Practical information for visiting Rome

Arriving in and leaving Rome

By air:

Rome is served by two airports.

FIUMICINO AIRPORT:
Fiumicino (Leonardo da Vinci) is the more important of Rome's airports; it lies about thirty kilometres south-west of Rome. Official website of Fiumicino Airport
The airport also publishes an interesting printable brochure in French: Fiumicino Airport brochure

To reach the city centre, several options are available:
The Leonardo Express train: it links the main Rome station (Termini) directly in about thirty minutes. A departure every 30 minutes from 6:38 to 23:38. In the Termini station to airport direction, departures every 30 minutes between 5:52 and 22:52. The fare is €14 per journey per person.
The FL1 regional train: this train links Fiumicino Airport to many Rome stations such as Trastevere, Ostiense, Tuscolana and Tiburtina. The fare is €8 per journey per person.
For more information and train times: Train between Fiumicino and Rome
The bus: Several public or private companies run the service to Rome. Among them you will find Terravision, which will take you to Termini station in about 1 hour with a departure every 30 minutes. Other companies also run the service, some with stops other than Termini station; you will find details of the companies here. The fare varies by company; it is €4 per journey per person with Terravision.
The taxi: the most expensive means but the most practical if your hotel is far from the main public transport routes. For a journey to the centre of Rome allow about fifty euros.

CIAMPINO AIRPORT:
The second airport is Ciampino, about fifteen kilometres south-east of Rome. Official website of Ciampino Airport.

To reach the city centre, several options are available:
The bus: Several public or private companies run the service to Rome. Among them you will find Terravision, which will take you to Termini station in about 1 hour with a departure every 30 minutes. Other companies also run the service, some with stops other than Termini station; you will find details of the companies here. The fare varies by company; it is €4 per journey per person with Terravision.
The taxi: the most expensive means but the most practical if your hotel is far from the main public transport routes. For a journey to the centre of Rome allow about thirty euros.
The train: you can reach the station of the town of Ciampino by bus (with the companies Cotral, Atral … ). You can then take the train to Rome's Termini station in about 15 minutes.

By train

Rome is well served by the Italian rail network, with many connections from Italy's main cities, including high-speed trains. Connections from European cities also exist but generally require at least one change and long journey times. The Italian railway company is Trenitalia. Rome's central station is Termini, but many lines (high-speed) mainly serve Tiburtina station.

By bus

The major bus companies serve Rome, whether from Europe or from Italy. Rome's coach station is Tiburtina, which is also an important railway station.

By car

It is of course possible to reach Rome by car; the Italian motorway network is of excellent quality. Once there, we advise against using the car, as traffic in the city centre is difficult, with limited-access zones.

Getting around Rome

By metro: there are only 2 metro lines in Rome, identified A and B, which cross at Termini station. These lines do not enter the heart of the city but circle it. The metro is useful for approaching a monument you wish to discover, but the rest will have to be done on foot. Official website of Rome public transport. The ticket, valid for 75 minutes, also lets you take the bus and the tram. It costs €1.50. Day cards (€6), 3-day cards (€16.50) and weekly cards (€24) exist for unlimited use of metro, bus and tram. You can buy tickets in some tobacconists, bars and at the main metro and bus stations.

The bus and the tram: the city has a large bus and tram network that lets you make most journeys in town. The most touristy heart of the city is nevertheless poorly served. Official website of Rome public transport. The ticket, valid for 75 minutes, also lets you take the metro. It costs €1.50. Day cards (€6), 3-day cards (€16.50) and weekly cards (€24) exist for unlimited use of metro, bus and tram. You can buy tickets in some tobacconists, bars and at the main metro and bus stations.

On foot: walking will be an indispensable practice in Rome for discovering the different monuments. Very often the distance between two places of interest is short and is easily done on foot. We recommend using public transport to reach the starting point of your visit and then continuing on foot as long as the distances remain reasonable. Take care to look after your feet as much as possible; they will be put to a hard test, and use public transport as soon as distances become significant so as not to exhaust yourself needlessly. A stay of 3 days or more will put your feet to a hard test.

When to go to Rome (season / month)?

Because of the incredible richness of its heritage, Rome is a city that can be visited all year round, with advantages and drawbacks for each season…

Spring (April, May and June) is a particularly interesting period for visiting Rome. Even if the city already attracts a large number of visitors, temperatures are pleasant and the risk of rain is lower than in winter. The city's parks will be green and in flower!

Summer (July, August) is often very hot in Rome with little risk of rain. It is also the period of highest attendance; the most touristy places are taken by storm. Booking tickets for the main monuments and museums is advisable! The city remains interesting to discover nonetheless thanks to its many events. Conditions are ideal for eating ice cream and cooling off at the city's many fountains (nasoni)!
September has milder temperatures and lower attendance. It is also an ideal period for discovering Rome.

In autumn (October, November and December) the city sees its attendance fall as well as its temperatures. The risk of rain is higher. This period is pleasant and will let you discover the city more calmly while sometimes still enjoying a fine Indian summer. The Christmas period also transforms the city with its decorations!

Winter (January, February and March) is the quietest period of the year, an opportunity to discover the city differently. If discovering the heritage and museums is your main reason for going to Rome, this period will be ideal, even if you then have to allow for reduced opening hours.

In short, April, May and September are probably the most pleasant periods for discovering Rome and its pleasures!

To help you choose, below you will find data on attendance (in 2019 before Covid) and weather averages.

Staying in Rome

The hotel offer is large and ranges from the simplest hotels to the most luxurious. As often in Italy, hotels are relatively expensive and there are very few hotel chains of the kind we know in France. Rome is a very touristy city and hotels can fill up quickly at certain times (Easter, May and June, …)

Museums, churches and discount cards ….

Entry to churches is of course free, apart from access to the museums they may contain or to certain areas (for example the cloister of St John Lateran). These extras generally remain inexpensive. Also allow for 50-cent coins to illuminate certain works in the churches.

The Roma Pass: The Roma Pass is a discount card for visiting Rome's museums and monuments, available in a 48-hour or 72-hour version. For a cost of €28 or €38.50, the first or the first 2 museums or monuments (depending on the 48- or 72-hour version) are free, then a reduced rate for the other museums and free for a few minor museums. Access to public transport is also free.
Note: many museums are closed on Monday (except the Colosseum and the Baths of Caracalla) and the card is not valid for the Vatican Museums. From our point of view, the card is hard to make worthwhile unless you visit a large number of museums (do not forget that many visits concern free churches) and we recommend studying the prices of the sites you wish to visit. Official website for the Roma Pass.
Links to the essential information