Booking choice: The small-group minivan tour, from $110 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
You can drive the SS163 from Sorrento to Amalfi in a hire car, and outside the busy months it is a beautiful drive. But it is worth knowing the rules and the practicalities before you commit, because they surprise many visitors.
The quick answer
In peak periods (typically summer, Easter and holiday weekends, 10 AM to 6 PM), an alternate number-plate scheme lets non-resident cars on the SS163 only on odd or even days according to the last digit of the plate. Residents, taxis, buses and hotel guests with a booking are exempt. Vehicles over 10.36 m are banned all year. Parking in Positano and Amalfi is scarce and expensive. Most visitors are better off with a tour, the bus or the ferry.
What is the Amalfi Coast number-plate rule?
Since 2019, during peak periods, cars with a plate ending in an odd number may not drive the SS163 on odd dates, and even-numbered plates may not drive on even dates, typically between 10 AM and 6 PM.
The exact dates are set by ordinance each year and have covered Easter week, summer weekends and holidays, and much of the summer. Check the current ordinance for your travel dates before you rely on a hire car.
Rather not check plate numbers? The small-group minivan picks you up near your hotel.
Check dates for the small-group minivan tourWho is exempt from the plate rule?
Local residents, taxis, buses, vehicles carrying disabled badge holders, and guests with a hotel booking on the coast.
Tour minibuses and private drivers are not affected, which is one reason tours keep running on days when your hire car cannot.
Are there limits on vehicle size?
Yes: vehicles longer than 10.36 metres, including anything towing a trailer, are banned from 6:30 AM to midnight all year.
That rules out full-size coaches and camper vans with trailers, and explains why every tour uses minibuses or vans.
How hard is the drive?
Hard for most visitors: it is narrow, full of blind bends, and shared with buses that need the whole width.
Buses sound their horns before blind corners, and cars often have to reverse to let them pass. Scooters overtake on both sides. In summer, traffic can crawl for long stretches. The driver also misses most of the view.
Where can you park in Positano and Amalfi?
In a handful of small, expensive garages, which fill early in summer; roadside parking is very limited.
Plan on paying by the hour and arriving early, or staying somewhere with parking. Ravello has more space but is also busy in season.
Want the freedom without the parking? A private driver stops where you like and waits for you.
Explore the private tour with driverWhen does driving yourself make sense?
Outside peak season, on weekdays, for confident drivers staying on the coast, or for trips beyond the towns the tours visit.
From November to March, outside the plate-rule periods, the road is quieter and parking easier. It is also the best way to reach small villages and trailheads at your own pace.
What are the alternatives to driving?
A small-group or private tour, the SITA bus, or the ferry from Sorrento in season.
Compare them in Amalfi Coast tours from Sorrento and the bus guide.
Leave the car at the hotel: check dates for the small-group drive.
Check dates for the small-group minivan tourFrequently asked questions
Can tourists drive the Amalfi Coast?
Yes, but in peak periods the alternate number-plate rule applies to non-resident cars, and parking is difficult. Check the current ordinance for your dates.
Is it scary to drive the Amalfi Coast?
Many visitors find it stressful: narrow lanes, blind bends, buses and scooters. It is manageable for confident drivers off-season.
Do hire cars count as residents?
No. Ordinary hire cars follow the plate rule; exemptions cover residents, taxis, buses, disabled badge holders and hotel guests with a booking.
Ready to book
Choose your day
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Small-Group Amalfi Coast Drive by Minivan
- English-speaking driver who guides along the way
- Air-conditioned minivan, maximum 8 travelers
- Pickup within about 2 km of central Sorrento
Private Amalfi Coast Tour with Driver
- Private air-conditioned vehicle and local driver
- Pickup from your hotel, port or station around Sorrento or Naples
- All tolls, parking, fuel and taxes; bottled water
Positano, Amalfi & Ravello Day Tour
- Guide with live commentary all day, plus a driver
- Air-conditioned minibus, groups of up to 21
- Boat transfer Positano to Amalfi (about April to October)
