Travel: Flights to Rome from Birmingham (bhx)

Rome has two main international airports:

• Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (Rome Fiumicino, code FCO) - well organized and connected to the center of the city by public transportation
• Ciampino International Airport - (Rome Ciampino, code CIA) located to the south of the capital, confusingly on via Leonardo Da Vinci.

Leonardo da Vinci/Fiumicino International Airport (FCO)

There are several options to go from Leonard da Vinci airport to downtown Rome:

• Leonardo Express trains leaves every 30 min to the central train station Roma Termini (40 min trip). Trains from Termini depart from the track on the right. Ticket costs €11, available at the counter as well as the Termini news stand. Tickets sold at the departure platform are more expensive. Be aware that the Express trains stop at the far southeastern end of Termini railway station. It is a long walk to the main part of the station; however, there are moving walkways that get you through to the main section, so in truth not much actual walking is required. This exit is also near the underground train of the orange line (line A) "Vittorio Emanuale" Station. It is also possible to connect to the N°70 bus or a number of tram lines one block away. Remember to always get your ticket stamped in a yellow validation machine just before using it.

• The Metropolitan train leaves from the track on the left but does not stop at Termini. Get off at Tiburtina Station or at Ostiense Station to connect to the Rome Metro. Tickets: €5, plus €1 for a metro ticket. The extra cost of the Leonard Express is for the convenience of a direct ride to Termini. If you are going somewhere else on the Metro, Tiburtina and Ostiense are as convenient. Remember to always get your ticket stamped in a yellow validation machine just before using it.

• Terravision runs a bus service to Termini station. Tickets: €9 single or €15 return, 70 minutes, 5 stops, 7 services a day.

• Taxis Taxis in Rome are white. From October 1st 2006 there are fix fares from downtown to airports. City center to Fiumicino and vice-versa cost 40 euros. City center to Ciampino and vice-versa cost 30 Euros. For others destinations fares are not fixed. You don't have to negotiate the price. Regular taxis have a taximeter. Fee for luggage is around 1 euro each. Watch out for unlicensed taxi drivers o limousine drivers (dark cars) that approach you at Termini station or any of the airports.

• Rental cars are available.

• Shuttle services must be booked 1 day in advance. Three Companies are listed below:

• Airport shuttle offers door-to-door service from airport Fiumicino / Ciampino to Rome hotels or private residence. Minibus 8 seats Tel.: +39-06-42013469, 4740451, or 42014507.
• Airport Connection, ? +39-06-3383221 (info@airportconnection.it, fax: +39-06-3380748), . Shuttle and limousine service. 30-50€.

• Terravision offers a shuttle service from/to Fiumicino airport to/from Termini Station (Via Marsala)

• Bus (Co.tra.l, S.p.A, blue regular-size buses) The bus stop is located outdoors at ground level ~100 meters left from arrivals (teminals B&C). You can buy tickets at all tobacco shops - they have blue signs (Tabacheria), e.g. at Terminal B or at the drugstore Terminal A. Lines are:
  • Aeroporto-Termini-Tiburtina (€3.60)
  • Aeroporto-Roma Cornelia (metro A) (€2.80) (schedule)
  • Aeroporto-Roma Magliana (metro B) (€1.60) (schedule)
  • Aeroporto-Ostia Lido (€1.00) (schedule)
  • Aeroporto-Fregene (€1.00) (schedule)
  • Aeroporto-Fiumicino (città) (€0.77) (schedule)

Don't forget to mark your ticket after getting on the bus; if the machine doesn't work (which is fairly common), you have to write your name, birth date and current date & time on the ticket.

A good choice is to take the bus to EUR Magliana (stops directly at the metro station, which belongs to line B) and then take the metro. It's the cheapest way to get to the centre (€1.60 bus+€1 metro). The sign on this bus reads "Fiumicino-Porto-Magliana".

The schedule for Aeroporto-Termini-Tiburtina (this line is open from 14 September 2006) is:

from Fiumicino: 1:15, 2:15, 3:30, 5:00, 10:55, 12:00, 15:30

from Tiburtina: 0:30, 1:15, 2:30, 3:45, 9:30, 10:00

Ciampino International Airport (CIA)

Easyjet, Ryanair and Wizzair flights, among others (see Discount airlines in Europe) fly to Ciampino Airport (CIA). This small airport is closer to the city center than Fiumicino but has no direct train connection. Note that at Ciampino cash machines are available only in the departures area.

• By bus

• COTRAL/Schiaffini operates buses from outside the terminal building to "Anagnina metro station" (ticket: €1). A metro ticket to central Rome costs another €1. There are also buses at the same price to Ciampino local train station; from there there is a train to Rome Termini station (ticket: €2). The buses operate roughly every hour or 30 minutes during the Italian work day (8-12 and 16-20), and you should count on at least 45 minutes travel time for either route. Italian trains are notoriously late, and the metro can get very crowded. Timetable booklets are available in some information booths.

• Schiaffini also run direct buses to Termini station for €5 one-way (approx. 40 min), but with far fewer departures than Terravision (see below). These buses are not mentioned on the airport website yet, but you can find them on Schiaffini's own site.

• Sit bus shuttle runs a direct bus service from/to Termini. The price is €6 one-way or 10€ with return (approx. 40 min, with about 25 services a day).

• Terravision runs a direct bus service to Termini. The price is €8 one-way or €13.50 return (approx. 40 min, with about 20 services a day). It is advised that passengers on the return trip from Termini to board the bus 2.5 hours before their flight's departure time. Terravision also offers buses from Fiumicino airport to Termini, and a transfer bus between the two airports.

• By taxi

The price for a taxi ride to Termini is €30, as it is to any destination within the city walls. Be aware of unofficial taxi drivers, a drive with them could reach as high as €80. Do NOT negotiate the price for the city center with anyone and be sure your driver activates the meter when he starts driving to any other destination. Be aware that Ciampino is outside of city limits, this implies that the fare for first 10 minutes is higher (a number 2 appears on the meter). The driver is supposed to change the fare to number 1 once he hits the ring highway (G.R.A.) and enters the city limits. One more proviso: Go direct to the taxi stand, ignoring touts.

• By shuttle

The shared shuttle can be hired for around €15 per person. However, since the shuttle is shared, it may take longer to reach your destination if other customers are dropped off before you are.

• Rental cars are available in the airport terminal from all the usual companies.