ROME — The golf carts that once offered tourists a quiet and convenient way to see Rome’s ancient landmarks are now at the center of a growing transportation battle, with city authorities moving to rein in an industry accused of worsening congestion, illegal parking and overtourism.
Hundreds of golf carts are now operating around Rome’s historic center, turning the small electric vehicles into an increasingly common sight near some of the Italian capital’s most famous attractions.
But as their popularity has exploded, so has the controversy.
According to reporting by the Associated Press, around 500 golf carts are currently operating in Rome, while bookings for golf-cart tours have reportedly jumped 147% since 2024.
The rapid growth has prompted city officials to consider tighter controls, including limits on the number of vehicles, designated routes and a system for selecting authorized operators.
Why Rome is pushing back
For tourists, golf carts can be an appealing alternative to walking long distances or riding larger tourist buses through the crowded historic center.
Operators also argue that electric carts are quieter, smaller and cleaner than conventional tourist vehicles.
But critics say the growing fleet has created a different problem: more vehicles competing for already scarce road and parking space.
Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported in June that Rome police had issued more than 600 traffic-related violations in a single month involving a range of small mobility vehicles, including golf cars and motorized rickshaws. Authorities were also examining alleged violations involving vehicle authorizations and passenger-transport rules.
The problem is particularly visible around Rome’s historic center, where parking has long been notoriously difficult.
City transport officials cited only about 4,300 ordinary on-street parking spaces in the historic center—roughly a quarter of the number of cars owned by residents in the area.
That means even relatively small vehicles can add to the pressure when they stop near major tourist sites.
From tourist convenience to traffic headache
Recent reporting has highlighted instances of golf carts stopping in spaces not intended for them, including areas reserved for other vehicles.
The Associated Press observed one tour where a golf-cart driver stopped in an area reserved for car-sharing near the Spanish Steps.
Operators say the problem is partly caused by a lack of dedicated places where golf carts can legally stop while allowing tourists to visit landmarks.
That has created an awkward situation: the vehicles are being used to provide sightseeing services, but the city’s existing infrastructure was not designed around the sudden growth of this type of tourism.
Meanwhile, taxi and private-hire operators have also complained about competition from golf-cart tours.
Rome wants fewer vehicles and more control
Rome Deputy Mayor for Sustainable Mobility and Transport Eugenio Patanè is pushing for a framework that would give the city greater control over the sector.
The proposed approach would include fixed tourist routes, limits on the number of golf carts and a selection system for operators, according to AP reporting.
The city is also pursuing broader measures to reduce vehicle congestion in the historic center.
In July, Rome began charging electric vehicles for access to the historic center under a policy shift aimed increasingly at reducing traffic rather than simply controlling pollution. The number of authorized vehicles entering the area has reportedly fallen to about 350,000, roughly one-quarter lower than before, while Patanè has said he wants to cut daily entries by half.
But regulating golf carts is proving complicated.
Not every vehicle falls under exactly the same legal classification, while passenger transportation and tourism activities can involve both national and regional regulations.
Patanè has therefore sought greater regulatory authority for Rome so the city can establish its own framework for the sector.
Operators push back against crackdown
Golf-cart companies, however, argue that the proposed restrictions could seriously damage their businesses.
Industry representatives say authorities have already intensified inspections.
AP reported that vehicles associated with the Metur operators’ group were stopped 14 times during the second half of August, with document checks reportedly lasting as long as an hour.
Some operators have also faced severe penalties when authorities determine that a vehicle or service is being operated as an unauthorized private-hire service.
AP reported that drivers accused of operating illegal services could face fines of around €4,000, or approximately US$4,600, while vehicles can potentially be removed from the road for more than a month.
Operators have disputed the intensity and consistency of enforcement, with some arguing that other vehicles committing parking violations are not always subjected to the same level of scrutiny.
The bigger battle: How much tourism can Rome handle?
The golf-cart dispute reflects a much bigger challenge confronting Rome.
The city remains one of the world’s most visited tourist destinations, with visitors concentrated around a relatively small number of historic sites.
The arrival of hundreds of small tourist vehicles has therefore become another flashpoint in the ongoing debate over overtourism, traffic and the preservation of Rome’s historic center.
Supporters of golf carts argue that the vehicles can replace larger tourist buses and vans while producing less noise and no tailpipe emissions.
Critics counter that simply replacing one type of tourist vehicle with hundreds of smaller ones does not solve congestion if they continue to occupy road space, stop illegally or compete for limited parking.
And that is why Rome’s current response is not simply about golf carts.
It is about deciding who gets to use the city’s increasingly crowded historic streets—and under what rules.
For now, Rome is not imposing a blanket ban on golf-cart tours. Instead, authorities are moving toward a system designed to control their numbers, routes and operations.
But if the proposed restrictions become reality, the carefree golf-cart tours that have become a familiar part of the Roman sightseeing experience could soon look very different.
The question now is no longer whether Rome has too many golf carts—but how many the city is willing to tolerate.
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