Are you new to Milan? Or are you already familiar with the Milan public transport system and would like to travel more efficiently by opting for a travel card?
I suggest you read on, as this article details everything you need to know about the reduced-rate travel card in Milan, and find out if you are eligible to get one.
One of the fashion capitals of the world, Milan is well supported by an extensive public transport system. The public transport fleet consists of buses, trams, and metros spanning the entire city.
What is a travel card?
The reduced-rate travel card is offered by the Azienda Trasporti Milanesi
(ATM). It is the entity controlled by the Municipality of Milan (Comune di Milano) and is responsible for public transport in Milan and the surrounding towns. The ticketing system for public transport is managed in an integrated manner, with the same travel ticket/pass applicable for all modes of transport. Check out the ultimate guide to Milan public transport
for all the must-know information before you begin using the services.
The travel pass allows you to use all the public transport services (bus, tram, and metro) in Milan at a significantly lesser price than usual. For instance, you do not have to buy bus or metro tickets each time you wish to use public transport, if you already have this card. This type of card has a validity of 1 year and costs 50€ (Urban zone) at the time of this writing. The physical card itself has a validity of 4 years.
Who should get this travel pass?
This card is worthwhile for anyone staying in Milan for more than a month or even longer. For shorter durations, there are several other travel passes offered, and they vary from a few days to a week or a monthly one. Take a look at the Milan public transport ticket guide
to find out the various available options with tips to help you choose the right one. So if you plan on using Milan’s public transport for the foreseeable future, you should certainly look into it.
Although the monthly and annual travel passes are priced at reasonable rates for the services offered, not everyone can afford them. Some people might need to use the transport facilities but are not able to, mainly owing to financial reasons. Realizing this ATM provides reduced rate travel passes to individuals meeting given criteria.
Am I eligible to get the reduced rate travel card?
ATM offers several versions of subsidized travel cards. Here I want to tell you about the reduced rate annual travel card. Issuance of the card is based primarily on the ISEE (Equivalent Economic Status Index) value of an individual. This card is valid for all travelers whose ISEE income does not exceed 6000€.
What is ISEE?
If you are already familiar with ISEE and what it is used for, I would suggest you skip this part and continue with the next one. Instead, if you are hearing it for the first time, let me tell you about it briefly.
ISEE is an indicator used to assess and compare the economic situation of households. It is necessary for household wishing to apply for subsidized social benefits. In short, it classifies households into particular income brackets.
How can I get the travel card?
So here is what’s different, the reduced rate annual card cannot be obtained from ATM points within the city like the general travel cards. The card is requestable only at authorized CAF (Centro di Assistenza Fiscale) offices. These are the tax/fiscal assistance centers, one of whose many functions is to generate the ISEE for individuals. The list of authorized CAF offices, as of this writing, can be found on ATM’s official website
.
Contact the CAF office closest to you and request an appointment to get the ISEE value calculated. The ISEE value generation process is pretty straightforward and is usually done in advance. While on the day of the appointment, you might only have to sign the paperwork and pay the fee. Note the CAF offices also charge a one-time fee of around 10€ for ISEE value calculation. This fee might vary depending on the various CAF offices, please be sure to check beforehand. It is usually paid along with the annual card charges.
The details and documents requested by the CAF office for ISEE are:
- Telephone number
- Italian residential address
- If living in a rented house, a copy of the rental contract and registration of the contract with Agenzia delle Entrate (Revenue Agency)
- Passport
- Tax Code (Codice Fiscale)
- Residence permit/Copy of receipt for renewal/issuance of residence permit
- Balance of current Italian bank account as on 31/12/2020
Note that these documents are specific to ISEE 2022 model. Having said that, when compared to the previous year (2021) required documents are similar except for the bank balance certificate (same document but for the year before i.e. 2019).
Conclusion
Travel passes are an efficient way to commute in Milan instead of buying tickets at the station or the Tabacchi. Travel cards also provide the convenience of only having to validate them once, unlike tickets that require validation every time you purchase a new one.
With the reduced-rate travel card, you enjoy the same services at a much lesser price (~85% cheaper). If you plan on using Milan public transport often, then surely consider it.
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