Rome, Italy — Travel Tips
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 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 24-hour bureau de change, ATMs, left-luggage, a first aid facility, a pharmacy, a nursery, bars, restaurants, duty-free shops, post offices, APT tourist information (Terminal B, open daily 0900-1900), a chapel and prayer room, hotel reservation and car hire (Auto Europa, Avis, Budget, Easycar, Europcar, Hertz, Italy By Car, Locauto Rent, 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: 06 44101; www.trenitalia.com) offers a half-hourly 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 runs to various local stations 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 (www.terravision.eu) 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 65951.
Website: www.adr.it
Over 100 airlines use Ciampino, Rome's second airport, which is 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: The Terravision shuttle service (www.terravision.eu) runs between Ciampino and Stazione Termini from before the first flight arrival to after the last one at night. Tickets can be bought from the arrivals hall in Ciampino, onboard or online. SIT (www.sitbusshuttle.com) covers the same route, with tickets available onboard or online. Many airlines also provide their own private bus service (for a fee) to the city center; ask when purchasing your ticket.
Schiaffini (www.schiaffini.com) run a night service to/from 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).
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 Road
Most of Rome’s historic center is closed to non-resident traffic from Monday to Friday 0630 to 1800 and from 1400 to 1800 on Saturday. There are also restrictions in place in parts of Monti, San Lorenzo and Trastevere. If you are staying in this zone, contact your hotel who will be able to arrange permission for you to drive into the restricted zone. For further information, check www.atac.roma.it. Traffic in Rome drives on the right and the minimum driving age is 18 years. Speed limits are 130kph (80mph) on motorways and 50kph (30mph) in urban areas. 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. The AA or RAC in Britain and the AAA in America have reciprocal agreements with the Automobile Club d'Italia (ACI) (tel: 06 491 115; www.aci.it), who provide a useful advisory service as well as dealing with breakdowns.
Emergency breakdown services
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 the city
From Florence - 2 hours 30 minutes; Milan - 6 hours; Venice - 6 hours; Naples – 2 hours 20 minutes.
Coach services
The regional transport authority Cotral (800 174 471; www.cotralspa.it) runs blue coaches throughout the Lazio region. Eurolines (tel: 06 6662 3156; www.eurolines.it) runs international coaches, with connections to cities throughout Europe, such as London (via Paris). Journeys are long and slow, but fares are cheap. There is no central coach station in Rome, so coaches depart and terminate in front of Tiburtina train station, Via Tiburtina (metro stop Tiburtina).
Getting There By Rail
Rome is well connected by train to the rest of the country.
Rail Services
Stazione Termini, Piazza Cinquecento, is Rome's hub station for international and long-distance trains. It is also the metro hub and the location of the main bus terminal.
Rome’s second train station is Stazione Tiburtina and of the capital’s eight other stations, the most important are Roma-Ostiense and Trastevere. Tickets must be validated in the yellow machines located on the station platforms prior to boarding. All international trains, including direct services to Paris, Munich, Vienna and Zurich, leave from Stazione Termini.
Rail Operators
Trenitalia (Tel: 06 89 20 21; trenitalia.com) is the national rail company, which runs a fast, efficient and good-value service throughout Italy. 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) or by phone at the number above. Intercity and InterCity Plus trains run from Termini to all major Italian cities, including Florence, Naples and Milan. Venice can only be reached on the Eurostar Italia service.
Connections
From Naples – 1 hour 20 minutes; Florence – 1 hour 40 minutes; Milan – 3 hours 30 minutes; Venice – 4 hours 30 minutes; Munich – 11 hours; Zurich – 12 hours; Paris – 13 hours.
Getting Around in Rome, Italy
Public Transport
Rome’s public transport system includes metro, tram, bus, suburban trains and buses. ATAC (tel: 06 57003; www.atac.roma.it) operates the city's buses and trams, while Met.Ro (tel: 800 431 784; www.metroroma.it) operates the two metro lines (A and B). Trains run every 5 to 10 minutes between 0500-2330. All tickets must be pre-purchased and are available for sale at ATAC counters, tabacchi (newsagents) and at automatic ticket dispensers at metros. The cheapest ticket, the Biglietto Integrato a Tempo (BIT) is valid for up to 75 minutes of travel on buses and trams, or for one trip on the metro or suburban train lines. Day (BIG), week (CIS) and tourist (BTI) passes are also available.
Taxis
Taxi ranks, with official yellow and white taxis, are located at various points around the city center. While taxis may be called by telephone, the meter is turned on immediately after the call and not on pick-up. Tipping is not expected. To prebook a taxi, call Radio Taxi (tel: 06 3570), Radio Taxi Samarcanda (tel: 06 5551), and Pronto Taxi (tel: 06 6645).
Driving in the City
Driving in Rome is complicated given the number of streets restricted to traffic between 0630-1800. Blue markings denote pay-and-display parking (€1 per hour). Buy tickets at the meter or in the nearest tobacconist. The most convenient car park is at Villa Borghese, which is open 24 hours. Other car parks are located at Stazione Termini and Stazione Tiburtina.
Car Hire
Cars can be hired at the airport, railway station and hotels. You need to be over 21 and require a credit card and an EU driving license or an International Driving Permit (IDP). Recommended car hire firms include Avis (tel: 06 481 4373; www.avisautonoleggio.it), Europcar (tel: 06 4521 2043; www.europcar.it), Hertz (tel: 02 6943 0019; www.hertz.it) and Maggiore (tel: 199 151 120; www.maggiore.it).
Bicycle Hire
Bicycles, scooters and motorbikes are available for hire at Bici & Baci, Via del Viminale 5 (tel: 06 482 8443; www.bicibaci.com). Scooters are also available at Scooter Hire, Via Cavour 80 (tel: 06 481 5669), and Treno & Scooter, Termini Train Station, next to platform 1 (tel: 06 4890 5823; www.trenoescooter.com). RomaRent, Vicolo de' Bovari 7A, near Campo de' Fiori (tel: 06 689 6555), has scooters, bicycles and cars for hire.
