ATAC begins phasing out magnetic paper tickets in favour of contactless cards, smartphones and a new "Family Tap" scheme allowing several passengers to travel on one card.Rome's public transport operator ATAC is phasing out paper tickets, with the traditional magnetic-strip biglietto set to disappear from the city's buses, trams and metro by the end of 2027. From September, passengers will notice a change to the validating machines fitted on board. The roughly 2,500 yellow machines used to stamp paper tickets with a magnetic strip will now be labelled to show they validate paper tickets only, while red machines – already used for digital validation for the past two years - will handle contactless payments. The yellow machines will be gradually withdrawn altogether during 2027. Fare evasion ATAC said the move to digital validation would cut costs and reduce environmental impact by phasing out paper and the machinery needed to read it. The switch to contactless bank card payment, the company added, also helps combat fare evasion by removing the need to purchase tickets at a bar or tobacconist before travelling. Passengers will still be able to travel using rechargeable cards bought at ATAC ticket offices for those without a bank card or who prefer not to use contactless payment. These take the form of a "chip on paper" (CoP) ticket embedded with a thin RFID or NFC microchip, similar to the "ricaricami" system used in Milan. Unlike a standard paper ticket, it is not discarded after a single journey: it can be topped up with new tickets or multi-ride bundles at ticket machines, authorised retailers or via app, and is validated simply by tapping it against the optical readers on turnstiles or vehicles. Rome transport councillor Eugenio Patané confirmed the timeline in a social media post, saying paper tickets would "exit the scene" by the end of 2027. Going forward, he said, passengers will be able to travel in one of two ways: using season tickets and rechargeable cards read by digital validators, or by simply tapping a credit or debit card on the Tap&Go reader. Family Tap Patané also announced a related change aimed at families. The existing Tap&Go contactless system is being upgraded to "Family Tap", which will allow a single card to validate journeys for multiple passengers travelling together, removing the need to buy separate tickets for each family member. ATAC said existing paper tickets already in circulation would continue to be honoured and did not need to be used immediately. Metrebus All monthly and annual Metrebus Roma passes, along with annual Metrebus Lazio passes, are already available exclusively in electronic form. The same applies to a range of other tickets, including the BIT, 2-Bit, 3-Bit, 5-Bit, 10-Bit, Roma 24/48/72-hour tourist passes and the weekly Carta Integrata Settimanale (CIS). The main electronic pass remains the personalised Metrebus Card Red, obtainable from authorised ATAC ticket offices with proof of identification and, for first-time applicants, a passport-style photo. Photo credit: pedro emanuel pereira / Shutterstock.com

Rome's public transport operator ATAC is phasing out paper tickets, with the traditional magnetic-strip biglietto set to disappear from the city's buses, trams and metro by the end of 2027. From September, passengers will notice a change to the validating machines fitted on board. The roughly 2,500 yellow machines used to stamp paper tickets with a magnetic strip will now be labelled to show they validate paper tickets only, while red machines – already used for digital validation for the past two years - will handle contactless payments. The yellow machines will be gradually withdrawn altogether during 2027. ATAC said the move to digital validation would cut costs and reduce environmental impact by phasing out paper and the machinery needed to read it. The switch to contactless bank card payment, the company added, also helps combat fare evasion by removing the need to purchase tickets at a bar or tobacconist before travelling. Passengers will still be able to travel using rechargeable cards bought at ATAC ticket offices for those without a bank card or who prefer not to use contactless payment. These take the form of a "chip on paper" (CoP) ticket embedded with a thin RFID or NFC microchip, similar to the . Unlike a standard paper ticket, it is not discarded after a single journey: it can be topped up with new tickets or multi-ride bundles at ticket machines, authorised retailers or via app, and is validated simply by tapping it against the optical readers on turnstiles or vehicles. Rome transport councillor Eugenio Patané confirmed the timeline in a social media post, saying paper tickets would "exit the scene" by the end of 2027. Going forward, he said, passengers will be able to travel in one of two ways: using season tickets and rechargeable cards read by digital validators, or by simply tapping a credit or debit card on the Tap&Go reader. Patané also announced a related change aimed at families. The existing Tap&Go contactless system is being upgraded to "Family Tap", which will allow a single card to validate journeys for multiple passengers travelling together, removing the need to buy separate tickets for each family member. ATAC said existing paper tickets already in circulation would continue to be honoured and did not need to be used immediately. All monthly and annual Metrebus Roma passes, along with annual Metrebus Lazio passes, are already available exclusively in electronic form. The same applies to a range of other tickets, including the BIT, 2-Bit, 3-Bit, 5-Bit, 10-Bit, Roma 24/48/72-hour tourist passes and the weekly Carta Integrata Settimanale (CIS). The main electronic pass remains the personalised Metrebus Card Red, obtainable from authorised ATAC ticket offices with proof of identification and, for first-time applicants, a passport-style photo.