After the success of Summer 2022, Autolinee Toscane's initiative to promote sustainable mobility on the Island of Elba has restarted. It consists of a series of actions - ranging from increasing the number of routes as is done every year in summer, to discounts in museums and tourist and commercial activities on the island for those who choose to use the Elba Pass, to targeted communication campaigns - aimed at encouraging the use of public transport by road in order to reduce private traffic throughout the Elban territory.

A choice that is finding favour with the public (both residents and tourists), given that last summer there was an average increase of 25% in the number of people using the 'at' buses to travel around the island. Numbers that from the surveys of these early days are growing further. "Autolinee Toscane, in order to guarantee the service, has also taken special action in favour of the drivers who have to cover the summer shifts on the island. In fact, one of the main problems for those who have to make business trips to Eba is finding accommodation at prices compatible with their salary. So, in order to overcome this difficulty, Autolinee Toscane has guaranteed, at its own expense, accommodation for every worker travelling to Elba,' explains Alessandro Stocchi, Human Resources Director of Autolinee Toscane.

Many lines for residents and tourists

As of last Sunday, 11 June, Autolinee Toscane's summer public transport service on the Island of Elba is once again in operation. Like last year, it includes three extra-urban lines, which travel the length and breadth of the island, from east to west, connecting the main centres, and a structured urban service in the municipality of Portoferraio, including seven ordinary urban lines, an on-call service and an evening shuttle for the historic centre.

The extra-urban service consists of two main lines, the 116 and 117, covering the western and eastern parts of the island respectively, both with 14 daily trips on weekdays (last departure from Portoferraio at 20:00).

The extra-urban service of the 118 line limited to Bagnaia and Lacona also continues.

Moreover, the promotion of collective transport on the island, disincentivising the use of private cars, is a shared objective between Autolinee Toscane, the Region of Tuscany and the Province of Livorno and the municipalities of Elba, which, having had the opportunity, have financed additional local services. In particular, the Municipality of Portoferraio has enriched the LPT offer in its municipality by entrusting Autolinee Toscane, as last year, with two beach services and an evening service. In particular, line 6 connects the terminus in Viale Elba (main harbour) with Biodola beach, providing 9 daily departures; for the renowned 'White Beaches' seaside resorts, on the other hand, there is a free service on line 7, which provides 17 daily trips from the terminus, passing through the Medici dock, to the beaches of Le Ghiaie, Padulella, Capo Bianco, Seccione, Acquaviva, Sansone and Viticcio.

In order to facilitate the visit of the historical centre in the evening hours, the shuttle service (free of charge on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays) between the main city car parks and the beginning of the ZTL in Calata Mazzini will also be repeated; the service allows tourists and residents to completely free themselves of the stress of searching for a parking space, due to its convenience and very high frequency (every 15 minutes, from 8pm to midnight).

Lastly, as regards the urban service in the municipality of Portoferraio, Autolinee Toscane will repeat the "Prontobus" on-demand service, which provides a more specific response to the travel needs of tourists and residents in the areas of the old town centre, Via Ninci, Ospedale, Cimitero, San Rocco, Albereto and Carpani. Simply call 0565-1930660 to book a ride up to half an hour before the desired time.

Autolinee Toscane has enthusiastically taken up the requests to implement LPT in the urban area of Portoferraio, aware of the importance of
protect the environment of the Island of Elba through the enrichment and efficiency of the collective service.

"We are delighted to re-propose these important services, which last year met with great success with both residents and our guests," explains Angelo Zini, Mayor of Portoferraio. In addition to the much-appreciated free connections that, throughout the day, make it possible to comfortably reach our 'white beaches' without having to use a car, we thought it appropriate to also confirm the other Prontobus service, which offers a concrete response to the needs of all those who need to travel from the city centre to the hospital, the cemetery and the Albereto and Carpani areas".

A virtuous example of an integrated approach to mobility that particularly pleases the Province of Livorno, which, as its President Sandra Scarpellini states, "has always worked with a wide-ranging and open-minded outlook with the sole aim of improving the effectiveness and efficiency of mobility in the area. Virtuous examples of this are," Scarpellini continues, "the experimental setting up of a Peripheral Territorial Mobility Office - Elba Island, for the time being financed by the Province and entrusted to the Municipality of Portoferraio, with the task of monitoring LPT and collecting complaints and suggestions from the public (which could also play a very important role in the renewal of contracts for maritime transport and in general for planning on the subject of territorial continuity), and the setting up and
continuous updating of the BOnTime APP, which presents itself as an excellent integrated infomobility tool, encompassing rail, sea and road transport services, including local shuttles financed by individual municipalities'.

