Italy will now reimburse your toll fees in case of traffic jams

©Roman Vasylovskyi via Unsplash

Since June 1, 2026, Italy has had a new toll regulation under which drivers can, in certain cases, receive a refund for part of their toll costs if they are stuck in traffic or experience delays due to roadwork. Foreign holiday makers are also generally eligible, but the policy doesn’t apply everywhere, and the application process is anything but simple.

The discount applies to highways managed by Autostrade per l’Italia, Raccordo Autostradale Valle d’Aosta, Società Autostrada Tirrenica, and Tangenziale di Napoli. Together, these account for approximately 3,000 kilometers of toll roads. It's important to note, however, that the delay must be caused by scheduled roadwork or by a traffic jam on a section managed by one of these operators; accidents, emergency repairs, and extreme weather are excluded from the scheme.

For long traffic jams, the duration of the delay is taken into account. For a traffic jam lasting more than one hour, at least a 50 percent refund is granted; between two and three hours, this increases to 75 percent; and for delays of three hours or more, the refund is generally 100 percent, provided that the amount to be refunded exceeds 1 euro. Different thresholds apply to roadwork: trips of up to 30 kilometers always qualify for a refund; for trips between 30 and 50 kilometers, a refund is granted starting at a 10-minute delay; and for trips over 50 kilometers, a refund is granted starting at a 15-minute delay. Autostrade per l’Italia gives the example that for a 90-kilometer trip with 40 minutes of additional travel time, approximately 75 percent of the toll may be refunded.

Cumbersome procedure

You can submit a claim via the Muovy Cashback app or through Autostrade per l’Italia’s online portal. Registration is possible, but typically requires an Italian tax code or VAT identification number, which creates extra hassle for foreign travelers. That’s why it’s also possible to apply without registering: upload a photo or scan of the toll receipt—no sooner than four hours after it’s issued—and then follow up the application with a code sent by email. However, the reform is already facing criticism. Consumer organizations fear that the costs of the compensation will ultimately be passed on to road users through higher toll rates. As a result, they argue, the system risks creating a lot of paperwork without offering any real benefit to drivers.

©Roman Vasylovskyi via Unsplash