Contactless payment revolutionises ticket purchases onboard, allowing travellers to use their credit, debit, or prepaid cards, smartphones, and compatible wearables.
- all credit, debit, and prepaid cards from MasterCard, VISA and American Express networks with the contactless symbol,
- smartphones and wearables (ApplePay, Google Wallet, and SamsungPay) with credit, debit and prepaid cards.
Currently, only credit, debit, and prepaid cards from MasterCard, VISA and American Express networks with the contactless symbol can be used for onboard payment.
Yes. The system supports all devices that have digitized cards from compatible networks.
For urban buses, 1 TAP is all it takes: just hold your contactless bank card to the ticket validation machine when boarding.
For suburban buses, extraurban speed lines and mixed-fare lines (see the list here) 2 TAPS are required: one getting on and one getting off the bus, to be charged the correct fare. Attention: failure to tap when getting off the bus will result in the full fare being charged for the entire route, as the correct fare cannot be calculated.
Attention: if you forget to tap system will not be able to calculate the correct fare and you will be debitted the entire amount from where you are getting on the bus until terminus of arrival.
Operational Instructions:
Hold your card or device near the contactless ticket validation machine's sensor. Wait for the “green” light signalling a successful tap, and listen to the confirmation beep. The system does not provide paper receipts.
Please remember that if the ticket validation machine displays a “red” light, followed by an on-screen error message, the card has not been validated by the system, and the passenger does not have a valid ticket.
Actual charges for the service will appear a few days after use.
No. For public transport transactions, which undergo thorough checks, there is no need to enter any confirmation code.
A green light after tapping indicates a successful purchase. A red light means the tap failed.
Nothing happens. If your trip includes bus and tram tap each time you get on board: within ticket’s time validity, started with your first tap, no other ticket will be charged.
When travelling on mixed-fare line (see the list here) you have to tap twice: one when you get on and one when you get off the bus to be sure the correct fare will be charged.
Attention: if you forget to tap when getting off the bus the right fare won’te be calculated and you will be debitted the entire amount from where you are getting on the bus until terminus of arrival.
The procedure remains the same, namely:
- for urban services: you must tap your card each time you get on a bus,
- for suburban buses, speed suburban and mixed-fare lines (see the list here): you must tap your card when you get on and again when get off each bus.
Each card (or device linked to the card) allows only one passenger to travel at a time. Therefore, one passenger can travel using a bank card. A second passenger can travel using a smartphone linked to the same bank card. A third passenger can travel using a wearable device linked to the same bank card.
Remember, if you start your journey with a card, you must use the same card for subsequent taps, and the same applies for purchases made through a smartphone and wearable device.
If the due amount cannot be correctly charged (e.g., due to insufficient funds),that card will be automatically put in black list and from that moment it will be useless to accessour transport system until that card will be recharged.
Being placed on the disabled cards list (our black list) is a temporary condition that only affects contactless payment system on board and should not be confused with a card block: that card will continue to be active for normal use.
For suburban buses, speed suburban and mixed-fare lines (see the list here) if you do not tap out when getting off, system will not be able to calculate the correct fare, and you will be debitted the entire amount from where you are getting on the bus until terminus of arrival.
For urban services, it is not necessary to tap the card on the ticket validation machine again before getting off the bus.
This is a pre-authorisation required by the banking network and is independent of our system.
If your card or device is checked, you need to show it and follow the inspector’s instructions.
The checking devices do not read or acquire personal and/or sensitive data of the cardholder.
The controllers' devices keep the card data anonymous.
The cost of the ticket may be charged days later. It is normal to find the cost charged on a different day from the travel. Banks may have different timing for applying the charge.
For urban services, you will be charged for 2 tickets because the system deducts a ticket for each card or digital payment device used.
For suburban buses, speed suburban and mixed-fare lines (see the list here), you will be charged for 2 tickets, and you will be debitted the entire amount from where you are getting on the bus until terminus of arrival, because the system deducts a ticket for each card or digital payment device used.
Always use the same digital device for the same journey: the same physical card, the same smartphone, or the same smartwatch.
Contactless payment is active on at's urban and suburban buses that have this external sticker:
and this internal sticker:
and on the Florence tramway.
Please note that a small part of our fleet is not equipped with contactless validators. Buses enabled for contactless payment are recognisable by stickers on the outside and inside of the bus.
No, no registration is required.
Please note that it is not necessary to register on the portal to use contactless payment on board. Simply board and tap. You can use the portal after your purchase to check your transactions and download receipts.
Simply log in to the portal from which you can check your purchases and download receipts.
Purchases will be visible on the portal a few minutes after TAP.
At first you will find the ticket with the status "WAITING" as there are different transaction times. Once the transaction has been finalized you will see the status changed to "PAID" or "NOT PAID".To view purchases made with a device (smartphone, smartwatch, etc.), and download the related receipts, you must have made at least one purchase with the physical card.
It's possible that the card was not properly presented. If the error signal persists after retrying, it could be that the card:
- is not supported by our network.
- does not have sufficient funds
- is expired
- is not contactless
- despite being contactless, it is not compatible with the payment of 'transit' services
- is temporarily blocked
In these cases, we suggest contacting your bank for further assistance.
If you are using a smartphone or smartwatch, try making the purchase using the physical card.
In some circumstances, it is possible for various reasons that the physical card is not compatible with the payment of transit services. In this case, it is suggested, if possible, to virtualise the card on a smartphone or smartwatch device and try the purchase for the next trip. If the problem is not resolved, we recommend contacting your bank or the institution that issued the card.
We remind you that to travel you must have a suitable and valid ticket, which must be validated or activated when you board the bus. If the contactless validator is not working, we advise you to ask the driver if it is possible to purchase the ticket on board in paper format with a surcharge.
Otherwise, it is necessary to get off the bus and, in order not to incur a penalty, purchase the ticket via the other channels (list available at www.at-bus.it/en/tickets-and-passes/buying-guide).
Contactless purchases are only available for full-price tickets.