Access to the historic centre of Florence has been restricted since 1990. The restricted traffic area (“Zona a Traffico Limitato” or ZLT in Italian) covers an area of about 4km2 of the 48km2 city centre, which means 10.11m2 per inhabitant. There are currently twenty ZTL access gates equipped with Telepass® check-in technology developed by the company Autostrade per l’Italia S.p.A. Telepass® is a “semi-passive” transponder allowing communication between devices in vehicles and the infrastructure of the ZTL. In order to enter the ZTL vehicles must be equipped with a “Telepass® ZTL” device (allowing access to Florence ZTL only) or with a Telepass® device registered for the Italian motorway network. Access permits are granted only to specific categories of users and vehicles by the SAS company’s office in charge, according to municipality directives for transport and mobility.
ZTL electronic gates are controlled by cameras which automatically detect number plates of three-wheel or four-wheel vehicles passing through. Drivers accessing the ZTL without a special permission will be fined. Non-permit holders are also forbidden to park within the ZTL. Private garages are surely the best choice for non-residents who need to park in the city centre. Private garages ensure their customers will not be fined for driving and parking within the ZTL.