Start Romagna

What Start Romagna does

Start Romagna S.p.A. is a privately-held Italian public transport operator (Società per Azioni) headquartered in Rimini, providing bus, electric rapid transit, and ferry services across the Forlì-Cesena, Ravenna, and Rimini basins under public service contracts with Regione Emilia-Romagna. The company operates 200+ routes and the Metromare eBRT — a 9.8 km full-electric trolleybus corridor with 15 stops linking Rimini and Riccione in approximately 23 minutes — and participates as a demonstration site in the EU Horizon Europe eBRT2030 project, piloting automated driving, smart-camera safety, real-time passenger counting, and predictive maintenance. Its digital stack includes the My Start Romagna mobile app, QR-code ticketing, EMV contactless payment onboard (StartAP), an AI chatbot (Guido) on WhatsApp for service and Chat&Go ticket purchase, the InfoBus real-time tracking portal, and Start&You registered-user alerts.

The business model blends farebox revenue with contracted public service payments. Single and integrated train+bus tickets (Servizi Link with Trenitalia) and zone-based tariffs underpin transaction revenue, while annual and monthly subscriptions (including Under 26 and the regional "Salta su!" student programme), tourist passes (Romagna SmartPass, Rail SmartPass, AsPass, TermePass), and seasonal products (Estate Card, Shuttlemare, Navetto Mare) drive recurring and seasonal income. Distribution spans 200+ Punto Bus and PuntoLis retail outlets, mobile and WhatsApp channels, vending machines, onboard purchase, and partner channels (Trenitalia, Moovit, post offices). Customer segments are horizontal — daily commuters, students under 26, tourists along the Romagna coast, and event/trade-fair attendees (Rimini Fiera) — with government, municipal, and regional authorities acting as both contracting counterparties and co-financiers of free or discounted services. No revenue figure is publicly disclosed in the source data; only the €29,000,000 subscribed share capital is reported.

Name

Start Romagna

Legal name

Start Romagna S.p.A.

Website

https://startromagna.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Start Romagna S.p.A. is a privately-held Italian regional public transport operator providing bus, electric rapid transit (Metromare), and ferry services across the Forlì-Cesena, Ravenna, and Rimini provinces under contract with Regione Emilia-Romagna.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Transportation

NAICS

Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113), Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation (485), Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation (485210)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100), Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Economy/Conventional Scheduled Intercity Bus Services (THAIADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Urban & Commuter Ferries (Scheduled Public Service) (THAIAJAA), Airport/Seaport Shuttle & Landside Connector Services (TLAFAJAE)

Keywords

• Public bus transport
• Electric rapid transit
• Regional passenger transit
• Integrated ticketing services
• Seasonal shuttle services

Headquarters

HQ city

Rimini

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Public Transport Fares: Revenue from single tickets, integrated train+bus tickets (Servizi Link), and zone-based tariffs across the Forlì-Cesena, Ravenna, and Rimini transport basins.
2. Subscription Passes: Revenue from various subscription products including annual passes, monthly passes, student passes (Under 26, Salta su!, Estate Card), and tourist passes (Romagna SmartPass, Rail SmartPass, Terme Pass).
3. Public Service Contracts: Contracted public transport services under regional government agreements covering urban and extra-urban bus routes, school transport (ScuolaBus), and special services (airport shuttles, beach shuttles).
4. Special Tourism Services: Fee-based seasonal services including Shuttlemare (city-to-beach connections), Navetto Mare, and special event transport for fairs and festivals.
5. Administrative Sanctions: Revenue from penalty fines for travel regulation violations, with reduced rates available for forgotten season tickets (€6.00) and standard rates for other infractions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Start Romagna S.p.A. operates scheduled public passenger transport across the Forlì-Cesena, Ravenna, and Rimini basins of Italy's Romagna region. Its core offering is local and suburban mass passenger transportation delivered via fixed-route bus lines, the Metromare full-electric rapid transit (eBRT) corridor between Rimini and Riccione, and ferry services, complemented by seasonal shuttles, airport connections, on-demand services, and integrated train+bus ticketing.

Product overview

Start Romagna operates as a comprehensive public transport operator managing a multi-modal transit network across the Romagna region, encompassing the Forlì-Cesena, Ravenna, and Rimini administrative areas. The company's product portfolio is structured around core fixed-route bus services (numerous numbered lines), rapid transit (Metromare eBRT), seasonal services (Shuttelmare beach shuttles, Navetto Mare, ferry), digital ticketing platforms (QR codes, EMV contactless payment via StartAP, WhatsApp Chat&Go), subscription products (Under 26, Salta su! student programs, Estate Card), and tourism passes (Romagna SmartPass, Rail SmartPass, AsPass). The network integrates real-time information via InfoBus, personalized services through Start&You accounts, and participates in the European eBRT2030 research project for electric mobility innovation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Metromare: Full-electric rapid transit system (eBRT) linking Rimini and Riccione, running on a dedicated corridor of 9.8 km with 15 intermediate stops.
• Romagna SmartPass
• Rail SmartPass
• Navetto Mare
• Shuttlemare
• Freccia Blu
• Estate Card

