11:00 am flight from Rome & my husband
Feb 26th, 2015, 05:09 PM
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11:00 am flight from Rome & my husband
We have an 11:00 am flight from Rome to Chicago - my husband thinks we ' must' spend the night before at a hotel at the airport! I feel like that is such a waste of our last night in Italy.
For those of you more familiar with the Rome airport please give me some advice.
For those of you more familiar with the Rome airport please give me some advice.
Feb 26th, 2015, 05:26 PM
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You can explain these things to him:
There is only one hotel that is right at the airport -- the Hilton -- and it has a terrible, overpriced restaurant, so you need to figure on spending extra on a taxi to take you to a decent restaurant in the nearest town, and that will be 20 euros each way. Even though the HIlton is at the airport, you will still need 20 minutes to walk to the terminals from the hotel.
The other "airport" hotels near FCO use shuttles that make milk runs from the hotel to the terminals, and you usually need to allot at least 30 minutes to get to the terminal. In addtion, all of them have terrible restaurants, so you still face the problem of getting to a decent one, which is likely to mean a taxi ride, and between 30 and 40 euros spent on that.
By contrast, if you stay in Rome, it is 45 minutes to the airport by pre-arranged car pickup (only 15 minutes longer than the "airport" hotel) and usually the charge is less than 50e, depending on what service you use. You can have an exceptional meal in Rome, by foot.
If your husband still really thinks he needs that extra 15 minutes sleep, when I have to stay at the Hilton (and sometimes I do), I bring my own food and wine and have picnic in my room.
There is only one hotel that is right at the airport -- the Hilton -- and it has a terrible, overpriced restaurant, so you need to figure on spending extra on a taxi to take you to a decent restaurant in the nearest town, and that will be 20 euros each way. Even though the HIlton is at the airport, you will still need 20 minutes to walk to the terminals from the hotel.
The other "airport" hotels near FCO use shuttles that make milk runs from the hotel to the terminals, and you usually need to allot at least 30 minutes to get to the terminal. In addtion, all of them have terrible restaurants, so you still face the problem of getting to a decent one, which is likely to mean a taxi ride, and between 30 and 40 euros spent on that.
By contrast, if you stay in Rome, it is 45 minutes to the airport by pre-arranged car pickup (only 15 minutes longer than the "airport" hotel) and usually the charge is less than 50e, depending on what service you use. You can have an exceptional meal in Rome, by foot.
If your husband still really thinks he needs that extra 15 minutes sleep, when I have to stay at the Hilton (and sometimes I do), I bring my own food and wine and have picnic in my room.
Feb 26th, 2015, 05:29 PM
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We had a prearranged transfer to the airport in Rome and our driver arrived a bit early, around 4:15 AM for I believe it was a 10 AM flight. He went hurdling into the airport and had to slam on brakes because the gate arm was down, blocking our entry. It was TOO early for the drop off place to even be open. So we sat for a while. When we could finally go through we had to stand around, in the dark and chilly air, for almost an hour until that part of the airport opened. No bathroom facilities. Once inside we had to wait another 30 minutes for our airline personnel to arrive.
At that time, about 6 years ago, there had been some incident which prompted an upping of the terror threat level and we had to be at the airport 3 hours before departure.
Bottom line, check the time your part of the terminal opens. Count on rush hour traffic and delays and allow for that.
What we have done several times is to take a taxi or whatever to the hotel at the airport, check in, leave the bags, then head back out for that last afternoon and evening. Train or taxi back when you're ready, and then you won't have the worries about traffic or other delays.
I've only been there once, so others who have been more often may have more recent information.
Good luck!
At that time, about 6 years ago, there had been some incident which prompted an upping of the terror threat level and we had to be at the airport 3 hours before departure.
Bottom line, check the time your part of the terminal opens. Count on rush hour traffic and delays and allow for that.
What we have done several times is to take a taxi or whatever to the hotel at the airport, check in, leave the bags, then head back out for that last afternoon and evening. Train or taxi back when you're ready, and then you won't have the worries about traffic or other delays.
I've only been there once, so others who have been more often may have more recent information.
Good luck!
Feb 26th, 2015, 05:39 PM
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We've had plenty of early flights out of FCO, and never stayed at the airport. Just pre-arrange a transfer and leave yourselves some extra time getting there so you don't panic.For an 11 AM flight, assuming you need to be there three hours ahead, I'd probably shoot for 6:45 AM or 7 AM. Good luck!
Feb 26th, 2015, 06:00 PM
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Sandralist, I walked back over to the terminal and got pizza and wine and did the same thing. The Hilton food options were horrible and pricey. It smelled like sewer on my floor also. I had a early am flight. Taxi, shuttle or train for an 11:00 am flight will be easy.
