World News

Rome prepares regulations to limit tourist golf carts in historic center

City officials seek regional regulatory powers to cap fleet sizes and set fixed routes following a surge in bookings and local congestion complaints.

Updated Sep 4, 2026 · 06:18 UTC2 reports

The short version

Rome officials are preparing new rules to cap the number of tourist golf carts, establish fixed routes, and select approved operators.
The push follows a reported 147% jump in summer golf cart bookings and complaints regarding illegal parking, congestion, and overtourism.
Police have increased roadside enforcement, issuing large fines and temporary vehicle bans to operators.
Implementation of citywide rules depends on the regional government officially transferring passenger transport regulatory authority to Rome.

According to TripAdvisor, golf cart bookings in Rome rose 147% during the summer compared to 2024, with up to 500 carts operating across the city.[ABC News · Associated Press]
Eugenio Patanè, Rome's deputy mayor for sustainable mobility and transport, requested regional authorities transfer passenger transport and tourism regulatory powers to the city to enact fleet caps and set specific routes.[ABC News · Associated Press]
Authorities have stepped up enforcement against operators, issuing vehicle bans exceeding one month for alleged unauthorized private-hire services and fines up to 4,000 euros ($4,600) for unlicensed guiding.[ABC News · Associated Press]
Rome's historic center contains roughly 4,300 regular on-street parking spaces while accommodating an average of 50,000 entering vehicles each day.[ABC News · Associated Press]

The exact timing and terms under which the regional administration will formally transfer transport regulatory powers to Rome remain unfinalized.[ABC News · Associated Press]