Are these seats reserved for the elderly?
'Riservati' — 'ri-ser-VA-ti'. Stress on the third syllable. 'Anziani' — 'an-TSYA-ni'.
Ask before sitting in seats near the door that may be marked for priority passengers, to avoid sitting in a reserved spot.
'Riservati' is the past participle of 'riservare' used as an adjective, agreeing with the plural 'posti' (seats). 'Agli anziani' means 'to/for the elderly'. Italian priority seating also covers pregnant women and disabled passengers.
I posti per i disabili sono qui?
Are the seats for disabled passengers here?
Asks about disability-specific seating.
Devo alzarmi per una persona anziana?
Do I need to stand for an elderly person?
Asks about the etiquette when a priority passenger boards.
Questo è un posto prioritario?
Is this a priority seat?
Direct check before sitting.
Priority seating on Italian public transport is required by law. In practice, young Italians do generally give up seats for the elderly, though the habit is stronger in northern Italy than in busier southern cities.