From the airport to Rome

Fiumicino (FCO) is Rome's main airport, south-west of the city, with the most flights and two rail lines into the centre. Ciampino (CIA), to the south-east, handles the budget carriers and has no station of its own — the way in is by bus. Whichever airport you land at decides your first hour in the city.

Fiumicino handles most flights and has two rail links into the centre, both leaving from under the same terminal. The Leonardo Express runs direct to Termini, no stops, in 32 min, for €14. The FL1 regional is slower, about 30 min to Trastevere or Ostiense, stops at more stations, and the fare is €8 — the same ticket that covers city transport. Anyone sleeping near Termini takes the Leonardo Express; anyone in Trastevere or Testaccio is left closer by the FL1, with no change.

Where to stayWhich neighbourhood sits closer to which of those two stations:Where to stay in Rome →

Fiumicino by taxi

The fixed taxi fare from Fiumicino to the centre is €55 (fixed, up to 4 people) per ride, split between everyone in the car. Trains stop running after midnight and before five in the morning, so a taxi is the only no-change option for a night flight; by day it works out best for three or four people travelling together, since the train fare comes out cheaper per head.

MistakesA driver who 'switches on the meter' instead of the fixed fare isn't the only trap right outside arrivals:Mistakes everyone makes in Rome →

Ciampino has no station of its own; getting into the centre means a bus or a taxi. Terravision and SIT run direct to Termini in 40 min, for €6 bought online — more at the counter. This is where the budget carriers land, so the bus rarely waits empty.

BudgetWhere this fare fits into the day:What Rome costs →

A public bus (ATRAL/COTRAL) runs to Anagnina, the end of metro line A, in 14 min for €1.20; from there line A takes about twenty minutes into the centre on an ordinary €1.50 fare. Slower than Terravision, but cheaper for anyone heading to the Vatican, the Spanish Steps or Termini anyway — all on line A.

Ciampino by taxi

Same rule as Fiumicino, a different fare: €40 (fixed, up to 4 people) from Ciampino to the centre inside the Aurelian Walls, per ride for up to four people. Outside that ring the driver usually applies a separate fixed fare for that destination; ask before you set off which one covers your address.

Getting aroundWhat comes after the station or the airport bus, inside the city itself:Getting around Rome →

Landing at one airport, flying out of the other

Fiumicino and Ciampino have no direct line between them; the change runs through the city, in practice through Termini or Anagnina. Count on ninety minutes to two hours door to door, and book flights with enough time between them — or plan a night in between if the gap is under three hours.

3 daysDay one in the city, the moment you're out of the station:Rome in 3 days →

Hidden gemsWhat Rome keeps beyond the big three sights:Rome off the postcard: a keyhole and a cannon at noon →

MuseumsRome's museums, with opening hours and closing days:Museums in Rome →

When to goWhich month keeps flights cheaper and queues shorter:The best time to visit Rome →

Day tripsOstia Antica sits close to Fiumicino too, on the same line:Day trips from Rome →

FoodA first or last meal, near which station:What to eat in Rome →

BudgetHow much the fixed taxi fare changes the trip bill:What Rome costs →