Car Hire Trieste Airport (TRS)

You’ll find our Avis counter at Trieste located in the arrivals hall on the ground floor of the terminal building near the lifts after you leave the baggage reclaim. Our Avis rental car collection is a short walk away in the airport parking where you’ll see signs for Avis, Budget and Maggiore. When you return your car just follow the rental car signs.

Trieste Airport (TRS) began life in the 20th century as an Italian Airforce base. The airport has expanded in the past decade and is now a developing hub for low-cost airlines and one of Europe’s fastest growing airports.

Today the airport welcomes more than 1.6million passengers annually with flights between 30 destinations in 14 countries with more routes being added to make it even more appealing to visitors who plan to see Croatia, Austria and Slovenia as well as Northern Italy. 

The airport is the subject of a major development project to improve passenger comfort making departure and arrivals areas more welcoming and spacious.

Well located northwest of the city centre Trieste Airport has good road access via the E70 highway.

If you are driving in Trieste, Italy for the first time, make sure you familiarise yourself with Italian driving rules before picking up your car. Trieste can be busy at peak times – generally between 8am-10am and 6pm-8pm and it’s sensible to use GPS and plan your route before you travel. While the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region’s road network is generally good, as in much of Italy, you will find routes in small towns and villages can be narrow and winding and road surfaces vary in remote areas.

Some key road rules in Italy include driving on the right, as in the rest of Europe and overtaking on the left. Dipped headlights must be used in certain situations including on motorways, at night outside built-up areas, and when visibility is poor in rain or snow.

Mobile phones may only be used with a headset or hands-free device. It is forbidden to use the car horn in a built-up area unless in danger.

From the Avis car park at Trieste Airport to the centre of Trieste is a drive of 38.6km which will take around 40min depending on the time of day. Head south east from the airport and take the E70 highway following signs to the centre of the city.

Surrounded by white limestone cliffs, green hills and the sparkling Adriatic sea, Trieste is a spectacular setting to start your road trip. This striking port city with a picturesque canal, boasts an impressive mix of architecture from neoclassical and baroque buildings to ancient Roman arches. The synagogue on Via San Francesco D’Assisi is one of the largest in Europe and the cafes that line this street are famed in the city. The city’s charming old town, Città Vecchia, is a myriad of narrow streets, cobbled pathways and medieval houses. The Austrian quarter is a relic from Trieste’s time as an Austrian-Hungarian dominion and the grandiose architecture here is reminiscent of Vienna. The captivating Piazza Unità d’Italia (Unity of Italy Square) is the largest seafront square in Europe.

From Trieste Airport, it couldn’t be easier to explore the charms of the region’s other cities as well as to hop across the border to explore neighbouring Croatia, Slovenia or Austria.

Venice
Drive west on the A4 from Trieste for just under 90 minutes and you’ll arrive in the romantic and completely unique city of Venice. Its waterways are often considered the city’s top attraction. Byzantine architecture can be seen across the city, most notably in its churches. St Mark’s Basilica is a prime example. Be sure to visit the Palazzo Ducale and the Gallerie dell’Accademia – one of the city’s best art galleries. Put simply, Venice is a captivating city that cannot be missed.

Ljubljana
An hour’s drive east of Trieste, the Slovenian city of Ljubljana is one of the smallest capitals in Europe. Often overlooked, it has a host of attractions to explore including an impressive old town featuring cobbled streets and alabaster bridges. The glittering waters of the Ljubljanica River flow through the heart of the city, while a charming medieval fortress is perched on Castle Hill. Be sure to spend time in Prešernov Trg, the huge main square, and stop by the 13th-century Cathedral of St Nicholas.

• Browse all Car Hire locations in Italy    
• Udine    
• Pordenone