Products and services

• Metromare

Quantifiable outcome

• Metromare route: 9.8 km, 15 stops, 23 minutes travel time between Rimini and Riccione
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability8 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UITP (International Association of Public Transport)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUITP coordinates the European eBRT2030 project in which Start Romagna participates as one of six demonstration sites. UITP brings together 49 European partners including public transport operators, universities, technology providers, and institutions to develop innovative automated and connected electric BRT systems.
• University of Bologna – Cesena CampuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific research partner for the eBRT2030 project focusing on data analysis, predictive maintenance, energy efficiency optimization, and development of new service models based on actual mobility demand patterns.
• ENEL XcoreTechnology or IntegrationEnergy solutions partner developing innovative and integrated charging solutions for the Metromare electric BRT system, supporting the rollout of electric eBRT systems in European cities.
• ASSTRAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian association of public transport companies participating in the eBRT2030 project consortium supporting the development of electric BRT technologies.
• Trenitalia (FS Italiane Group)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStrategic partnership for integrated train+bus ticketing through Servizi Link, allowing passengers to purchase combined tickets covering regional train services and Start Romagna bus routes via Trenitalia sales channels.
• Regione Emilia-RomagnacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional government authority providing funding for student transport (Salta su! programme), free urban transport schemes, and public service contract agreements for bus services across the three provincial basins.
• Comune di RavennaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRavenna municipality funding the free Navetto Mare beach shuttle service connecting parking areas to Marina di Ravenna and Punta Marina Terme seaside destinations.
• LIS Pay S.p.A. (PuntoLis)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPayment services provider enabling ticket and fine payments at over 200 affiliated outlets including tobacconists, newsagents, and bars throughout the region.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ACTV - Azienda del Consorzio Trasporti Veneto: ACTV operates the integrated public transport network of the Venice metropolitan area, including buses, tram, and a large network of urban and lagoon ferries/water buses. It is directly comparable to Start Romagna for its combination of scheduled bus and passenger ferry operations serving both commuter and tourist demand.
• ATVO: ATVO is the regional bus operator serving the Veneto region, particularly the eastern Veneto and beach-resort corridor around Jesolo. It is directly comparable to Start Romagna as an Italian regional bus operator focused on coastal tourism and commuter demand, with seasonal services and integrated ticketing.
• SASA / SAD Bolzano: SASA operates urban and interurban bus services in the Bolzano/South Tyrol area, including scheduled lines, school transport, and integrated regional ticketing. It is comparable to Start Romagna as a sub-regional Italian transit operator with public service contracts and tourism/commuter mix.
• TPER (Trasporto Passeggeri Emilia-Romagna): TPER is the principal public transport operator across Emilia-Romagna, providing urban, suburban, and interurban bus services plus rail in Bologna and Ferrara. It is Start Romagna's most direct regional peer, with overlapping scope on the same territory's public transport concessions and a similarly multi-modal service portfolio.
• Arriva Italia: Arriva Italia (DB Group) operates local and regional bus services across multiple Italian regions including Lombardy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and Tuscany. It is comparable to Start Romagna as a contracted regional bus operator running both urban scheduled services and tourism-oriented routes, with similar service mix and contract-based revenue model.
• BUSITALIA (FS Group): BUSITALIA is the bus arm of Italy's state railway group (FS Italiane), operating road passenger services across multiple Italian regions including Veneto, Tuscany, Lazio, and Campania. It is comparable to Start Romagna as a multi-region contracted bus operator running scheduled, tourism, and airport-connector services under public service contracts.

Broad incumbents

• ATM Milano: ATM operates the integrated public transport network of Milan, including buses, trams, metro, and suburban rail. It is a broad incumbent comparable to Start Romagna as a multi-modal urban transit operator with a similar mix of scheduled bus, tram/BRT, and integrated ticketing, though serving a much larger metropolitan area.
• AMT Genova: AMT runs the public transport network of Genoa, including buses, metro, funiculars, and a coastal ferry service. It is comparable to Start Romagna for its combined bus and ferry operations serving both resident commuter demand and tourist flows along the Italian coast.
• ATAC Roma: ATAC is the public transport operator for the city of Rome, running buses, trams, metro, and suburban rail across a major metropolitan area. It is a broad incumbent comparable to Start Romagna in terms of urban bus operations and contracted public service delivery, though at significantly larger scale.
• Transdev Italia: Transdev is one of the largest global public transport operators, active across multiple Italian regions via subsidiaries (e.g., Autoguidovie, Trenord management). It is comparable to Start Romagna as a contracted public transport operator with multi-modal urban and intercity services, though at significantly larger national and international scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCkzX68GF1VABbSmPfqjSyHw
• Facebookfacebook.com/StartRomagnaOfficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/start-romagna-spa
• Instagraminstagram.com/start_romagna

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Start Romagna