Finding Your Hotel from the Rome Airports

Leaving the Airport

Fiumicino is Rome's primary international airport, and it is where you'll most likely be arriving. It serves major airlines, including United, Delta, British Airways, and Lufthansa, among many others, and it receives more than 38 million passengers a year. To get from this Rome airport to your hotel, you have several options at your disposal.

Traveler's Tip: before you leave on your trip, call or email your selected hotel and ask for the nearest shuttle and bus routes.

The Taxi Method

The simplest method is to simply hail a taxi, which you can find at the taxi stands outside of the airport. Official city taxis (the ones with white paint and a visible taximeter) will charge you a flat fee of around 40 euro to take you from the airport to a destination within the city limits.

Airport Shuttle

You may also want to check with your hotel to see if it offers an airport shuttle, or if it has a preferred limo or shuttle service that can offer you a better deal. If you're in a hurry, or if you're arriving at Fiumicino very early in the morning, a taxi is your best bet. Before getting in a cab, make sure to firmly establish the flat fee with your driver. City taxi drivers will readily abide by it, but some shuttle services and private cab companies will try to take advantage of freshly arrived travelers. If you feel uncomfortable with the driver, feel free to balk and hail a different cab instead.

Public Transportation Potpourri

The cheapest method is to use a combination of trains, buses, and shuttles to get to your hotel. Two trains run from this Rome airport into the city, the most popular of which is the Leonardo Express. This train offers departures every 30 minutes and runs nonstop between the airport and Roma Termini Station, which is the city's bus hub. Tickets cost 14 euro, and can be purchased at self-service kiosks and ticket desks. From Termini, you'll be able to catch buses to points all over the city. Purchase a fare card before getting on the bus, and validate it in one of the on-board machines (you'll see other people doing it – just copy them). You can also elect to get on one of the shuttles, which run along dedicated paths in the middle of the road. The ticket system works the same.

FR1 Metropolian Train

If your hotel isn't particularly close to Termini, it may make sense for you to instead board the FR1 Metropolitan train, which stops at stations in Trastevere, Ostiense, and Tiburtina, as well as other places in the Rome metro area. Ticket prices will vary depending on how far you ride, but they are generally less expensive than those for the Leonardo Express.

Tickets

A note on tickets for the trains, shuttles, and buses: while you are technically required to purchase tickets before boarding any of these means of transportation, it is rare that an authority will be present to check that you have them.

If you're in a rush or you just can't find a place to buy a ticket, don't rule out boarding anyway. This isn't to advocate theft, but budget travelers will appreciate this bit of knowledge. Many younger Romans simply never pay to ride the bus or shuttle, and as they say, when in Rome...

Check out Rome hotels to find a place to stay.