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Getting train from Rome FCO airport to Orvieto

Getting train from Rome FCO airport to Orvieto

Old Aug 29th, 2012, 08:50 PM
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Getting train from Rome FCO airport to Orvieto

We're arriving at the Rome Fiumicino airport on Monday afternoon Oct 1. We need to pick up our bags and get a train to Orvieto, where we have B&B reservations that night. Any estimates on about how long it will take to clear customs? We then need to get from the airport to the train station...is it close enough for a taxi? Any estimates on how long it will take to get to the train station? We'll be coming in pretty tired after a long flight from SFO and want to give our B&B some approximation of when they might expect us to drag in!
We're staying at Ripa Medici B&B with Sabrina for two nights and then picking up a car to drive to Frances Lodge outside Siena. It would be great to have some inkling of how to plan for the start of the trip. Thanks!
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Old Aug 29th, 2012, 11:08 PM
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It's two hours from FCO to Orvieto Scala (the railway station on the plain below the historic centre of Orvieto). Only you know where your hotel is.

Trains from FCO to the central Rome station you have to change at run, in effect, every hour so getting to Orvieto might actually be three hours after your arriving at FCO station to find you've just missed one. The quickest way sometimes involves changing at Tiburtina and sometimes at Stazione Termini, so it's worth having the timetable with you (from www.trenitalia.com. You're departing from Fiumicino Aeroporto, not Fiumicino)

There's no Customs to clear. Normally in Italy, you still have to wait for your bags after clearing Immigration. From the exit from most baggage claims it's about a ten minute walk to the FCO railway station, but that depends on your terminal. Assume you'll be there about an hour or so after landing.
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Old Aug 30th, 2012, 08:39 PM
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Hi flanneruk,

Wow! Such great, helpful information. This sure answers my questions. So nice of you to write and help out.

Thanks, Leslie
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Old Aug 30th, 2012, 09:27 PM
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I don't think your B&B will care what time you get there unless they have to meet you to let you in.

You will have to allow time to get your baggage at the airport, walk over to the train station and catch the Leonardo Express to Rome (departs every 30 minutes and travel time is 30 minutes 14€). At Termini, the Leonardo drops you at a satellite track and it's a bit of a trek to where you would catch your train to Orvieto.

When you get to Orvieto you have to take the funicular across the street up to the hill town. Depending on where your B&B is you can walk from there or take a bus. There are only two bus lines that go through the center so you will need to know which one will drop you closest. Buy a combo ticket that includes funicular and bus.
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Old Aug 30th, 2012, 09:38 PM
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I looked at your B&B. It's on the far side of Orvieto from the funicular. You want bus B and get off at Piazza Ranieri. I've stayed on that piazza before, but I don't recall seeing that B&B. Perhaps it's on a nearby street.

If you aren't used to taking trains, you must be ready to get off when the train stops at Orvieto (at the door with your luggage) as stops are only 1-4 minutes depending on train.
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Old Aug 30th, 2012, 09:48 PM
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I would just tell the B&B the time your plane is scheduled to land and that you're planning to train to Orvieto.
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Old Aug 31st, 2012, 01:48 PM
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If you want to save some money, take the airport train from
FCO Airport to Roma TIBURTINA station (8 Euros) instead of the "other" airport train to Roma Termini station (14 Euros). Then take a connecting Trenitalia unreserved "regionale" train to Orvieto. No point in taking the much more expensive Intercity train from Termini station. These IC trains often run late, plus save only a few minutes of travel time.
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Old Aug 31st, 2012, 09:51 PM
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Incredible!! kybourbon, Jean and GAC...thanks so much for your great information. I actually had no idea where our B&B was, and didn't realize we would have to take a bus to it. Once we're there, it will be wonderful am sure. It got great reviews on TripAdvisor. The last time I was on an Italian train was during Easter many years ago when I was a student at the University of Vienna, Austria. We took a 24 hr train to Rome, along with a bunch of Italian soldiers! So I would have not known we had to be at the door with luggage ready to jump off. Fodor is such a great forum. Thanks to all of you!
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Old Aug 31st, 2012, 11:05 PM
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We're from L.A. After a long, overnight flight and two trains, I'd take a taxi from the Orvieto train station up to the front door of your lodging rather than board a bus that drops you in a piazza nearby. That's just me, but there are times when a few extra euros is well spent.
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Old Sep 1st, 2012, 12:57 AM
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Jean has a point there. The funicular has quite small cars and they are often full of tourists - ok if you too are a tourist but a bit of a pain if you aren't and have luggage etc, to manage.

