Rome has an extensive public transport system consisting of the Metro (metro), bus, tram and three suburban railway lines (FS) that transport millions of passengers through the Italian capital each year. A convenient and relatively inexpensive way to get around, Rome’s public transport, operated by ATAC, will connect you to the most popular tourist attractions in the Eternal City.
Here’s what you need to know about getting around Rome by public transport.
How to travel on public transport in Rome
Rome’s internal transportation system allows ticket and pass holders to travel on all city transports within the time designated on the purchased ticket. Which method you choose to use will depend on where you are going and your time. For example, buses can get stuck in traffic, but faster-moving trams don’t reach as many major tourist areas as buses, and the three-line metro also may not be extensive enough to get you where you need to be. . . (Read more about the specific method of each method below.) Consult the ATAC site to plan your route.
Public transportation methods
The Metro (Metropolitan): consists of three lines: A (orange), B (blue) and C (yellow). Operating on 60 km (37 miles) of track with 73 station stops, the Metro is an efficient system of trains that travel both underground (subway) and above ground. Termini Station is the main Metro hub, with lines A and B crossing there.
Commuter trains (Regional State Railways or FS): There are also three commuter rail lines: Roma-Lido (to Ostia), Roma-Giardinetti (a narrow gauge railway) and Roma-Nord (to outlying suburbs). Commuter lines accept subway / bus / tram tickets as long as you travel within city limits.
Buses: Slow but frequent buses run along most of Rome’s main thoroughfares, connecting areas that Metro does not reach. To determine which stop the bus stops, look at the tall signs at curbside bus stops and find the bus lines that stop at or near where you need to go. Increasingly, digital signs list the series of buses scheduled to arrive at a stop, so you know how long you need to wait for your bus.
The largest bus depots in central Rome and the ones you are most likely to trust for sightseeing are in Piazza Venezia (with most stops to the right of the Vittoriano monument), opposite Termini Station. Most buses bound for Vatican City stop at Borgo / Piazza Pia (at Castel Sant’Angelo) or at Piazza del Risorgimento, in front of the Vatican Museums.
Trams: Six tram lines run through Rome and have a certain old-school charm. Tram stops are usually located on raised platforms in the middle of busy streets, so be sure to use marked crosswalks to get to or from these platforms. They are a bit nicer and cleaner than buses, however these do not take you to the city center and they do not run near the main tourist attractions, so they are not your best option for sightseeing.
Despite being overcrowded and chronically delayed, for the most part, Rome’s buses, trams, and commuter trains are reliable and highly efficient.
Tickets and fees
How to buy: In Rome, you must have a ticket before boarding any public transport. There are several places where you can buy BIT ( biglietti ) tickets, including kiosks at stations, in coffee shops, in tabacchi (tobacco shops), and at newsstands ( edicole ). You can also buy regional and intercity train tickets online at TrenItalia and Italo, and bus / tram / commuter train tickets through the MyCicero app. Credit card purchases can be made at automated ticket machines or online, but when purchasing a single ticket, cash is required.
How to use: on the Metro, the ticket is inserted into automatic ticket barriers when entering and exiting. On buses, trams and train passengers they must validate their ticket at one of the yellow machines inside the vehicle. Before you get on a train, you will find green validation machines near the track entrances. Most of today’s carriers accept contactless payments on smartphones, so in this case, there is no need to validate. But failing to stamp your paper ticket can result in fines of € 55 and more.
Fares: trips on all public transport in Rome cost € 1.50. Children 10 and under travel for free when accompanied by an adult.
Discounted Fares – Discounted transit passes are recommended for visitors, providing better value than paying as you go. Buy passes from the vending machines at any subway station, tobacco shop or newsstand. There is a way to buy tickets by SMS (text message sent to your smartphone), but unless you have an Italian phone number, we do not recommend this option. Rome 24H (1 day) costs € 7; Rome 48H (2 days) is € 12.50; and Rome 72H (3 days) costs € 18. There is also a weekly ticket (CIS) for € 24 (valid for 7 calendar days).
Essential information about public transport in Rome
- Hours: Buses, trams, and commuter trains operate daily from 5:30 am to midnight, with limited night bus service available. The subway is open from 5:30 am to 11:30 pm, Monday through Friday and Sunday (until 1:30 am on Saturdays).
- Key routes: Some key tourist bus routes: 40 (San Pedro), 60 (Colosseum), 62 (Plaza de España), 64 (Vatican), 81 (Circus Maximus), H and Tram 8 (Trastevere).
- Service Alerts: As in any big city, service interruptions occur. In Italy, it is quite possible to experience a general or transport strike ( sciopero ) during your stay. For up-to-date news on impending outages, visit MIT.gov.
- Transfers: Tickets on the Metro and FS trains are only good for a single trip, however buses and trams allow you to transfer as many times as you want in a 100 minute period.
