Milan's Vintage 1928 Trams - A Moving History

San Francisco has cable cars. London has Routemasters. Milan has the Series 1500, affectionately known as the "Ventotto" (The '28) or "Carrelli".

100 Years of Service

Introduced in 1928, these trams were modern marvels at the time. They were built based on the American Peter Witt design. Usually, cities replace public transport every 20-30 years. Milan kept them.

• Why?: They are incredibly robust. They handle the narrow, twisting rails of the historic center better than modern, long trams. And let's be honest: they are beautiful.

Wood and Glass

Step inside one (try Line 1 which goes past La Scala).

• The Interior: Polished wooden benches, glass lamps, and the driver standing at a crank handle.
• The Sound: The rhythmic chunk-chunk-chunk and the ringing bell are the soundtrack of Milan.

The San Francisco Connection

If you visit San Francisco, you might see one! Milan sold some of its surplus trams to SF for their F Market & Wharves line. So you can ride a piece of Milan in California.

How to Ride

They are normal public transport. A standard €2.20 ATM ticket gets you on board. No special tourist ticket needed. Just validate and hold on tight.