Filling up in Italy: petrol stations, self-service and fuel names

Buying fuel in Italy is easy once you know three words and one machine: benzina, gasolio, fai da te — and the central pay terminal that runs the pumps out of hours.

By ZTL Italia · Guide last reviewed 15 October 2026

The words on the pump

Pump colours are not standardised across brands, so read the label, not the handle colour. On a hire car the fuel type is usually printed inside the fuel flap and on the key tag. Putting petrol in a diesel car is one of the most expensive mistakes of a road trip: if you do it, do not start the engine.

Self-service or attended

Many stations have two kinds of pump, and two prices:

• Fai da te or self — you fill up yourself. This is the cheaper price.
• Servito — an attendant fills up for you, at a noticeably higher price per litre, sometimes 15–20 cents more.

If you pull up at a servito pump, an attendant will come out and you will pay the higher price. The displays at the station entrance show both prices, and by law the prices must be visible from the road.

The central pay terminal

Outside staffed hours — lunchtime, evenings, Sundays and holidays at many stations — the self-service pumps are run by an automatic terminal, often signed self service pre-pagamento or simply with a card and banknote symbol. The routine:

• Choose the language (most offer English).
• Enter the pump number.
• Pay by card — the terminal pre-authorises an amount and charges what you actually pump — or feed in banknotes for the amount you want.
• Fill up at that pump before the time-out.

Two catches. Cash terminals give no change: if you pay €50 and the tank takes €38, you get a receipt for the difference that the station refunds when it is staffed. And some terminals refuse foreign cards, so having a little cash avoids being stuck.

Opening hours

Town stations are commonly staffed in the morning and afternoon with a break at lunch, and closed for attended service on Sundays and holidays; the self-service terminal keeps them usable around the clock. Motorway service areas (aree di servizio) are open 24 hours.

Motorway fuel costs more

Fuel on the motorway is usually among the most expensive in Italy, and the gap is larger at servito pumps. On a long day’s drive it is worth filling up in a town before you join the motorway. The ministry’s Osservaprezzi carburanti lists the current price at every station in Italy, and most map apps show prices too.

To estimate what a whole trip will cost in fuel and tolls, use our road trip cost calculator.

Returning a hire car

Most rentals are full-to-full: return it with a full tank or pay the company’s refuelling charge, which is far above the pump price. Stations near the big airports are busy and sometimes pricier; fill up a few kilometres earlier, and keep the receipt in case the tank level is disputed.