Learn some basic Italian language about Italian public transport and listen to the audio. Traveling by train or bus in Italy will give you an excellent chance to communicate with people, enjoy the fantastic landscape, and learn many things about the country. Italians love to talk with strangers, especially foreigners, and will give you tips and useful information about your destination.
Allacciate le cinture, si parte. Fasten your seat belts…
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In biglietteria: Italian public transport at the train station
Nothing exotic here. Train stations in Italy usually have a ticket counter (biglietteria) with an operator (bigliettaio) who can give you information (informazioni) about your train (il treno), timetables (orari) and connections (la coincidenza). You can ask the time of departure (a che ora parte?), arrival (a che ora arriva?), and the duration of the trip (quanto ci mette il treno?).
Sometimes the train is late (il treno è in ritardo) or there is a strike (c’è uno sciopero). Loudspeakers at the station will tell you how late your train is (il treno per Roma è in ritardo di 5 minuti), the platform (il binario), and if the train is arriving (il treno è in arrivo) or departing (in partenza). Information in large stations is bilingual, but live messages from the stationmaster are usually only in Italian.
The ticket (il biglietto) can be one way (di sola andata) or round trip (andata e ritorno). Remember to validate the ticket (convalidare il biglietto) using the yellow machines on your platform. You can get a fine (prendere una multa) if you forget to do so. You may need to make a reservation (una prenotazione) or pay a rapid service fee (supplemento rapido) on top of your price.
Almost all Italian train stations have an automatic ticket machine (biglietteria automatica), and you can pay with cash (contanti) or a card (carta). It is not unusual to find one out of order (guasta).
- biglietteria: ticket office
- bigliettaio: ticket clerk
- informazioni: information
- treno: train
- orario: timetable
- coincidenza: connection
- A che ora parte?: What time does it leave?
- A che ora arriva?: What time does it arrive?
- Quanto ci mette il treno?: How long does the train take?
- Il treno è in ritardo: The train is late
- C’è uno sciopero: There is a strike
- Il treno per Roma è in ritardo di 5 minuti: The train to Rome is 5 minutes late
- Il binario: The platform
- Il treno è in arrivo: The train is arriving
- Il treno è in partenza: The train is leaving
- Il biglietto: The ticket
- Di sola andata: One way
- Andata e ritorno: Round trip
- Convalidare il biglietto: To validate the ticket
- Prendere una multa: To get a fine
- Una prenotazione: A reservation
- Supplemento rapido: Rapid service surcharge
- Biglietteria automatica: Automatic ticket machine
- Contanti: Cash
- Carta di credito: Credit card
- La macchina è guasta: The machine is out of order
Bus, metro and cabs on Italian public transport
Buses in big cities (we say autobus, corriera or pullman) are usually public, but those covering long distances often belong to private companies. If you buy an urban single ticket (biglietto singolo urbano), you can use all public transportation for a limited time.
For example, in Milano, my city, with a single ticket you can travel anywhere for 90 minutes for just 2,20 euro. Compared to other big European cities, that is still quite cheap.
You can buy your tickets in any tobacco store (tabaccheria), newsstand (edicola) or bus station. You normally cannot buy tickets on board, at least in Milano or Roma. Bus stops, as well as subway or tram stops, are called fermata; the final destination is the capolinea; the timetable is the orario.
Some Italian cities have a subway (la metropolitana). Roma has three lines (A, B and the new C line). Milano has five lines. Napoli, Catania, Torino, Genova and Brescia also have metro service. In many cases, digging in ancient cities turned out to be a big problem: monuments and archaeological areas have been discovered, and it was sometimes necessary to stop the construction of metro stations and lines.
Cabs (taxi or tassì) are generally white. You can call a cab through their customer service: they will send the closest available taxi to your address. If you call them, the meter will start as soon as the driver (il tassista) gets the call, but it generally takes just a few minutes.
Always ask the price of your ride (quanto costa la corsa per…?) and to switch the meter on (il tassametro) in case the driver “forgets” to do that. Tips are uncommon. Taxi drivers are of course the right people you can talk to for understanding better the city you are visiting.
