Beneath the splendor of its monuments and ruins, Rome is taking aim at a modern-day chariot: the golf cart. Hundreds of them have started carrying tourists through the historic center. Even rolling along at a moderate speed, these golf carts have so far outpaced regulation. Now, however, the city is mounting a crackdown, reports the AP. For critics, the carts are running amok, parking illegally, worsening congestion, and unlocking another level of overtourism. Some local media invoke sensational language, calling it an “invasion” and saying Rome is being “held hostage by golf carts.” Advocates, however, argue carts are silent, occupy less space than tourist vans and buses, and don’t choke the air with exhaust that also stains historic monuments.
Even before the golf cart boom, parking was a pain. Cars, vans, Vespas, and motorcycles are often seen stationed atop curbs, crosswalks, and medians. Trucks double-park while unloading. Any spare cranny is claimed in Rome’s historic center, because there are only 4,300 regular on-street spots available, about a quarter of the number of cars owned by the area’s residents, per the city’s transport chief. Plus, an average 50,000 vehicles enter daily. Unsurprisingly, some residents are unhappy.
Golf cart bookings this summer grew 147% from 2024, according to Tripadvisor, whose Viator subsidiary is the biggest source of passengers. Rome has as many as 500 carts, with one-fifth belonging to the Metur association of tour operators, established last December to seek common ground with locals and the city. “Overtourism is a real problem, and we’re not denying it. And maybe we’re also part of it in a way,” Pascal van Duijnhoven, the association’s president, said. “But if we’re part of it, then at least be part of it in a smart way.”
In July, electric vehicles started paying for admission to the historic center, as gasoline-powered cars had been—a strategic shift from cutting emissions to tackling congestion. The number of authorized vehicles is down about 25%, to 350,000. But it hasn’t been so simple to put the brakes on golf carts. First, not all carts are created equal; tech specs mean some fall under existing rules, while others can roam freely. Second, passenger transport and tourism businesses are regulated regionally, says Rome’s deputy mayor for sustainable mobility and transport, Eugenio Patane, who has requested the region transfer that power to Rome; he anticipates that will occur this month. More here.