Our expert guide to the best way to get from Rome airport to the city center.
The first thing to figure out when landing in Rome is how to make your way from Rome airport to the city center and your hotel.
Depending on your airport of arrival, you have several options.
Over the course of the years, I have used them all and this is my super-practical guide to making your way from the airport to the city!
How many airports in Rome?
There are two airports in Rome: Leonardo da Vinci (aka Fiumicino, aiport code FCO) and Ciampino (CIA).
Fiumicino is the biggest and the one served by national, international and intercontinental flights operated by full fare and low-cost airlines.
Ciampino is smaller and is the airport with Ryanair flights.
The experience in the two airports is very different.
Fiumicino is large, beautiful and modern while Ciampino is small and equipped with only a few shops and food options.
Both are connected to the city center by several transport options including train, bus and taxi (for Fiumicino) or bus and taxi (Ciampino)
How to get from Fiumicino airport to Rome city center
From Fiumicino, you have 3 options (4 if you include private transfers):
- The train – called ‘Leonardo Express’
- The bus – operated by Terravision
- A taxi – official taxis are white and station outside the arrivals hall
Fiumicino to Rome by train
My favorite mean of transport of the three is the train.
The train station is inside the airport and the Leonardo Express trains have regular departures connecting Fiumicino with Termini station, in the city center, from where you can hop onto the Rome public transport system.
You can purchase tickets at the station (there are both machines and a ticket counter) and a single ride costs 14 Euro. Kids go free.
The trains are clean, you have space for your bags and get into the city center in less than 30 minutes.
What is the cheapest way to get to Rome city center from Fiumicino?
The cheapest way to get from Fiumicino airport to Rome city center is the bus.
In 2019 the service costs 5.80 Euro each way and the bus brings you from outside the arrivals terminal to Termini station.
You can buy tickets in advance from their official site here
How much is a taxi from Fiumicino to Rome city center?
The exact cost of the ride will depend on the location of your hotel.
However, taxis operate on a flat fare system that can help you budget your trip.
A taxi ride to any location inside the Aurelian walls is 48 Euro: this is a flat fee and will be confirmed by the meter.
Locations on the opposite side of the Aurelian walls will incur in additional costs (metered): in my experience, you will usually end up paying up to 60 Euro but only far away locations will cost you more than this.
Do I need a car seat in Rome taxis?
Car seats are not compulsory in Rome taxi and taxis are usually not equipped with them.
I usually recommend bringing your own booster seat, to be safe. A good selection of booster seats for travel is here and my favorite of all is the bubblebum, which is super portable.
How long to get from Fiumicino to Rome city center?
The train from Fiumicino to Rome termini takes about 30 minutes.
The bus takes about 55 minutes and potentially more, depending on traffic.
Fiumicino to Rome center by taxi: need to know
Official Rome taxis are white, they line up just outside the arrival terminal and are governed by a flat fare system.
Despite this good organisation, your first impact with the taxi system in Rome is likely to be overwhelming.
The arrival hall of Fiumicino is always jam-packed with people and several taxi officials with white shirts and badges approach travelers offering taxi rides.
These people usually do not help you get an official taxi but rather direct you to one of the counters of the many companies that offer private transfers into town. I have never used them and would recommend proceeding with caution: I personally prefer the official taxis, always.
How to get from Ciampino to Rome city center
Ciampino is connected with Rome’s city center by bus and taxis.
Ciampino to Rome by bus
The cheapest way to get from Ciampino to Rome city center is by bus.
The service leaves from outside the airport terminal and bring you to Rome Termini for the cost of 5 Euro. Children under 4 go free.
The service is operated by Terravision and will bring you to Rome Termini, the main public transportation hub in Rome city in a little less than an hour.
While convenient in terms of cost, this service operates along very trafficked roads so I do recommend to evaluate the time you have available and the level of tiredness before as the journey can get very long.
Ciampino to Rome by taxi
Ciampino taxis operate a flat fare currently set at 30 euro for rides between the airport and the main city metropolitan area.
During peak arrival hours taxis are stationed outside the Ciampino arrivals hall.
They operate a flat fee into Rome city center that is currently set at 45 euro and that will bring you to most locations in the Rome central metropolitan area.
However, should you have a hotel very far away from the center (the definition of ‘centre’ is pretty generous) check with the driver before boarding and make sure the meter is on.
Ciampino airport to Rome by train
Ciampino is a town in its own right and as such as a train station with a regular service to Rome.
However, the station is not right at the airport and to reach it you would need to get a local bus and then wait for the next commuter trains.
While I believe this is worth mentioning as an option, I never use it as I believe unless your accommodation is just beside the train stations served by this train, it is just not time efficient.
I hope you found this practical guide on how to get from Rome airport to Rome city center useful. Safe travels!