New scheme will give Bergamo bus passengers the chance to buy tickets on board

Passengers on the airport bus will soon have
the option to buy a ticket on board

Bergamo today becomes the first city in Italy to offer passengers the opportunity to buy travel tickets on board buses and trams.

Traditionally, passengers are required to buy a ticket before boarding, either at a roadside machine or in a bar or shop approved as a ticket outlet.

From today, the Atb company that operates services in and around Bergamo is introducing ticket machines on board, partly for the convenience of passengers but also to help combat the problem of fare dodging.

The service will be available only on one route for the moment - the T1 tram service between Bergamo's railway station and the town of Albino, to the north-east of the city - but there are plans to introduce it across the whole Atb network if it proves a success.

Passengers will have the option to pay with coins or by using their credit or debit card if it carries the VISA or Mastercard symbol.

There have been concerns that the new system would lead to services being delayed by queues of passengers waiting to use the on-board machines.

Atb have addressed this possibility, however, and will set on-board fares at 30 cents more per journey compared with tickets bought before boarding.

A journey from the airport into the city, for example, would cost €3 if the ticket was bought from a machine on the bus compared with €2.70 if purchased before boarding.

Fare dodging on Bergamo buses is a problem for Atb as it is for all transport providers across Italy.  The company estimates that about six per cent of passenger journeys on its network are completed without a ticket.

The new system may not deter a committed fare dodger but passengers who fail to buy a ticket for other reasons - if they are running late or simply forget, for example - will have the chance to buy on board rather than risk a fine.

Home                       Main Sights                          Bergamo Hotels 

Ryanair announces new Bergamo routes for 2017

Ryanair plans 44 new routes to boost its Italian operation

Ryanair, the Irish budget carrier which is now established as Italy's biggest airline, will operate new services to Bergamo in summer 2017 as part of a substantial expansion of its Italian operation.

Edinburgh will join Belfast, Bristol, East Midlands, London Stansted and Manchester among the UK's departure points for direct flights Orio al Serio, which is listed in timetables as Milan Bergamo.

There will also be a new flight from Vigo in Spain and from Luxembourg.  Ostrava in Czechoslovakia and the Serbian city of Niš were added to the timetable in 2016.

The new routes follow the announcement of a $1 billion investment by Ryanair in 10 new aircraft to cover a total of 44 new services, which will create 2,250 new jobs and result in an extra three million passengers per year arriving at Italian airports.

Ryanair had previously planned cutbacks to its Italian operation, including the closure of its Pescara hub, in response to increases in taxes being proposed by the Italian government but these increases have now been reversed.

Home                       Main Sights                          Bergamo Hotels 

How Orio al Serio airport has helped put Bergamo on the map for visitors to Italy

Bergamo's airport at Orio al Serio is the fourth busiest in Italy and there is no doubt that its rapid expansion has helped raise the profile of the city.
Developed on the site of a military airfield, the airport welcomed its first commercial flight in 1972 but it was not until the deregulation of the aviation industry in the late 1990s that it began to grow at a significant rate.

Ryanair is the principal carrier at Bergamo Airport
(Picture by Paul Lenz)

See our updated Flights Guide

With the boom in regional and low-cost airlines that followed deregulation,  Orio al Serio began to see passenger numbers increasing by significant numbers year on year.  Around a million travellers used the airport in 2000; by 2014 the figure was 8.77 million, more than passed through Marco Polo airport in Venice.
At first seen as a third airport for Milan -- hence it is often referred to as Milan Bergamo -- the airport has helped boost Bergamo's standing as an attraction in its own right, not least because its proximity to the city allows travellers to take in some wonderful views as they land, the Città Alta's beguiling charms often visible from the aircraft windows.
Recently renamed Il Caravaggio International Airport - in honour of the artist who took his name from the town in Bergamo Province where he grew up -- the airport is situated just 3.7 kilometres (2.3 miles) to the south-east of the city.  
Taxis to the city are in plentiful supply and there are buses every 20 minutes from outside the arrivals area, every half an hour at weekends
Bus tickets cost only a couple of euros and the journey time is short -- only 15 minutes to the railway station in Bergamo's Città Bassa, 30 minutes to the Città Alta.  Look out for the No 1 service, which runs along Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII and Viale Roma - the Città Bassa's main thoroughfare -- before climbing to the Città Alta along Viale Vittorio Emanuele II.  Most of the Città Bassa's major hotels are within a short walk of the bus route.

