Italy: How to Get from Rome International Airport (FCO) To The City Center

The Colosseum in RomeSo, you’ve arrived in Rome….Congratulations!  Step 1 is complete.  Now for Step 2, you need to get to your hotel, and depending on which airport you’ve landed in you have different options.  Since most visitors will arrive at Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport (FCO), we’ve focused on that.  After all, its much larger and farther away from the city center, so there’s more room for confusion.  Here’s the breakdown.

Rome has the following two airports:

Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport (FCO):

  • Used for major airlines (United, Delta, ect)
  • Located 32km from the city

Ciampino Airport:

  • Used for budget airlines and military flights (Ryan Air, EasyJet)
  • Located 12km from the city

Again, in this article we’ve focused on Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport (FCO).  Below are your options for getting from the airport to the city center of Rome.  The prices listed are accurate from the time of writing but will probably change slightly over time.

Taxi:

Getting a taxi at FCO airport is pretty straight forward.  Just follow the signs toward the taxi stand located just outside the airport.  Look for white taxi’s with “taxi lights” on top.  They will be que’d up, so just wait in the taxi line.  Avoid the guys that will approach you prior to reaching the taxi stand.  They are unofficial taxi drivers.  A taxi from the airport to Rome city center is a flat rate of 50 Euros.

The Forum in RomeShuttle:

If you have a lot of people with you a shuttle may be the way to go.  They also cost around 50 Euros to get to the city center and can be booked from the train station.

Express Train (Leonardo Express):

If you just want to get to the city center and don’t mind navigating your way around once you get there, the Express Train (Leonardo Express) is the way to go.  Its a direct shot to Rome’s main train station, Stazione Termini.  The one-way price is currently 14 Euros and can be purchased from one of two ticket counters at the train station platform.

Metro:

The metro is the cheapest option at 8 Euros for a one-way trip and tickets can be purchased from an automated kiosk at the train station.  However you will most likely have to change lines at some point since the line from the airport doesn’t go through the city center (an additional 1.50 Euros).  This is in no way difficult, but if you have a lot of luggage or a large group you may not want to put up with the inconvenience.

Daniel Royse Written by:

Daniel Royse is the founder and editor in chief of the online travel publication, This Boundless World. He has written numerous articles on travel, business and politics and has recently completed his first full-length novel titled The Watermelon King. Daniel is an obsessive writer and explorer who has backpacked to over 50 countries, spanning five continents. To the disbelief of many, he still enjoys long, hot bus rides through chaotic places. More information about The Watermelon King can be found at www.thewatermelonking.com Contact: danroyse(to)gmail.com