Rome makes on-demand buses permanent in the Massimina district

The Interreg Europe EMBRACER project (2023 to 2027) supports communities in peripheral and rural parts of Europe in shifting toward more intermodal mobility by identifying, sharing and scaling up innovative practices that improve accessibility and sustainability. As part of this project, a newly approved good practice example from Italy showcases how tailored mobility solutions can better serve communities on the periphery of major cities.

In Rome, ensuring reliable transport connections for residents in outlying districts remains a longstanding challenge. Following a successful trial phase, the Municipality of Rome – through its Mobility Agency, Roma Servizi per la Mobilità – made the on-demand bus service in the Massimina district permanent as of 2025. Operating daily from 5:30am to midnight, the service is gradually replacing fixed routes in the area previously covered by lines 086 and 087, which were withdrawn in mid-May. Accessible via the “Clicbus” app, the nine-seater vehicles, each with space for a wheelchair user, are now integrated into the standard public transport fare system and covered by Metrebus subscriptions.

The trial, funded with €900,000 from the Metropolitan City of Rome, carried more than 22,000 passengers and achieved 97% user satisfaction rate, with the majority of trips booked via the app. Notably, more than 90% of users said they would continue using the service even once payment was required. The model offers cleard benefits: residents gain a more flexible and responsive transport option, and operators can streamline services and reduce operational costs. By discouraging private car use and meeting local mobility needs more precisely, Rome’s on-demand service offers a strong example for other European territories aiming to modernise public transport provision.

Author: Carla Giaume

Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not reflect those of the European Commission.