Rome: To and from Fiumicino Airport (FCO)

This article outlines the various ways of getting from and to Rome Fiumicino (FCO) airport (also known as Leonardo da Vinci airport). The various options are listed, approximately, from least to most expensive. The cost of private car services varies depending on number in the party and other factors. The more expensive options are often also more convenient, although convenience depends also on the location of your hotel. It’s a good idea to get a map of Rome and become familiar with the location of your hotel and of the places mentioned in this article.

Buses

Roma Airport Bus

T.A.M. (€5 per person online or on the bus ).   Between 08:00 and 23:30, this shuttle service operates between FCO (Terminal 3) to Termini Station. The buses are located at Terminal 3, and ticket price is €5.00 per person online or in person.  Open return tickets cost €8.00 per person. From Termini Station (on right side as you are facing the station) they travel between 04:30 and 20:30.  See the  time-table.  They also stop in the center of Fiumicino town, and at Piazzale 12 Ottobre, near Ostiense train station, where you can connect to Italo high-speed trains to Florence and points north.

Terravision Shuttles (Single €4 per person online, €6 at the booth and Return €8 per person online, €11 at the booth (although these prices can change and it is possible to buy the tickets at the online price at the booth!).This service is to be avoided at all costs. Read the appalling reviews on TA and other sites. Between 05:35 and 23:00, this shuttle service operates between FCO (Terminal 3) to Termini Station (Via Marsala). See http://www.terravision.eu/airport_tra… .If booking online be aware that the paperwork you receive is NOT a ticket. This is only a voucher and at the airport Terravision booth you must redeem this voucher for a one way or return ticket, whichever you have paid for. As you exit the terminals (there are three) at ground level you should head for T3 (if not already at this terminal) and the Terravision bus stop which is just beyond the end of the Terminal 3 building. BEFORE you get to the bus bay and on the RH side, there is the Terravision ticket office (along with a couple of other operators). Hand in your voucher(s) and you will be given a time slot for the departure. If the next bus is fully booked you will have to wait for the following one. You can pay on the bus but only if there are seats available and this is highly unlikely. On the return journey, the same issues are relevant. It is advisable to go to the Terravision office at the Termini station (the same side where the coach pick-up bay is) a DAY before your departure, to book your seat or you may find that you may miss your flight if the bus time you wanted had been fully booked. A word of warning! When the bus stops there is a mad frenzy to get your luggage on or off and there appears to be no supervision by the driver. Lock your luggage is the advice.

SIT Airport Bus (€5 per person online, €6 at bus station). SIT run more than 20 buses daily in each direction. They run between 05.00 and 20.30 from Rome, and between 08.30 and 00.30 from FCO. The stops in central Rome are at Piazza Indipendenza (near Termini station) and Via Crescenzio (near Castel Sant’Angelo). The journey between FCO and Termini takes 50 minutes. Seehttp://www.sitbusshuttle.it/index.php…  If you are catching the SIT bus do arrive at your stop at least 20 minutes before the scheduled departure; buses can arrive – and leave – early. At the airport, the pick up and drop- off points are outside the arrivals hall at Terminal 3.  This is a considerable distance from Terminals 1 and 2, where all domestic and inter-Schengen flights arrive and depart.

Cotral night bus from Tiburtina and Termini (€7 on bus, €5 if bought in advance)  For those who have to reach Fiumicino airport at a very early hour, before the trains and other buses are running, there is a night bus that connects central Rome to Fiumicino airport for a one-way cost of €7. See the schedule at http://www.cotralspa.it/PDF_Areoporti… . To avoid paying more for the ticket on the bus, you should buy the ticket the day before at one of the sales points mentioned on the schedule. At the same time, you should locate the bus stop (it is located near the metro bus stops in Piazza Cinquecento; to the right of the pope JPII statue if you are facing him) so that you don’t have to search for it in the dark with your luggage.

Avoid waiting near the train station after midnight as the termini is closed (gated off) and there are a number of unsavory characters milling about with no security/police present.

