City access
ETOA’s current focus on city access includes:
- Access for coaches, especially those carrying passengers long-distance with luggage
- Advocacy for value, impact, and environmental performance of private coaching
- Restrictions imposed on group walking tours, especially in historic centres
Most of ETOA’s 370+ buyer members produce cultural group tourism. The conference and events industry depends on group operations. Much of this occurs in Europe’s historic centres whose environmental targets as well as fabric and street plan affect options for access.
Group tourism is an easy target for policy makers who want to be seen to ‘do something’ about ‘over tourism’ and congested streets, but coaches make efficient use of limited road space, organised groups are easy to manage, and are less likely to cause anti-social nuisance.
Intelligent compromise is necessary but often elusive under the pressure of local political priorities and cycles. This page is intended to provide current information on locations where access can be especially problematic. For comment and correction, please contact us.
While best efforts have been made to verify the information below and identify official websites we cannot take responsibility for its accuracy, nor that of third party websites.
France
Last reviewed July 2023
- ASFA – live road traffic information for motorway network
- Tolls.EU – third party website on road tolls
- Black Saturday – annual coach ban transporting children on the metropolitan road network
- 2023 dates – 5 and 12 August
- Low Emission Zones (‘ZFE’)
- Crit-Air sticker – mandatory to purchase and display in a ‘ZFE’ and in an area during high periods of pollution to show the vehicle’s emission standard
- Urban Access Regulations – third party website on low emission and other access restriction zones
Paris
Paris tourist board (OTCP) coach webpage – French| English
- PASS Autocar – mandatory to purchase for coach parking and includes news on parking disruption
- Paris City Hall planned traffic disruption/diversions
- Sytadin – live traffic information
- Paris Respire – road closures on weekends and public holidays
- Low Emission Zone (ZFE)
- Within A86 ring road plus small area beyond
- Time of Operation – 8am-8pm every day
- Minimum standard – Crit-Air sticker 3 | Euro V (5) for Diesel engine
- From 1 January 2025 – Crit-Air sticker 2 | Euro VI (6) for Diesel engine
- Objective from 2030 – Diesel vehicles no longer permitted
- Crit-Air sticker – mandatory to purchase and display in vehicle to show the vehicle’s emission standard
New access restriction zone (ZTL) planned to be implemented in 2024
Coaches as well as other private vehicles are planned to be prohibited from transiting the ZTL in Central Paris. Further information can be found on the Paris City Hall ZTL webpage.
We understand the perimeter of the ZTL could change (the ZTL is listed as 1-7 arrondissements on the City Hall webpage) as well as the proposed start date of 1 January 2024 until after the Summer Olympics. It is expected the ZTL will include at least the 1-4 arrondissements.
In addition, destination coach traffic regardless of engine type may be prohibited in the ZTL (except to access the Louvre coach park via the West Quays). We will update members once more information is known.
Managed by RATP
Italy
Last reviewed July 2023
- Live traffic information
- Road tolls information
- Autostrade – toll price calculation
- Pedemontana Lombarda – toll free flow motorway
- Tolls.EU – third party website
- Urban Access Regulations – third party website on low emission and other access restriction zones (ZTL)
- List of municipalities authorised by national government to implement a ZTL
Naples
Comune Di Napoli (City Council) coach webpage
- Comune Di Napoli planned traffic disruption/diversions
- Luceverde – live traffic information
- ANM S.p.A. – drop-off points and parking
- Multiple access restriction zones (ZTL) across the city and require a permit to enter. Time in operation varies between ZTLs and entry point.
Managed by multiple companies. Further information can be found on Comune Di Naoli (City Council) public transport webpage.
Rome
Roma Mobilita (City Council Transport Department) coach webpage – Italian | English
- Roma Mobilita map (Italian | English) – drop-off points and parking
- Luceverde – live traffic information
- Low emission zone
- Within A90 and E80 ring road
- Time in Operation – permanently
- Minimum standard – Euro V (5) for Diesel engine
- Access restriction zone (ZTL BUS turistici) – Italian | English
- Within A90 and E80 ring road and divided into 3 smaller zones (A,B,C)
- Time in operation:
- ZTL BUS A – permanently
- ZTL BUS B – 5am to midnight every day
- ZTL BUS C – permanently
- A permit is required to enter/park in a zone. Type of permit required varies depending on journey and if stopping/parking in the areas surrounding the Colosseum and Vatican.
- Frequently Asked Questions – Roma Mobilita webpage
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- ETOA comment and lobbying (current ZTL BUS turistici implemented in January 2019):
- ETOA press release – November 2018
- ETOA press release – December 2018
- Roma Mobilita response to ETOA questions on the ZTL BUS turistici – January 2019
- Report and appendix submitted to Roma Mobilita with information and feedback collected from members on impact of ZTL BUS turistici – February 2020
- ETOA comment and lobbying (current ZTL BUS turistici implemented in January 2019):
Managed by ATAC S.p.A
Netherlands
Last reviewed July 2023
- vanAnaarBeter – live/planned road traffic information and weblinks for public transport providers
- Road tolls – Kiltunnel | Westerscheldetunnel
- Low emission zones (‘Milieuzones’)
- Milieuzones applicable to coaches (‘purple’)
- Urban Access Regulations – third party website on low emission and other access restriction zones
Amsterdam
Gemeente (City Council) coach webpage – Dutch | English
- Tour Buzz – Drop-off points, parking and live/planned traffic disruption/diversions
- Low Emission Zone
- Within A10 ring road
- Time of Operation – permanent
- Minimum standard – Euro VI (6) for Diesel engine
New access restriction plan from 1 January 2024
The Gemeente plan (following announcement in February 2023 and Municipal Executive adoption in June 2023) to further restrict coach access within the S100 from 1 January 2024. Coaches weighing more than 7.5 tonnes will only be permitted to access the Weesperstraat-Valkenburgerstraat-Kattenburgerstraat corridor, except when issued with an exemption permit.
Exemptions
Information on the application process for an exemption permit is expected to be announced in autumn 2023. For all coach news, see Gemeente webpage.
Operators transporting the following passengers to or from educational, cultural or arts institutions e.g. museums, theatres and zoos can apply for an exemption permit:
- Children up to 12 years of age
- Elderly people from state pension age (67 years of age from 2024)
- Disabled people
An exemption permit may either be valid for one day or one year and depending on the route and time of day, permits may be limited.
Notably, a tour, such as by canal boat, does not appear to count as a cultural visit, despite it showcasing a World Heritage Site. Likewise, transporting passengers with luggage to or from accommodation providers does not qualify for an exemption (except in limited special circumstances). Thus, in effect, the plan bans large group bookings within the S100 not staying on/near the Weesperstraat-Valkenburgerstraat-Kattenburgerstraat corridor, unless other options such as minibuses, other private hire vehicles or public transport are used.
ETOA comment and lobbying on the general 2020-2025 plan and coaching:
Rules are in effect for guiding tours in the Centrum District (within the S100)
Summary
- Tours are only permitted between 8am-10pm.
- Tours (including less than 5 people) are prohibited from passing prostitution windows (see maps).
- A permit (exemption) is required from 5 people up to a maximum 15 people per group excluding guide.
- A permit (exemption) is not required when accompanying a group e.g. to a restaurant (with proof of reservation). Our understanding is that there is no maximum group number.
- ETOA comment and lobbying:
Managed by GVB
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