Hi guys, can anyone tell me approximately how long it would take to walk from Termini station in Rome to the Vatican? (we are fit and brisk walkers)

Less than an hour, but take the bus, unless you plan to hit other sights on the way to the Vatican.

Thanks degas. Would it really take around an hour? I was expecting about 30 minutes. We plan on going directly to the Vatican (to wait in line) from the station (our train arrives from Florence at 8.30 and we are only in Rome for one day, sad I know) Do you happen to know the bus number to get on? And approximately how long would it take by bus, taking into account the stops it will make along the way?

www.via-michelin.com says 1 hour 20 minutes for 5.5 kms.

I think its #64. It is a long stroll, despite what it looks like on the map. The bus ride was about 10-20 minutes, depending on time of day and traffic.

Save your energy for later. With only a day, I'd use a taxi to at least get you there.

Vatican (i.e., St. Peter's) or Vatican Museums?

Don't take the bus; take the Metro Line A to Ottaviano (for St. Peter's) or Cipro (for Vatican Museums). The Metro will probably be crowded, so exercise caution. 1 Euro per ticket.

If you want to do the "scenic route", you can take the No. 64 bus, also known as "the pickpocket special." It will take longer; depending on rush-hour traffic, I'd say 30 minutes, give or take 10 minutes. Buy the tickets (also 1 Euro) at the newsstand in Termini. But be aware that the No. 64 drops you on the west side of Piazza San Pietro, a long way away from the entrance to the Vatican Museums, northeast of the Piazza.

Eloise is right about No. 64. It drops you in front of the Vatican. You have to walk further to the museums. Metro is a good option, but there is also some walking from the station to the museums. That's why I suggested a taxi.

Thanks everyone, I had no idea it was so far away. We want to head straight for the main entrance to the Vatican museums (if there is a main entrance). Am very concerned about the queues, even in winter so obviously want to get there as soon as possible for the 10am public opening. We will be going on Thurs 11th Jan. I'm more than a little anxious about it, and reluctant to book a tour now with the recent new rules that the Vatican has just released and it seems that they will be letting tour groups in first at 8am and 9am - probably too late for us to join it, so looks like we wait until 10am. My blood pressure will be rising rapidly if the queues will be miles long. Will toss up between the metro and the taxi.

Actually the line at opening is the worst, because everyone thinks like you. Get there at noon and go in the side entrance on Viale Vaticano. No line, even in the summer.

If you can swing it, take the tour iwth Context Rome. WELL WORTH THE MONEY! It's fabulous. Here's the link to it:

http://tinyurl.com/ykjkgc

Another option is to take a train from Termini to San Pietro station and walk through Piazza San Pietro to where the line usually starts. The train is much more comfortable than either the bus or the metro and a lot cheaper than the taxi. The train ticket is the same as a metro/bus ticket (1 euro). It usually takes about 10-15 minutes. However, timing is important because a train might not be leaving the time you want. Hope you have a great trip.

San Pietro train station is on the opposite side of where you need to be. That would be a much longer walk than if you take the metro to Cipro.

If you look on a map it's actually about the same distance, kybourbon, as the line normally starts down near Piazza San Pietro.

First, if you only have a day take cabs. They are not that expensive.

Second, follow wliwl's advice. Go to the Vatican museum around noon. There will be NO line. This has been our experience 3 times. You can go to other sights before.

Unless the Vatican Museums drastically change their hours in 2007, may I remind Wliwl and Cruiseluv that the Vatican Museums <b>close</b> at <b>12:45 p.m.</b> during the winter months?

Going at lunch hour is not going to allow for a very thorough visit...

And, as far as I am aware, the entrance on the Viale Vaticano is the <b>main</b> entrance to the Vatican Museums.

P.S. to Amandab: I once stood what seemed like miles away from the entrance; once the museums opened, the line advanced very quickly.

My experience was once in early March and twice in early summer. At that time the closing time was around 5 PM. If it is now different, then obviously you have to adjust your arrival time.

I would still not be standing there first thing in the AM

Just returned from Rome last week, and stayed near the Pantheon. We walked to both the Vatican and Termini, so I agree, it would take about an hour, and there's really no point. You could easily take the subway (Termini stop) to Ottaviano, and you'd be just a couple blocks away from the entrance to the Vatican museums. Also, cabs are surprisingly cheap, though I might think that the subway could be quicker, given how many stops it is, and how close you'll be getting on and getting off the subway.

Next, in the winter, the Vatican Museums stop letting people in at 12:20, but the museum closes at 2. This usually means that while you're standing with the other mass of people in the Sistine Chapel, they ring the bell, and begin to push you out. We went to the Vatican museums a couple of weeks ago (mid-November) on a Monday, and the line wrapped around a couple of corners of the building (nearing the entrance to St. Peter's, but still on the outside of the archway that is to the side of St. Peter's). We got in line at 11:30-11:40, and we just got in at 12:15. So, despite a long line, it does move fairly quickly, but don't expect a short line by any stretch. We saw a lot of people jumping out of our line to join up with impromptu tour groups and waiting tour guides to get in through the tour entrance.

Correction (thank you, Kgh8m): The winter closing time is <b>1:45 p.m.</b>, not 12:45 p.m.

Yes, I still laugh at the idea that people get to the Vatican two hours before opening so they can stand in line for two hours to avoid standing in line an hour if they arrive later on. Makes sense to me. NOT.

Excellent suggestions on the Context Rome website how to spot and prevent pickpockets. Worth reviewing to help you keep on your guard.

capkirk1 - The Vatican museum entrance is on the other side and nowhere near S. Pietro train station. If you were facing the St. Peters in the piazza, S. Pietro train station would be to the left (15 minute walk) and the museum entrance would be to the right (a 10-15 minute walk). You would have to add them together which would end up being a 30 minute walk. That just wouldn't be an efficient use of time when the metro is so near the museum entrance. The lines when I've been there were nowhere in the vicinity of the piazza. The museum entrance is not at the Sistine Chapel end - it's at the opposite end and quite a trek around the Vatican wall down Via di P.ta Angelica to Viale B.di Michelangelo to Viale Vaticano. Perhaps you mistook the line to enter St. Peter's as the line for the museum?