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Getting There By Air:

Fiumicino Airport (FCO)
Tel: (06) 65951.
Website: www.adr.it

Rome’s principal airport (also known as Leonardo da Vinci) is located 26km (16 miles) southwest of the city center. Fiumicino handles numerous domestic flights within Italy, as well as international flights to all major European cities and destinations further afield, including New York, Singapore, Buenos Aires, Cairo and Moscow. A free 24-hour shuttle service links the airport’s three

terminals.

Airport facilities: Facilities include Banca di Roma counters, 24-hour bureaux de change, ATMs, left-luggage, a first aid facility and medical office for vaccinations, a pharmacy, a nursery, bars, restaurants, duty-free shops, post offices, APT tourist information (Terminal B, open daily 0800-1900), a chapel and prayer room, hotel reservation and car hire (Auto Europa, Avis, Europcar, Hertz, Italy By Car, Maggiore, Sixt, and Targa Rent).

Business facilities: An executive center in Terminal A (open daily 0600-2200) provides meeting rooms, waiting rooms and offices with fax, photocopying and Internet facilities. There are also several airline VIP lounges with telephone, Internet and fax facilities.

Transport to the city: Ferrovie dello Stato (tel: 892 021; website: www.trenitalia.com) offers a frequent service of non-stop trains to Rome’s Termini station (journey time - 30 minutes). There is also a slower train service (destination Orte or Fara Sabina), which stops at local stations on the way, including the centrally located Trastevere and well-connected Tiburtina stations (journey time - 20 and 40 minutes respectively). Tickets can be purchased at vending machines located inside domestic and international arrival halls, and from ticket counters or vending machines located just before the train tracks. Trains run between the airport and Rome from early morning until late at night. During the night, buses run from the airport to Rome and from Tiburtina station in Rome (stopping at Termini station en route) to the airport. Taxis to the center cost a fixed fee of €40 for up to four people including luggage. Alternatively, private bus company Terravision (website: www.terravision.it) provides a shuttle service from Fiumicino and stops at Lepanto metro station and Termini train station. The journey lasts 70 minutes and tickets can be bought online.

Ciampino Airport (CIA)
Tel: (06) 794 941.
Website: www.adr.it

Over 100 airlines use Ciampino, Rome’s second airport, located about 15km (9 miles) southeast of the city center. In addition to charter flights and budget airlines, Ciampino is used as a military airbase.

Airport facilities: Facilities include a bank, a bureau de change, a bar, a post office, gift shops, information and car hire (Auto Europa, Avis, Europcar, Hertz, Maggiore, Sixt and Thrifty).

Business facilities: A VIP lounge (open daily 0700-2300) is located inside the General Aviation Terminal.

Transport to the city: Schiaffini (tel: (06) 791 9800 or 800 700 805; website: www.schiaffini.com) run a cheap service from Ciampino airport to Ciampino train station or Anagnina metro station (line A). From Anagnina, it is a direct 30-minute metro journey to Termini station; from Ciampino station, it is a direct 15-minute journey to Termini station. The bus runs from early morning until late at night, but there are also night buses from Ciampino airport to Termini railway station. Other options include taking an authorized metered taxi available from outside the arrivals hall (the fee is fixed by the council at €30 for up to four people including their luggage) or the Terravision shuttle service (website: www.terravision.it). Tickets can be bought from the arrivals hall in Ciampino or online. Many airlines also provide their own private bus service (for a fee) to the city center; visitors should ask when purchasing their ticket.

Approximate flight times to Rome: From London - 3 hours; from New York - 8 hours 20 minutes; from Los Angeles - 14 hours 30 minutes; from Toronto - 8 hours; from Sydney - 23 hours.

Getting There By Water:

The port of Civitavecchia, located at Molo Vespucci, 00053 Civitavecchia (tel: (0766) 366201; website: www.port-of-rome.org) is run by the Autorità Portuale di Civitavecchia. Facilities include a waiting room, ATMs, left-luggage and a bar.

Ferry services: Ferry and hydrofoil services to and from Sardinian ports are run by a number of companies including Tirrenia Navigazione (tel: (199) 123 199; website: www.tirrenia.it), Moby Lines (tel: (06) 4201 1455 or (199) 303 040; website: www.mobylines.it), and Sardinia Ferries (tel: (0766) 500 714; website: www.corsicaferries.com).

Transport to the city: Trains from Civitavecchia to Rome run approximately every 30 minutes and the journey lasts about one hour depending on what sort of train it is. From Civitavecchia train station the port is a short taxi or (free) shuttle ride away. A first-class ticket on an Intercity train costs €9.30, while a second-class one-way ticket costs about €7. Taxis to central Rome cost about €100 – if there are no taxis waiting at the port, companies will come out on call (see Taxis in Getting Around). Some hotels send taxis to pick up their guests, which often works out cheaper.

