Italy's Toll Roads Go Seamless for Tourists with New Tech Partnership

AMSTERDAM, Jan. 28, 2026 – A new partnership is set to eliminate one of the most common headaches for tourists and business travelers driving across Italy. Smart mobility leader Verra Mobility and major Italian car rental provider Locauto Group have announced a collaboration to introduce a seamless electronic toll payment solution, aiming to transform the driving experience on the nation's extensive motorway network.

For millions of travelers, the convenience of this new system cannot be overstated. Renters using Locauto—which also operates the Enterprise, National, and Alamo brands in Italy—can now opt into a program that automatically handles toll payments. This allows them to use the faster electronic toll lanes, bypassing the often-congested cash and card booths and removing the stress of fumbling for euros or worrying about fines.

The End of the Autostrada Headache

Navigating Italy's 7,000-kilometer network of autostrade has long been a source of anxiety for international visitors. While Italy was an early adopter of electronic toll collection (ETC), with nearly 67% of all transactions processed electronically, the primary system, Telepass, has historically been difficult for tourists to access. Many rental car companies did not offer the transponders, or if they did, the devices came with cumbersome requirements or significant daily fees. This left most tourists in the slow lanes, needing to stop at a booth to take a ticket and then pay with cash or a credit card upon exiting the motorway.

This manual process is fraught with potential issues. Credit card readers at toll booths can be unreliable, and not all foreign cards are accepted, leading to long lines and frustrated drivers. The alternative, paying with cash, requires having the correct change ready. More alarmingly, accidentally driving through a dedicated Telepass lane without a transponder can result in hefty fines, which are then passed on to the renter by the car rental company, often with substantial administrative fees attached. Travel forums are filled with stories of travelers facing unexpected charges months after their Italian holiday.

This new partnership directly addresses these long-standing pain points. The integrated solution is designed to be frictionless, turning a point of friction into a feature of convenience and enhancing the overall travel experience.

A Strategic Alliance for a Seamless Journey

The collaboration between Verra Mobility and Locauto Group offers a simple yet powerful solution. During the vehicle rental process at any of the 100+ Locauto locations—strategically placed at airports, railway stations, and city centers—customers can easily opt in to the electronic tolling program. Once activated, Verra Mobility's proprietary software links the vehicle's license plate to the rental agreement, automatically processing any tolls incurred during the rental period. The driver can then travel freely, using the designated electronic lanes without stopping.

"By implementing electronic tolling, Locauto's rental car users can now access better 'fast lanes,' creating a safer and seamless tolling experience across all roadways in Italy," said Tsjerk-Friso Roelfzema, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Verra Mobility Europe. "As we've seen in other European markets, electronic tolling saves drivers time and frustration and solves pain points for rental car companies."

For Locauto, the move is a strategic enhancement of its customer service offerings. In a market that is growing at approximately 5% annually and is heavily influenced by over 70 million international visitors each year, differentiating through superior customer experience is key.

"Locauto has always been committed to delivering innovative solutions that simplify and enrich the rental experience for our customers," stated Raffaella Tavazza, Locauto Group CEO. "We immediately recognized the added value that Verra Mobility's solution brings, and we are thrilled to leverage this partnership to further elevate the customer experience across all our rental locations in Italy."

Driving a Competitive Edge in a Growing Market

This partnership is more than just a customer convenience; it's a calculated business move that could reshape the competitive landscape of Italy's car rental industry. By being the first major provider to integrate such a streamlined, user-friendly tolling solution on a large scale, Locauto and its associated Enterprise Mobility brands gain a significant competitive advantage. For many tourists planning a road trip through Tuscany or a drive along the Amalfi Coast, the promise of a hassle-free toll experience could become a deciding factor when choosing a rental company.

As this new service gains traction, competitors like Hertz, Avis, and Sixt will likely be compelled to re-evaluate their own offerings. The previous model of offering no solution, or a costly and complicated one, may no longer be viable. This partnership sets a new standard for service in the Italian rental market, pushing the entire industry towards greater integration of digital mobility solutions.

Paving a Digital Future for European Roads

This initiative is also a significant milestone in the broader digitization of Europe's transportation infrastructure. Verra Mobility, which processes over 300 million toll transactions annually for more than seven million vehicles globally, is a key player in this transformation. The company's technology serves as the invisible backbone connecting vehicles, rental companies, and tolling authorities, creating a more efficient and interconnected mobility ecosystem.

While Italy's tolling system is mature, partnerships like this one demonstrate the ongoing evolution toward smarter, more user-centric infrastructure. As vehicles become more connected, the expectation for seamless, integrated services—from tolling and parking to violation management—will only grow. This collaboration in one of Europe's largest toll markets serves as a powerful case study for how public infrastructure and private enterprise can work together to solve complex challenges, ultimately making transportation smarter, safer, and more enjoyable for everyone on the road.