Tuesday, December 26, 2006

How to get to Rome



Now you can travel to Rome for less then 150€ by choosing the low cost airlines, like Ryan Air, Easy Jet, etc.

Rome is served by two main airports: Ciampino and Fiumicino. Both are relatively near the city centre - Ciampino is 15km and Fiumicino 30km – and have easy access although you can take about one hour to reach the centre due to the caotic roman traffic.

Ryan Air only flies to the Ciampino Airport.

The Fiumicino, or Leonardo DaVinci airport (as is also known) is the main roman airport. It has great connections to the city centre, mainly by the railroad tracks. There’s the “Fiumicino Express”, a service that puts you in less then 30 minutes and for 11€ in the Termini Station in the roman city centre.
This service departs and arrives daily on the 27th track.



Ciampino is considered, althought is most central then the Fiumicino airport, a secondary airport from whom travels the low cost airlines and the private jets. When you land you will see dozens of luxury jets parked in the airport hangars.
Once in Ciampino, the transportation to the city centre has to be made by taxi or by bus as the airport isn’t served by any railroad or metro services.
There are many options to travel the 15km from the Ciampino Airport to the Termini Station (the most important roman rail station and the biggest of Europe).


But from the many options available we detach the Terravision company.
It’s about 8€ one way or 14€ round trip. You can buy online. There’s a bus every 20 minutes prior to plane arrivals and there are always buses untill everyone is served. The buses are parked on the airport way out and it’s easy to see them.
The way back in the Termini Station is always made on the same place that you are left in. Even if you have an early morning flight is better for you if you catch the 7.30pm transfer. After this hour you only have late at night but we don’t recommend it as the Termini zone is a bit dangerous by night.





The other option is the cheapest way. There’s the Cotral company that charges you 1€ (yes, only 1€) and takes you from the Ciampino Airport to the Anagnina metro station and there you can buy your simple ticket to the Termini Station (+1€) or you can buy the ticket most appropriate to your stay (a seven-day ticket or a three-day ticket).
The Anagnina Station is 20minutes travel untill the Termini Station.
This company has connections form the airport to the centre daily untill 11pm.
After this hour the only way to get to the centre or to the airport is by taxi.

A cab takes about 30 to 45 minutes to arrive during the day. By night this service takes about half the time as there is no traffic but even so the service is more expensive. This option costs abou 45€/50€.

Pay attention when you choose the taxi option as there are many illegal ones that offers you their services. Try to always catch an official roman cab.
They’re white or yellow and don’t try to discuss a price, try always to be taxed by the taximeter.
Even so if you think that you are being fooled get the name of the taxi driver and the number written on the exterior side of the door.

In Italy you have to be very carefull as this wasn’t the mafia country.

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