If you wish to open a bank account, rent an apartment or buy an Italian telephone card you will need a Tax Code “Codice Fiscale”. It is a 16-character alphanumeric code issued free of charge by the Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) to identify Italian nationals and foreign residents in Italy. It is free to obtain, and it is valid for a lifetime. A tax code is calculated on your surname (three letters), name (three letters), date and place of birth, sex (five characters) and a checksum letter. Although it can be generated by using unofficial online tools, only Tax codes issued by the Italian Revenue Agency/ Agenzia delle Entrate are valid by law. 
 
How to apply for it

You can either:

• request it at the Italian Embassy in your country before your departure; or
• request it at any  of the branches of the Agenzia delle Entrate in Brescia by following this instruction:

1. Book your appointment at a local office go on the Revenue Agency booking platform and select Per te stesso  (Book for yourself). 
2. Mark Prima richiesta di attribuzione del codice fiscale (Request your tax code for the first time)
3. Fill out the form with your surname / cognome, name / nome and e-mail. 
4. On the next step write BRESCIA and proceed: you will see a list of the Revenue agency's local offices (Uffici territoriali) and the first available appointments for each (look at the ones in-person / In presenza only)
5. Choose one and click on In presenza and select the appointment slot more convenient to you. 
6. As reason for your appointment / Motivo di richiesta appuntamento*: write: " CF Studente internazionale ". Proceed by clicking Avanti
7. Solve the captcha and click Avanti
8. You will see the booking confirmation and receive a copy of it over e-mail 
9. On the day of your appointment show up on time and check in at the entrance with your booking confirmation to get your call number
10. You will need to bring: your application form and your passport or EU ID in original (they may want to see your visa and entry stamp if applicable).
11. When it's your turn, go to the assigned desk and a Revenue Agency officer will welcome you and process your application.
12. They will make a copy of your documentation and hand you a paper tax code certificate / certificato di attribuzione del codice fiscale signed and stamped
13. A handy plastic tax code card should arrive by mail in a month or so (so remember to place your name on the mailbox and alert the receptionist)
     

Average living costs (per semester)
 

• Accommodation: € 1,700 to €3,000
• Food: € 750 to €1,000
• Personal expenses: € 200 to € 400 per month
• Books: € 200
• Local transportation: € 100

Average single priced (food) items

• Pizza + Beer: € 15
• Cinema ticket: € 7,50
• Gelato: € 3
• Panino, sandwich: € 5
• Caffè, Coffee: € 1

Brescia Mobilità manages the public transport services of the city of Brescia and the surrounding areas. It operates within the metropolitan area, comprising of a metro and bus network.

Bus
Buses are always orange. The wide network of buses covers the entire city and 14 surrounding municipalities and has 16 lines (17 during the summer). The Service is available 365 days a year, with a partial suspension on 25 December, 1 May, and on Easter Sunday, when the service ends at 12.30pm.

 

Metro (subway/underground)
The subway (metro) runs from 5.00am until midnight and on Saturdays, it extends its service hours until 1.00am. The subway takes about 30 minutes to travel the entire route between the two terminals at Prealpino and Sant'Eufemia.

 

Tickets
All tickets for the public transportation system can be purchased at news kiosk, tabacco shops, from your smartphone downloading the BresciaAPP! or sending an SMS, or in the metro stations from machines. The same ticket can be used on all two types of transport for up to 90 minutes but must be validated each time.
Note: You can purchase tickets on the bus.

Ticket Costs

• One ride: €1,70 (90 minutes)
• Carnet 10 rides of 90 minutes: €15 (one per person, cannot be shared)
• Annual subscription for University students: € 140 (Exchange students: free pass, must contact the international office at ucscs.international-bs@unicatt.it) 

 

BiciMia
If you enjoy riding a bike, you can subscribe to BiciMia, Brescia's easy, practical and ecological Bike sharing service. To use BiciMia all you need is an Omnibus Card (a contactless electronic card, personal and non-transferable, that can be used for any service offered by Brescia Mobilità which costs €5) to pick up and return the bike in one of the 73 BiciMia stations around the city.

 

Taxi
If you need a taxi in Brescia, you can call Radio Brixia Taxi +39 030 35111 or download the app IT TAXI.