Getting around Rome

The best Rome public transport tips

Fiumicino and Ciampino to the centre, metro and bus tickets, the Roma Pass, taxis and Uber, and hop-on hop-off buses. Here is how to get around Rome, with honest advice on paying too much from the airport, long waits at bus stops and costs on top of the fare.

By the Things to Do in Rome editorial team 6 tours compared Prices checked 25 October 2026

A Rome metro train pulling into a platform, with a sign showing the next train in 4 minutes

Short answer

The cheapest way to get around Rome is the metro and buses: a BIT ticket costs €1.50 and lasts 100 minutes. From Fiumicino, the Leonardo Express takes 32 minutes to Termini for €14. From Ciampino, Terravision's bus to Termini starts at €6.50, or a taxi is a fixed €40.

Our 6 picks: airport rides and hop-on buses

Three airport buses you can book ahead and three hop-on hop-off buses. All six offer free cancellation, the listings say.

45–55 min

Fiumicino bus

from €6 per person Our top pick

45–55 min 4.5 (36,099) reviews on GetYourGuide

Fiumicino to Termini bus

A direct bus between Fiumicino Airport and Termini, with free luggage. Your ticket works on any bus that day.

Best for The cheapest airport ride we found
Check availability: Fiumicino to Termini bus on GetYourGuide
Every 15 to 20 min

Fiumicino shuttle

from €7 per person

1 hour 4.6 (31,050) reviews on GetYourGuide

Fiumicino to Termini shuttle bus

A shuttle every 15 to 20 minutes from the airport bus station. Miss your bus and you can take the next one, and you can ask to change the day.

Best for Flights that may run late
Check availability: Fiumicino to Termini shuttle bus on GetYourGuide
40 minutes

Ciampino bus

from €8 per person

40 minutes 4.5 (5,786) reviews on GetYourGuide

Ciampino to Termini bus

A direct bus between Ciampino Airport and Termini in 40 minutes, with free luggage. The ticket works on any bus that day.

Best for Flights into Ciampino
Check availability: Ciampino to Termini bus on GetYourGuide
3 hours to 72 hours

Open-top bus

from €20 per person

4.1 (13,418) reviews on GetYourGuide

Open-top hop-on hop-off bus, 3 hours to 3 days

Passes run from 3 hours to 72 hours, with digital commentary. The listing says its Colosseum stop is closed until further notice; walk from Circus Maximus.

Best for Sightseeing with the ride built in
Check availability: Open-top hop-on hop-off bus, 3 hours to 3 days on GetYourGuide
Audio in 8 languages

Audio guide bus

from €15 per person

1.5 hours–1 day 4.0 (19,117) reviews on GetYourGuide

Hop-on hop-off bus with audio guide

A hop-on hop-off pass with audio in 8 languages on the open bus. The listing says the route may change for special events.

Best for The cheapest bus pass
Check availability: Hop-on hop-off bus with audio guide on GetYourGuide
24, 48 or 72 hours

Three-route bus

from €20 per person

3.9 (19,423) reviews on GetYourGuide

Hop-on hop-off bus with 3 routes

One pass for all three routes, for a day or for 24, 48 or 72 hours. The listing says a bus comes about every 20 minutes.

Best for Riding more than one loop
Check availability: Hop-on hop-off bus with 3 routes on GetYourGuide

Airport rides and hop-on buses compared

Airport rides and hop-on buses compared
Tour	From	Duration	Who it suits	Why we picked it
Fiumicino to Termini bus 4.5 (36,099)	€6 per person	45–55 min	The cheapest airport ride we found	From €6, rated 4.5 from 36,099 reviews.
Fiumicino to Termini shuttle bus 4.6 (31,050)	€7 per person	1 hour	Flights that may run late	The best rated airport bus here: 4.6 from 31,050 reviews.
Ciampino to Termini bus 4.5 (5,786)	€8 per person	40 minutes	Flights into Ciampino	From €8, rated 4.5 from 5,786 reviews.
Open-top hop-on hop-off bus, 3 hours to 3 days 4.1 (13,418)	€20 per person	Not stated	Sightseeing with the ride built in	The best rated of the three buses: 4.1 from 13,418 reviews.
Hop-on hop-off bus with audio guide 4.0 (19,117)	€15 per person	1.5 hours–1 day	The cheapest bus pass	The cheapest pass, from €15. Rated 4.0 from 19,117 reviews.
Hop-on hop-off bus with 3 routes 3.9 (19,423)	€20 per person	Not stated	Riding more than one loop	The lowest rated of our picks: 3.9 from 19,423 reviews, so read the latest reviews first.

