Why you don't need a car
Working dairies and ham producers are located in the countryside surrounding Parma, typically 20-45 minutes outside the historic center by road. Few offer their own parking or drop-off facilities for independent visitors, and almost none are reachable by regular public bus. Rather than navigating unfamiliar rural roads and finding parking at a working facility, most travelers — with or without a car available — book a tour that already includes the transfer as part of the price.
Tours that work without a car
| Tour | Duration | From price (USD) | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tour Parmigiano Reggiano dairy and Parma ham | 5 hours | $146.65 | 4.87 / 5 (649 reviews) |
| Half Day Private Parmigiano Reggiano and Parma Ham Experience | 5.5 hours | $187.71 | 5 / 5 (88 reviews) |
Check current price and pickup options
Affiliate link to the official Viator listing — see our affiliate disclosure. Verified 2026-07-31; exact pickup points are confirmed on the listing.
Doing it yourself vs. booking a tour
Arranging your own taxi or private driver to a producer is possible but usually costs more once you account for the round trip, waiting time while you tour the facility, and the fact that most producers don't have a public drop-off point for arranging a return pickup on short notice. A tour with transport bundled into the price removes that coordination, and — importantly — the transport is arranged directly by an operator familiar with the specific producer's access.
Arriving by train, cruise, or plane
Parma has direct trains from Bologna (about an hour) and Milan (about 90 minutes) into the city center, so it's realistic to arrive by rail and go straight to a tour's pickup point without ever needing a car — see Parma day trip from Milan and Parma day trip from Bologna for the specific timing. If you're deciding between a shorter and longer visit once you've arrived, see our half-day vs. full-day comparison. Browse the current shortlist on the homepage.