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Travel answers · Italy · Getting there

Getting to Italy by car, train or ferry: Brenner, Swiss vignette, Alpine tunnels and ferries to Greece, Croatia and Albania

Three toll systems, temporary border checks and the autumn 2026 closures to plan around.

PROTOTYPE · SEO/GEO article v1 · facts from the EmweGo guides (checked 2026-09-23) · question source: Transport deep research T01–T10 (23 Sep 2026) (T10)
Short answer

By car you meet three toll systems: Austria (vignette plus a €12.50 Brenner A13 section toll), Switzerland (CHF 40 vignette — campers over 3.5 t pay the PSVA instead) and Italy (pay per km at the exit). The Brenner Luegbrücke runs one lane each way by default — check ASFINAG’s 2026 calendar. Fréjus doesn’t accept electronic toll tags; Mont Blanc closes some nights for maintenance. Temporary border checks: Germany (to 15 Mar 2027), France–Italy (to 31 Oct 2026), Italy–Slovenia (to 18 Dec 2026). By train: ÖBB Railjet/Nightjet from Vienna to Venice, DB Munich–Verona (~5 h 36); TGV Paris–Turin–Milan is suspended 12 Sep–9 Oct 2026. Ferries: Ancona–Igoumenitsa and Bari–Durrës run; Jadrolinija Italy–Croatia is suspended until 21 Oct 2026.

Checked 2026-09-23 · Italy · Getting there

At a glance
Brenner A13€12.50 section toll + Austrian vignette
SwitzerlandCHF 40 vignette · PSVA >3.5 t
ItalyPay per km at the exit
Border checksDE to 15 Mar 2027 · FR to 31 Oct 2026
TGV France–ItalySuspended 12 Sep–9 Oct 2026
Croatia ferriesJadrolinija suspended to 21 Oct 2026

By car

Route

Via Switzerland · Gotthard / San Bernardino

Verified 2026-09-23
A2 Gotthard → Chiasso → A9 Como/Milan, or A13 San Bernardino. Buy the CHF 40 e-vignette on the official Via portal before the motorway; valid 1 Dec–31 Jan of the following year. Campers over 3.5 t pay the PSVA.

Swiss FOCBS · vignette FAQ ↗ · Via portal · e-vignette / PSVA ↗

Route

From Austria (east) · Tarvisio

Verified 2026-09-23
A2/A9 → Villach → A23 Tarvisio → Udine → Venice/Trieste. Austrian vignette, then Italian tolls. Italy has checks on the Slovenian border to 18 Dec 2026.

European Commission · temporary border controls ↗

Watch out

Border checks in 2026

Verified 2026-09-23
Schengen doesn’t mean no checks: Germany (all land borders, 16 Sep 2026–15 Mar 2027), France (incl. Italy, to 31 Oct 2026), Italy–Slovenia (to 18 Dec 2026), Poland–Germany (to 1 Oct 2026). Carry passports/ID for everyone.

European Commission · temporary border controls ↗

Good to know

Check roadworks before leaving

Verified 2026-09-23
The A4 near Brescia–Padova and the A22–Peschiera junction had night restrictions in late September 2026. Check live traffic the morning you leave, not the week before.

A4 InViaggio · live roadworks ↗

By train

Transport option

Austria → Venice

Verified 2026-09-23
ÖBB: two Railjets a day Vienna/Graz–Venice and a Nightjet from Vienna and Linz.

ÖBB · to Venice ↗

Watch out

France → Turin/Milan

Verified 2026-09-23
TGV INOUI France–Italy is suspended 12 Sep–9 Oct 2026 for works (Paris, Chambéry, Modane, Turin, Milan); services resume 10 Oct.

SNCF Connect · France–Italy works ↗

By ferry

Transport option

Greece · Ancona–Igoumenitsa

Verified 2026-09-23
Grimaldi/Minoan, autumn timetable 14 Sep–30 Dec 2026, evening departures around 19:30; cars, vans and campers carried.

Grimaldi · Ancona–Igoumenitsa ↗

Transport option

Albania · Bari–Durrës

Verified 2026-09-23
GNV daily evening departures around 22:00, about 10–11 h, cars carried. It’s an external Schengen border — passport checks on arrival.

GNV · Bari–Durrës ↗

Watch out

Croatia · suspended

Verified 2026-09-23
Jadrolinija cancelled Split–Ancona, Split–Bari and Dubrovnik–Bari until 21 Oct 2026 (ship out of service); ticket holders are covered by EU Regulation 1177/2010.

Jadrolinija · international lines suspended ↗

Quick answers

How much is the Brenner toll?

€12.50 for the full A13 section in 2026, plus the Austrian vignette.

Do I need a Swiss vignette to drive to Italy via Switzerland?

Yes — CHF 40, best bought online on the Via portal.

Are there border checks between France and Italy?

Temporary checks are notified until 31 Oct 2026 — carry ID.

Is the TGV from Paris to Milan running?

Suspended 12 Sep–9 Oct 2026; it resumes on 10 Oct.

Are Italy–Croatia ferries running?

Jadrolinija’s international lines are suspended until 21 Oct 2026.

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Related answers

Sources: ASFINAG · section tolls 2026 ↗ · Swiss FOCBS · vignette FAQ ↗ · European Commission · temporary border controls ↗ · SFTRF · Fréjus tunnel FAQ ↗ · ÖBB · to Venice ↗ · SNCF Connect · France–Italy works ↗ · Jadrolinija · international lines suspended ↗ · Grimaldi · Ancona–Igoumenitsa ↗