Updated August 2026 · from $87/day · ★4.4 from 56 renters
Scooter Rental in Salerno — the only way to beat the coast road.
In high summer the SS163 barely moves and our advice is usually to travel by sea. A scooter is the exception: it filters past the queues, parks where cars cannot, and reaches the villages no boat and no coach visits. Here is what it costs and who should not book one.
The one vehicle that does not queue.
In August the coast road is a car park. A scooter is not stuck in it.
We say it on every page of this site: from July the SS163 is single-lane, cliff-edged and jammed with coaches that have to reverse at the hairpins. A 20-kilometre drive can take two hours. Our usual advice is to go by sea instead — but a scooter is the exception on land. It filters past the queues, parks where a car cannot, and turns the road itself into the attraction rather than the obstacle.
The other advantage is range. A boat gets you to Amalfi and Positano. A scooter gets you to Furore, Praiano, Conca dei Marini, up to Ravello, and out to the villages behind the coast that no tour visits. You stop where you like, which on this coastline is the whole point.
When a scooter is the wrong choice.
We would rather you booked a boat than had a bad afternoon.
If you have never ridden. The SS163 has blind bends, gravel, tour buses taking both lanes and drivers who know the road far better than you do. It is a spectacular ride for someone with experience and a stressful one for a beginner. Learn somewhere flatter.
If you are two up with luggage. Fine for a day out, poor for moving between hotels.
If the forecast is wet. Those hairpins are slick and the views — the entire reason for the exercise — disappear into cloud.
Licence and age: a 50cc usually needs an AM or car licence; anything larger needs category A. Bring the physical licence, and an International Driving Permit if yours is issued outside the EU. Helmets are compulsory and included.
Two wheels, two ways.
Rental is per scooter per day. The guided tour is per person and includes the machine.
| Option | From | Duration | Rating | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scooter rental, self-ride Most flexible | €76 ($87) | Per day | ★ 4.4 (56) | Confident riders, own itinerary | Book |
| Guided scooter tour With a leader | €151 ($174) | Half day | ★ 5 (2) | First time on this road | Book |
| Boat rental, no licence | $217/group | Per day | ★ 4.9 (85) | Same freedom, on water instead | Boat rental → |
Prefer the water? The same self-drive freedom exists on a boat, and needs no licence at all.
Pick your day — and beat the coast road.
Helmets included. Bring your physical licence, and an IDP if it was issued outside the EU.
Questions answered.
Do I need a licence to rent a scooter in Salerno?
Yes. A 50cc typically requires an AM or standard car licence; anything larger requires category A. Bring the physical card, and an International Driving Permit alongside it if your licence was issued outside the EU.
Is riding a scooter on the Amalfi Coast dangerous?
It demands respect. The SS163 is narrow, twisting and shared with coaches that need both lanes on the hairpins. Experienced riders find it one of the great roads in Europe. If you have never ridden, this is not the place to start — take the guided tour or a boat instead.
How much does scooter rental cost in Salerno?
From about $87 per day for the scooter, with helmets included. Guided scooter tours, where someone leads and you follow, run around $174 per person for a half day.
Where can I park a scooter in Positano and Amalfi?
Far more easily than a car, which is much of the appeal. Both towns have scooter bays near the centre and rates a fraction of car parking. In August it is often the difference between stopping and driving on.
Is a scooter better than the ferry?
Different jobs. The ferry is faster and cheaper between Salerno, Amalfi and Positano and needs no skill. A scooter reaches the villages between them — Furore, Praiano, Ravello — and lets you stop wherever the view is good.