This year it wanted to further encourage mobility by bus by developing a communication product that for the first time brings together all the public road transport services available on the island, both its own and those provided by the Caput Liberum, Marciana Civitas and D'Alarcon Forever subsidiary companies, for the municipalities of Capoliveri, Marciana and Porto Azzurro respectively: the map of local public transport on the island of Elba by Autolinee Toscane is, therefore, a very comprehensive tool for tourists, including not only a complete overview of travel possibilities but also the main points of interest, the most beautiful beaches and also useful stops for hikers travelling
the GTE (Grande Traversata Elbana), as requested by the local CAI delegation.

Elba Pass

The Special Project 'Protect the Island, Choose the Bus' aims to relaunch and spread the use of the 'ELBA PASS', which has the following cuts:

- 1 day, cost 10€

- 3 days, cost 15€

- 6 days, cost 25€

Tickets are available in digital format with the downloadable at-bus app on any mobile phone, at all Autolinee Toscane ticket offices (including the
of Portoferraio) and all PUNTOLIS outlets.

In addition, the renewal of the profitable collaboration with all the island's museums united in the SMART system (Tuscan Archipelago Museum System) and with a number of tourist and commercial operators that have once again adhered to the promotions provided with the "Elba Pass" travel ticket reinforce the company's commitment to the tourist, social and environmental promotion of the territory. Pelagos of Campo nell'Elba, S.E.T. which manages the Marciana cableway, Aquavision, and the Mar di Libri bookshop in Portoferraio - for the discounts reserved for "Elba Pass" holders.

The Tuscan Archipelago National Park, through its President,
Giampiero Sammuri, has signed a special agreement with Autolinee Toscane that provides special discounts for Elba Pass holders. "Our goal - explains President Sammuri - is to give added value to Elba Pass holders, i.e. those who have chosen public transport over private transport, showing that they care about the environmental balance of Elba. And so we have decided, as the Park Authority, to reward them by guaranteeing them a reduced fare on the ticket from € 8 to € 4 for a guided tour at the following information points Park House "Fortezza Pisana" in Marciana; Park House "Franco Franchini" in Rio and CEA "Raffaello Foresi" in Lacona". After all, the slogan of the entire "at" campaign for Elba is not by chance "Protect the island, choose the bus".

Fabio Murzi, President of the Acqua dell'Elba Foundation, a partner in the initiatives promoted by 'at' this year, declares: 'We are very happy to be able to support this project because we are convinced that in order to experience the Island of Elba at its best, public transport is the best and also the most sustainable solution, since it reduces the number of private vehicles on our roads and makes it even better for everyone to enjoy our beauty. We are also very pleased to add our support in a context in which so many administrations, bodies and associations have also contributed to the project in order to make the experience on our island even more beautiful.

A further development this year is the Autolinee Toscane APP, through which detailed information can be obtained very quickly
on the available routes, find the most suitable route by activating the travel planner function, and also purchase the right ticket for your needs.

You can consult all the details on Autolinee Toscane's Elban services at this address at-bus.it/elba; we would also like to point out the 'mobility' page of the Portoferraio Municipality, which summarises the main general information on how to get around the island of Elba: https://www.comune.portoferraio.li.it/aree-tematiche/mobilita-isola-delba

In addition, for music lovers, 'AT' has also prepared a soundtrack to accompany trips to the island: 'at the island', which can be listened to for free on the at-bus channel of Spotify.

"Autolinee Toscane, thanks to its collaboration with the institutions and economic operators, has realised a very important project for the Island of Elba, with not inconsiderable investments both in personnel and vehicles, and in guaranteeing facilities for users, as well as a widespread communication and information campaign to make as many people as possible aware of the many services offered. Because every extra user on the bus and every car less on the road will be a benefit for the entire Island of Elba," concludes Andrea Buonomini, Sales, Marketing & Technology Director of Autolinee Toscane.