Rome's buses, trams and metro (lines A, B/B1 and C) are run under one integrated fare system, Metrebus Roma, which covers the territory of Roma Capitale (ATAC, La rete del trasporto pubblico di Roma, checked 3 October 2026). You choose between paper or app tickets you validate yourself and a contactless card you tap. The prices below are from ATAC's ticket list, checked 3 October 2026.
Which Rome ticket should I buy?
| Ticket | Price | Valid for |
|---|---|---|
| BIT | EUR 1.50 | 100 minutes; one metro ride |
| MultiBIT (10 BIT) | EUR 15.00 | Ten separate 100-minute BITs |
| Roma 24 ore | EUR 8.50 | 24 hours from first validation |
| Roma 48 ore | EUR 15.00 | 48 hours from first validation |
| Roma 72 ore | EUR 22.00 | 72 hours from first validation |
| CIS (weekly) | EUR 29.00 | To midnight of day 7, counting the day of first validation |
A 24-hour pass pays off from the sixth BIT in that period (6 × EUR 1.50 = EUR 9.00). Most visitors walking the centre take two to four rides a day, so single BITs or Tap & Go usually cost less. The 72-hour pass beats three 24-hour passes by EUR 3.50, and the CIS is worth it for a full week of daily travel.
The passes cover buses, trams, trolleybuses, all metro lines, Trenitalia second-class urban trains, Metromare, Termini-Centocelle, the urban section of the Roma-Viterbo line and buses 520 and 720 to Ciampino airport, with unlimited metro rides (ATAC, Roma 72 ore; ATAC, CIS, checked 3 October 2026). The 24- and 72-hour clocks start at first validation, not at midnight.
What does a BIT cover, and what is the metro rule?
A BIT (biglietto integrato a tempo) gives 100 minutes from first validation on ATAC buses, trams and trolleybuses, plus single journeys on Trenitalia urban trains, Metromare, Termini-Centocelle and Roma-Viterbo urban services (ATAC, BIT, checked 3 October 2026).
In the metro it is valid for one journey only. ATAC explains that the journey can include several lines: you change between lines A, B and B1 without passing the turnstiles, and passing the turnstiles is permitted only to change between lines A and C (ATAC, How does Tap & Go work, checked 3 October 2026). Leave the system for any other reason and re-entry needs a new ticket, even if minutes remain.
How does Tap & Go work in Rome?
Tap & Go lets a contactless Mastercard, Visa, American Express, JCB or UnionPay card, or the same card in a phone or watch wallet, act as your ticket on all ATAC buses and trams, Roma Tpl buses, metro lines A, B/B1 and C, and the Roma-Lido, Roma-Viterbo and Termini-Centocelle railways (ATAC, Tap & Go, checked 3 October 2026).
Each tap buys a BIT, valid "100 minuti dal primo tap" and one metro ride. Changes bus-metro, metro-bus and bus-bus within that time count as one tap with no extra charge. If you buy more than five BITs with Tap & Go in 24 hours, the sixth is charged as a Roma 24 ore at EUR 8.50, so a heavy day costs no more than a day pass.
If an inspector checks you, show the card or device you tapped with. On Cotral buses and some regional railways ATAC asks for its Tap & Go app or part of the card number, so a paper ticket is simpler there.
Where to buy paper tickets
ATAC sells through about 2,200 tobacconists, newsstands and bars in Rome and its metropolitan area, about 1,000 of which also handle electronic titles (ATAC, Canali di vendita, checked 3 October 2026). Metro stations have FULL machines (cash and cards) and LIGHT machines (cards only), and staffed ATAC ticket offices open 07:00 to 20:00 daily at some stations. Digital tickets are sold in partner apps including Trenitalia, Telepass, MooneyGo, Wetaxi, TicketAppy and DropTicket.
If you have no paper ticket and the nearest tabaccheria is closed, Tap & Go is the fallback on every ATAC bus and metro gate.
How do you validate a ticket in Rome?
Validation starts the ticket's clock, and every ticket, including passes, must be validated. ATAC's pass pages state that the ticket must always be validated at the start of the first journey and when you transfer into the metro (ATAC, Roma 48 ore, checked 3 October 2026).
What is the fine for no ticket in Rome?
ATAC's sanction for travelling without a valid ticket is EUR 54.90 if paid within five days and EUR 104.90 if paid from the sixth to the sixtieth day (ATAC, Multe e rimborsi, checked 3 October 2026). An unvalidated ticket counts as no ticket. Inspectors no longer accept cash: you pay through a PagoPA notice or on an inspector's mobile card terminal, within 60 days. To contest, write to ATAC within 30 days of receiving the report.
What these tickets do not cover
No ATAC ticket or pass is valid on the Leonardo Express between Termini and Fiumicino or on Cotral's special Termini/Tiburtina-Fiumicino connection (ATAC, BIT and CIS pages). The airport transfer guide covers those fares. For how the three metro lines fit together, including line C, which now runs from Pantano to Colosseo, see why Rome's metro has only three lines; the metro runs from about 05:30 to 23:30 Sunday to Thursday and to 01:30 on Friday and Saturday (Roma Servizi per la Mobilità, checked 3 October 2026). If the Colosseum is your first ride, book the right Colosseum ticket before you go, because entry is timed.
