Italian petrol prices cross €2 per litre as diesel reaches €2.116 on national roads

National price surge across road networks

Average self-service petrol prices in Italy rose past the two-euro threshold on Thursday, 20 August 2026, reaching €2.002 per litre on the national road network. Data published by the Fuel Price Observatory of the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy showed an increase from €1.997 per litre recorded on Wednesday. Self-service diesel on national roads rose to €2.116 per litre, up from €2.107 per litre the previous day. On motorways, average self-service prices reached €2.077 per litre for petrol and €2.186 per litre for diesel, compared with €2.074 and €2.178 respectively on Wednesday. The price level on national roads represents the highest level for petrol since mid-September 2023.

Regional variations and holiday travel impact

Regional price data shows differences across the country as millions of motorists begin late-summer holiday travel. In Umbria and Abruzzo, average self-service petrol reached €2.001 per litre, exceeding the two-euro benchmark by one cent. Umbria recorded self-service diesel at €2.110 per litre, served liquefied petroleum gas at €0.771 per litre, and served methane at €1.632 per litre. Regions including Marche, Lazio, Emilia Romagna, Veneto, Piedmont, Lombardy, and Campania remained fractionally below two euros per litre for petrol. In Basilicata, data gathered by Federconsumatori showed self-service petrol at €2.018 per litre and diesel at €2.122 per litre, ranking the region third and fifth most expensive nationally. In the provincial capital of Potenza, served prices reached €2.141 per litre for petrol and €2.238 per litre for diesel.

Fiscal relief and consumer association demands

Consumer groups called for government intervention before the next Council of Ministers meeting scheduled for 24 August 2026. The Italian government has spent €2.37 billion across nine separate decrees to dampen fuel prices since 18 March 2026, with two recent summer packages costing €370 million. While petrol currently receives no excise tax discounts, diesel benefits from an excise reduction introduced on 28 July and extended on 6 August, which is scheduled to expire on 24 August. Unione Nazionale Consumatori calculated that including the autonomous provinces of Bolzano and Trento pushes national road averages to €2.005 per litre for petrol and €2.119 per litre for diesel. Massimiliano Dona, president of the association, called for expanded tax relief across both fuel types before the deadline.

We ask the government to intervene immediately, before the 24 August deadline, to raise the reduction on diesel from 14 to 30 cents, so as to bring the price below 2 euros per litre on motorways and to finally do something for petrol car owners: an urgent cut of 15 cents is needed to return to a reasonable price of 1.9 euros per litre on motorways.

International crude pressures and geopolitical tension

Domestic fuel increases follow rising global crude oil costs driven by the conflict in Iran and shipping risks around the Strait of Hormuz. International benchmark Brent crude traded between $92 and $93 per barrel on Thursday morning, compared with approximately $70 per barrel prior to the conflict, while West Texas Intermediate crude reached $86 per barrel. Market pressure increased following statements from Donald Trump, who announced readiness to pursue a devastating economic war against Iran and its international partners. The Italian cabinet must now evaluate whether to renew or deepen fuel excise cuts as the current diesel subsidy window approaches its expiration date.