See our updated Flights Guide

Currently you can fly to Caravaggio from more than 30 countries around Europe and North Africa. Ryanair has developed Bergamo as one of its major hubs and the majority of flights to the airport are operated by the Irish budget carrier.
Visitors to Bergamo from the United Kingdom can fly with Ryanair from Bristol, East Midlands, London Stansted and Manchester.  Flights from London Stansted account for around 375,000 passengers arriving in Bergamo each year. 
Ryanair has also become a major carrier within Italy, operating flights to Caravaggio from 10 departure points
In addition to the UK, countries with direct flights to Bergamo are: Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canary Islands, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey and Ukraine. 

More details can be found in our Flights Guide which has been updated to show the spring and summer schedules.

See Best of Bergamo’s updated Flights Guide

Home                       Main Sights                          Bergamo Hotels 

New flights guide for Bergamo's easy-to-reach Caravaggio Airport

One reason for Bergamo's popularity with visitors to Italy is its close proximity to a major international airport.

Caravaggio is a Ryanair hub

Bergamo’s Caravaggio airport is situated in the suburb of Orio al Serio, which is just 3.7 kilometres (2.3 miles) to the south-east of the city.  It is so close to the city that visitors can sometimes enjoy a first glimpse of the Città Alta's beguiling charms even before they land.

Taxis to the city are in plentiful supply and there are buses every 20 minutes from outside the arrivals area, every half an hour at weekends

Bus tickets cost only a couple of euros and the journey time is short -- only 15 minutes to the railway station in Bergamo's Città Bassa, 30 minutes to the Città Alta.  Look out for the No 1 service, which runs along Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII and Viale Roma - the Città Bassa's main thoroughfare -- before climbing to the Città Alta along Viale Vittorio Emanuele II.  Most of the Città Bassa's major hotels are within a short walk of the bus route.

Caravaggio is the fourth busiest airport in Italy, just behind Milan Linate and ahead of Marco Polo airport in Venice. Almost nine million passengers used the airport in 2012. 

Currently you you can fly to Caravaggio -- usually listed in airline schedules as Milan Bergamo -- from 37 countries around Europe and North Africa. Ryanair has developed Bergamo as one of its major hubs and the majority of flights to the airport are operated by the Irish budget carrier.

Visitors to Bergamo from the United Kingdom can fly with Ryanair from Bristol, East Midlands, Leeds-Bradford, London Stansted and Manchester.  Flights from London Stansted accounted for 372,397 passengers arriving in Bergamo in 2012.

Ryanair has also become a major carrier within Italy, operating flights to Caravaggio from 10 departure points

In addition to the UK, countries with direct flights to Bergamo are: Albania, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey and Ukraine. 

More details can be found in our flights guide, which has been updated to show the autumn schedules.

See Best of Bergamo’s updated Flights Guide

Home                       Main Sights                          Bergamo Hotels 

Bergamo airport to close for runway work

Flights to Bergamo between next Tuesday (May 13) and Sunday June 1 will be subject to re-routing because of resurfacing work on the runway at the Caravaggio Airport, otherwise known as Orio al Serio.

Bergamo airport

No services in or out will operate between 00.01am on Tuesday and 06.00 on Monday June 2.  This will impact especially on Ryanair's extensive schedules and travellers should check with the airline should they have a flight booked during this period.

Ryanair's website advises that all their flights to and from Bergamo between these dates will instead arrive and depart from Milan's Malpensa Airport, which is located 91km west of Orio al Serio.  Those flying with other airlines should consult their websites or contact their customer service departments.

Work is continuing on an expansion of the arrivals and departure areas at Caravaggio, which is the fourth busiest airport in Italy, after Rome Fiumicino and the two Milan airports, Malpensa and Linate.

Flights Guide

Home                       Main Sights                          Bergamo Hotels 

City in the skyline entices visitors

If you arrive in Bergamo by train, or by bus from the airport, you will immediately be greeted by a magnificent view of the Città Alta.

Stand outside the railway station and look down the long, straight Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII and you will see the towers and roofs of the Città Alta silhouetted against the sky.

View in the skyline from outside the railway station.

It’s a magical view and will make you want to go and explore the upper town at close quarters.

The view is different according to the seasons. The Città Alta looks magnificent on a bright day against a blue sky, but it also looks beautiful shrouded in mist in the autumn.