Fiumicino to Termini bus
€6 per person45–55 min 4.5 (36,099)
Details
Who it suits
The cheapest airport ride we found
Why we picked it
From €6, rated 4.5 from 36,099 reviews.
Fiumicino to Termini shuttle bus
€7 per person1 hour 4.6 (31,050)
Details
Who it suits
Flights that may run late
Why we picked it
The best rated airport bus here: 4.6 from 31,050 reviews.
Ciampino to Termini bus
€8 per person40 minutes 4.5 (5,786)
Details
Who it suits
Flights into Ciampino
Why we picked it
From €8, rated 4.5 from 5,786 reviews.
Open-top hop-on hop-off bus, 3 hours to 3 days
€20 per person 4.1 (13,418)
Details
Who it suits
Sightseeing with the ride built in
Why we picked it
The best rated of the three buses: 4.1 from 13,418 reviews.
Hop-on hop-off bus with audio guide
€15 per person1.5 hours–1 day 4.0 (19,117)
Details
Who it suits
The cheapest bus pass
Why we picked it
The cheapest pass, from €15. Rated 4.0 from 19,117 reviews.
Hop-on hop-off bus with 3 routes
€20 per person 3.9 (19,423)
Details
Who it suits
Riding more than one loop
Why we picked it
The lowest rated of our picks: 3.9 from 19,423 reviews, so read the latest reviews first.

None of the 6 includes hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point.
All 6 offer free cancellation.
Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.

Quick answer: the best way to get around Rome

The best way to get around central Rome is on foot, with the metro and buses for longer hops. A BIT ticket costs €1.50 and lasts 100 minutes from when you validate it.

From Fiumicino Airport, the Leonardo Express is the fastest ride to Termini: 32 minutes, with no stops, for €14. A taxi from either airport has a fixed fare to the old centre.

Airport to the city: Fiumicino and Ciampino

€14: Leonardo Express, 32 min
€55: Taxi from Fiumicino
€40: Taxi from Ciampino

Rome has two airports, Fiumicino and Ciampino, and both have a fixed taxi fare to the centre. The fare is €55 from Fiumicino and €40 from Ciampino to anywhere inside the Aurelian Walls, the old city walls.

Is the Leonardo Express worth it? Yes, if you want speed: 32 minutes with no stops. Terravision's bus is cheaper, from €4 on its site, but takes about 45 minutes and can get stuck in traffic.

Not sure where to base yourself? See Where to stay in Rome.

The train station at Fiumicino Airport

Trains leave from the airport itself. The Leonardo Express runs to Termini every 15 minutes. The FL1 regional train runs to Tiburtina in about 48 minutes, every 15 minutes on weekdays and every 30 on Sundays and holidays.

Ciampino Airport

Terravision's site lists a direct bus from Ciampino to Termini from €6.50. It takes about 40 minutes and runs about every 40 minutes.

Guides on getting around Rome

Route-by-route decision table

Use the table to compare train, bus, taxi and tour for each route, with each operator's own times and fares. Where an official page gives no time, the table says so.