Getting There By Road:

Motorways (autostrade) are prefixed by the letter ‘A’; European roads by the letter ‘E’ and state roads are prefixed by the letters ‘SS’ (strada statale). Over 85% of motorways have tolls. Road signs are international and traffic drives on the right. Undimmed headlights are prohibited in towns and cities but are compulsory when passing through tunnels and headlights must be switched on at all times on autostrade and strade statali. The minimum age for driving is 18 years. Passengers are required by law to wear seat belts. The legal alcohol to blood ratio is 0.05%. Speed limits are 130kph (80mph) on motorways, 90/110kph (56/68mph) on country roads, and 50kph (30mph) in urban areas. Fines for speeding and other driving offences are on-the-spot and particularly heavy. All vehicles must carry a red warning triangle, available at border posts, and a yellow or orange reflective jacket (or two) which must be worn at night or in bad visibility if your car breaks down on a motorway. There is an on-the-spot fine for failing to wear it.
UK driving licenses and EU pink-format licenses are valid in Italy (UK green licenses must be accompanied by an International Driving Permit) and a Green Card and motor insurance certificate are strongly recommended. A driving license or a motorcycle driving license is required for motorcycles over 49cc and the wearing of crash helmets is compulsory. Visitors should note that many petrol stations in town close between 1300 and 1500, though some now offer the self-service option payable by credit card.

The AA or RAC in Britain and the AAA in America have reciprocal agreements with the Automobile Club d’Italia (ACI) (tel: (06) 49981; website: www.aci.it), who provide a useful advisory service as well as dealing with breakdowns.

Emergency breakdown service:
ACI (tel: 803 116).

Routes to the city: Rome is encircled by a network of motorways. The A12 leads into Rome from the west and the A24 from the east. Ciampino Airport is connected to the city by Via Appia Nuova (SS7). The A1 runs between Rome, Florence and Milan, while to reach Venice, drivers should turn off the A1 at Bologna and take the A13.

Driving times to Rome: From Florence - 2 hours 30 minutes; from Milan - 6 hours; and from Venice - 6 hours.

Coach services: Eurolines Italia (tel: 199 184 616; website: www.eurolines.it) runs international coaches, with connections to cities throughout Europe, such as London (via Paris). Be prepared for a 31-hour journey, however. There is no central coach station in Rome, so coaches depart and terminate in front of Tiburtina train station, Via Tiburtina (metro stop Tiburtina). Domestic coach services covering northbound routes terminate outside the metro stations of Lepanto, Ponte Mammolo and Tiburtina, while those covering southbound routes terminate outside the Anagnina, Laurentina and EUR Magliana metro stops.

Getting There By Rail:

The Italian State Railway, Ferrovie dello Stato (FS) (tel: 892 021; website: www.trenitalia.com), runs a fast and efficient service throughout the country. Tickets can be purchased by credit card online (and then either picked up at one of the automatic ticket machines dotted across Rome station or aboard the train if you choose the ‘ticketless’ option during the web transaction) or by phone at the number above.

Stazione Termini, Piazza Cinquecento, is Rome’s main station. Its extensive facilities include left-luggage, carabinieri (army) and police stations, a tourist information office, a hotel reservation point, an Internet point, money exchange, four banks with ATMs, a post office, car and scooter hire, a ticket agency selling tickets for concerts and sporting events, bars, restaurants and over 100 shops (including the department store Upim) selling everything from clothes to gifts.

Other important stations include Tiburtina, Piazzale della Stazione Tiburtina; Trastevere, Piazza F Biondo, at the end of Viale Trastevere; and Ostiense, Piazzale Ostiense. Automatic ticket machines are located in all main stations. Tickets must be validated in the yellow machines located on the station platforms prior to boarding, in order to avoid fines.

Rail services: Most long-distance trains run to Termini station, which is also the main hub for the local transport network (metro and bus). However, the importance of the less centrally located stations (Tiburtina and Ostiense) grows as the night draws on and trains cease to run to Termini station.

All international trains, including direct services to Paris (journey time - 13 hours to Gare de Lyon; 14 hours 20 minutes to Paris Bercy), Munich (journey time - 11 hours), Vienna (journey time - 13 hours) and Zurich (journey time - 12 hours), leave from Termini station.

Intercity or InterCity Plus (in some cases) trains run from Termini to all major Italian cities, including Florence, Naples and Milan. Venice can only be reached on the faster Eurostar service (journey time - 4 hours 30 minutes), or by taking a Eurostar train to Bologna and then an Intercity to Venice.

Eurostar trains are at least 20% more expensive but also faster since they only stop at major cities like Florence (journey time - 1 hour 40 minutes), Bologna (journey time - 2 hours 40 minutes), Milan (journey time - 4 hours 30 minutes) and Naples (journey time - 1 hour 50 minutes).

Naples can also be reached from Rome on the first completed section of Italy’s North-South high-speed rail line. The TAV (Treno Alta Velocità) between Rome and Naples takes 1 hour 30 minutes. Tickets for Eurostar trains are always accompanied by a reservation for a specific train; if you miss that train you have to go to the ticket counter and pay the booking fee again.