The Number 1 bus will take you directly there. Alternatively, you could choose to explore part of the Città Bassa on your way to the funicolare, the funicular railway that also transports visitors up to the Città Alta.

Walk down Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII to Porta Nuova, a neoclassical gateway made in Bergamo’s medieval walls in the middle of the 19th century, which is flanked by i Propilei (the Propylaea), two buildings that look like temples.

Further along Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII you will reach Via Sentierone. Turn to your right to see the 18th century Teatro Donizetti and next to it the monument to the composer Gaetano Donizetti, erected in 1897 in the centenary year of his birth. Opposite is Balzer, a bar founded in 1850 that has now become a Bergamo institution.

Further along Via Sentierone is the church of San Bartolomeo, which has a large altarpiece by Renaissance artist Lorenzo Lotto depicting the Virgin Mary and child on a throne surrounded by saints.

Retrace your steps along Via Sentierone and continue walking down the main thoroughfare, Viale Vittorio Emanuele II, until you reach the funicular railway station on the left hand side. Trains leave every few minutes from there for the short journey up to the Città Alta.

See Best of Bergamo’s updated Flights Guide

Home                       Main Sights                          Bergamo Hotels 

Busy Porta Sant’Agostino was built to protect Bergamo

Porta Sant'Agostino

The grey, sandstone Porta Sant’Agostino is the most popular way of entering Bergamo’s Città Alta (upper town).

Buses and cars from the Città Bassa (lower town) will climb Viale Vittorio Emanuele II and pass under the gate’s central archway before turning left and travelling along Viale delle Mura.

Pedestrians can use the smaller archways at the side to enter the Città Alta and walk along Via Porta Dipinta to reach Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe. From there the ancient Via Gombito leads to Piazza Vecchia in the centre of the upper town.

Porta Sant’Agostino is believed to have been designed by Paolo Berlendis and was built in 1575 during the huge project to improve the fortifications of the Città Alta.

Sant'Agostino fountain

The stone carving of the Venetian lion over the central archway was added more recently to replace earlier insignia that had been removed by invaders.

The beautiful fountain behind Porta Sant’Agostino was built in the same style as the gate later in the 16th century for the benefit of travellers arriving in the city.

See Best of Bergamo’s updated Flights Guide

Home                       Main Sights                          Bergamo Hotels 

Use pedal power to get round Bergamo

The BiGi point outside the Turismo Bergamo office in
Piazzale degli Alpini, near the railway station.

Transport services in Bergamo have been boosted by a low cost, practical and pollution-free bike sharing service.
La BiGi is an innovative bicycle rental scheme available to anyone wanting a valid alternative to driving round the city in a car.
It is run by Atb, Bergamo’s bus company, to provide bikes for shoppers, workers, tourists and students.
And anyone arriving in the city by train, car or bus can also change to two wheels to get around.
It is free for the first 45 minutes, costs €1 from 45 minutes to two hours, €2 from two to three hours and €5 for longer than three hours.
Bikes can be picked up and returned at any of 15 distribution points throughout the city between 06:00 and 23:00 .
You will see the distinctive red bikes waiting in racks at: Piazza Marconi, Piazzale degli Alpini, Via Paleocapa, Piazza Cavour, Piazza Matteotti, Viale Vittorio Emanuele II, Via Sant’Orsola, Largo Rezzara, Via Coghetti, Largo Tironi, Via Don Bosco, Via A Maj, Piazza Sant’Anna, Piazzetta Santo Spirito and Piazzale Oberdan.

You can find out more at Atb's La BiGi page.

Main sights                Bergamo Hotels                Fly to Bergamo

Home

Bergamo’s funicular railways

The Città Alta funicular

Using the two funicolari (funicular railways) is an easy way to move about Bergamo quickly while you are looking round the city.
One links the Città Bassa (lower town) with the Città Alta (upper town) while the other one links the Città Alta with San Vigilio above it. They run every few minutes from early in the morning until late at night and while you are travelling up and down you will see some spectacular views.
The first funicular to be built in Bergamo linked Viale Vittorio Emanuele in the Città Bassa with Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe in the Città Alta. The funicular made its first journey on 20 September, 1897.
The second funicular, which links the Città Alta with San Vigilio, opened on 27 August 1912.
German novelist Hermann Hesse, who won the Nobel prize for literature in 1913, was among the first famous tourists to use the service and many travellers have benefited from it since.
To use the funicular, you can buy a single journey ticket, which you pass through a machine before going through the barrier. Or, if you have a one or three-day ticket, just show it to the funicular’s driver, who will open the barrier for you.

