Bins and litter baskets removed, waste collection moved up to dawn, buses rerouted and the cable car reserved for pilgrims. San Marino is preparing for the visit of Pope Leo XIV, and for Saturday, August 22, an extraordinary plan will come into effect that will temporarily change some of the Republic’s main services.
All the changes have been announced by the Azienda Autonoma di Stato per i Servizi Pubblici (AASS – State Public Services Authority). The modifications will mainly affect urban sanitation and public transport and have been decided in order to allow the pastoral visit to proceed smoothly and to comply with the security measures in place.
The first changes will already take effect on Friday afternoon. Starting on August 21, all bins along the Pope’s route will be temporarily removed, from Torraccia to Domagnano and along both sides of the Superstrada up to the Borgo Maggiore roundabout, near Bar Forcellini. They will gradually be put back in place on Saturday afternoon.
For security reasons, litter bins will also temporarily disappear from the areas of Domagnano, Borgo Maggiore and San Marino City.
Door-to-door collection will also be affected. In San Marino’s historic centre, it must be completed by 7am on Saturday. Residents and businesses will therefore need to put out their waste from Friday evening, after closing time. Once the collection crews have passed, no further waste may be left on public ground, and there will be no additional collections during the day. The same rule applies in Borgo Maggiore’s historic centre, where operations will also end by 7am.
The special plan also covers transport arrangements. To make it easier for the faithful to arrive, free shuttle buses will run to Piazzale delle Nazioni Unite. For Domagnano and Serravalle, the pick-up point will be the car park in front of the Multieventi centre on Via Rancaglia, with departures at 6:45am and 7:45am and return trips at 1:30pm and 2:30pm.
For Faetano and Montegiardino, line 3D will be used, brought forward by an hour, arriving at 7:50am and departing from P9 for the return at 2:15pm. In Acquaviva, line 2 will keep its usual schedule, except for the 1:05pm return, which is moved to 1:30pm. Chiesanuova will also use line 2, with a diversion to Fiorentino and a pick-up point at the sports field on Via XXI Settembre.
Changes also apply to lines 4, 7 and 47. Timetables will remain unchanged, but until 4pm the terminus will be moved from Piazzale delle Nazioni Unite to P2B. Further diversions are possible during the closure of the Superstrada for the Pope’s transit, expected from 9am to 9:30am and from noon to 12:30pm.
On-demand transport, meanwhile, will operate on a reduced schedule from 2pm to 1am.
Special attention will also be paid to the San Marino cable car. Throughout the morning and until 1pm, it will be reserved exclusively for pilgrims holding the required pass needed to access the controlled areas. After 1pm, it will reopen to the general public, running every 15 minutes until 12:45am.
AASS is therefore urging citizens, businesses and public transport users to plan their movements and waste disposal in advance, stressing that the extraordinary plan is necessary to ensure security and the smooth running of a day set to involve the entire Republic.
