Car rentals in Sardinia

Driving in Sardinia: Essential Rules

Sardinia rewards a hire car more than almost any Italian destination. The island is large, its most beautiful spots — isolated coves, hilltop villages in the Ogliastra, nuragic ruins in the scrubland — sit well beyond the reach of the limited rail network, and driving between regions is genuinely part of the experience. Sardinia follows Italy's national road rules, with a handful of island-specific things worth knowing before you set off.

• Side of the road: In Sardinia you drive on the right-hand side and overtake on the left, as across the rest of Italy.
• No motorways, no tolls: Unlike mainland Italy, Sardinia has no autostrade at all. The island's main artery is the SS131 "Carlo Felice", a free dual carriageway linking Cagliari in the south to Porto Torres in the northwest, tracing a route first built in 1824 over an original Roman road. The SS131 DCN branches east via Nuoro toward Olbia, and the SS130 connects Cagliari to Iglesias in the southwest. There is no toll anywhere on the island.
• ZTL restricted zones still apply: Several Sardinian towns — including Cagliari, Alghero, Sassari, Nuoro, and Pula — operate a zona a traffico limitato (ZTL) restricting historic centres to residents and permit holders, enforced entirely by camera with no barrier or warning. Treat any red-bordered white circular sign as a firm stop and park outside the zone.
• Rough and unpaved roads: Many roads leading to beaches, coves, and the island's interior are unpaved, and potholes are common away from the main routes. A standard car manages the main network comfortably; take particular care and reduce speed on tracks to remoter beaches.
• Alcohol limit: The legal blood alcohol limit is 0.05%, dropping to a full zero for drivers under 21 and for those in their first years of holding a licence. If either applies to you, do not drink at all before driving.
• Speed enforcement: Fixed and mobile speed cameras are widespread across the island, including on quiet rural stretches — local drivers may exceed the posted limit, but enforcement doesn't discriminate by nationality. Watch particularly for Olbia, where the entire municipality has run a 30 km/h limit since 2021.
• Mobile phones: Handheld phone use while driving is illegal, as under mainland Italian law. Hands-free use is permitted.
• Mandatory equipment: Every vehicle must carry a warning triangle and a reflective vest, worn if you leave the car after a breakdown.

Sardinia has no toll roads of any kind — the entire network, including the SS131 and its branches, is free to use.

Sardinia Car Hire Insurance & Island-Specific Rules

Every car hire listed on eCarBookers includes the supplier's standard collision damage waiver (CDW) in the basic rate. Standard CDW carries an excess — the amount you would be responsible for in the event of damage. Excess amounts vary by supplier and vehicle class, and the exact figure is displayed clearly before you confirm your booking, so there are no surprises at the desk. You confirm your booking online and pay the balance at the rental desk when you collect the car — unlike most booking platforms, eCarBookers does not charge the full rental amount at the time of booking.

If you prefer to drive with no excess at all, fully comprehensive zero-excess cover is available directly from your supplier when you collect the car. The cover comes from the hire company itself, not a third-party insurer — so once added, there is no excess to pay and no reimbursement claim to file. Because your booking confirmation shows the standard excess that applies, you arrive knowing exactly what the cover replaces.

Certain situations fall outside standard CDW cover across the car hire industry. Tyres, glass, underbody damage, lost or damaged keys, and a flat battery caused by driver error — such as leaving the lights on while the vehicle is unattended — are typically not covered and may result in a separate charge if they occur. Tyre and underbody cover deserve particular attention here given the number of unpaved beach and rural roads — check your booking confirmation for the specific cover terms applicable to your hire, as scope can vary by supplier.

If your trip includes a smaller island off Sardinia's coast — La Maddalena in the northeast or Carloforte on San Pietro in the southwest — taking your hire car onto the connecting ferry is not something to assume is included. Most suppliers either prohibit it outright or require additional cover arranged in advance, so confirm with your supplier before booking if an island-to-island crossing is part of your itinerary; for most visitors, it's simpler to leave the car at the mainland port and travel on as a foot passenger.

Popular Car Hire Locations in Sardinia

eCarBookers compares car hire across Sardinia's three main gateways. Cagliari Elmas Airport serves the south, Olbia Airport the northeast and the Costa Smeralda, and Alghero Fertilia Airport the northwest. Each also has ferry port access at Cagliari, Olbia, Golfo Aranci, and Porto Torres. Every location follows the same model: book online, see every cost before you confirm, and pay the balance at the desk on collection.