Rome FCO Airport to the City: Train, Bus or Taxi

Rome FCO airport to Termini: the short answer

The fastest way from Rome FCO airport to the city is the Leonardo Express, a non-stop train that reaches Termini station in about 32 minutes. Trenitalia says it leaves every 15 minutes. A direct bus costs less and takes longer. A taxi costs more and drops you at the door.

Fiumicino is the main airport of Rome. It sits west of the city, in the town of Fiumicino. Ciampino (CIA) is the smaller second airport. If you land there, our Ciampino airport guide covers it. Its bus to Termini takes about 40 minutes from €8, and its fixed taxi fare is €40 instead of €55.

No official page we could check gives the distance to the centre, so use travel time instead. Termini is the end of the line for the train, and the buses below also stop there. Our Termini station guide shows you what to expect when you arrive.

Price: Leonardo Express vs bus vs taxi

The bus is the cheapest ride, the train costs more, and the taxi costs the most for one person. The study measured the train fare this way: Trenitalia's fare table for Fiumicino airport lists €14 one way per person, as read in the 2026 Rome Travel Cost Study.

A pre-booked direct bus starts lower. The Fiumicino to Termini bus is run by Terravision and is listed from €6.3 per person, rated 4.5 from 36,099 reviews. The listing says the ticket is valid for every departure on the booked day and that luggage travels free. Terravision's page says to be at the stop 15 minutes before departure. The stop is platform 18 at the airport, buses leave about every 20 minutes, and groups of 10 or more should contact Terravision after booking. There is no tour guide or pickup, only a seat on the bus.

Rome's June 2026 taxi tariff sets a fixed fare of €55 from Fiumicino to any address inside the Aurelian Walls. It applies in both directions. The fare is per car, so four people can share it.

One city pass does not cover the express train. Trenitalia's non-stop Leonardo Express and the Cotral airport bus are excluded from the Roma 24h, 48h and 72h tickets, so buy the airport ride on its own.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026.

Pro Tip A bus ticket from the Fiumicino operators is valid all day, so a delayed flight does not cost you the ticket. Book the date, not the hour.

Speed: train vs bus vs taxi

The train is the fastest and the most predictable. The Leonardo Express makes no stops, and the trip takes about 32 minutes. Road traffic does not change it.

The direct bus takes about 45 minutes on Terravision's own page. The Fiumicino shuttle bus is run by SIT SRL and lists a duration of 1 hour. It is from €7, rated 4.6 from 31,050 reviews. The listing says you can catch the next bus if you miss your slot. Neither listing names a meeting point or a group size beyond the airport stop, so check the voucher after booking.

Taxi time depends on traffic, and no official page states one. For the slowest bus and the fastest train, the gap is about half an hour.

There is a second train. The FL1 regional train runs from Fiumicino airport to Termini and Tiburtina, about 48 minutes to Tiburtina. Trenitalia says it runs every 15 minutes on working days and every 30 minutes on Sundays and holidays. Its page gives no fare, so check the price before you rely on it.

Key Takeaway From Rome FCO airport the Leonardo Express takes about 32 minutes, the direct bus about 45, and the shuttle bus about an hour. Pick the train for speed and the bus for price.

Arrival hour and luggage: bus vs train vs taxi

If you land late at night, the taxi is the simplest plan, because its fixed fare does not depend on a timetable. We could not confirm the last Leonardo Express or bus departure on an official page, so check them before a late flight.

If you land in the day, the train or the bus works well. Both leave from the airport and end at Termini, where the metro and the city's buses begin. After the Rome airport leg, the metro, buses and city tickets are covered in our public transport guide.

With heavy bags, the bus helps. Luggage travels free on both bus listings, and you do not carry it up station stairs. With a group, the taxi fare is shared, so the cost per person falls with every extra rider.

For a very early or very late flight, sleeping near the terminal saves stress. The Hilton Rome Airport is a few steps from Fiumicino Airport, and the Sleep'n go Hotel is a short drive away. For the city itself, see where to stay in Rome, such as the Hotel Domus Praetoria in the Termini area.

The best airport ride is the one that still runs when your flight is late.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026.

Landing at Ciampino instead of Fiumicino

A ticket that says CIA means you land at Ciampino, not Fiumicino. The Ciampino to Termini transfer is run by Terravision. It is listed from €8 per person with a duration of 40 minutes, rated 4.5 from 5,786 reviews. The city taxi tariff gives a fixed €40 fare from Ciampino to inside the Aurelian Walls.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026.

Your first afternoon after the ride

After you drop your bags, a short guided walk is an easy way to get your bearings. The City Highlights walking tour is run by City Walkers Tours, takes 2.5 hours, and is from €35 per person. It is rated 4.9 from 126 reviews and is not suitable for people with mobility impairments.

For a longer and more active first day, the City Highlights bike or e-bike tour is run by Fat Tire Tours - Italy. It takes 3 hours and is from €45 per person, rated 4.8 from 823 reviews. It is not suitable for pregnant women.

Both belong to a wider set of travel tours to Rome picked for a first visit. Things to Do in Rome's count of GetYourGuide listings in October 2026 found 3 airport transfers, from €6.3.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026.

When each ride is the wrong choice

The taxi is the wrong choice for one person on a tight budget, because the fixed fare of €55 is shared by nobody. A pre-booked bus is the wrong choice if you land after the last departure, and we could not confirm that time. A tour is the wrong choice on landing day if you are tired, since the walking tour needs 2.5 hours on your feet.

For the plainest option, the train needs only a ticket and no tour. None of the rides here needs a tour: the two tours above are optional extras for after you have dropped your bags.