ATAC drops paper monthly tickets for electronic pass

Rome public transport provider ATAC is launching a new rechargeable electronic pass for monthly subscriptions, replacing the original paper version.

The switch from paper to electronic will begin in September and the transition will be complete by the end of the year. The èRoma cards contain a microchip and can be recharged via the Atac website, at ticket stations on the metro, at UniCredit bank machines and from authorised vendors around the capital.

Commuters will receive the uncharged card for free if they collect it directly from ATAC ticket stations, from the end of August, however it will cost a one-off payment of €3 if purchased from tobacconists, after which it can be topped up with the monthly €35.

ATAC says the new system is more durable, commuter-friendly and – for users of the Metro – it only needs to be scanned in front of the ticket machines instead of inserted, leading to less queues of commuters during rush hour.

For more details and the locations of the ticket offices, see the ATAC website.