I would print off a map of your B&B location in Orvieto and its name and address to give to the taxi-driver. also make a note of the phone no in case you get delayed.

Orvieto is terrific. As well as the wonderful cathedral, you may also enjoy climbing the tower, but try to make sure that you're not at the top when the bells chime the hour - it's very LOUD!

have a great trip!
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Old Sep 1st, 2012, 09:20 AM
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The suggestion to take a taxi from the train station in Orvieto is great. I wouldn't want to haul luggage across the street, into the funicular, try to find a bus at the other end...
There are times when spending a few Euros more is definitely worth it especially after an over-night flight.

You'll love Orvieto. Just wander and get lost in the alleys, peek into secret gates, enjoy the view.
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Old Sep 1st, 2012, 06:22 PM
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We are also flying from SFO and arriving at FCO, and need to get to Florence the same day. Because of the overnight flight, and a transfer in AMS, I know we will be very tired.. And we are 77 and 80 and not functioning very well. So we are spending the money to use Rome Shuttle Limousine to take us to Termini, the train station in Rome. We hope to get the Frecciia (super-fast) train to Florence. However, I doubt it stops in Orvieto. Anyway, for us the 45 euros or so to be driven to the train station will be worth it to us.
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Old Sep 1st, 2012, 10:12 PM
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Even more great suggestions! Jean, the suggestion for a taxi is spot on. And annhig, will definitely print out the location of Ripa Medici for the taxi driver. Thanks again, everyone. Now that it's September and we leave on September 30,it's seeming more "real"...
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Old Sep 2nd, 2012, 03:58 AM
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charnees - quite right. i hope that you will be getting a cab at the other end [in Florence] too. if you want directions to the taxi rank, just let me know.
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Old Sep 3rd, 2012, 06:40 AM
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Terravision also do a bus suttle to Rome Termini Station if i remember correctly. Think it was about 8 euros butthats going back a few years.

Orvieto is amazing, we married there in 2008. have an amazing trip
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Old Sep 3rd, 2012, 07:08 AM
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Freccia trains do NOT stop at Orvieto. You must take either an unreserved regionale train or, if you want to waste money, a reserved Intercity train, which saves only a few minutes.

Terravision fares are as low as 4 Euros. Competitor SIT bus shuttle charges 6 or 8 Euros for the bus trip between FCO airport and ROma Termini. Terravision has gotten some very bad reviews.
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Old Sep 3rd, 2012, 07:44 AM
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It's not a big deal or difficult to take the funicular if you want. There are no steps to get in it. You will see it when you walk outside from the train station. Travel time is about 2 minutes.

http://albums.markteskey.com/Travel/...UyoE3&lb=1&s=A

It's also not hard to find the bus at the top as the stop is right outside the door from the funicular. There are only the two buses (A and B). The A bus may be crowded as it connects the funicular to the Duomo. There is a big parking lot across the street from the funicular stop so the A bus stays busy and runs very often. I've never seen the B bus crowded as it traverses the opposite side of the hill town from the Duomo. You will see a side of the hill town most tourists don't, but you might have to wait up to 20 minutes (runs every 20 minutes).

If you want to taxi, you can catch one outside the train station or at the top as you exit the funicular.

If you want to see how many minutes your train will stop in Orvieto, enter Chiusi (a stop past Orvieto for both R and IC trains) as your destination and click on details. Also pay attention to the name of the stop before Orvieto and how much time you have before the Orvieto stop.
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Old Sep 3rd, 2012, 08:50 PM
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From all the comments above, it sounds like we want to take the SIT bus shuttle between FCO airport and ROma Termini, and then an unreserved regionale train to Orvieto. Will check the stop before as kybourbon suggests, to make sure we're ready to get off in time. We can then get a taxi or the B bus to the Ripa Medici bed and breakfast. Sabrina has asked us to call so she can meet us there to let us in. I just checked the B&B on TripAdvisor again and it looks great. We'll spend two nights in Orvieto (wish for more) and hope to drive to Civita d Bag (too lazy to look up spelling!) after we pick up our car and start the drive to our agriturismo outside of Siena. Thanks again!
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Old Sep 4th, 2012, 07:33 AM
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Alternatively, take the unreserved Trenitalia airport train to Roma TIBURTINA, then the unreserved Trenitalia regionale train to Orvieto.

The only advantage of going into Termini is that the regionale train originates there, so you have a first shot at seats.

If you have a long connection time, Termini has much, much better food/beverage offerings than Tiburtina.
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Old Sep 4th, 2012, 11:24 AM
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Depending on arrival time at FCO, the Sitbus might not be a good idea. At certain times, it only runs once per hour (the Leonard has two trains per hour).
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