Rome Transportation
Aerial view of Rome Fiumicino International Airport; credit RaBoe/Wiki Commons
Airports
Rome Fiumicino International Airport (FCO) is located 20 miles outside central Rome. It was the eighth-busiest airport in Europe, pre-pandemic. The airport honors the great Italian Leonardo da Vinci, who designed a flying machine with wings centuries before human flight.
Tips for Flying to Rome
• Confirm your flight at least 72 hours in advance.
• If you are not flying directly to Rome, arrange plenty of time between transfers. Italian flights are frequently delayed.
• Make 2 copies of your passport & reservations; leave one copy with someone at home, then take the second copy with you.
• Pack headache, motion sickness, and other medicines in your carry-on luggage.
• If you have a cold or have problems with air pressure, purchase special earplugs available at most airports or pharmacies.
• Bring an eye patch for sleeping.
Before your plane lands in Rome, write directions on a small sheet of paper that explain how to reach the Ferrovia 5 commuter rail line to Rome Termini Station.
The Leonardo Airport Express train takes 32 minutes to reach Termini Station in the center of Rome. The passenger terminal directions to the airport train are well signposted.
Depending on your terminal, it’s a 5-10-minute walk, and trains run every 15 minutes. It is the fastest and most comfortable transfer to Central Rome.
Don’t take the Leonardo Airport Express to central Rome if you have many large pieces of luggage. Pay Euros to take a taxi or shuttle from the airport to central Rome. Another large luggage-high comfort option is to hire a private car at 4-5 times the cost of the Leonardo Express Train.
The cheapest public transport option between the airport and the city center of Rome is the Terravision Bus, one of four airport bus services to Termini Station.
Buses cost a third of the Leonardo Airport Express train, but take twice as long and are less frequent.
Train Station
Italo high-speed train at Rome Termini Station; credit Wiki Commons
At Termini Station, know the end destination of the high-speed train you want in advance. Competing high-speed train lines by Trenitalia Frecciarossa and Italo serve the station. Everything is labeled in Italian, English, and other languages, well organized, and clean.
A nice touch is that green blazer-clad Trenitalia representatives are willing and ready to help.
Rome’s Termini Station is in the central city and is most accessible to attractions with 3 Metro Rail lines, Ferrovia Suburban Rail lines, and a Tram line.
Rome also has other popular train stations (Tiburtina, Ostiense, Trastevere) that also host Trenitalia Ferrovia regional trains and Metro trains or Trams.
One-way BIT ticket lasts 75 minutes after first validation for unlimited transfers between the Metro Rail, Trams, Ferrovia trains, and standard buses. The only transfer that is not allowed is to leave the Metro System and return by the Metro turnstiles. Nor does a BIT ticket apply to Italo trains, a competitor to Trenitalia. The ticket costs about €1.75.
A BIT Day pass is the best option for visitors by allowing unlimited public transportation from purchase until midnight of the same day. The BIG day travel card costs €6.
To minimize targeting by pickpockets, avoid reading maps on Metro & Tram trains. Instead, read a Metro-Tram Rail Map and tour books in your hotel room.
Rapid Transit
Rome Metro train leaving the station; credit Marco Chilese/UNSPLASH
Rome Metro Rail System is a preferred way to travel without luggage between Rome districts during the daytime. It has 3 Metro heavy rail lines, 3 Tram (light rail) lines, and 7 Ferrovia commuter rail lines that blanket Rome and reach the coastline.
Memorize saying the name of your Metro & Tram stations near attractions in Italian — it’s not hard.
Cruise Port
Located 45 miles northwest of Rome is the Civitavecchia Cruise Port. It is an hour by regional train from Rome or an hour by car from the airport. Civitavecchia has multiple piers for several cruise ships. A free shuttle service is usually provided between your specific ship and a parking lot outside the port. See this page for ship arrivals and departures.
Batman-themed cruise ships at Civitavecchia port near Rome; (c) Soul Of America/Lenny Dorsey
The shuttle service is available from 5:30 am to 11:00 pm. Shuttle frequency is every 15 minutes, and one of two shuttles is equipped for the transport of disabled passengers. The old shuttle stop is at Via Turco, adjacent to the Europcar rental office. There should be a tourist info booth there, too.
You can walk the 20 minutes to Civitavecchia Train Station or take the Argo shuttle bus for a €2 fare. The shuttle schedule is at http://civitavecchia.portmobility.it/en/civitavecchia-train-station.
Rome Cruise Terminal can also be reached from Civitavecchia Train Station with the local Argo buses. If you are carrying a lot of luggage, this may not be a good idea.
For those leaving from the port for Rome by train, buy the BIRG Ticket (5 zones). For €12, it allows unlimited trips in all public transport, from Civitavecchia Station to Rome from the time of validation until midnight. The BIRG can be purchased at the station.
We do not recommend driving to/from the cruise port unless you know the region well. If you do, park in one of the three available car parks and take a free shuttle from there to the port.
If you don’t want to ride the train, our advice is to reserve a driver allowed to pick up / drop off at your cruise ship. You can book a cab at the Civitavecchia Cruiseport Terminal.