Rome has a good
public transport network of buses, trams,
and suburban and urban trains but make sure
you spend some time also walking the streets
to get a real feel for the city.
AIR: TO/FROM THE AIRPORT
The main airport is Leonardo Da Vinci, ph:
06 65953640.The smaller Ciampino
Airport has mainly charter flights and regional
European flights including some budget airlines.
An express train to Termini Station costs
? 8.30 30 minutes, a slower but cheaper
train operates to Ostiense and Tiburtina
stations.
There is a train station near
Ciampino Airport, but it is best to get
the metro to Anagnina station and transfer
to a COTRAL bus to the airport. Leave plenty
of time as the bus runs at half-hourly intervals,
hourly during summer. From Rome's Termini
station, direct trains depart regularly
for the Leondardo Da Vinci Airport (Fiumicino).
The train takes about half and hour and
costs ?8.30.
Check the airport website for more details
www.adr.com.
A cheaper
option is to get the metro to Tiburtina
and get the airport train from there. The
last train from Termini stops about midnight,
after that a night bus runs from Stazione
Tiburtina from 12:30 am to 3:45 am - there
is a stop near Stazione Termini which was
at the corner of Via Giolitti. A taxi ride
from the airport will cost about ?30
TRAIN
The main station in Rome is Stazione Termini
(metro: Termini) and trains to all major
cities in Italy and Europe depart from here.
However some trains will arrive at Stazione
Ostiense (metro: Piramide) and Tiburtina
(metro: Tiburtina) including trains from
Genoa, Pisa and Naples. Other trains that
arrive here are usually those departing
or arriving late at night or early morning.
To get to Termini from here take a metro,
or night buses 20N, 21N or 40N . For full
train information go to the TrenItalia website
www.trenitalia.it for timetables and prices
or phone ph: 147 8880. By Eurostar Florence
is 1 3/4 hours, Milan is 4 1/2 hours, Naples
two hours. The train network also incorporates
the metropolitan area and the airport. Day
trips are possible via the metropolitan
network to places like Ostia Antica.
HITCH-HIKING
Remember that hitching on motorways is illegal
in Italy - as in most countries - but it
is ok at service areas and before the on
ramp. If you're going to Florence get to
the spot where Via Salaria meets the Grande
Raccordo Anulare(GRA)- the orbital motorway
surrounding Rome. This has traffic bound
for the A1 autostrada. To get here, take
bus 319 from Stazione Termini to Piazza
Vescovio and transfer to bus 135. To get
to Naples, you need the A2 autostrada. Take
the metro to Anagnina and wait on Via Tuscolana.
Several motorways join the (GRA) but only
two come near the centre of Rome. These
are the autostrada to Fiumicino Airport
which also joins the A12 to Civitavecchia
and the A24 autostrada to Abruzzo and the
Adriatic Coast.
Use a sign to indicate which
autostrada you want to travel on.
The International Lift Centre in Rome can
arrange a lift for you. There is a fee involved.Tel
06 0555280626.
DRIVING
Most visitors to Rome choose not to drive
through the city as it can be fast, furious
and confusing. If your hotel has parking
you may consider getting there and leaving
your car while you travel around through
Rome on foot or by public transport.
There are parking areas close to the centre
of town at the Villa Borghese and Stazione
Termini. Much of the historic centre is
closed to auto traffic.For renting cars
there are: Avis ph: 06 41999/98 Maggiore
ph: 1478-67067 Hertz ph: 06 321 68319
offices at Stazione Termini.
Happy Rent in Via Farini 3, rents scooters
and cars
www.happyrent.com or ph: 06 481 8185.
For scooters and bicycles try I Bike Rome
ph: 06 322 5240, Via Veneto,156.Auto europe
also rents cars.For further information
visit the website at www.autoeurope.com.
SCOOTER
Bike rental is an easy way to see the centre of Rome where cars are not allowed. A good place to start looking for rental is Scooterhire www.scooterhire.it. Scooterhire is based in Via Cavour n° 80. You can make bookings on their site and they can drop off the scooter to anywhere you are in Rome. Contact them at info@scooterhire.it.
TRAM
Trams are another option for areas not serviced
by the metro.
TAXI
The major taxi ranks are at the airports, Stazione
Termini and Largo Argentina. There are additional
charges on Sundays, public holidays, night services
and for luggage.
It is cheaper to get a taxi in the ranks
than to hail them down. A taxi ride from
the airport to the Stazione Termini area
will cost about ?30.
TICKETS
There are fare structures where you can
travel on all transport with the one ticket.
The Metrebus Roma is for within the city,
Metrebus Lazio covers the outer suburbs
and countryside and is divide in zones.
BIT - Intergrated Single Ticket
For ?0.77 you can travel for 75 minutes
on ATAC buses and trams or the urban COTRAL
buses, the metro, COTRAL trains and FS
trains within the city. Validate the ticket
before / as you get on the bus, tram,
train and keep it during your journey.
BIG - Intergrated Daily Ticket
For ?3.10 you can travel all
day on all ATAC and COTRAL services and
FS trains within the city (but not to the
airport). It's a good deal for a full day
sightseeing. Make sure you validate your
ticket and keep it with you.
CIS - Intergrated Weekly Pass
The CIS basically a weekly version of the
above ticket. ?12.40.
Monthly Passes
If you are working or studying in Rome
this monthly version of the daily or weekly
pass is exceptional value. The personal
pass for ?25.80 has your details on it
and can only be used by you, the non-personal
monthly pass is €36.10 but can be used
by anyone for the duration of the pass.
These passes must be bought before the
5th of the month from metro and train
stations.
METRO
There are two metro lines in Rome, a third is being
constructed. Both pass through Stazione Termini and
cover many of the main sights. Linea A: takes you to the
Spanish Steps (metro:Spagna), the Vatican
(metro: Ottoviano), Villa Borghese (metro:Flaminio). Linea B: takes you to the
Colosseum, Circus Maximus and Piramide.
It also connects three main train stations:
Stazione Tiburtina, Stazione Termini and
Stazione Ostiense (metro: Pyramide).
BUS
Most buses to other Italian destinations depart from
Piazzale Tiburtina in front of Stazione Tiburtina (get
Metro Linea B to Stazione Termini. Other bus
companies may depart from Stazione Termini or
throughout the city centre. Go to agents like Enjoy
Rome who can book tickets for convenient departure and
arrival locations.
ATAC buses serve the city centre tel: 16743178 and
many leave from Stazione Termini. Some of these
services from Termini include 64 to the Vatican City
and 75 to the Colosseum and Trastevere. Other useful
services include 218 from Piazza di Porta San Giovanni
to the catacombs, 116 from Villa Borghese to Piazaa
Navona the Pantheon and Campo dei Fiori and 44 from
Piazza Venezia to Trastevere. Buses generally operate
every 10-45 minutes depending on the route and can get
crowded so watch your bag carefully for pickpockets
and thieves. Buy your ticket before boarding and
validate them in the machines as you enter. Tickets
are sold at tobacconists, newsstands and main bus
terminals. COTRAL buses service the outer suburbs and
outlying regional areas.
