How to get from Rome airport to Rome city centre
Traveling is wonderfully exciting and you cannot wait for the day when you jump on a plane and fly to your destination. This is particularly true when your destination just happens to be the Eternal City! You are full of anticipation and your mind is fully focused on all the fantastic things to see and do there. But coming back down to earth for a moment and concentrating on the practicalities of your visit will go a long way to really making your stay not just a good one, but a truly marvelous one. Those practicalities include how you get from the airport – when you are usually tired after a long flight – to your accommodation. What you need to do immediately after you have booked your accommodation and flights, is look at a map of the city of Rome and identify exactly where your accommodation is located and make a note of it. Then, bearing that information in mind, identify which of Rome’s two international airports you will be landing at. Next, you need to think about how many people will be traveling with you, theirs ages and how much luggage you expect to be taking on the trip. Armed with all that information, you are in a position to carefully plan your smooth transfer from the airport to your accommodation. And, obviously, back to the airport at the end of your trip. My advice is that you take your time and examine all the different options available before making a choice, which also takes into account your budget.
If you want to get from the Airport to Rome’s city center easily, whether you are arriving in Rome from Fiumicino (Leonardo da Vinci) or Ciampino Airports, this article will guide you and help solve this problem once and for all. There are many options for you to choose from but ultimately you will have to select the one that best suits your requirements: train, bus or other luxury and private means of transport that we will also mention.
From Fiumicino airport to Rome’s City Centre
By Bus
At the exit of Terminal 3 of the Airport you can find a place to buy a bus ticket to the Termini Station or Ostiense. A single ticket costs EUR 6 one-way or EUR 11 return and the bus trip takes about 50 minutes to get to your destination.
If you would like to book a ticket online, you can use these websites: terravision.eu or sitbusshuttle.com
I recommend that you buy a ticket at the ticket office in the Airport after you have landed, as you will easily catch next bus and will not have to wait long. One more tip, as there are two ticket kiosks, ask which one is leaving first so you do not wait long to catch next bus.
By Train
The best way to get to Termini or Trastevere or Tiburtina is definitely by train.
The fare for a one-way ticket is EUR 14 (to Termini), EUR 8 (to Trastevere or Tiburtina) and you will arrive at your destination in about 30 minutes. Just hop on the Leonardo Express train and you will be in Termini Station in 30 minutes.
You can easily book your ticket online on this website: trenitalia.com. Remember to keep it on your phone or print it! An online ticket is only valid for the time that you booked on the Internet.
However, if you buy a ticket in the Airport, remember to validate it. You will notice the small machines (either yellow or green and white) located along the platform near the train, put the front end of the ticket into the slot, listen to it punch the ticket and then you are ready to go. This only applies for tickets which you bought in the airport and not the online ones (online tickets are valid for the specific hour that you booked on the internet). You have to validate the ticket bought from the airport ticket vending machine or ticket office is to activate the validity period and for a refund in the event the train is cancelled. If you do not validate the ticket, you will be fined.
If you are a position to choose and do not mind about the cost of the ticket, take a train and you will enjoy the trip and not arrive at your hotel hot and sweaty.
By cab
You can book your taxi with the Free Now Taxi app.
Our advice is to call a taxi as Uber policies in Italy differ from those in the United States and they will charge you more than a regular taxi. However, if you would like a luxury option, you can call Uber and the fare is between EURO 70 and EURO 95, depending on the location of your accommodation. For more information about Uber options, please read below. Taxi fares are around EURO 50 and you can pay by credit card using an app.
From Ciampino airport to Rome’s City Centre
By Bus
Definitely the easiest and cheapest way to get from Ciampino to Termini is by bus. You can buy tickets online on this website, and a single ticket costs EUR 6 one-way or EUR 12 return. From Termini Station, you can easily catch Metro Line A or Line B, or, a bus from in front of Termini Station at Piazza dei Cinquecento.
You can also buy a ticket at the airport. It is super easy to find the ticket kiosk right after exiting the baggage claim area. The same tips for buying bus tickets apply whether you are at Ciampino or Fiumicino (Leonardo da Vinci) Airports.
By Train
Ciampino Airport does not have a train station like Fiumicino, but you can catch an ATRAL or COTRAL bus from the airport to the station. ATRAL buses depart from the Airport every 20 minutes and all details about the buses and a full timetable from the airport to the station can be found on their official website (single ticket EUR 1,20 plus an extra EUR 1,20 per suitcase). COTRAL is a little cheaper (single ticket EUR 1,10 plus an extra EUR 1,10 per suitcase). When comparing the two bus companies, ATRAL is better as you can buy their tickets at either Ciampino Airport or onboard the bus, while COTRAL does not sell tickets on the bus but at tobacconist shops, bars and newsstands outside the Airport area.
The bus trip takes about 5 minutes, then you catch a train to Rome’s Termini Station which costs EURO 1,50 and the train ride takes around 15 minutes. Train tickets can be bought in advance online for specific dates on the official Trenitalia website (Ciampino-Roma Termini), and the ticket will be valid for that specific date and time. Otherwise a ticket can be bought and validated directly at the Ciampino Train Station.
The train option is a little difficult if you have a lot of luggage, in which case taking the bus is a better option to get to your hotel.
By Cab
The same instructions apply for both Ciampino and Fiumicino (Leonardo da Vinci) Airports. Download the Free Now app, set up your credit card details and call a cab with the app when you have landed.
The cab fare is around EUR 35 and it takes about 35 minutes to get to Termini Station. However, if you would like a luxury option, you can call UberBLACK and the fare is EUR 60.
By Metro
This option takes the longest (about one hour) and you should only really consider it if your hotel/ accommodation is in the San Giovani neighborhood or somewhere along the Metro Line A, before Termini Station. Bus #515 will take you to the Anagnina Metro Station (Line A), where you can catch the Metro to your destination (Ponte Lungo, San Giovani, Manzoni). The bus fare is EUR 1,20 plus EUR 1,20 for extra luggage, while the Metro fare is EURO 1,50.
Uber in Rome
There has been a lot of speculation as to whether or not you can call Uber in Rome. Fear not, the latest and most up-to-date answer is YES, you can use Uber in Rome. But if you are considering this option, you need to know that it is not exactly like Uber in the United States. It is much more expensive and you can choose from options that are different from those in the United States. If you call UberBLACK you will get either a minivan (people carrier) or a black limousine car. However, it is more likely that you will get a minivan as they are permitted to operate as UberBLACK because there is little work for them in Rome. Also, Uber is trying to increase their driver community and so is allowing them to drive as UberBLACK. If you request UberLUX you will definitely get something which is actually UberBLACK in the United States, thus you will get a nice A class car. When you make an UberVAN request, you will get a minivan which is the right option for a group of tourists and to ensure that you get a large minivan for 1 to 7 people. A fourth option is UberTOUR, which is also provides a minivan but has space for 1 to 6 people.