Getting Around:

Public Transport
Termini station is the main hub of Rome’s transport system. The city transport authority, ATAC (tel: (06) 4695 2027 or 800 431 784; website: www.atac.roma.it), operates the city’s large fleet of buses and trams. The network consists of over 300 bus lines and six tram lines, which cover the entire city and run daily 0530-2400. After 2400, there are plentiful night bus routes.

The regional transport authority Cotral (tel: 800 150 008; website: www.cotralspa.it) runs blue coach buses throughout the Lazio region. Another company, Met.Ro, is responsible for three suburban railway lines departing from Termini, Ostiense and Flaminio stations (and going to Pantano, Lido di Ostia and Viterbo respectively), and Rome’s two metro lines (A and B), which cross at Termini station. The easily mastered metro service operates daily 0530-2330 (until 2430 Saturday). Two shuttles (Navetta MA1 and Navetta MA2) will replace the metro above ground during those hours. Plans to build a third line have been in the works for years and seem to be accelerating recently, although don’t expect it to open until at least 2011. Just extending the two existing metro lines proved to be trouble enough, with the uncovering of archaeological vestiges either postponing or preventing any advances.

Night buses run daily 0000-0530, along 22 routes, and are marked on bus stops (fermata) and buses with the letter ‘N’, as in 40N or 60N.

All tickets must be pre-purchased and are available for sale at ATAC counters, tabacchi (newsagents, which can be recognized by their large white and black T sign) and at automatic ticket dispensers at metros. Tickets should be validated at the beginning of the journey (to avoid a hefty on-the-spot fine should a controller check your ticket). The cheapest ticket, the Biglietto Integrato a Tempo (BIT) is valid for up to 75 minutes of travel on ATAC buses and trams, or for one trip on the metro or suburban train lines.

Day (BIG) and week (CIS) passes are valid on all transport in the municipality. Monthly passes are also available. For those staying only for two or three days, or a long weekend, the company has introduced the Biglietto Turistico (BTI), which is valid for three days on buses, trams, the metro and local trains within Rome. The BIRG pass covers a day’s worth of transport within the whole Lazio region, and cost varies depending on the number of zones covered. Alternatively, see Roma Pass (below) for a ticket that covers transport and museums.

Taxis
Taxi ranks are located at various points around the city center, though there are notoriously never any when you most need them. Visitors are advised to use only the yellow and white official taxis. Surcharges are applied for each item of luggage, night service (2200-0700), on Sundays, public holidays, and for out-of-town journeys, except for airport transfers, which now have fixed rates whatever the time of day. While taxis may be called by telephone, the meter is turned on immediately after the call and not on pick-up. Tipping of 5-10% is gratefully received, although Italians often do not bother.

Companies include Radio Taxi 3570 (tel: (06) 3570; website: www.3570.it), Radio Taxi Samarcanda (tel: (06) 5551; website: www.samarcanda.it), Pronto Taxi (tel: (06) 6645), and La Capitale Radio Taxi (tel: (06) 4994).

Driving in the City
The interweaving paths of mopeds, pedestrians and trams, the erratic driving, the one-way systems and the frequent traffic jams make driving in Rome an experience that is best avoided. The authorities have reacted to traffic congestion (and the ensuing pollution) by cutting off large areas of the city center to non-resident traffic during business hours, and (to a lesser extent) in the evening. Exceptions are usually made for visitors driving to their hotel.

Parking is as problematic as driving. Pay-and-display meters charge about €1 per hour (although the fee may be waived in the evenings and at weekends). There are various underground car parks in the city - the one at Villa Borghese is open 24 hours. The wily may snap up a free parking space but anything marked Sosta Vietata (no parking) is to be avoided - the municipal police have a nasty habit of towing away or, even worse, clamping illegally parked cars and then charging a huge sum for their return. Unlucky owners should contact the municipal police (tel: (06) 67691).

Car Hire
Cars can be hired by drivers aged 21 years (23 for some firms) and above, on presentation of a passport and valid driving license (held for at least one year). A credit card number or cash deposit is requested and a valid international insurance policy is also necessary. Full insurance is advised. Providers include Avis (tel: (06) 452 108 391; website: www.avisautonoleggio.it), Europcar (tel: 199 307 030; website: www.europcar.it), Hertz (tel: (02) 6943 0006 or 199 112 211 ; website: www.hertz.it), Sixt (tel: (06) 65211 or 199 100 666 ; website: www.e-sixt.it), and the locally-based Maggiore (tel: (06) 2245 6060 or 848 867 067 ; website: www.maggiore.it), which also rents environmentally-friendly electricity-operated cars. All have various locations throughout the city.

Bicycle Hire
Bicycles are available for hire at Bici & Baci, Via del Viminale 5 (tel: (06) 482 8443). Scooters are available at Roma Scooter Rent, Via in Lucina 13-14 (tel: (06) 686 4283), located off Via del Corso near the Parliament and Treno & Scooter, Termini Train Station, next to platform 1 (tel: (06) 4890 5823). RomaRent, Vicolo de’ Bovari 7A, near Campo de’ Fiori (tel: (06) 689 6555), has scooters, bicycles and cars for hire.

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