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Figuring out Rome Metro

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Old Mar 10th, 2012, 05:06 PM
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Figuring out Rome Metro

Hey did you travelers figure out which metro bus to take after getting to Rome to get around town efficiently? Do they have easy maps to read in Rome to understand the bus route/number/direction?

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Old Mar 10th, 2012, 05:55 PM
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Here is the official transport map of the core area: http://www.atac.roma.it/files/doc.asp?r=3

And here is the direction of all the official maps: http://www.atac.roma.it/index.asp?p=18

They are not easy to use. Guidebooks, such as Rick Steves' Italy/Rome, have simplified maps showing the routes of interest for tourists. However, if your need is outside usual tourist routes, you do need to rely on the official maps.
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Old Mar 10th, 2012, 06:45 PM
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You can just enter your itinerary on Atac's route planner and it will tell you which route.
http://www.atac.roma.it/index.asp?lingua=ENG

Rome only has two metro lines (a couple of new ones under construction) currently so they aren't that useful. You might find the little electric buses (there are only a couple of lines) that run through the historic center more useful. Here is a map of those lines.
http://www.atac.roma.it/files/doc.asp?r=9

As for regular buses, stops are everywhere. There are signs with the bus number and stops. If you find your bus number, check to see if you are on the right side of the street depending on which direction you want to go.
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Old Mar 10th, 2012, 06:51 PM
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Here's how to read the signs and use the buses.
http://www.roninrome.com/transportation/bus
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Old Mar 10th, 2012, 08:56 PM
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I disagree they are not easy to use. Explaining a bus system is a bit like explaining how to ride a bicycle. It takes a huge amount of words for something that you quickly catch onto once you are actually involved in. The metro is incredibly simple, but it only goes some places in Rome, not others. On the other hand, the buses cover every square inch of Rome, and they are quite fun to use if your feet give out from too much walking.

It is very worthwhile to buy a Rome bus map when you are in Rome. They are much more detailed than the ones you find in guidebooks. With a Rome bus map you can see, when you are walking around, if the bus stop you are standing in front of has a bus coming by that will take you back to your hotel, or someplace you want to go.

One of the things I most admire about Rome's bus system is that many of the bus stops have electronic signs that will tell you how soon the next bus is arriving.

When I was in Rome in January, I had a bad foot and didn't have a portable electronic device, so I couldn't sue the ATAC website to plan my journeys. All I had was a Rome bus map, and I was able to easily get all over the place in Rome despite wildcat taxi strikes and my inability to walk for more than a few blocks at a time.
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