ATAC Rome Public Transport Guide: Tickets, Apps, Strikes
Last updated: May 21, 2026
ATAC is the municipal operator running Rome's metro, buses, and trams, and for most residents and visitors it is the cheapest way to get around the city. This guide covers what tickets to buy in 2026, which apps actually work, how monthly passes are priced, and how to handle the strike days that are part of life in Rome.
Last updated: May 21, 2026
What ATAC Actually Runs
ATAC (Azienda Tramvie e Autobus del Comune di Roma) operates the public transport network inside the Comune di Roma. In 2026 that includes three metro lines (A, B/B1, and C), the city's tram network, and 422 urban bus lines. The headquarters is at Via Prenestina 45, 00176 Rome, and customer-facing ticket offices are scattered across major metro stations.
A few practical points worth knowing before you tap in:
- Metro Line A runs Battistini to Anagnina across 27 stations, with end-to-end trips of about 41 minutes.
- Metro hours are roughly 05:30 to 23:30 Sunday through Thursday, extended to 01:30 on Friday and Saturday nights.
- After the metro closes, a network of night buses (the "N" lines) covers most of the city, but headways can be long.
- The same paper or contactless ticket works across ATAC buses, trams, and metro within Rome, so you do not need separate fares for each mode.
What ATAC does NOT cover: the Leonardo Express train to Fiumicino Airport (that is Trenitalia), Cotral regional buses to towns outside Rome, and the special airport shuttle connections. Your standard city ticket will not get you onto any of those.
Ticket Types and 2026 Prices
The core ticket is the BIT (Biglietto Integrato a Tempo), which in 2026 costs €1.50 and is valid for 100 minutes from validation. Within those 100 minutes you can take unlimited buses and trams plus one metro entry. Validate the moment you board (or at the metro turnstile) or you are riding without a valid ticket.
Here is the current 2026 fare table for the most common tourist and short-stay options:
Ticket | Price (2026) | Validity |
|---|---|---|
BIT single | €1.50 | 100 minutes, 1 metro ride |
ROMA 24h | €8.50 | 24 hours from first validation |
ROMA 48h | €15.00 | 48 hours |
ROMA 72h | €22.00 | 72 hours |
CIS (Integrated Weekly) | €29.00 | 7 days |
A few things to note. The tourist ticket prices above took effect on July 1, 2025, so older guides quoting €1.50 BITs alongside €7 day tickets are out of date. The BIT itself is still €1.50, but ATAC's 2025–2027 industrial plan flagged a planned increase to €2.00 in July 2026, pending Lazio Region approval. Check the price at the machine before you assume.
Fare evasion fines run from €100 to €500, plus the cost of the ticket and procedural fees. Inspectors do board buses, and "I did not know" is not accepted as a defense.
Children under 10 ride free on ATAC urban transport when accompanied by an adult holding a valid ticket.
Tap & Go and the Mobile Apps That Work
Rome's metro turnstiles and most buses now accept contactless bank cards and phones directly through the Tap & Go system. You tap your card or phone on the reader, and ATAC's back-end calculates the cheapest applicable fare across your taps.
The "best fare" cap is the most useful feature. If you tap the same card or device six or more times in 24 hours, the system stops charging per BIT and caps you at €8.50, which is the price of a 24-hour ROMA ticket. You do not need to do anything: just keep using the same card.
A few cautions with Tap & Go:
- Use the SAME physical card or device all day. If you alternate between phone and card, the cap does not aggregate.
- Each passenger needs their own card or device. You cannot tap one card twice for two people.
- Tap & Go works inside Rome on the urban network but is not valid on Leonardo Express, Cotral, or regional Trenitalia services.
For those who prefer mobile apps, ATAC officially supports these in 2026 for ticket purchases: Trenitalia, MooneyGo, Wetaxi, Tabnet, TicketAppy, DropTicket, Telepass Pay, and Urbi. MooneyGo is the most common pick among residents because it also handles parking and other Italian mobility services. Buy the BIT before you board, then activate it when you actually get on.
At physical ticket machines, ATAC also issues the "+Roma in Tasca" reloadable card. It is free if your purchase is €4.50 or more; otherwise it costs €0.50.
Monthly and Annual Passes for Residents
If you are staying in Rome for more than a few weeks, a Metrebus pass usually pays for itself quickly. The personal monthly Metrebus Roma pass costs €35 in 2026. The impersonal version (transferable, no photo) costs €53. The annual ordinary pass is €250, which works out to about €20.83 per month, by far the cheapest option for full-time residents.
If you commute from outside Rome into the city, you need a Metrebus Lazio pass covering the relevant zones. 2026 monthly prices including zone A:
Zones | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
A-B | €59.50 | €404.00 |
A-C | €73.50 | €488.10 |
A-D | €91.00 | €590.80 |
A-F | €108.50 | €688.40 |
To buy any Metrebus card, you need a Metrebus Card itself (issued at authorized ATAC offices). Replacing a lost, stolen, or damaged card costs €7.00.
Several discounted categories exist for Rome residents:
- Bonus Under 19: Rome residents aged 11 to 19 can get an annual pass for €50, with no income or ISEE requirement, confirmed for 2026.
- Roma Over 70: free annual pass for Rome residents aged 70+ with ISEE up to €15,000.
