verified hours for Pisa.

For a visitor this matters less than it sounds, because the access routes above do not depend on the clock: a garage booking or a temporary permit works regardless. If you need certainty for a specific day and a specific street, ask and we will confirm it with the council for you.

Three things worth knowing

  1. A permit belongs to a sector. Pisa has two, north and south, and authorisation for one does not cover the other. If your route crosses between them, check before you drive.
  2. Electric cars are not exempt here. A non-resident with an electric vehicle pays €101 a year for a ZTL permit. Visitors who have read that electric cars enter Italian restricted zones freely — true in Palermo, no longer true in Rome, never true here — get caught by this.
  3. Two wheels are treated generously. Motorcycles, mopeds, quadricycles and bicycles may enter, circulate and also park in the bays reserved for them. It is one of the more permissive two-wheeler regimes in Italy.

If you have a disabled badge from another country

Pisa allows temporary access by telephoning the plate through to a freephone line, open every day 09:00–18:00, up to 24 working hours before or after the journey. Two warnings: Italian freephone numbers do not work from abroad, so this has to be done once you are in Italy or by your accommodation. And the camera reads the plate, not the badge on your dashboard — without the registration you are fined regardless of what is displayed.

Frequently asked questions

What are the ZTL hours in Pisa?

We do not publish hours for Pisa, and that is deliberate: the times are set by council ordinance and PisaMo, the council's mobility company, does not publish a single timetable on its ZTL index page. Rather than invent a figure, the honest answer is to use one of the access routes below, or check with PisaMo directly. If you need certainty for a specific day, ask us and we will confirm it with the council.

How many zones does Pisa have?

Two sectors: Centro Storico NORD and Centro Storico SUD. Inside them sit further pedestrian areas (APU) with stricter rules again. Electronic gates read plates at the entrance to each sector, and a permit is tied to the sector it was issued for.

Is there a free way into the ZTL?

Yes, and it is the best-kept secret in Pisa: vehicles heading to a GARAGE or a commercial car park inside the zone are admitted FREE OF CHARGE. If you book parking in advance, the ZTL question resolves itself at no cost. Ask your accommodation whether they have an arrangement with a garage inside the walls.

How much is a temporary permit?

EUR 20 for 6 hours, EUR 28 for 12 hours, EUR 40 for 24 hours. These are available to anyone — you do not need to belong to a category — and are arranged through PisaMo or by the property on your behalf.

My hire car is electric. Do I get in free?

No. Pisa charges non-residents EUR 101 a year for an electric-vehicle ZTL permit. There is no automatic exemption, which surprises people who have read that electric cars enter Italian restricted zones freely — true in some cities, not here.

Can I ride a scooter into the centre?

Yes. Motorcycles, mopeds, quadricycles and bicycles may enter, circulate and also PARK in the bays reserved for them. This is one of the more generous two-wheeler regimes in Italy.

I have a disabled badge from another country. What do I do?

Pisa allows temporary access for badge holders from elsewhere by telephoning the plate through to a freephone line, open every day 09:00–18:00, up to 24 working hours before or after the journey. Two things to note: Italian freephone numbers do not work from abroad, so this must be done once you are in Italy or by your accommodation on your behalf. And remember that the camera reads the plate, not the badge on your dashboard — without the registration you are fined regardless.

Is it worth driving into Pisa at all?

Usually not. The airport is minutes from the centre and the Pisa Mover shuttle links it to Pisa Centrale station, and for a short visit to the Leaning Tower, leaving the car outside and walking in avoids the whole question. Pisa is a small city and the Field of Miracles is a comfortable walk from the station.

Need the hours for a specific street and day?

We do not publish what we cannot verify — but we will find out for you. Tell Pronto the address and your dates, and if you are actually driving in we will confirm the current position with the council. That is precisely the gap a web page cannot fill.

More verified Italy guides

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Source: PisaMo S.p.A. (mobilita.pisamo.it), the City of Pisa's mobility company, ZTL index page updated 17 March 2026; mobility office +39 050 7062. Hours and permit conditions are set by ordinance and change without notice; this page carries the date it was last checked and is reviewed monthly.