ZetaStar

Hi,

I'm leaving Sunday for a trip around Italy, and I'm really worried about my Rome lodging. It looked great at first, but now theres no real way to change it and still get a decent rate.

The reason I'm not liking it is the transportation. The confirmation email I got after I reserved it said the best way to get to the hotel was bus #64. I've heard the horror stories about this bus, and wanted some tips. The apartment we've rented is directly south of the vatican (about .5 miles).

First I'm concerned of getting from the termini station to the apartment, and secondly, I'm worried about our daily trips to the center of the city for sightseeing. It is three adults (me and my parents) backpacking, so all we have are those packs. Does anyone have any a) tips for bus 64, or b) reasonably priced alternatives? How much would a taxi for three people be?

Thanks for any help!

Shar

We have taken a bus into Rome from the airport to the train station and then a taxi to ou hotels. I'd suggest you do that. If you are backpackers then you are used to walking so getting around Rome should be no problem. We rarely take trasportation when we are in the cities but rely on our own feet. it is great exercise after eating all that wonderful Italian food. If you are heading out of town well then you might want to look into trains.

WillTravel

People do get pickpocketed on the #64 Heaven to Hell express (as it's called), but if you read about how to avoid it, you needn't worry. I took it and escaped unscathed .

How close are you to a metro stop? If you are, that will help a lot. How about trams?

Could you be more specific with your address? Someone here can probably give better advice if so.

ZetaStar

Well, I've looked on maps and didn't see any metros stops. I couldn't find any other helpful info on busses.

The actual apartment in question is the Appartamento Fornaci and the address is Via delle Fornaci, 78.

Can someone let me know the approx rates for the taxis? If we decided to go that route instead of busses, is that going to break us money wise?

WillTravel

I did not take taxis myself, but based on my research, I'd expect a taxi from where you are to central Rome to be in the range of 10 Euros. With Mappy.com, you can see that the pedestrian distance between your apartment and the Pantheon (for example) is about 2.3 km, or about 1.5 miles.
http://tinyurl.com/fpt9o

Here's mappy's route to St. Peter's, for you:
http://tinyurl.com/kj2tw

miasmadude

The #64 can be very crowded indeed, and it is well-known for pick-pockets. There is an express bus (the #30? I don't have my bus map in front of me) that follows the same route and is moderately less crowded.

As long as you are alert and keep your hand on your wallet, the buses in Rome seem very safe to me for day-to-day travel. I would be very leery of taking the 64 or any other bus with luggage, especially back-packs: too tempting.

Via della Fornaci would be a hike from the 64, as I remember it. Relax, and take a cab; it shouldn;t be more than 10-12 euro, money well-spent to get you and your luggage right to the door.

Take a deep breath outside Termini sattion, and listen not to the siren-calls of touts. Wait in the proper line for a proper Roma cab, white, with a SPQR shield, and make sure the meter is turned on when you drive off. I have found the real cab drivers in Rome to be a honest bunch; Naples, that is another story.

gard

Hi

My wife and I went to Rome last summer and we stayed near Termini. We used bus 64 and 40 to get around town and to the Vatican and we didn't experience any problems. So I guess you should be fine as long as you keep an eye on your belongings. I have posted a trip report with pictures and links from Rome on my homepage http://gardkarlsen.com/rome_italy.htm . Maybe you can find some useful info there.

Regards
Gard
Stavanger, Norway

annhig

The express bus is indeed the 40, and like the 64 it gets really crowded. The only hazard we encountered was being elbowed out of the way by the italian matrons fighting to get off! If you are using money belts, not purses, you should have no problems.
As to travel from the airport to your accommodation, we always take a cab, and given the distance from the Termini station to the district where you are staying, a cab all the way might not cost that much more. WE paid 50 euros, which split 4 ways was OK by me, and we got to our accommodation very safely. Then we usd buses and metro and feet to get around. THere are loads of agencies allowing you to pre-book a taxi, which will meet your flight, and is by far the least stressful way to arrive. then you have the eergy to tackle the local transport.

ira

Hi Z,

Bus routes and maps are at http://www.atac.roma.it/

It looks as if you will be on the #64 or #40 if you go buy public transportation.

Don't put anything you wouldn't want to lose in a backpack.

Have a nice visit.

tedgale

Certainly there is NO ADVANTAGE to spending 10 Euros each to get to Termini, far away on the other side of the Tiber. BUT:

1. Maybe the easiest still-cheap way to travel would be to take the 5 Euro train from Fiumicino to Trastevere station -- a safe and delightful 20-25 minute commmuter ride -- and take a taxi from there.

2. You are only a few blocks from the Roma San Pietro train station. I wonder whether any other city stations connect to it?

I think there are trains originating at Ostiense station that pass through San Pietro.(BTW: Given the requirement to cross the river I doubt there is any connection from Termini station.)

rkkwan

I agree with annhig and tedgale. Taxi directly from FCO. For three adults, that just makes more sense.

tedgale

Hey my hunch was right. I went on ATAC and found:

Partenza dalla stazione Trastevere:
1. Recarsi alla fermata Trastevere
2. Prendere la linea FR3B (Cesano)per 1 fermate o FR5 (Aurelia) FR5 ogni 60 min. FR3B ogni 15 min.
Scendere alla fermata San Pietro
- A piedi per 450 metri
fino all'arrivo Delle Fornaci (via),78

Distanza percorsa 4100 metri

In ohther words if you MUST take public tranport, though for 3 it may not be much cheaper, you just:

a. Take the train from Fiumicino to Trastevere station (in other words in the Fiumicino station you take the commuter train NOT the Termini express

b. In teeny Trastevere station, you get a ticket for the FR3B train (destination: Cesano) and take it one stop -- it goes every 15 minutes!

You arrive 450 Metres from your destination at 78 v. delle Fornace -- that's probably closer than a bus would take you!

tedgale

BTW the train to Trastevere station is called FR1 and its final destination is Settebagni, which is likely how it is posted.

You travel 5 stops from Fiumicino to Trastevere and some of it is quite pretty and rural.

ATAC is a great website -- it even plots on a map the route you have to walk AFTER you leave the S. Pietro station

Pago

Make copies of your passport/tkts/credit cards. Wear a neck pouch and money belt. Don't carry anything. We were attacked twice within blocks of "termini" by gypsies!

jabez

Last year was the first time (after 5 trips and 25 nights)that we experieced pick pockets. Twice on #64 and once on the metro.
Pay attention and do as others suggest. Be very careful with purses as well.