Autostrada

Autostrada is the Italian word for what is known in the Germany as the Autobahn, and in the United States as the interstate highway system. The autostrada network runs throughout the Italian peninsula. 

Toll payment varies according to the distance traveled and on the number of axles.  Trucks with three axles pay more than cars, for example.  However, there are some autostrade that are free of charge, e.g., the Salerno-Reggio Calabria, Palermo-Mazara del Vallo, and Palermo-Catania.

Tickets are issued upon entering the autostrada, either handed by the booth attendant or obtained by pressing the button located outside the booth. The fare is paid at the station of exit. 

The autostrada traffic signs are international. Hitchhiking is forbidden on the autostrada. Speed limits must be observed. The only motorcycles allowed on the autostrada are those with a minimum of 150cc. Seat belts and protective helmets are mandatory. If you wish to travel throughout Italy and want to get information on all the Italian autostrade, contact ACI (Automobile Club of Italy) at http://aci.it.

For an Italian Highway Map see http://www.nsa.naples.navy.mil/fsc/Transp highwayMap.html (english) or 
http://www.aiscat.it/uk/in-sutostrada/index.html (english).

Tangenziale

The tangenziale is an expressway that touches various areas in-and-around Naples, because it bypasses all congested areas.  In the U.S. we would call it a ring road, because it makes a circle (ring) around Naples.  Of course it doesn't really, or part of it would be under water.  (A few kilometers north is an outer ring road known as the Circumvallazione that runs from the Domitiana to the Autostrada, but this road is only of interest to you if you end up living here.)

Like the Autostrada, the Tangenziale is a toll road.  The toll for a typical vehicle is 0.65 Euro, regardless of the distance travelled.  You pay wherever you exit the Tengenziale.

Here is a list and a map of all the tangenziale stops: 

Capodichino-Secondigliano-Doganella-Corso Malta-Capodimonte-Arenella-Camaldoli-Vomero-Fuorigrotta-Agnano Terme-Via Campana-Cuma-Pozzuoli.

In order to save time on autostrada and tangenziale, you can use Telepass or the Viacard which can be purchased at the Punto Blu (Fuorigrotta exit and/or Via Galileo Ferraris, entrance to autostrada Napoli-Roma and Napoli-Salerno). Telepass and Viacard are valid all over the entire national territory.

You can get to AFSOUTH from either the Fuorigrotta or the Agnano exits.  Unless you are familiar with the area, we recommend you use the Agnano exit.  When leaving AFSOUTH, you should use the Agnano entrance exclusively; the other onramps are too complicated and crowded to be useful to the casual traveler.