Home

Unlimited bus travel in Bergamo for five euros

Save money while exploring Bergamo by buying a tre giorni (three day) ticket for use on the local buses and funicular railways.

At five euros it will represent a saving if you use it for just three journeys, as a single ticket costs 1.70 euros.

The ticket can be used for 72 hours after it has been validated for unlimited journeys on the line between Bergamo and the airport at Orio al Serio, all the other urban area lines, the funicular between the Città Bassa (lower town) and the Città Alta (upper town) and the funicular between the Città Alta and San Vigilio.

Validate the ticket on the first journey you make by stamping it in the ticket machine located near the driver on the bus.

You do not need to stamp it every time you travel, but should always have it with you in case you are asked to produce it.

At the funicular stations, where you would normally pass your ticket through the barrier, show it to the driver, who will open the barrier for you.

For more information about travelling on the local buses and funicular railways in Bergamo, visit www.atb.bergamo.it.

Home

Touch down and start your holiday

Visitors can reach Bergamo quickly when they land at Milan Bergamo airport, which is situated at Orio al Serio, just five kilometres outside the city.
There are flight links with Bristol, East Midlands, Glasgow, Liverpool, London Stansted and Shannon. There are also services to destinations in Spain, France, Germany, Scandinavia and eastern Europe.To travel into Bergamo, visitors can take an ATB (Azienda Trasporti Bergamo) bus to the railway station in Bergamo for Euro 1.70. These run from early in the morning until late at night.
Autostradale buses also provide a link with Brescia and Milan.
There are radio-controlled taxis waiting outside Arrivals and a choice of car rental firms based at the airport.
Orio al Serio has ample parking and plenty of amenities for travellers, such as banks, shops, bars and a choice of places to eat.


View Larger Map

Bergamo Main Sights       Bergamo Hotels      Fly to Bergamo  

Home

A funicular ride into another age

An interesting way to travel to the Citta Alta is on the funicular railway, built 120 years ago, that climbs up from Viale Vittorio Emanuele. You can admire the solid city walls and the view of the Citta Bassa on your way up.
The funicular arrives in Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe and on leaving the station you feel as though you are stepping back in time.
Città Alta alternates narrow, medieval alleyways with bright open spaces and the route along Via Gombito and Via Colleoni, two of the main streets, is a good example of this.
Via Gombito leads to Piazza Vecchia, for centuries the political and administrative heart of Bergamo. It was rebuilt in the fifteenth century and there is a lot to see in this beautiful square, including the fountain in the middle, donated by the Venetian Alvise Contarini and the civic tower and the Palazzo della Ragione at one end, that date back to the twelfth century. At the other end of the square there in the elegant white marble civic library, which was built in the seventeenth century as a new town hall.
Beyond the loggia of the municipal building is another square, Piazza del Duomo, which is bordered by the Cathedral, the Baptistery, the Colleoni Chapel where the famous condottiere Bartolomeo Colleoni is entombed, and the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, whose ornate baroque interior houses fourteenth century frescoes, marquetry panels created from drawings by Lorenzo Lotto, Flemish and Florentine tapestries and the tomb of composer Gaetano Donizetti.
The Via Colleoni is lined with shops, bars and restaurants and leads to the Piazza Mascheroni, which was built in the sixteenth century to hold the city’s market. An archway leads into the courtyard of the Cittadella, which takes you out to the Colle Aperto, where there are magnificent views of Citta Bassa below and the hills high above.

Traditional transport link still popular

ATB (Azienda Trasporti Bergamo) operates the funicular, which runs every few minutes, connecting the Citta Alta with the Citta Bassa.
The idea first came about in 1887, to save the Citta Alta from isolation and economic depression. The funicular has been updated several times since, but it remains the most popular means for local people and visitors to reach the upper town from the lower.
To use it, travellers have to buy a ticket and pass it through the machine at the barrier before boarding.
It is possible to buy a 24 hour bus ticket that includes use of the funicular, which is handy for tourists.
For more information, contact ATB Point, Largo Porta Nuova, Bergamo, telephone 035.236.026 or, info@atb.bergamo.it.

Bergamo Main Sights       Bergamo Hotels      Fly to Bergamo  

Home