The practical difference is simple: Milan’s historic trams have high steps and tight interiors, while modern low-floor trams are much easier with a suitcase, stroller or reduced mobility. For a sightseeing ride with a small bag, the old cars are part of the fun. For a station or airport transfer, choose a low-floor vehicle whenever you can. Milan old trams vs new trams matters most at the door, where a charming 1920s tram can turn a heavy suitcase into an awkward lift.
How to tell which tram has arrived
You do not need to know every vehicle series. Look at the entrance.
- Historic Carrelli trams: these are the compact, single-car Milan icons also called Ventotto or Milano 1928. They have a raised floor, steps immediately inside the doors and a narrower interior. The polished wood and old fittings are lovely; the boarding geometry is not.
- Modern low-floor trams: these are longer, usually articulated vehicles such as Sirio, Sirietto, Eurotram and the newer Tramlink fleet. The entrance is much closer to street or platform level, and there is more open floor space inside.
The important distinction is high-floor versus low-floor, not simply orange versus yellow or old-looking versus new-looking. Milan’s fleet has been repainted and renewed over time, so color is a poor accessibility test.
Old trams: expect real steps at the door
On a Carrelli tram, you climb from the stop into a raised passenger compartment. The steps are steep enough to matter if you have a large roller case, a toddler, knee problems or limited balance. There is no level boarding and these historic cars are not wheelchair-accessible.
With ordinary hand luggage, wait for people to get off, keep one hand free for the rail and lift the case rather than trying to drag its wheels over the edge of each step. Do not stop on the steps to rearrange bags. Move into the car first so the doorway clears behind you.
A large suitcase also feels larger once you are inside. The old cars were designed for passengers, not modern airport baggage. There is no airport-train-style luggage rack, and the door areas and aisle can become cramped quickly. If the tram is already busy, letting it go is often easier than trying to wedge a full-size case into the vestibule.
New low-floor trams: easier, but not a luggage van
Low-floor trams remove the biggest problem: the staircase. On the newest Tramlink vehicles, for example, the passenger floor is low and the interior includes open multifunctional areas. Other modern Milan trams also provide substantially easier boarding than the Carrelli fleet.
You can usually roll a wheeled case aboard rather than lift it through several steps. Once inside, turn the suitcase parallel with the side of the tram and move away from the doorway. The open areas near accessible entrances are useful with luggage, but they are not dedicated baggage bays. Wheelchair users have priority in reserved wheelchair spaces, and strollers may also need those areas.
Low-floor does not automatically mean perfectly level from pavement to tram. Stop design varies, and there can still be a horizontal or vertical gap. For wheelchair travel, check both the vehicle and the stop rather than judging the tram alone.
Which doors should you use?
First let passengers off. ATM explicitly asks riders to give priority to people leaving the vehicle before boarding. On modern trams, door-opening buttons are common. If the tram has stopped and the door beside you remains closed, look for the illuminated push button on or beside the door and press it once. Do not pull, pry or hold the doors.
Historic Carrelli cars use older door equipment. Do not assume the modern request-button arrangement. Wait for the doors to be released or opened rather than trying to operate them yourself. The cars have multiple folding doors, but the interior is short enough that choosing the least crowded open doorway is usually more useful than trying to board at a particular end.
There is another button travelers miss: the stop request. On Milan’s surface transport, the stop should be requested. Before your stop, press the red button associated with fermata, the Italian word for stop. Do it before the tram has reached the stop, especially if few people are waiting outside.
The luggage rule is the same on old and new trams
ATM’s current passenger rules require luggage to be kept on the floor, under the passenger’s control and out of aisles and passageways. Bags or objects with any side longer than 90 cm are generally not permitted, subject to specific exceptions listed in the rules. You can check the current details in ATM’s surface-transport passenger regulations.
For normal travel luggage, the practical rule is even simpler: keep it where it cannot roll, block a door or force other passengers into the aisle. Milan trams can brake sharply in traffic. Hold the case rather than assuming its wheels will stay put.
