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Transportation within Milan
Transportation in Milan is highly developed, so much so that it is usually recommended not to use it in a private vehicle, especially if you are an occasional tourist in the city. On this page you will find all the options for getting around the city.
Public transportation within the city
In Milan there is a transport company called ATM.
A company operates the subway (Metro), the buses, and the tram (Tram). The travel tickets are valid for all these means of transport.
Most of the city is networked by transportation, and you can reach almost every corner using one of these means of transportation, or a combination of them.
It is highly recommended to use google maps to understand the preferred route. Simply type in the address or the name of the site you wish to go to, click on directions, choose the public transportation option (a train icon) and you will receive a detailed route detailing the distances, the train/bus lines you need, the travel time, the names of the stations, etc.
If your browsing package is limited, it is highly recommended to download the city map to your cell phone before leaving, then you don’t even consume data when you move around the city with the app here You will learn how to do it easily.
where to buy tickets?
First, you cannot buy the ticket inside the train itself, on the bus or tram. You must have a ticket in advance.
- In automatic machines placed inside the metro stations. You can identify the stations from a distance using large red signs with the letter “M”. The machines operate using a touch screen. It is recommended to choose the English language. You can pay by credit card or cash.
- In the kiosks scattered throughout the city. These are kiosks selling snacks and newspapers called Edicola or shops selling cigarettes called Tabachi.
- ATM application – a relatively new option, and very convenient. Download the ATM Milano app, very easily. After installation select Tickets. Purchase as many tickets as you want, using a credit card or PayPal.
How to use the card?
The card must be validated at the beginning of its use.
On the bus or tram: the ticket must be validated with the first boarding, inside the bus/tram there is a kind of small stamping machine.
In the metro: the entrance to the train complex is only possible by inserting the card and it is also valid. Keep the card even if you are not planning another trip, in order to allow the gate to be opened even when exiting the metro.
Entering the metro with the ATM application – redirecting the mobile screen to the code reader screen of the mobile device
If you purchase the tickets through the application, you must enter the electronic wallet in the application, mark the desired card you bought and activate it. From that moment the 90 minutes will start to count. The cell phone screen can also be shown to inspectors. In order to enter the metro crossings, you have to enter the card in the application, select the QR display, then direct the phone screen to the reader screen near the crossing. Please note that not all crossings are adapted to the application, usually there is one or several such at the end of the row of gates, you will recognize them by a small electronic screen with a green illuminated arrow.
Travel tickets at the ATM
Ordinary single travel ticket (Ordinary ticket) – the price of the ticket is 2.20 euros, and it is valid for 90 minutes from the moment it is signed. The ticket must be stamped again, every time you change means of transport. The card is valid for as many trips as you want within these 90 minutes, on the metro, tram and bus. You can start the trip on the metro, get off the metro at another station, get on a bus, etc., as long as you have not exceeded 90 minutes.
Daily ticket – valid for 24 hours from the moment of signing. The ticket price is 7.60 euros.
Three day ticket – valid for 3 consecutive days from the moment of signing until the end of the service on the third day. The ticket price is 13 euros.
A card for 10 trips – the price of the card is 19.50 euros, and it is valid for 10 trips of 90 minutes.
The above cards are the more common and useful cards.
Children on public transport – children up to the age of 14 are not required to pay a ticket. Each adult can add up to 2 children of these ages to their trip. Up to the age of 5 there is no need to pay for a stroller/stroller either. Be sure to take an identification document with you where you can see the child’s age (for example, a passport).
More and detailed information in English can be found on ATM’s website, here (click on the tab: “Ordinary tickets and travel cards”).
Public transport operating hours
Most, the means of transportation start operating at 05:30 in the morning until 00:30 at night. In addition, some lines are also active at night:
Metro – lines M1, M2, M3 are active all night (but in a more limited format and they do not stop at all stations).
Bus – peripheral lines 90 and 91, active all night.
