Autostrada dei Laghi: Italy's first toll highway inaugurated in 1924

On September 21, 1924, the first section of the Autostrada dei Laghi was inaugurated in Lainate, connecting Milan to Varese. This marked the opening of Italy’s first toll highway. The inaugural ceremony was led by King Vittorio Emanuele III, who traveled in a Lancia Trikappa.

The original road featured a single lane per direction and a single carriageway, which was considered sufficient for the limited daily traffic at the time. Toll payments were processed at mandatory service and rest areas, and the highway operated with specific closing hours during its early years.