Overview
- Italy’s transport regulator ART has published rules requiring refunds when actual travel time on a motorway stretch exceeds the expected time, starting January 1, 2026 for single-operator sections and December 1, 2026 for multi-operator routes.
- Eligibility and refund size depend on the cause of the delay, distance and time lost, with thresholds that include 50% back for one to two hours of non‑works delays, 75% for two to three hours and 100% beyond three hours, and lower thresholds for planned works.
- The regulation excludes several scenarios from refunds, including emergency works, rescue operations, extreme weather unless traffic is completely stopped, mobile works, and accidents unless they fully block traffic.
- Drivers will be able to claim through a unified app, a web portal or a free phone line, with traffic monitoring including automatic license-plate recognition and the possibility of automatic refunds in some cases.
- The scheme applies to foreign motorists, while Codacons criticizes a transition that lets operators offset payouts with higher tolls and questions persist over jams at toll plazas and the usability of the new app.