Positano Parking fee?

[Piper77]

Just paid my final balance with Italytours for a private Amalfi coast tour and they’ve highlighted this for me. Seems

if I want to actually go in to

Positano we have to cover a 90 euro parking fee. This was never mentioned before, so a bit of a shock, is this new?  Imposed on anyone else?  We are actually only 2’people and I have emailed them back for clarification but wondered if anyone else paid this when going into Positano?

[John Bull]

Unless things have changed recently there's no limitation or fee for driving a car into Positano, though the (pre-booked) €90 for "groups 9 to 19" is probably for a larger vehicle.

Finding a street parking space in Positano is almost impossible, it'd be dumb to drive in without guaranteed parking. It's expensive at about  €8 per hour - not €50, but who knows how much for a guaranteed place. The €50 might also allow for the driver's waiting time

 

Best way to visit Positano is to park at a nearby village (can also be difficult) and take the little local bus into Positano, or visit by ferry from somewhere like Amalfi.

 

I don't know whether Positano was mis-sold to you or whether you could cancel & get your money back.

But an extra €90 to drive in and out (if the tour operator charges that to you) I'd rate as unworthy for a two-some.

Without that charge, a one hour stop would be enough - you you'd need to decide if you wanted to pay the extra €50.

FWIW I wouldn't.

 

JB 🙂

[edinburgher]

Positano we have to cover a 90 euro parking fee. 

 

According to the above small print, The 90 euros is not a parking fee, covering ONLY  the cost to enter Positano with a vehicle  with actual parking costs of 50 euros an hour in addition .The "check point" reference  suggests  to me that Positano may now have what is known in Italy as a ZTL, whereby a fee is charged to any vehicle entering which is not local AND has either  a permit or is exempt.

 

I expect you could internet search for ZTLs in Italy and their cost. Some locations in Spain and France have also introduced these.

 

 The local authorities along the Amalfi Coast fairly recently introduced a number of measures with the aim of reducing the amount of traffic in the area as congestion and long delays were  becoming increasingly worse, especially so during summer months..  These included the introduction of some ZTLs, alternative number plate driving days, and others.

 

Having said that,I am thinking that the 50 euros PER HOUR fee for parking doesn't sound right, as I would have expected it to be quite a bit lower than that, but even finding a space could be a nightmare.  It is possible that your tour provider has a private arrangement with a local business or individual who rents a personal space as a source of additional income and is charging your provider that sum.. A private tour for only two persons is already going to be costly without additional fees being added. Using the above small print as a reference , a short one hour visit with a vehicle  toPpositano itself will cost you 140 euros.

 

I expect you could internet search for ZTLs in Italy and their cost. Some locations in Spain and France have also introduced these. I would also check the cost of parking in Positano as that charge  is the one which concerns me most.

 

FWIW Despite visiting the area several times over the years on both a land trip and on cruise stops, we only one time visited Positano itself.  We thought everything there was extremely expensive (actually rip off) and the place itself overrated and leaving us slightly underwhelmed so we never bothered to return.

 

As JB has suggested, I would be looking down on it from the free view above, or taking a local bus or even one of the ferries should you still feel the need to visit the town itself. although that could be tricky to do on a private tour.

 

A private tour for only two persons is already going to be costly without additional fees being added.. Whilst it must be lovely and easy  to have a private driver and guide at your disposal for the day, it is entirely possibly to follow a similar route and sights independently, so should you be able to cancel for a full refund and decide to  spend your day touring  independently instead, do come back and ask for advice.

Edited May 18, 2023 by edinburgher

[VMax1700]

We have recently (May 7th) returned from a week in Sorrento/Napoli.  On one of the days we did an Amalfi Coast tour with collection/drop off to our hotel in Sorrento and visits to Positano, Amalfi and Ravello.  There was a total of 8 of us plus driver in a Mercedes Van.  In Positano he drove to a parking garage just on the edge of the town and this is were all the tour vans were parking.  I would think that they pre book a time and space as parking is in very short supply.  It was called Garage Mandara and it was on Viale Pasitea.  From there we walked into the centre and later back to the parking.  (the 'cafe' in the garage made a wonderful cafelatte for €2 and there were toilets).