Other transit options
Most of the main tourist attractions are in the historic center, but several important places such as papal palaces, gardens, catacombs, parks and lakes are further away. Many can be reached by taking a combination of Metro and / or bus, but others are more difficult to reach. Here are some alternative transit options that you should know about.
Scooters for rent
For those looking for a fun and easy way to get around Rome, Scooterino is an app that sends an extra driver and helmet to pick you up, just hop in the back and they’ll take you wherever you want to go. There are also several companies in the city that offer electric bikes, electric scooters, gasoline scooters and vintage Vespas for rent.
If you are renting a motorized scooter ( motorino ) to ride yourself, you must have a valid driver’s license (no special license required up to 125cc). Given Rome’s hectic and often fast traffic and intrepid drivers, we recommend that you have a solid experience operating a motorcycle. Note: the law requires the use of a helmet.
Bike rental
You can rent human-powered road bikes, mountain bikes, trekking bikes, electric bikes, speed bikes, and tandem bikes. Consider joining a bike tour to get the most out of the experience.
Taxis
Rome’s official taxis are white, have a ‘taxi’ sign on the roof and their license number printed on the doors. You cannot hail taxis on the street, but here are other ways to hail a taxi in Rome:
- Go to one of the designated taxi ranks scattered throughout the city. You will find lines outside the stations, in the big squares and around the most popular tourist spots.
- Order a taxi by phone directly from the taxi company.
- Organize a collection with the MyTaxi app. It works much like Uber in that you submit a request and your location and send the nearest taxi to pick you up.
Taxi rates are as follows : € 2.80 (per km) from 7 am to 10 pm On Sundays and holidays: € 4. At night between 10 p.m. and 5:30 a.m., € 5.80. If you leave from Termini train station, there is a € 2 surcharge, plus a € 1 charge per piece of luggage that has to go in the trunk. Rates start when you enter or the moment you request one (not when you arrive).
Ride sharing apps
In Rome, Uber can only operate its UberX and UberPOOL (van) service. Drivers are required to have a city car NCC license, making it significantly more expensive than using taxis.
Car rentals
Unless you are planning to drive from Rome to other destinations not connected by the national rail system, we recommend that you avoid driving in Rome. Not only is it expensive (fuel costs up to € 2 per liter, which works out to about $ 8 per gallon), but street parking is scarce, the city is full of poorly marked one-way streets, and traffic fines can be steep.
To rent a car in Italy you must be over 21 years of age and have a driver’s license for at least one year. If you are visiting from outside the EU, you may be required to have an International Driving Permit (IDP), which you must apply for before leaving home. Check with your local automobile association for details.
Getting to Rome from the airport
There are two airports serving the greater Rome area and the surrounding regions of Lazio, Umbria and Tuscany. Fiumicino Airport (FCO), also known as Leonardo da Vinci Airport, is a large international hub with long-distance flights. The second is Ciampino Airport (CIO), which is served mainly by budget airlines flying to and from cities in Italy and Europe.
Airport transfers by train and bus take travelers to one of Rome’s two main train stations: Roma Termini (in the historic center) and Roma Tiburtina (just outside the walls). Both train stations have transit areas that connect to key destinations in Rome.
Fiumicino Airport: located 31 km (22 miles) from the center of Rome, the easiest and fastest way to get to the main train station, Roma Termini, is to take the Leonardo Express, a direct train. Leaving the airport train station approximately every 20 minutes, the train costs € 14 one way. Several bus operators offer an inexpensive option in the city with fares of around € 6-7 for the 45-minute trip. If you prefer to take a taxi, they charge a flat rate of € 48 (to anywhere within the walls of Aurelia) but can add additional luggage and surcharges per passenger.
Ciampino Airport: This airport, 15 km (9 miles) from the center of Rome, offers several transfer options to the city, however there is no direct train service. Airport buses are operated by Cotral, Terravision, Roma Airport Bus and Sit, with trips costing between € 6 and € 7. The trip takes about 30-40 minutes, depending on traffic. The flat rate taxi fare (anywhere within the walls of Aurelia) is € 30, which does not include luggage or additional passenger fees.
Accessibility in Rome’s public transport system
- Metro Line A has the most services for disabled passengers, with 39 trains providing wheelchair facilities, along with loudspeaker alarms and automatic door opening systems. Many stops are equipped with lifts and / or adaptations for the visually impaired.
- There are buses for disabled passengers that run on all major urban lines, however, currently, not all stops are accessible due to curb height problems.
- Tram line 8 (Casaletto – Torre Argentina) is fully accessible. For more information, visit the ATAC website.
Additional tips for getting around Rome
- Beware of pickpockets in subway cars and buses.
- Take advantage of navigation applications like Google Maps and Mouversi.
- Never accept a ride from a driver who is not in a licensed white cab.
- Rome is a very walkable city with key attractions accessible on foot.
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