- autobus: city bus
- corriera: intercity coach
- pullman: long-distance coach
- biglietto singolo urbano: urban single ticket
- tabaccheria: tobacco shop
- fermata: stop
- orario: timetable
- capolinea: final stop
- metropolitana: subway
- stazione della metro: metro station
- linea 1: line 1
- taxi: taxi
- tassista: taxi driver
- corsa: ride
- tassametro: meter
- destinazione: destination
- Quanto costa la corsa per l’aeroporto?: How much is the ride to the airport?
Famous Italian metro and train systems
If you want to use Italian public transport during your trip, it helps to know the main networks. Milano opened its first metro line in 1964 and today runs five lines (M1 red, M2 green, M3 yellow, M4 blue, M5 lilac). It is the largest metro system in the country and reaches both airport areas and the main railway stations.
Roma has three lines: Linea A (orange), Linea B (blue) and Linea C (green), the newest one, which slowly extends through the historical centre. Construction has been slow because workers often find ancient ruins underground.
Napoli has the famous Linea 1, known for its art stations. Toledo station, decorated by artist Oscar Tusquets Blanca, has won international awards for its design. Other cities with a metro include Torino, Genova, Brescia and Catania.
For long distances, Italian public transport on rails relies on three main operators. Trenitalia is the historical national company and runs the high-speed Frecciarossa, Frecciargento and Frecciabianca trains. Italo is a private high-speed operator that connects most major cities. Trenord serves the Lombardia region around Milano. Knowing these names will help you read signs and timetables more easily.
Iconic Italian transport phrases and tips
Some short Italian public transport phrases come back again and again on signs, tickets and announcements. Learning them will save you time and possibly money.
- Timbra il biglietto: Stamp your ticket. You see this on the yellow or green validation machines at train and bus stations. If you do not stamp before boarding, the ticket is not valid and you risk a fine.
- Attenzione al gradino: Mind the step. A common announcement on trains and buses when you get off.
- Prossima fermata: Next stop. Heard on buses, trams and the metro before each stop.
- Controllore: Ticket inspector. A person in uniform who checks tickets on trains and buses.
- Multa: Fine. What you pay if the controllore finds you without a valid ticket.
- Capolinea: Final stop. The end of the line, where the bus or tram turns around.
- In arrivo / in partenza: Arriving / departing. Two key words on station boards.
- Sciopero: Strike. Italian transport workers strike from time to time, so check the news before a long trip.
A few practical tips: keep small coins for ticket machines, always validate paper tickets, and download the official app of the local transport company (ATM in Milano, ATAC in Roma, ANM in Napoli). With basic Italian public transport vocabulary and a bit of attention, moving around the country becomes a real part of the travel experience.
This is the basic survival vocabulary. Our premium content below includes a complete set of webcasts dedicated to transportation in Italy.
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Quant’è? Asking the price on Italian public transport
The most difficult word on the list is obliteratrice, ticket-stamping machine. Do not worry though, we do not use this word unless we really need to. Italians prefer to say macchinetta (little machine) or timbrare il biglietto (to stamp the ticket) instead of obliterare.
- A che ora passa il 48?: What time does the 48 (bus) come?
- I mezzi (pubblici): Public transport
- L’autobus è in ritardo: The bus is late
- C’è lo sciopero dei mezzi: There is a public transport strike
- Dov’è il capolinea?: Where is the last stop?
- Quanto ci mette ad arrivare alla stazione?: How long does it take to get to the station?
- C’è un autobus navetta per l’aeroporto?: Is there a shuttle bus to the airport?
- Quando passa il prossimo bus per il Duomo?: When is the next bus to the Duomo?
- Dov’è la stazione della metro più vicina?: Where is the closest subway station?
- Posso avere una tabella oraria?: Can I have a timetable?
- Dov’è l’obliteratrice? Dov’è la macchinetta?: Where is the ticket-stamping machine?
- Dove posso timbrare?: Where can I stamp?
- Vorrei un taxi alle 8 in piazza Dante: I’d like a cab at 8 in Dante square
- Quanto costa una corsa fino alla stazione?: How much is a ride to the station?
- Può accendere il tassametro?: Could you turn the meter on?
- Quanto costa per andare all’aeroporto?: How much is it to go to the airport?
- Tenga il resto: Please keep the change
Test your understanding
A short quiz to check your grasp of Italian public transport vocabulary.
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