From 1 January 2026 the ATM paper ticket will definitively disappear from the Milanese public transport system. After a long transition phase, RicaricaMi will become the only travel ticket that can be used on subways, trams, buses and trolleybuses. The turnstiles will no longer have slots for paper tickets and old tickets will not be sold or accepted.
But how will RicaricaMi work? This is a rechargeable electronic ticket, anonymous but for personal use, which allows you to load multiple trips onto a single card. Validation takes place in a simple way: just hold the card close to the contactless readers present at the turnstiles and on board the vehicles. You don’t need to insert it or stamp it. Rates remain unchanged compared to old paper tickets.
Where to buy it and how to recharge it
The card can be purchased and recharged at automatic pay stations in the subway, newsstands and authorized retailers. In some stations, such as those on the M4 line, vending machines only accept electronic payments. The top-up does not involve additional costs and can include different titles, as long as they are of the same type and rate.
On a single RicaricaMi it is possible to load up to 30 ordinary tickets, or 5 carnets, or even a daily or multi-day ticket. It is not permitted to mix different fares or types: before loading a new type of ticket, it is necessary to consume the ones already present.
Controls, deadlines and use
The inspectors verify the validity of the ticket via PDA, simply by reading the card. If the ticket expires during the journey, the same rules apply as before: on the subway you will need to purchase an exit ticket. Old paper tickets can be used until 31 December 2025 and replaced by 30 June 2026 at some ATM Points.
With this choice, Milan aligns itself with the main international metropolises that focus on digital and contactless systems to make public transport more efficient, rapid and sustainable. A change that marks the end of the card and the beginning of a new habit for millions of travellers.
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