So why not take the train to Orvieto the first night? Train from the airport to Stazione Termini, the main station in Rome, then switch to a train to Orvieto. Shouldn't take more than a couple hours. Of course, if your flight is delayed....

I was going to suggest the same thing! Orvieto would be a great place to have dinner and chill after a long flight

We've done that flight, and I'd just head into Rome. We had the hotel provide a private driver (60 Euros) which was great because we were so exhausted and jet-lagged. He gave us a quick drive-around on the way to the hotel past the Coloseo, etc., and by the time we checked in to the hotel, we were zombies. We unpacked and found a quick tasty dinner nearby and fell into bed by 9PM. I wouldn't waste my time in Orvieto in a zombie state. You could always go to Orvieto on your way to Umbria.

200 euros just to get out of Rome to Orvieto and avoid jetlag? Sounds nuts to me. Take the train to Orvieto, have a nice dinner, and get some sleep. Jet lag isn't a debilitating disease, you know.

Well, as someone famously said, "I feel your pain." Door to door from the West Coast is a long day.

I would do the 200€ transfer. Jet lag, for me, is very debilating, particularly coach travel.

I don't quite understand your money logic. You would have to pay a hotel room whether you stayed in Rome or Orvieto.

Train to Termini is 14€ (shuttle bus is 4€) and train to Orvieto is 7-13€ depending on type of train. In Orvieto, the funicular up to the hill town is 1€ and right outside of the train station. Quite easy. You do need to be aware of the stops and be ready to get off (at the door with your luggage)when the train reaches Orvieto (it will only stop for 1-4 minutes depending on train).

if you feel ok about getting trains, you could get a train almost direct from Fiumicino to Viterbo.

you only have to change at Trastevere [first stop] then it's non-stop to Viterbo, and takes about 2 hours. you would just have to buy the ticket at Fiumicino and it's a regionale train so no problems about pre-booking or the price of the ticket, and at least 2 trains an hour.

you'd also be closer to Orvieto for beginning the rest of your trip!

I think that this would be easier than going through to Termini, trying to find the right train to Orvieto, etc.

However, easiest of all, IMO, is to get a car service into Rome [probably no more than €50] stop at a nice hotel, and crash out after a decent dinner. trying anything complicated after a long flight and in a foreign language is never a good idea.

Thanks for all the different perspectives.

Kybourban - you are right on the money logic -- I still have to consider the cost of the room in Orviteo - Faulty logic on my part.

davispeets,
This may help http://www.sulga.it/orari/perugia_roma.pdf

I also go from the west coast when we head to Europe, Italy in particular, and that first day is such a wash, mostly good for trying to adjust to time zone. I love that you are spending time in Umbria, one of my favorite areas, especially Orvieto, Perugia, Spello...

Our last few trips we've arrived before noon and used the first day to take the train wherever we are going (in order to stay up a while and get on the new time zone), but in your case I would definitely consider either Leonardo Express or a private car to Rome (perhaps a hotel not too far from Termini) --

I've done Leo. Express after a VERY long travel day with delays; really was not bad--I found photo-illustrated directions on line to the departure point. It goes directly to Termini, very efficient. I like the idea of staying over in Rome and then getting an early start to Orvieto by train. The brief stay will whet your appetite for the later leisurely 6 days in Rome.

I really don't see an advantage to heading up to Orvieto since you are arriving so relatively late on that first day, but if there were one day I'd splurge on a private car, it would be after arriving in Rome from SFO.

Henry - are you reading my mind? Sending me that bus schedule for Perugia from the Rome airport ( I think Sulga is the bus service).

I am now thinking about spending that first night in Rome, then training to Perugia the next morning or whenever we finally wake up. It's a 3 hour journey. Thereby skipping Oriveto on the way out but perhaps doing it as a daytrip after we come back to Rome or doing it during the period that we have a car in Umbria.

I see you have written some Umbria trip reports and I am off to read them!

Thanks annw -

My unstated secret fear and one of the reasons for trying to avoid Rome that first night was the opposite of "whetting your appetite" for Rome - that it would be sensory overload. LOL

I have gotten a driver or shuttle pick us up on the way back from Europe from SFO on a couple of times - it is nice.

Davis, Perugia has such a neat system of little red tram cars uphill to the ancient center (around the corner from train station) and a system of elevators so subtle that I completely missed them in my first stay in Perugia. It also has a wonderful passagiata in the early evenings! Do you have hotel there yet?

Iamq also has an extensive report on Umbria.

Hi ann-- I did read Iamq's report! In fact, I have read it twice this year -- once in preplanning and then last night again. His report made me excited to add a night or two to Orvieto. We like the larger towns like Siena or Lucca with strolling opportunities and a great passeggiata.

For Perugia - I had Hotel Fortuna in mind. Do you have a recommendation?

Fortuna is fine and well placed -- several good restaurants in the area if memory serves -- there's another more expensive one not far with great views, will see if I can recall the name, but Fortuna was fine, and don't miss the little roof top terrace. Our dear departed LoveItaly also loved the Fortuna and had recommended it before we stayed there. It is also very well placed not far from the main strolling area.

In my previous post I should have said escalators, not elevators!

Also I hope you do not miss Orvieto. Great cathedral, attractive town, some nice artisan shops (of course also the many ceramics shops). As mentioned there's a funicular/tram to up the hill and then a bus (that meets you right off the tram stop) to take you right to the piazza where the cathedral is (which is again adjacent to town/shops etc.

Last November we arrived at FCO from Atlanta, then took the Leonardo Express to Termini, and the train to Orvieto.

We arrived there in time to check into our hotel and hurry down to the Duomo piazza for a glass of wine at sunset.

Yes, it was a long long day, but it was so good to wake up on Orvieto!

Byrd