In addition, on weekend nights (Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday night), special night lines of the metro operate, between useful stations according to the following breakdown (the letter “N” denotes a night line)
- N6 Cadorna FN M1 M2 – Centrale FS M2 M3;
- N15 Gratosoglio – Duomo M1 M3;
- N24 Vigentino – Duomo M1 M3;
- N27 Viale Ungheria – Duomo M1 M3;
- N42 Bicocca – Centrale FS M2 M3;
- N50 Lorenteggio – Cairoli M1;
- N54 Lambrate FS M2 – Duomo M1 M3;
- N57 Quarto Oggiaro – Cairoli M1;
- N80 Quinto Romano – De Angeli M1;
- N94 Porta Volta – Cadorna FN M1 M2
A regular city travel card stamped after midnight is valid until 6 am.
Rented car
Let’s start with our recommendation: if you’ve arrived in the city for a few days, do yourself a favor and don’t try to drive it. Milan is full of traffic, the driving rules are slightly different than in Israel, it is difficult to find parking, especially in areas close to tourist areas, and in addition – similar to many cities in Europe – most days of the year (except Sundays) it is forbidden to drive a private car in the central area of the city, which is usually also the area The favorite of tourists.
Even if you arrived in a rented car from the airport, our recommendation is to leave it in the hotel’s parking lot and take public transportation. Traveling by public transport is an experience in itself, and it is also very efficient, cheap and comfortable.
If you still have to use a private car, you can order it from one of the many car rental agencies scattered all over the city. You can of course do this in advance while still in Israel using the websites or simply go yourself to the rental agency closest to your hotel. Be that as it may, note that there are many centers of rental agencies throughout the city, and really not only in central points (like the central station Milano centrale). Try to get to the rental agency that will be closest to you. The rental agencies located in non-central areas are often less busy and more friendly.
Bicycle
One of the most fun, comfortable, efficient and cheap ways to get around the city.
Milan is a flat city and easy to ride. Although there are not many dedicated bicycle paths, there are many cyclists, and the car drivers usually respect them. A lot of people ride in the city even in the central areas, although tourists are advised to be careful in areas with heavy traffic, and maybe even sometimes get off the bike or ride on the sidewalk. It is not a very pleasant experience to ride a bicycle in a foreign city when a terrible tram is tailing you…
In Milan there are 3 central companies for automatic bicycle loan (if you have an active smartphone, and the possibility of paying by credit card/PayPal). Two of them, Mobike and Ofo, are based on bicycles with an electronic chip, when a mobile application locates the bicycle in the user’s environment, and the bicycle can be left at the end of use at any point you feel like around the city!! You will recognize these bikes lying on the sidewalks around the city by their prominent colors, yellow for ofo and orange for mobike, and by the fact that they are not tethered. The other company, BikeMi, is based on docking stations, similar to the Tel Aviv telephone, and you even have to pay an annual sum of 20 euros for registration, which makes this company less recommended for tourists.
Ofo bike
Signing up for apps is as simple as anything. You download the mobile application from the online store, register in a very short, intuitive and simple procedure (the cost of registration is free or around one euro), enter the application, which immediately locates your location and the location of the nearest bicycle, reach the bicycle, scan the code on it, and it becomes Availability to travel. At the end of the ride, close the mechanical lock of the bike, which is immediately reflected in the end of the usage time in the application as well. The cost is around 0.5 euros per half hour. On some devices the interface language of the application is even in Hebrew.
Link to the app ofo in google play
Link to the app ofo in App Store
Link to the app mobike in google play
Link to the app mobike in App Store
Car sharing
In Milan, as well as in other European cities, the phenomenon of car sharing has become widespread in recent years. Different companies have a fleet of vehicles in the city that can be rented from different points in the city using a mobile application. You only pay according to the minutes of use, and leave the vehicle exactly where you want. The next user will already find the vehicle closest to him using the app. It sounds very tempting, and it is indeed so – but in most cases this option is not suitable for those staying in the city for only a few days. In order to register, most companies require a European driver’s license, and in its absence – you must go to the company’s hotline and arrange the registration. In addition, you must have a local SIM in your phone in order to register. If you are staying in the city for an extended period of time, or if you happen to have both a local driver’s license and a local SIM, you can choose one of the companies below, or simply download a car sahring application from the Google online store. Common car sharing companies in Milan:
Car2Go
Enjoy
Share’ngo
