Buses and Trams

ATAC Buses

Rome's bus network is operated by ATAC and covers the entire city, including areas not served by the metro. Buses are often the most practical way to reach attractions in the historic center, where the metro has limited coverage.

Accessibility Features

All modern ATAC buses are low-floor vehicles with a manual wheelchair ramp located at the rear or middle door. Buses display a wheelchair icon on the front if they have accessible features. Inside, there are priority seats near the door and a designated wheelchair space with a backrest panel and holding strap.

How to Use the Ramp

1. Wait at the bus stop near the middle or rear door (look for the wheelchair symbol).
2. When the bus arrives, signal the driver that you need the ramp. Press the wheelchair button on the exterior of the bus if there is one, or make eye contact with the driver.
3. The driver will come to the door and manually deploy the ramp.
4. Board and position your wheelchair in the designated space, facing the backrest panel.
5. Apply your brakes. Use the holding strap if available.
6. Press the wheelchair call button inside to alert the driver before your stop, so the ramp can be deployed for exit.

Real-World Challenges

While ATAC reports that 100% of its bus fleet has boarding ramps, practical issues remain:

• Ramp malfunction: Some ramps are out of order due to maintenance issues. If one bus cannot deploy the ramp, wait for the next one.
• Parked cars blocking stops: Double-parked cars frequently prevent buses from pulling up flush with the sidewalk. When this happens, the driver may deploy the ramp onto the street, making it steeper. You may need to move from the sidewalk onto the road to board.
• Crowded buses: During rush hour, the wheelchair space may be occupied by standing passengers or strollers. The driver should ask passengers to clear the space, but this does not always happen.

Night Buses

Rome has a network of night bus lines (marked with "N" before the number) that operate from midnight to about 5:30 in the morning, when the metro is closed. Most night buses use the same low-floor vehicles as daytime routes and have wheelchair ramps. Key night routes include the N lines that follow the paths of Metro Lines A and B.

Real-Time Tracking

Use the ATAC app (available for iOS and Android) or the Roma Mobilita website to track bus locations in real time. This helps you know when the next bus is arriving and avoid long waits at exposed bus stops.

Useful Bus Routes for Tourists

Trams

Rome has six tram lines. Tram accessibility varies depending on the age of the vehicles.

Low-Floor Trams

Lines 8 and 19 use modern low-floor trams (about 28 meters long) that are wheelchair accessible. These trams have:

• Low-floor entry at all doors (no steps)
• Designated wheelchair spaces
• Next-stop announcements

ATAC is currently replacing older tram vehicles with new fully accessible CAF Urbos trams, which are low-floor, air-conditioned, and designed for universal access. These new trams are being rolled out across the network.

Older Trams

Some routes still use older high-floor trams that have steps at the entrance and no wheelchair ramp. These are not accessible for wheelchair users. If you see an older tram arrive, wait for a newer low-floor vehicle or take an alternative bus route.

Tram Lines

Tickets for Buses and Trams

Buses and trams use the same BIT ticket as the metro (1.50 EUR, valid for 100 minutes). Buy tickets at tabacchi, newsstands, metro stations, or through the ATAC app. Validate your ticket in the machine on board when you first board. Multi-day passes (24h, 48h, 72h, 7-day) are also valid on all buses and trams. See our Metro guide for full ticket pricing.