Best place for a suitcase
- On an old tram: move beyond the entrance and keep the bag tight to you without blocking the aisle. A small backpack is much easier than a rigid large case.
- On a low-floor tram: use an open standing area if one is free, but move immediately if a wheelchair user needs the reserved space.
- At rush hour: if your suitcase cannot fit without occupying the doorway, wait for another vehicle or switch to metro, train or taxi.
Strollers and wheelchairs: the vehicle type changes the rules
ATM’s surface-transport rules distinguish between low-floor and stepped vehicles. On low-floor buses, trolleybuses and trams, a stroller may use the wheelchair area only when it is not needed by a passenger using a wheelchair. Position it facing opposite the direction of travel, apply the wheel brakes and use the restraint provided where required. On a tram with steps and no wheelchair position, the stroller frame must be folded and the child carried or held.
For wheelchair users, ATM currently lists tram lines 4, 7, 9, 14, 15 and 31 as fully served by accessible low-floor trams with ramps. Line 27 is served by accessible vehicles using either a moving platform or ramp. Lines 3 and 24 are only partly served by low-floor trams, while lines 12 and 16 are only partly served by vehicles with moving platforms. Because assignments can change, check ATM’s current tram accessibility information before relying on a particular run.
The official ATM Milano app also shows real-time accessibility information for arriving surface vehicles and stops. That is more useful than memorizing which tram model usually appears on a line.
Ticket validation works the same whichever tram turns up
The old cars look like museum pieces, but they are normal public transport. You use the same ATM ticketing system as on a new tram.
For Milan and the Mi1-Mi3 area, the ordinary ticket currently costs €2.20 and is valid for 90 minutes from first validation. A ticket or pass must be validated at the start of the journey and again whenever you change vehicle. ATM explains the current procedure on its ticket and pass validation page.
If you pay directly with a contactless bank card, phone or watch on an urban tram, tap the same card or device on the reader when you board. For ordinary tram journeys within Milan, you do not normally tap out when leaving. Do not hold a wallet full of cards against the reader, because the system may read the wrong one.
What to do if a historic tram arrives and your luggage is too much
Do not assume the next tram will be low-floor. Some lines are not guaranteed to be operated by accessible vehicles, and the same route can see different rolling stock. Check the ATM app for the next arrivals and vehicle accessibility. If the line is not listed by ATM as fully accessible, build a backup around the metro, an accessible bus route or a taxi rather than waiting indefinitely for a different tram.
For a broader look at choosing between metro, tram and walking in the city, see our guide to getting around Milan. If you are connecting several cities or stations, you can also organize the rest of your Italy route before deciding where a tram ride actually saves time.
If you miss your stop or cannot get off in time
Do not force a closing door. Stay on, press the red stop-request button and get off at the next stop. Then cross only at a safe pedestrian crossing and take the tram back in the opposite direction if necessary. If you change vehicles, remember to validate the same ticket or pass again while it is still valid.
If a modern tram’s door does not open at your stop, use the door button after the vehicle has stopped and the doors are enabled. If the door is defective, move to another door. On a historic car, follow the driver’s door operation and never step into the street until the door is fully open and the tram is stationary.
Which tram should you choose?
- Small day bag and sightseeing: take the historic tram if it suits your route. The high steps are the main trade-off.
- Large roller suitcase: prefer a low-floor tram, especially for a station transfer.
- Stroller: a low-floor tram is far easier, but the wheelchair space remains priority space.
- Wheelchair or significant mobility limitation: use ATM’s accessible-line and real-time vehicle information. Do not count on a Carrelli tram.
- Very crowded service: wait for the next tram if your luggage would block the door. A few saved minutes are not worth spending the ride wrestling a suitcase in the entrance.
The useful rule at the stop is this: if you can see steps immediately behind the door, treat that tram as a sightseeing-friendly vehicle for light luggage. If the floor is low and open, it is the better choice for bags, strollers and easier boarding.