From there we drove to Amalfi and then to above Ravello where we had lunch (included).  We then visited Ravello and then drove back to Sorrento.

The cost for this was €80 per person.  including lunch, including parking.

This is posted just so that you can compare pricing and options.

 

 

[Piper77]

Tour company emailed me back and said it was a mistake. Given that it mentioned a tour of 9 plus I’m wondering if these fees relate to an actual bus that has even more restrictions on where it can get to that a small van or car. 
 

In any case I’m good to and can’t wait to see the Amalfi Coast!

[Hlitner]

Good to hear that it has been resolved.  When we stay on the Amalfi Coast (in the nearby town of Praiano) we will sometimes drive into Positano in the evening (after the day tours are long gone) and have sometimes gotten lucky and found on the street parking in the town.  Other times we have parked above (along the Amalfi Drive) and hiked down into town.  During the day time (when traffic is much worse) we have used the local bus (I call them Orange buses) which was mentioned in JB's post.  Those local (Orange) buses are permitted to drive down into town and are quite convenient.

 

Hank

[cruisemom42]

7 hours ago, Piper77 said:

Tour company emailed me back and said it was a mistake. Given that it mentioned a tour of 9 plus I’m wondering if these fees relate to an actual bus that has even more restrictions on where it can get to that a small van or car. 
 

In any case I’m good to and can’t wait to see the Amalfi Coast!

 

Glad to hear they got it straightened out. In October when I arranged a tour, our van stopped in Positano and likely parked in the same garage mentioned above -- it was very convenient and just on the edge of the main part of town. We certainly didn't pay any premium for entry or parking for our group of 7.

 

 

 

 

[edinburgher]

 

Tour company emailed me back and said it was a mistake. Given that it mentioned a tour of 9 plus I’m wondering if these fees relate to an actual bus that has even more restrictions on where it can get to that a small van or car. In any case I’m good to and can’t wait to see the Amalfi Coast!

 

Piper 77, so pleased that the miscommunication issue has been resolved.. I hope the restrictions will make for a more pleasant drive with less traffic as the area was becoming more and more gridlocke.over the years.

Further to my post #3, I had a quick look at ZTLs in Italy, and Positano is on the list I  looked at.I was surprised to see quite as many towns and cities listed, including Civitaveccia and all the popular Tuscan towns in addition to larger cities throughou the country. Other countries are also  introducing these.Coaches/buses are particularly hard hit financially in most and in some locations not permitted at all. Restrictions are usually in place throughout the summer months.  Fines are issued automatically as these areas, ( sometimes routes), are monitored electronically.  In Civitavecchia, which was a bit of a surprise finding on the list,  there is even  a E120 charge for coaches  near cruise ship gangways, (they got a special mention) but free if they park up at the shuttle drop point.

 

MESSAGE FOR HLitner

Hank, you have a preference for car rental and several results regarding restricted driving also popped up in the results, with one of the points mentioned being the alternate driving days depending on whether your reg plate has an odd or an even number. With a car rental, you would probably not know the reg plate number until the rental is collected on the day.  For any future rentals, (and this would apply to anyone considering a rental) especially if dates fall between April and September,  it would be  be wise to check the rules for your planned journey ahead of time before committing to a rental. and I am sorry about that as it is your preferred way of moving around Europe.

[Hlitner]

LOL regarding rental car rules in Italy!  We have been driving throughout Italy for about thirty years, and the rules change with the phases of the moon.  I had heard (cannot confirm) that Positano is now part of a ZTL (limited driving zone) which actually makes a lot of sense.  If so, this would preclude driving any vehicle into town (there are usually ZTL exceptions if you are staying in a local hotel).  As one who has driven throughout the country, we are always wrestling with changing ZTLs.

 

Alternate driving days would actually be a more liberal policy than ZTLs :).  It is all part of the game.  The last time we heard about this odd/even policy we also heard they were making exceptions for the hours between 10am and 6pm (when there would be no restrictions).  

 

https://www.positanonews.it/2023/04/targhe-alterne-sulla-statale-amalfitana-in-occasione-della-settimana-santa/3626542/

 

I used to have enough local Italian parking tickets to wallpaper my bathroom 🙂For some reason, many localities have not figured out how to collect parking fines via rental car companies.  As one point, a small town in Chianti sent me a parking ticket (in Italian) via Registered Mail.  It cost them over $20 to send that letter which requested I send them a check payable in Euros :).  In the true Italian tradition, that request made it to the nearest trash can.