- Unemployed pass: €16 per month for Rome residents with ISEE up to €20,000 and a registered DID (Dichiarazione di Immediata Disponibilità) for at least one year.
- Disabled residents: annual contribution-based pass at €20 (ISEE up to €10,000), €35 (ISEE €10,000.01 to €15,000), or €50 (ISEE above €15,000.01).
All of these require Italian residency documents and an ISEE certificate where applicable. Apply at an ATAC ticket office or through the Comune di Roma social services portal.
The Lazio Region has also announced that it is studying a differentiated fare structure for residents versus non-residents during 2026. Final figures have not been published, so check the official ATAC and Lazio Region sites before you renew.
Airport Connections: Fiumicino and Ciampino
This is where most visitors trip up, because ATAC tickets do not work on the main Fiumicino airport train.
Fiumicino (FCO): The Leonardo Express is a Trenitalia non-stop train between Fiumicino Airport and Roma Termini. In 2026 it costs €14 one-way, runs every 15 minutes, and takes 32 minutes. Metrebus tickets and ATAC passes are NOT valid. If you are traveling with three other people, the Leonardo Express "Mini-groups" fare gives you 4 tickets for €40 in a single transaction (versus €56), a useful trick for families.
Cheaper but slower options to Fiumicino include the FL1 regional train (separate Trenitalia ticket) and the SIT/Terravision bus services. Again, ATAC fares do not apply.
Ciampino (CIA): This one is friendlier to ATAC users. The standard €1.50 BIT is valid on bus lines 520 (Cinecittà metro to Ciampino) and 720 (Laurentina metro to Ciampino). It will not get you on the dedicated Cotral or Terravision airport buses, but for budget travelers with time, the city bus works fine.
How to Handle Strike Days
Strikes (scioperi) are a regular feature of Rome's public transport calendar. ATAC typically gets several strike notices per month, ranging from local 4-hour walkouts to nationwide 24-hour stoppages. They are announced in advance and listed on ATAC's website and on the Ministry of Infrastructure's transport-strike calendar (commissionegaranziasciopero.it).
What you need to know:
- Guaranteed service windows (fasce di garanzia) apply on weekday strikes. Buses, trams, and metro generally run during peak hours (typically 05:30 to 08:30 and 17:00 to 20:00). Outside those windows, service can collapse entirely.
- Weekend and holiday strikes have no guaranteed windows. If a Saturday strike is called, plan to walk, cycle, or use a taxi.
- Check the night before. ATAC posts a final-confirmation notice the evening before, since unions sometimes withdraw a strike at the last minute.
- Taxis fill up fast on strike days. Wetaxi (one of the official ATAC-supported apps) and itTaxi are the main booking apps. Expect surge pricing during peak windows.
- Bike share and scooters are not affected by ATAC strikes. RideMovi, Lime, and Dott operate normally.
If you have an early flight or a job interview, do not gamble on a strike day. Book a taxi the night before.
Common Pitfalls
- Buying a BIT for the metro and assuming it lets you back in later. A BIT allows ONE metro entry; once you exit, you cannot re-enter on the same ticket.
- Forgetting to validate. Paper BITs must be stamped on board buses and trams. An unstamped ticket is treated as no ticket.
- Mixing Tap & Go devices. Use the same card or phone all day to trigger the €8.50 cap.
- Counting on the 24-hour ROMA ticket from "calendar midnight." It runs 24 hours from first validation, not until midnight.
- Buying ATAC tickets at the airport for the Leonardo Express. ATAC machines do not sell Trenitalia tickets. Use the Trenitalia counter or the Trenitalia app.
- Assuming the metro covers central Rome densely. It does not. Many central sights (Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Trastevere) are bus-and-tram territory, not metro.
FAQs
Is the Roma Pass worth it on top of ATAC tickets? The Roma Pass bundles public transport with museum entries. If you plan two or more major museums, it can save money; if you are mostly walking and sightseeing outdoors, a CIS weekly card at €29.00 is cheaper.
Can I use one BIT for two people? No. Each passenger needs their own ticket or tap.
Do ATAC tickets work on regional trains inside Rome? Some Metrebus tickets do cover specific Trenitalia regional trains within the urban area, but the Leonardo Express is excluded. Check the ticket's zone coverage before boarding.
What happens if my Metrebus Card is lost? Go to an authorized ATAC ticket office with ID and pay €7.00 for a duplicate.
Are children's fares discounted? Children under 10 ride free with an accompanying adult holding a valid ticket. There is no separate child ticket.
Where can I check live strike information? ATAC's official site (atac.roma.it) publishes confirmed strikes, and the Garante Scioperi commission maintains the national calendar.
Can I refund an unused ROMA 72h ticket? Generally no, once activated. Unactivated paper tickets can sometimes be exchanged at ticket offices, but policies vary.
For expats settling in long-term, the annual €250 Metrebus Roma pass plus a contactless backup card for occasional Lazio-zone trips covers almost every realistic scenario. If you are studying in Rome, also see our guide to studying at Sapienza University Rome for student transport context. Comparing Rome's costs with other southern European capitals can help with budgeting: see our breakdowns on the cost of living in Madrid and living in Seville as an expat.
If you are moving to Rome, picking up enough Italian to read strike notices, ticket-machine prompts, and bus announcements pays off fast. Try Migaku to learn Italian directly from the shows, news, and YouTube channels you already enjoy.