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Milan bus pass

We will be in Milan for a week in September. I have read that you can get a weekly transportation pass which allows unlimited travel on the public transportation networks from Monday to Sunday for €11.30. In Rick's book he talks about a "carnet" which is good for 10 rides for €14. (He doesn't mention the weekly card, so I wonder if the carnet has replaced it.)

So, is the weekly card still available? If so, do I need to validate it every time I get on or transfer a bus/tram/metro? Or does it just need to be stamped once a day? Same questions on the carnet. Does it need to be stamped every time I transfer or is each stamp good for a certain amount of time?

My plan now (subject to change when I get there and see the lay of the land) is to take public transportation to my destination and then walk to the Duomo where I can catch a bus back to the apartment we are staying in, so I would probably only use a transfer on the first trip. So would it be more economical to get the weekly pass or get a 24 or 48 hour pass for the days we are actually in Milan? (We plan to take day-trips to Maggiore and Genoa).

Thanks for your advice and input.

Posted by
11294 posts

Here's the ticket page on ATM's website (and that's not "automated teller machine"; it's Azienda Trasporti Milanesi S.p.A., which operates the transit in Milan): http://www.atm.it/en/ViaggiaConNoi/Biglietti/Pages/Biglietti%20Urbani.aspx

It looks like the "weekly ticket" isn't a true one-week pass. It seems to be good for two trips a day, and for six days out of 7. I say "looks like" and "seems" because I have no personal experience. But some other places have similar deals; they're great for commuters, but not so helpful for tourists.

There are also the one day, two day, and ten-trip tickets that you knew about. The one and two day tickets are indeed good for unlimited trips during their validity period (these I do have experience with).

The website is clear that tickets must be validated each time you use them, and are then good for 90 minutes (you can combine buses, trams, and metro, but only one metro ride per ticket). So your transfer trip (metro and bus) would only require one ticket.

To me, the most interesting wrinkle is that, unlike in Paris, the carnet (ten trip) cannot be used by more than one passenger at the same time (the website has this restriction bolded).

Posted by
29 posts

Thanks. Looking at the site now.

Luggage Ticket??? So if I'm traveling with luggage (like when we leave Milan to go to Brescia) I have to buy one ticket for me and one ticket for my suitcase(s) to get from the apartment to the Central Station???? As we say in America, that s***ks!

Posted by
21132 posts

Small luggage is OK, I've never had a problem with a small roller board and back pack.
There is a document in Italian on the site that explains what is allowed, prohibited, and charged for. 50 cm (20 inches) is the maximum for any single dimension. Among other things that are allowed are shotguns (no more than the length of your shoulder to the ground, in possession of a hunting license), fishing rods ( in a case no longer than 60 inches), musical instruments no bigger than 60"x20"x8". They charge for ski equipment, golf clubs, and a single luggage ticket for up to 2 suitcase larger than 20"x20"x20".
http://www.atm.it/SiteCollectionDocuments/norme%20di%20comportamento%20per%20i%20passeggeri.pdf
The section referring to luggage is titled "NORME AZIENDALI PER IL TRASPORTO DI COLLI A MANO"

Posted by
29 posts

Guess that's really not that bad. We will have 2 carry-ons and probably one larger suitcase. And I just looked up taxi fare -- about 20 euros -- so using the bus and the metro isn't really that bad of a deal.

Posted by
11613 posts

I like the two-day pass. If your first ride is on a bus, you stamp the pass in the validation machine. Every time you use the metro you must insert the pass or ticket into the turnstile. The one and two day passes are good for unlimited travel within the time period.