 

Hank

[edinburgher]

Alternate driving days would actually be a more liberal policy than ZTLs 🙂

 

Maybe so  as you could drive every other day, but perhaps a change of location would need to be taken into account to avoid wanting to, or having to, travel on a day a rental cannot be used on a particular route should it have such a restriction. As a long stretch of the Amalfi Coast carries this restriction  any cruise pax intending to pick up a rental for this drive on their port day should check.

 

Whatever, guidance issued.

  I had heard (cannot confirm) that Positano is now part of a ZTL (limited driving zone)

 

Definitely on the list Hank.

 

Edited May 19, 2023 by edinburgher

[John Bull]

35 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

 

 

I used to have enough local Italian parking tickets to wallpaper my bathroom 🙂For some reason, many localities have not figured out how to collect parking fines via rental car companies.  As one point, a small town in Chianti sent me a parking ticket (in Italian) via Registered Mail.  It cost them over $20 to send that letter which requested I send them a check payable in Euros :).  In the true Italian tradition, that request made it to the nearest trash can.

 

Hank

 

 

Hank, I'm sure that you're aware that if a rental operator receives a fine for parking where you shouldn't or driving where you shouldn't, or faster than you should, or didn't pay when you should, they generally just add it to your credit card together with a fat handling charge.

So one day you'll get clobbered 😛.

 

Automation of these thing is the bane of this technically-inept dinosaur's life - if something has to be paid thro the ether I'm in trouble..................

 - Needed to cross Houston from San Antonio to Galveston. Avoiding Houston entirely was a long & complex cross-country, but to use Houston's thru toll-roads would have involved setting up an account, paying more than the toll ,then closing the account and being refunded the over-payment.

So we figured a route thro complex junctions to stay on Houston's freeways. Made it safely, despite a late lane change or two during which I learned some agricultural American words from other drivers.

- Similar pre-pay tolls to downtown Boston from the north. A mazy route to avoid them, but had a GPS with an "avoiding toll roads" option, so no drama. 

- Crossing Sydney Harbour Bridge to return the car. Window open, cash in hand - no toll booths. 🙄

Was able to pay on-line at the rental office, avoiding their admin fee.

 

But at least during covid I learned how to pay for fuel at the pump rather than join a line at the kiosk, so I'm gradually joining the 20th Century. 

 

JB 🙂

[Hlitner]

JB,

As I posted, for reasons unknown to me there are some localities within Italy that either do not go after the rental car companies, or are somehow ignored by those same rental car companies.  The specific ticket to which I referred was a parking ticket I got when we stopped at a flea market in a small town along the S222 (the Chianti wine road that runs between Florence and Siena).  It is still a topic of laughter when I get together with my friend who had to translate the Italian language letter that came "Registered Mail."   We have had other tickets in Europe that were handled by the rental car company (who than charged me along with an "administrative fee").  

 

Since we know you are a fan of driving in our country, here is another dilemma.  There are some toll roads that no longer have any option to pay the toll by cash.  You either must have the appropriate transponder (and these can vary depending on where you are driving) or you get a "toll by mail."  Of course with a rental car, the mail by toll option goes to the rental car company who may add a hefty administrative fee.  It can be difficult to avoid this for a renter.  A great example are the tunnels and bridges in/out of NYC (i.e. Holland Tunnel, Lincoln Tunnel, etc) which can only be satisfied if you have an "EZPASS" transponder.  This is not practical for rentals since you have to buy those devices (at certain places or through the mail) and some rental car companies do not have those transponders in their cars.  So your only option is to drive and let the "toll by mail" go to your rental car company.  It is unfair.

 

To make matters worse (for even we Americans) the various toll transponders are often not compatible.  So, for example, although I have an EZPASS in my car, it is worthless when I drive in Florida where they use an incompatible "SunPass."   Some rental car companies do have a specific transponder in their cars, but they often charge some outrageous fee if you want to use the device.

 

Hank

P.S.  Even your black Mustang Convertible cannot go fast enough to avoid those toll cameras.