Previously known as the Società luganese dei tramway elettrici, Tranvie elettriche comunali, Azienda comunale del traffico (ACT) and Azienda comunale dei trasporti della Città di Lugano (ACTL), the organisation was founded in 1884 and adopted its current name in 2000.

By 1882, with the opening of the line across the Monte Ceneri Pass to Bellinzona, and the Gotthard Rail Tunnel beyond that, Lugano was connected with the rest of the canton of Ticino and with northern Switzerland.

[3] Economic development, not least because of the coming of the railway, lead to Lugano spreading beyond its original lakeside core, resulting in further need for local transportation.

[1] The first trolleybus route opened in 1954, the system had progressively replaced the Lugano tramway network by 1959, and was significantly expanded between 1975 and 1981.

[7][9][10][11] In 2000, ACTL was converted into the Trasporti Pubblici Luganesi, a joint stock company owned by Lugano and other local and cantonal authorities.