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:: Info on Rome : Public Transportation
Rome City Guide Tourist Information
GETTING AROUND IN ROME
Transportation in the Eternal City
Buses, metro, taxis, scooters e carsPUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Rome has an extensive integrated public transportation system, which includes buses, subways, trams and a suburban train network.
There are two subway lines, A and B.
Line A runs east to west from Battistini to Anagnina and stops at many tourist sites such as the Vatican, Piazza di Spagna, Piazza Barberini and Piazza del Popolo, Termini Station, St. John's Basilica.
Both lines run from Sunday to Thursday from 5.30 a.m. to 11.30 p.m., and until 1.30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Both lines intersect at Stazione Termini.
Attention! From 2011, January 31st to 2012 April, due to maintenance work, the metro line A, close at 9pm every evening, from Sunday thru Friday. Instead there will be a shuttle bus making the same route until 00.30 am.:
- Bus MA1 Battistini to Arco di Travertino and vice versa
- Bus MA2 Flaminio to Anagnina and vice versa.
On Saturday the metro line A will run regularly until 1.30 am.
There are buses to almost everywhere in greater Rome. The ATAC local buses serve the city center and most nearby suburbs. The city buses are an excellent way around Rome especially to places not served by the subway lines. The Express Lines cover longer distances and make fewer stops but run frequently. Another bus service, COTRAL, serves the outer suburbs and outlying regional areas but run less frequently.From 12 am (midnight) until 6 am there are special Night Lines which cover different areas of the city and run approximately every 20 minutes.
Fares
There is a single fare structure and ticketing system allowing you to travel on buses, trams, trains and the metro with the same ticket.
There are five types of tickets for the buses and subways:
1. BIT - Integrated Single Ticket
A BIT ticket costs 1 euro and can be used on all buses, subways and trams in Rome. This ticket allows 75 minutes of travel after the initial validation on the buses and trams and only for 1 ride on the subway or 1 ride on an urban train or on trains to Ostia or Sacrofano.2. BIG - Integrated Daily Ticket
A BIG ticket costs 4 euros and is a good deal if you're planning a lot of sightseeing. The day pass can be used for unlimited rides until midnight on the day on which the ticket is validated. It is accepted on ATAC buses and trams, the subway, COTRAL buses, urban trains and regional trains in the city limits.3. Roma Pass - Roma Pass Plus
The Municipality of Rome instituted the Roma Pass Program. This Pass costs 23 euros and is valid for three days including the day it is validated. It entitles the holder to:
- full access to the public transportation system
-free admission to the first two museums and/or archaeological sites visited
- reduced tickets and discounts to many other museums and sites (after the first 2 free admissions) as well as to exhibitions, musical events, theatrical and dance performances and other tourist services.
The Roma Pass comes with a Kit that includes the public transportation ticket, a map of the city illustrating the location of Tourist Information Centers, Underground stations, museums and sites of interest including addresses, phone numbers, hours of operation and directions.
Also included in the Kit is the Roma Pass Guide, the complete list of museums & sites of interest that have joined the initiative and the Roma News, the program of events and tourist services that are eligible for discounts.
Roma Pass can be purchased from all museums and sites that have joined the Program and from Tourist Information Centers in the Municipality of Rome including Fiumicino Airport (International Arrivals, Terminal C) and the main RR Station (Termini Station) on via Giolitti 34, Platform 24.ted Tourist Ticket4. BTI - Integrated Touristic Ticket
A BTI ticket costs 11 euros and allows use of all buses, subways, city trains, regional trains and trams in Rome for 3 days including the day of validation.5. CIS - Integrated Weekly Pass
The CIS ticket costs 16 euros and can be used for 7 days. It is basically a weekly version of the BIG ticket above. It permits unlimited travel on all Roman buses and subways, city trains and regional trains, in the city limits.6. Monthly Pass
If you are going to be in Rome more than a week, consider the MONTHLY PERSONAL PASS. It costs 30 euros and can be used on all buses, subways and other city trains. This pass works basically the same way as the daily or weekly pass and is valid for one calendar month. Monthly passes can be bought at metro and train stations until the 5th of the month. If you want a travel pass later in the month it is usually better value to buy weekly passes.
The Monthly Pass comes in two types: 1) the personal pass and 2) the non-personal pass.
- The personal pass is the cheapest option at 30 euros. However, it identifies the purchaser and can only be used by the purchaser.
- The non-personal monthly pass costs 46 euros but can be used by anyone for the duration of the pass.
Children up to 10 years of age can travel free of charge on Rome's public transportation when accompanied by a parent.TAXIS
Taxis are quite expensive in Rome. The easiest way to get a taxi is to find the nearest taxi stand. In the center city they can be found at the main squares or piazzas such as Piazza Venezia, Piazza Argentina, Piazza San Silvestro, Piazza Barberini, Stazione Termini, etc. During the rush hour (4pm-8pm), as in all cities, it can be difficult to find a taxi. Taxis can be radio paged but remember that you'll pay for the time it takes to get to you not just from the time you enter the cab. There is a fixed (flat rate) fee for taxis going between the city (defined as inside the Aurelian Walls) and the two airports, Fiumicino and Ciampino. The fixed fee to & from Fiumicino is 40 euros and to & from Ciampino is 30 euros.
The main radio-taxi network telephone numbers are: 063570; 0688177; 064994; 066645; and 064157.
Licensed taxis are all white and have a taxi sign on the roof of the car as well as their license number inside the car. In every official taxi there is a card that explains - in English - the extra charges for luggage, late-night travel, Sunday and holiday travel, and airport journeys. Always make sure the meter is switched on. Be careful of unlicensed and illegal taxi drivers who approach you at the train station or the airport. They will often ask for additional fees at the end of the trip.
BICYCLES AND SCOOTERS
Bicycles and scooters may be rented at various locations in the center city as well as in the parks. We recommend that you ride bicycles only in the parks. We also strongly recommend that you not rent scooters in the city unless you are a very experienced scooter driver. Even then be aware that managing Roman traffic is a very difficult task as Roman drivers have (being kind) their own driving techniques. They have often been called "the most kamikaze-style drivers in the world."
DRIVING
Many things have been said of driving in Italy. Suffice it to say that it can be quite difficult. You should avoid driving in the larger cities and you will find that it is usually easier to use public transportation or taxis. If you insist on driving in Rome, keep in mind that in a large section of the center city (Centro Storico) private cars are not allowed unless you are a resident. There are approximately 7 zones of the city in which access is specially controlled and the times of day and night vary in each zone. Parking is metered in much of the city, available spaces are limited and difficult to find, and costs 1 euro per hour (4 euro/8 hours). We again strongly recommend that you do not drive in Rome unless it is absolutely necessary or you have a Roman in the car with you.
If you are traveling to other parts of Italy and wish to do so by car, rent your car at the end of your stay in Rome. All the international firms are represented here; Avis, Hertz, Europcar, etc.
Keep in mind that driving in any major city in Italy; Rome, Florence, Naples, Milan, etc., is very difficult. Most of the points of interest for the tourist are in the historical center of the cities.