Cotral bus plus train or metro (about €3 per person).  You can also get to central Rome using only public transportation. Although it would cost only a little less than the Terravision shuttle, and would take longer if you were going to Termini station, it might be more convenient for people going to some parts of the city. You can take a Cotral bus from stops outside Terminal 2 or Terminal 3 to Ostia Lido, and take the Roma-Lido railway from there to Ostiense station, followed by Metro or bus to your final destination; the Cotral bus costs a few euros and the Roma-Lido railway can be ridden with the same bus-tram-metro ticket used by the rest of the ATAC (Rome’s public transportation agency) network, which costs €1.50. You could also take a Cotral bus to the Anagnina Metro station, and take the A line from there. This route would be somewhat longer, but could be more convenient if your destination is on line A. The cost would be about the same. The tickets for the Cotral bus, as well as for the metro or a bus, can be bought at a tobacco shop or newsstand. If you buy a a BIRG ticket (€8), you can use it for the Cotral bus and for all metros, buses, trams, and urban trains (including the Lido train) for the rest of the day. This route isn’t recommended for people with a lot of luggage.
Suburban train (€8 per person).  The FL1 suburban service has a number of stops: those close to the centre of Rome are at Trastevere, Ostiense, Tuscolana, and Tiburtina stations. At Ostiense station, this service connects with metro line B, and also with high-speed Italo trains to Florence and points north.  At Tiburtina station, the FL1 connects with Metro line B and also to Italo and Trenitalia trains. At Trastevere, it connects with tram (streetcar) line # 8, which runs along viale Trastevere (the main street of Trastevere) to piazza Venezia: from the second-to-last stop (the “Arenula/Cairoli” stop), it’s a short walk to Campo de’ Fiori, Piazza Navona, and the Pantheon, so this route may be helpful if you’re going to that area and do not have an excessive amount of luggage. At the Tuscolana station you would have to walk a few blocks West to get Metroline A at Ponte Lungo Station.  See all stops.

Express train (€14 per person). The Leonardo Express train is a non-stop service between FCO and Rome Termini (the main station). It is the most popular way to transit to central Rome so can get very busy. please note that as you leave the airport and follow the signs to the trains you will find a long queue at the first ticket machine located on the way, ignore this and continue down to the platforms where there are numerous machines/booths  and shops all selling tickets at the same price.

Rome termini is the only major station in the city and very useful if your hotel is nearby or you want to walk or get the metro to other city areas, or even to catch a train to some other part of Italy. All trains to Florence and points north also stop at Tiburtina station, which is reached by the less expensive FL1 train.

Note that tickets for both these trains are not for reserved seats. You can use the ticket at  any time within the next several months,  but the ticket must be validated just before travelling by punching the ticket in one of the little green and white oval machines dotted about the platform area. (Make sure it prints the time and date on the ticket.) If you fail to validate the ticket you could be fined, as you are effectively trying to travel on an open ticket.

Taxi (€48 per taxi). The fixed fare for a Rome taxi is €48 between FCO and central Rome (within the Aurelian walls) for up to four people and their luggage. If your hotel is outside this area, you will have to pay whatever is on the meter. For a map of the area that’s covered by fixed rate fares from the airports, and the current rates, see the Rome taxi fare schedule, in several languages, with a map of the fixed rate area on the last page: http://www.comune.roma.it/PCR/resourc….

For other journeys, ask around to see what the taxi should cost or get an estimate online. Have small bills to count out carefully when paying. If possible, snap a quick photo of the tag number on back of the taxi before you get in. Then you have a way to trace them if there are problems.

Note that the fixed price from the airport to central Rome applies only to taxis licensed by the City of Rome; these taxis have the City Council’s crest (with “SPQR”) painted on the doors. Other taxis, such as those licensed by the Comune of Fiumicino, can charge by their meter. Insist on taking a Roman taxi: they now have the fixed rate to and from the airport (€48) printed on the doors.

If you are travelling as a group of 4, a taxi is cheaper than the Leonardo Express train and avoids having to lug your suitcases to the train and then having to make connections on other transportation once you get to central Rome.

No need to pre-pay for a taxi at various websites, even if you are a large group with lots of luggage. There are plenty of taxi with larger capacity available to hire at the airport. Most pre-paid taxi will have limited free waiting time, such as one hour from the time when you plane is landed. If  you get delayed due to long line at custom or lost luggage, the taxi driver may charge you extra per half hour wait (such as 20 Euro) or leave after one hour without you. Then, you end up paying again for another taxi.

Taxi  Uber

Be aware that Uber prices can vary dramatically eg  from 45 to 108 euros ..from Monteverde to Ciampino for 3 people. Get a fare estimate as time of day or heavy usage raises the cost.

Private car and driver (€50 and up per car). For perhaps less money than a taxi, you can have a driver waiting at the exit from Customs at FCO or at your door in Rome. Prices start at €50 for three people.  There are three on the TA Rome forums that are highly recommended. They are  www.romecabs.com , www.romeshuttlelimousine.com and www.airportconnection.it .   Private car services usually charge more if there are more than two or three people in the group, so the service may or may not be cheaper than the train. Private services also usually charge more for early morning or late evening transfers, so you need to get a quotation for your particular situation. For up to three people, during the day, a private driver is often cheaper than a taxi.

Avoid any car or shuttle service that requires payment in advance. The reliable companies ask for payment after they have provided the service.

Tipping: It is never necessary to tip for anything in Italy, although equally it is fine to give a small tip (no more than 10%) if you feel you have received excellent service. You are not obliged to give a tip to your car or taxi driver.