Feb 27th, 2015, 05:40 AM
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I have flown into FCO often and out of it a few times. Here are the dangers. some or none of which may apply to you:
Clogged roads in the airport vicinity: Last October, we stayed at Ostia Antica and drove to FCO around 8:30 AM. The distance was about 4 miles and we got stuck in bumper to bumper traffic on the main road (not the Rome-FCO motorway) a couple of miles from the airport entrance. Added 15 or 20 minutes to a 15 minute commute.
Automatic check in: We were flying that day to MRS, a short flight, on Alitalia. We had cheap tickets. The automated check in machine refused our tickets -- neither tkt number nor booking number nor passport number was accepted.
There was one agent to handle all the people who needed agent-assisted check in. The lineup, by my estimation, was over an hour long. As one employee told us "No money, so no staff" - Alitalia has cut to the bone.
Fortunately, we found a counter in another zone that WOULD handle our case. It was sheer luck. And the guy ahead of us in line pointed us to a security line up at the far end of the terminal that gets far fewer passengers.
If you can check in online or at the kiosk ...if you have no baggage to check ...if you have a Business Class ticket and can deal through a human being instead of a machine ...if you have access to a fast-track security line ...FCO is a breeze.
Funny thing: We had chosen to fly into NAP and out of MRS precisely because we wanted to avoid FCO for overseas flights. A friend at home had told us his horror story about a one-hour wait in the line for Security when returning to Canada.
I never dreamt there could be such problems on a routine flight -- practically a commuter flight, I thought -- inside Europe. I was wrong.
If you have Economy Class tickets but are traveling on an airline that has few flights that day, thus has accessible personnel to handle any anomalies, many of these risks could also disappear.
Having said all that, there is no way I would ever arrive at any W European airport more than 3 hours in advance. IMO, if your problem inside the terminal can't be fixed in 3 hours, it can't be fixed that day.
Clogged roads in the airport vicinity: Last October, we stayed at Ostia Antica and drove to FCO around 8:30 AM. The distance was about 4 miles and we got stuck in bumper to bumper traffic on the main road (not the Rome-FCO motorway) a couple of miles from the airport entrance. Added 15 or 20 minutes to a 15 minute commute.
Automatic check in: We were flying that day to MRS, a short flight, on Alitalia. We had cheap tickets. The automated check in machine refused our tickets -- neither tkt number nor booking number nor passport number was accepted.
There was one agent to handle all the people who needed agent-assisted check in. The lineup, by my estimation, was over an hour long. As one employee told us "No money, so no staff" - Alitalia has cut to the bone.
Fortunately, we found a counter in another zone that WOULD handle our case. It was sheer luck. And the guy ahead of us in line pointed us to a security line up at the far end of the terminal that gets far fewer passengers.
If you can check in online or at the kiosk ...if you have no baggage to check ...if you have a Business Class ticket and can deal through a human being instead of a machine ...if you have access to a fast-track security line ...FCO is a breeze.
Funny thing: We had chosen to fly into NAP and out of MRS precisely because we wanted to avoid FCO for overseas flights. A friend at home had told us his horror story about a one-hour wait in the line for Security when returning to Canada.
I never dreamt there could be such problems on a routine flight -- practically a commuter flight, I thought -- inside Europe. I was wrong.
If you have Economy Class tickets but are traveling on an airline that has few flights that day, thus has accessible personnel to handle any anomalies, many of these risks could also disappear.
Having said all that, there is no way I would ever arrive at any W European airport more than 3 hours in advance. IMO, if your problem inside the terminal can't be fixed in 3 hours, it can't be fixed that day.
Feb 27th, 2015, 05:50 AM
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I just remembered the other wrinkle, which won't apply to you but may apply to others on this thread:
Rental car return is confusing at FCO. Fortunately, they seem to have clipped that overhanging tree that used to obscure the first "Rental Car Return" sign.
Once you get into the vicinity of rental car garages, you see signs such as "Hertz -- Level 5". But they don't tell you Level 5 of WHICH garage. As we discovered to our considerable dismay, there are 3 or more garages. We drove to Level 5 in Garage A, then Garage B, then ....
It took us an extra 20 minutes or more than we'd planned to drop off the car (which, providentially, we'd filled with gas before leaving home -- gassing up can be another adventure. I have a Milan/Linate story and a Toulouse/Blagnac story I can share)
Rental car return is confusing at FCO. Fortunately, they seem to have clipped that overhanging tree that used to obscure the first "Rental Car Return" sign.
Once you get into the vicinity of rental car garages, you see signs such as "Hertz -- Level 5". But they don't tell you Level 5 of WHICH garage. As we discovered to our considerable dismay, there are 3 or more garages. We drove to Level 5 in Garage A, then Garage B, then ....
