Mountain pass · 3 km off the route
Passo della Futa
- Summit
- 903 m summit
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Road trip route · Italy
Rome to Milan drive time, distance, costs & the best stops
- Drive time
- 6 hr
- Distance
- 572 km
- Fuel (est.)
- €74
- Tolls (est.)
- €32
The Rome to Milan drive
The drive from Rome to Milan covers 355 miles (572 km) and takes about 6 hr without stops. That's a long day, but doable in one go with a couple of proper breaks. If you'd rather split it, Florence is about halfway.
Most of it is one road: the A1 carries 86% of the distance. On the way you go past Monterotondo, Montevarchi and Bologna, and you'll be near Florence roughly 2 h 48 min in.
Expect gentle hills rather than climbs. The high point is around 466 m near Florence. The Passo della Futa is 3 km off the route if you have time for a detour.
Expect fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) to cost around €74 one-way plus roughly €32 in motorway tolls. Prices shift monthly, so treat these as ballpark figures.
At 355 miles this is longer than 87% of the 144 routes covered here, so it is worth treating as a trip in itself rather than a transfer. Split across 2 days it works out at about 3 hours behind the wheel each day, which leaves most of the daylight for the places in between.
The road, kilometre by kilometre
Towns within a few kilometres of the fastest route, with the time it takes to reach them without stopping.
- StartRome
- 25 kmMonterotondo16 min in
- 228 kmMontevarchi2 h 24 min ingood place to stop
- 265 kmFlorence2 h 48 min in
- 364 kmBologna3 h 50 min ingood place to stop
- 403 kmModena4 h 14 min in
- 451 kmParma4 h 45 min in
- 507 kmPiacenza5 h 21 min in
- 539 kmLodi5 h 41 min in
- 572 kmMilan
How high it goes
Roads you'll be on
- A1492 km · 86%
- A1var33 km · 6%
Famous roads on or near the drive
From the 500-plus passes and driving roads drivers collect in the Plan Your Road Trips app. None are on the fastest route, but these are close enough for a detour.
Famous road · 6 km off the route
Appian Way
Famous road · 16 km off the route
Strada Chiantigiana (SR222)
Best stops between Rome and Milan
Within ~30 km of the driving route, worth the detour.
Museums
Museo Lamborghini (MUDETEC)
Situated at the Lamborghini headquarters, it displays the evolution of the brand's iconic supercars and future technology.
Cathedrals & Temples
Florence Cathedral (Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore)
Brunelleschi's magnificent terracotta dome dominates the Florence skyline and remains the largest brick dome ever constructed.
Waterfalls
Cascata delle Marmore
A 165-meter man-made waterfall created by the ancient Romans in 271 BC, now one of Italy's most impressive cascades.
Cathedrals & Temples
Orvieto
A dramatic Umbrian hill town perched atop volcanic tufa cliffs, crowned by one of Italy's most ornate Gothic cathedrals.
Museums
Museo Ferrari Maranello
The heart of the Prancing Horse empire featuring iconic Formula 1 cars, road legends, and interactive racing simulators.
Museums
Museo Enzo Ferrari Modena
Birthplace museum of Enzo Ferrari housed under a dramatic yellow aluminum hood-shaped roof celebrating the man behind the legend.
Historic Highways
Autostrada del Sole
Italy's original motorway running from Milan to Naples through Tuscany and past Rome, an icon of postwar Italian engineering.
Museums
Uffizi Gallery
Italy's foremost art gallery, housing the greatest collection of Renaissance art including Botticelli's Birth of Venus.
Landmarks
Modena
An Emilian city of culinary excellence home to traditional balsamic vinegar, a Romanesque cathedral, and the Ferrari and Lamborghini factories.
What you need for this drive
Rules for each country on the route, in the order you meet them.
Italy
- Motorway
- 130 km/h · 50 in town
- Tolls
- Autostrade
- Must carry
- warning triangle, hi-vis vest
- Winter tyres
- 15 November - 15 April
Low-emission zones: ZTL (Zona a Traffico Limitato).
Checked against national road authorities and the ECB reference rates. Rules change — confirm before you travel.
Famous drives in Italy
Legendary routes you could bolt onto this trip, with real distances and stop counts.
Rome to Milan FAQs
How long is the drive from Rome to Milan?
Driving from Rome to Milan takes about 6 hr nonstop, covering 355 miles (572 km). Add time for breaks: most drivers stop every 2 hours.
How much does it cost to drive from Rome to Milan?
Fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) costs roughly €74 one-way. Expect around €32 in motorway tolls. Estimates are indicative: prices change monthly.
Can I drive from Rome to Milan in one day?
Yes, though it's a long day: about 6 hr of driving. Plenty of people do it in one go with two or three proper breaks; if you'd rather split it, Florence is about halfway.
Which roads do you take from Rome to Milan?
The fastest route uses the A1 (about 492 km), the A1var (about 33 km). It passes Monterotondo, Montevarchi, Florence, Bologna.
Where should I stop on the way from Rome to Milan?
If you stop every couple of hours, Montevarchi comes up about 2 h in, and Bologna comes up about 4 h in. All are just off the main road.
What other drives can I plan on Plan Your Road Trips?
We publish drive times, distances and fuel estimates for 144 routes across Europe and beyond, including 17 other drives in the same country. Browse them all on the routes index.
What are the best stops between Rome and Milan?
Top-rated stops in the drive corridor include Museo Lamborghini (MUDETEC), Florence Cathedral (Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore), Cascata delle Marmore: see the full list of 9 stops on this page.
More drives from Rome & Milan
London → RomeMilan → FlorenceMilan → Lake ComoMilan → VeniceNice → MilanRome → AmalfiRome → FlorenceRome → NaplesRome → PisaRome → Venice
Planning a bigger trip? Try the free Italy road trip planner, browse every destination we cover, take it with you on the road, or read the driving in Italy guide.