Different Italian cities have various ways to purchase public transport tickets. This post, as of July 28, 2025, aims to be a comprehensive guide for buying tickets for all public transport in Florence.
First off, it's important to know that you always need a ticket to travel on Florentine trams and buses. If you're caught without one during a check—which are quite frequent, by the way—you'll face a hefty fine.
There are several ways to buy tickets, and they can be either paper or digital.
Initially, it's worth noting that a single ticket costs €1.70 and is valid for 90 minutes. During this time, you can take as many trams and buses as you like. However, if you exceed 90 minutes, you must either get off or purchase and validate a new ticket. In a compact city like Florence, one ticket is usually enough to reach any destination, and often, you can even use it for your return journey, as long as you stay within the 90-minute validation period.
Buying Digital Tickets
The latest method introduced is purchasing tickets on board trams and buses using a credit or debit card (Bancomat), or via a smartphone app (e.g., Google Wallet). The terminal looks like this:
Purchases are made contactless. Remember to present your card or smartphone to the terminal every time you board a new vehicle (even if it's within the 90-minute window). The terminal will record the initial usage time and charge only one ticket within the 90 minutes. Each card or smartphone can only be used for one passenger; multiple purchases are not possible on board.
Another way to buy electronic tickets is through apps. There are three apps enabled for selling and validating tickets: AT Bus App, Tabnet App, and Blink App. You'll need to link a credit/debit card to these apps. You can make multiple purchases at any time and validate your tickets through the app when you board the vehicle. The 90-minute timer starts from that moment.
Buying Paper Tickets
You can purchase paper tickets from the ticket machines located at all tram stops. These machines allow for multiple purchases, using either cash or credit/debit cards.
Paper tickets and multi-ticket carnets can also be bought at authorized resellers, typically tobacconists and newsstands that display a decal at the entrance, usually saying something like "AT - Vendita biglietti Bus/Tram" (AT - Bus/Tram Ticket Sales).
Lastly, you can buy paper tickets from the driver at an increased price. Be aware that drivers might run out of tickets; in such cases, you'll need to get off or use another purchase method.This type of purchase isn't allowed on trams.
Validating Tickets
Paper tickets and tickets bought via an app can be used long after purchase, but you must validate them. Validation certifies the start of your journey and the 90-minute timer for each individual ticket. Within the apps, there's a specific function for purchased tickets that allows you to "activate" them individually for a 90-minute ride. After 90 minutes, they expire and can no longer be used. Paper tickets, on the other hand, must be stamped by the machines on board trams and buses. These machines will stamp an annulment with the date and time. Here's what the stamper looks like:
Tickets must always be validated as soon as you board the vehicle. Similarly, electronic validation on an app, or a contactless purchase, must be done immediately without delay. Inspectors are very strict with passengers who wait for their arrival to validate their tickets, which is easily detectable by the validation time (and the absence of passengers at the stop where they boarded).
This post is dedicated to tourists and visitors to the city who are staying for a limited period. For all updated information on tickets, carnets, and passes, please refer to the AT Bus website.