Rome's airports and day-trip stops compared: official times and fares, plus tours you can book
Route	Option	Time	Cost	How often	Hassle	Source
Fiumicino Airport (FCO) to the centre	Train (Leonardo Express)	32 min	€14 one way	every 15 min	non-stop to Termini	Trenitalia
	Train (FL1 regional)	about 48 min to Tiburtina	regional fare, not listed on the page	every 15 min weekdays, 30 min Sundays and holidays	stops at Tiburtina and Termini	Trenitalia
	Bus (Terravision)	about 45 min	from €4 one way	about every 20 min (page also says 40)	direct to Termini; traffic	Terravision
	Taxi (fixed fare)	not stated	€55 inside the Aurelian Walls	on demand	door to door; fare for the whole car	Roma Capitale taxi tariff, June 2026
	Bus transfer (booked tour)	45–55 min (listing)	from €6	any bus on the booked day	direct to Termini; luggage free	GetYourGuide: Terravision bus listing
	Shuttle bus (booked tour)	about 1 hour	from €7	every 15–20 min (listing)	ticket valid all day; the date can be changed	GetYourGuide: shuttle bus listing
Ciampino Airport (CIA) to the centre	Bus (Terravision)	about 40 min	from €6.50 one way	about every 40 min	direct to Termini; traffic	Terravision
	Taxi (fixed fare)	not stated	€40 inside the Aurelian Walls	on demand	door to door; fare for the whole car	Roma Capitale taxi tariff, June 2026
	Bus transfer (booked tour)	40 min	from €8	any bus on the booked day	direct to Termini; luggage free	GetYourGuide: Ciampino bus listing
Rome to Tivoli	Train	not stated by Trenitalia or the villas	regional fare, not listed	see Trenitalia timetable	from Termini or Tiburtina, then walk or local bus CAT 4/4X	Villa Adriana e Villa d'Este (official)
	Bus (Cotral)	not stated by Cotral or the villas	distance-based fare, not listed	see Cotral timetable	Metro B to Ponte Mammolo, then Cotral bus; get off at Largo delle Nazioni Unite	Villa Adriana e Villa d'Este (official)
	Round-trip transfer (tour)	about 6 hours in all	from €60 with both villa tickets	see the listing	coach there and back; no guide	GetYourGuide: Tivoli transfer listing
Rome to Ostia Antica	Train (Roma-Lido / Metromare)	not stated by official pages	BIT €1.50 (valid 100 min)	see ATAC and Cotral timetable	from Porta San Paolo; 2026 works and night shuttles, check before travel	Roma Tourism
Rome to Pompeii	Train via Naples	Frecciarossa a little over 1 h to Naples, then regional train (Sunday through ticket: 1 h 47)	fares not listed on the page	100+ Frecciarossa a day	change at Napoli Centrale, then regional train and Pompei Link bus	Trenitalia
Rome to Pompeii	Day tour by coach	12–13 hours in all	from €109 with the Pompeii ticket	see the listing	guide included; starts at Piazza del Popolo	GetYourGuide: Pompeii and Amalfi day trip listing

Read from the operators' own pages on 25 October 2026. Fares and timetables change; check before you travel.

Metro, bus and tram: tickets, fares and how to use them

One BIT ticket costs €1.50 and covers metro, bus and tram rides for 100 minutes from when you validate it. ATAC's BIT page says to validate it at the start of your trip.

You can also tap a contactless card on the reader on buses and at metro gates. That tap buys and validates the ticket in one go.

Metro trains run from 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday. They run until 1:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, so after a Colosseum night tour you can still ride home.

Passes and the Roma Pass: which one fits your trip

A single BIT ticket costs €1.50, and ATAC also sells 24-, 48- and 72-hour tickets for €8.50, €15 and €22. The 24-hour ticket does not cover the Leonardo Express or the Cotral bus to Fiumicino.

The Roma Pass costs €38 for 48 hours or €62.90 for 72 hours and includes public transport. Check each site's booking rules before you count on it.

ATAC's tickets cover transport only. For the Vatican, see our tickets for Vatican City in Rome.

Rome transport tickets and passes (read on 25 October 2026)
Ticket	Price	What it covers
BIT	€1.50	100 minutes of metro, bus and tram
Roma 24h	€8.50	24 hours; not the Leonardo Express
Roma 48h	€15	48 hours
Roma 72h	€22	72 hours
Roma Pass 48h	€38	Public transport and the pass's sights
Roma Pass 72h	€62.90	Public transport and the pass's sights

Walking, taxis and ride-hailing in the city

Walking is the easiest way to see the old centre, and a taxi starts at €3.50 on weekdays by day. The start fee is €5 on Saturdays and holidays and €7.50 at night.

Minimum fare: €9, and the first bag is free.
Fixed airport fares: Fiumicino to Tiburtina station costs €60 and to Ostiense €50. Ciampino to Tiburtina or Ostiense costs €40.

Uber in Rome

Uber's own page lists Uber Taxi in Rome, which books licensed taxis through the app.

The outer wall of the Colosseum seen from a street with trees

Useful lines for first-time visitors

For most first-time visitors, the useful metro lines are A and B, which cross at Termini, the main station.

Download an offline map before you go underground, in case your phone loses signal.

