A guide about Tickets for Rome public transport : METREBUS
Rome metro trains (in Italian subway is "metropolitana" or short "metro"), buses, and streetcars use "Metrebus" tickets, which are valid on all three modes of transportation. The tickets can also be used for commuter-train rides within the Comune di Roma (including the beach at Lido di Ostia but not Fiumicino Airport).
Unless you're riding the Metro (where you can buy a ticket in the station), you should purchase a supply of Metrebus tickets ahead of time, since you'll need to have a ticket before you board a public bus or streetcar.
Where to buy Metrebus tickets:
Ticket counters in Metro stations
Ticket machines in Metro stations and at larger tram stops
Any newsstand, kiosk, or bar that is licensed to sell cigarettes. (When in doubt, look for a "Tabacchi" sign.)
The tickets come in several basic versions:
BIT is the standard ticket for one Metro ride (with train changes, if necessary without without passing through the turnstiles), one commuter-train ride, or 100 minutes on public buses. It costs €1,50.
DON'T FORGET: make sure you validate your ticket at the beginning of your journey and when you switch to a Metro line (if you change vehicle within the 100 minute time limit, the ticket has to be validated again to be usable until the end of the journey) You find validators on: buses, trams, trolleybuses, along the Regional Rail lines Termini-Centocelle, Roma-Viterbo, Roma-Lido and Trenitalia lines and at the entrance of all Metro lines.
Roma 24H is a 1-day ticket. It's valid for 24 hours of unlimited travel on the Metrebus network. The price is €7.
DON'T FORGET: make sure you validate your ticket at the beginning of your first journey and when you switch to a Metro line.
Roma 48H is a 2-day ticket. It's valid for 48 hours from the time you first use it. The price is €12,50.
DON'T FORGET: make sure you validate your ticket at the beginning of your first journey and when you switch to a Metro line.
Roma 72H is a 3-day or 72-hour ticket. The price is €18.
DON'T FORGET: make sure you validate your ticket at the beginning of your first journey and when you switch to a Metro line.
CIS is a a 7-day ticket. It's valid for one week from the time of stamping. The price is €24.
DON'T FORGET: this ticket must be personalized with name, surname and date of birth and shown to inspection personnel together with a personal ID card . Make sure you validate your ticket at the beginning of your first journey and when you switch to a Metro line.
The different types of ticket look identical on the front, but the data stored in the magnetic stripe and printed on the back side of the ticket is different.
Another option is the Roma Pass, a transportation and museum card for tourists. (See below.) It works a little differently than the Metrebus tickets, but you can use it on the subway, buses, streetcars, and specified commuter-train lines.
You must validate your Metrebus ticket prior to travel. Riding without a stamped ticket can result in a fine of €54,5 or more. Here's how to validate the ticket:
When riding a bus or tram, stamp your unused ticket in one of the machines near the doors immediately after boarding. (Hold the striped side toward you and insert the ticket in the direction of the arrow.)
When riding the Metro, insert your ticket in the slot on the front of the turnstile, and retrieve it from the top of the machine before going through the gates.
When riding a commuter train, stamp your ticket in the yellow machine on the platform before you get on the train.
How to use Metrebus ticket machines in Rome:
Look for ticket-vending machines at Metro stations and larger tram stops. When you're ready to buy tickets, have a supply of coins in your hand.
Select your preferred language and the type of ticket that you need by tapping the touch-sensitive display.
If you want more than one ticket, use the round metal buttons on the right side of the screen to adjust the number.
When you're ready to make your purchase, insert coins or a banknote in the appropriate slot on the right side of the machine.
Retrieve your tickets and change from the "Biglietto - Resto" slot. (The change function doesn't always work, and the machines give no more than €4 in change in any case, so it's best to pay the exact amount in coins.)
Note:
When traveling with a 1, 3 or 7-day tourist ticket on a bus, tram, or commuter train, stamp it only once (the first time you use it) and when you switch to a Metro line, but keep it with you in case an inspector demands to see it.
When traveling with a Roma Pass or other RFID (radio frequency identification) card, hold the card next to the yellow sensor on the bus, tram, or Metr turnstile until the green light flashes.
The ticket must be kept throughout the journey and displayed in case of a ticket inspection. In case of validator malfunction on Atac buses, streetcars, trolleybuses, Metro lines and Regional railways as well as on Cotral buses, write date, time and name of the station or vehicle number on your ticket. If you are travelling on Trenitalia trains, please go to a ticket office or to the conductor.
Passengers found travelling without a valid ticket or with an irregular ticket, will be issued with a penalty fare from 100 up to 500 euros, besides the payment of the ticket price, of the procedural costs and postage charges, if applicable. The penalty is reduced to 54,5 euros if paid within 5 days after notification.
You are considered travelling without a valid ticket when: - although having a ticket, you did not validate it correctly; - you are found with a ticket or travel pass that is visibly counterfeit; - you are using your ticket beyond its validity period; - you are using your ordinary ticket or travel pass on special connections, that require a specific ticket; - you are using a ticket or travel pass with a lower price or distance coverage than needed. - You display a personal pass without having filled in your data or without an ID card.
Other resources
The Roma Pass may be worth to be considered, depending on your Rome vacation plans. It comes in two versions: the original three-day Roma Pass, and a cheaper Roma Pass 48 hours. Both allow unlimited travel on Metro trains, city buses, trams, and a handful of commuter trains. Each pass also allows free or reduced entry to selected museums and archaeological sites, with a priority "skip the line" turnstile at the Colosseum.
ATAC, Rome's municipal transit network, has public-transport maps and other information in Italian and English on its Web site.
RECAP: there are different type of tickets for the public trasportation in Rome and for all of them be sure you validate your ticket at the beginning of your journey and when you switch to a Metro line if you son't want to have a fine.