It took us an extra 20 minutes or more than we'd planned to drop off the car (which, providentially, we'd filled with gas before leaving home -- gassing up can be another adventure. I have a Milan/Linate story and a Toulouse/Blagnac story I can share)
Feb 27th, 2015, 06:26 AM
#12
>>>Automatic check in: We were flying that day to MRS, a short flight, on Alitalia. We had cheap tickets.<<<
Wouldn't apply to the OP as they are flying to the states, not somewhere in Europe (different terminals).
For 9:30 or 10:00 flights, I take the Leonardo Express to the airport. It starts running at 5:30 and travel time is 30 minutes (departs every 30 minutes). After you arrive, you need to walk over to catch the shuttle bus to the check in terminal for international flights (check in and departure are remote terminals from the rest of the airport). After check in, security, etc. you catch another shuttle bus to the departure terminal. There is plenty there to keep you occupied until your flight time if you arrive early (shopping, food).
On this airport map, the first map shows the train station and you would cross to T3 to catch the shuttle. Scroll down to Terminal 5. This is where the bus will drop you (green arrow) and you will depart at the red arrow on the next bus. Scroll to Boarding area G. This will be your departure terminal. If you notice in the corner of each map there is a small dark blue layout of the airport. It will have a red dot for each particular area so you can tell where it is in relation to the rest of the airport.
http://www.adr.it/c/document_library...&groupId=10157
If you take a limo or taxi, you do risk getting stuck in traffic, but they will drop you at T5 so you won't have to take that first shuttle bus.
Wouldn't apply to the OP as they are flying to the states, not somewhere in Europe (different terminals).
For 9:30 or 10:00 flights, I take the Leonardo Express to the airport. It starts running at 5:30 and travel time is 30 minutes (departs every 30 minutes). After you arrive, you need to walk over to catch the shuttle bus to the check in terminal for international flights (check in and departure are remote terminals from the rest of the airport). After check in, security, etc. you catch another shuttle bus to the departure terminal. There is plenty there to keep you occupied until your flight time if you arrive early (shopping, food).
On this airport map, the first map shows the train station and you would cross to T3 to catch the shuttle. Scroll down to Terminal 5. This is where the bus will drop you (green arrow) and you will depart at the red arrow on the next bus. Scroll to Boarding area G. This will be your departure terminal. If you notice in the corner of each map there is a small dark blue layout of the airport. It will have a red dot for each particular area so you can tell where it is in relation to the rest of the airport.
http://www.adr.it/c/document_library...&groupId=10157
If you take a limo or taxi, you do risk getting stuck in traffic, but they will drop you at T5 so you won't have to take that first shuttle bus.
Feb 27th, 2015, 07:04 AM
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The only time I stay in an airport hotel is when the airline is putting me up because they made me miss a plane. They certainly wouldn't put me up at the Hilton, either, which is pretty expensive even before you consider the food. I might consider the Hilton if I had a flight at an ungodly early hour, but never with an 11 AM flight.
Feb 27th, 2015, 05:51 PM
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I had an 11 am flight from Rome last summer (and I am booked on one next month, and again in July) and I stay right in Rome and take the Leonardo Express. I would want to get to the airport by 8:30 so take the train that leaves just before 8. With the train you have no worries about traffic - it's take half an hour and they run every half hour. I buy the train ticket the day before (and check in on line the night before).
Feb 27th, 2015, 06:09 PM
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Well this last bit about fleeing my husband has made me laugh out loud! Didn't think about my wording I guess.
I truly appreciate all of your helpful tips - I just hated the idea of spending our last night in Rome at the airport.
The last time we were in Rome we had an eight am departure and it turned out that was the day the 'shoe bomber' struck....the airport was a madhouse. Security, employees, travelers ,etc had NO idea what to do. We were able to board our flight with our tickets, eyeglasses & passports. Luggage was simply piled up on the sidewalks curbside (all finally arrived safe and sound).
I think I will make plans to spend our final night of our trip enjoying the delights of Rome.
Thank you again for your thoughtful replies.
Lovey
I truly appreciate all of your helpful tips - I just hated the idea of spending our last night in Rome at the airport.
The last time we were in Rome we had an eight am departure and it turned out that was the day the 'shoe bomber' struck....the airport was a madhouse. Security, employees, travelers ,etc had NO idea what to do. We were able to board our flight with our tickets, eyeglasses & passports. Luggage was simply piled up on the sidewalks curbside (all finally arrived safe and sound).
I think I will make plans to spend our final night of our trip enjoying the delights of Rome.
Thank you again for your thoughtful replies.
Lovey