Colosseo: the metro stop by the Colosseum.
Ponte Mammolo: the end of a Metro B ride for the Cotral bus to Tivoli.
Piramide: next to Porta San Paolo, where the Roma-Lido train to Ostia Antica starts.

Hop-on hop-off buses: sightseeing with transport built in

A hop-on hop-off bus is a sightseeing tour, not cheap transport: passes on GetYourGuide start at €15. Waits at the stops depend on the company.

One listing says its bus comes about every 20 minutes. Another says its Colosseum stop is closed until further notice, so you walk from its Circus Maximus stop.

Want a live guide instead of a recording? Compare our Rome guide tours.

Day trips on your own: train, bus or car by area

You can reach Tivoli, Ostia Antica, Castel Gandolfo and Pompeii on your own by train or bus.

For tours that do the driving, see our day trips from Rome.

Tivoli: take a train from Termini or Tiburtina to Tivoli, then walk to Villa d'Este or take bus CAT 4 or 4X to Hadrian's Villa. Or ride Metro B to Ponte Mammolo and take a Cotral bus.
Ostia Antica: the Roma-Lido train runs from Porta San Paolo to the Ostia Antica stop, and a BIT ticket covers it. The line has works in 2026, so check the live notice first.
Castel Gandolfo: FL4 trains from Termini take about 40 minutes, about once an hour.
Pompeii: the Frecciarossa to Naples takes a little over an hour. Then take a regional train to Pompei. On Sundays, one through ticket from Termini at 8:53 a.m. takes about 1 h 47 min.
Orvieto: Trenitalia's Orvieto Link ticket covers the train and the funicular up to the old town.

Do you need a rental car in Rome?

You don't need a rental car in Rome itself: the old centre is a limited traffic zone (ZTL). Cars without a permit can't enter on weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. or on Saturdays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The zone also closes from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, except in August. Taxis are allowed in.

The 2026 Rome Travel Cost Study found average rental prices of €24 to €76 a day on 3 rental sites, read on 25 October 2026.

Renting a car at Rome airport

A car helps for Tivoli, the hill towns and the coast. Picking it up at Fiumicino keeps you out of the old centre and its traffic zone.

If you plan to drive out to Tivoli or the hill towns, pick the car up at the airport, not in the centre.

Compare rental cars at Rome–Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International Airport

Tips for getting around Rome

Validate your ticket
ATAC's BIT page says to validate the ticket at the start. If you tap a contactless card on the reader instead, that tap is your ticket.
Ask for the fixed taxi fare
From Fiumicino the fare is a fixed €55 to inside the Aurelian Walls, and €40 from Ciampino. Agree on the fixed fare before you set off.
Check the last train
The metro stops at 11:30 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday and at 1:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Airport bus tickets work all day
The airport bus listings say your ticket works on any bus that day. A late flight does not cost you the ride.
The day ticket skips the airport train
The 24-hour ticket does not cover the Leonardo Express or the Cotral bus to Fiumicino. Buy the airport ride on its own.
If your plans change
All six of our picks offer free cancellation, the listings say. Check the cut-off time on the listing before you book.

Questions people ask about getting around Rome

Does Uber work in Rome?

Uber's own page lists Uber Taxi in Rome, which books licensed taxis through the app.

How many airports does Rome have?

Two: Fiumicino and Ciampino. Both have a fixed taxi fare to the centre: €55 from Fiumicino and €40 from Ciampino.

Which is Rome's main airport, and how do I get into the city from it?

Fiumicino, also called Leonardo da Vinci, is Rome's main airport. The Leonardo Express train takes 32 minutes to Termini for €14 and leaves every 15 minutes.

Do I need to validate my ticket in Rome?

Yes. ATAC's BIT page says to validate the ticket at the start of your trip. If you pay by tapping a contactless card on the reader, that tap is your ticket.

Is the Roma Pass worth it?

It depends on your plans. The Roma Pass costs €38 for 48 hours or €62.90 for 72 hours and includes public transport. Check each site's booking rules before you buy.

More Rome tours and tickets, live

More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.

See every Rome tour with today's prices and open dates on GetYourGuide.

Browse all on GetYourGuide

Browse all of them on GetYourGuide

Sources (19), facts checked on 25 October 2026

Written by the Things to Do in Rome editorial team.