Is this a request stop?
'Richiesta' — 'ri-KYES-ta'. The 'ch' in Italian is always a hard 'k' sound.
Use when a stop sign has a different shape or colour suggesting it may be optional, or when you are in a rural area where not all buses stop automatically.
'A richiesta' means 'on request'. At these stops the bus only halts if someone on board rings the bell or a waiting passenger signals the driver. Common on suburban and rural routes in Italy.
Devo fare un segnale all'autista?
Do I need to signal the driver?
Asks how to flag down the bus.
Come faccio fermare l'autobus?
How do I make the bus stop?
Direct question about the procedure.
Il bus si ferma automaticamente qui?
Does the bus stop automatically here?
Confirms whether signalling is needed.
Request stops ('fermate a richiesta') are marked with an 'R' or a different sign colour in Italy. Missing one because you did not signal is a common mistake for visitors on rural Italian routes.