Cjar

We will be in Rome in early October this year and would like to book the friday night vatican tour which ends 11 p.m. Ish. It occurs to me that finding transportation back to our hotel that late may be troublesome. Is that a silly comcern? If anyone has any thoughts please chime in. Also has anyone taken this tour? Was it still terribly crowded or did it allow a bit of breathing room so you can really take everything in? Thank you in advance for your thoughts on this.

annhig

Cjar - if you look at google maps and use the directions function [press the walking man option] you'll see that it's a 30 minute walk - down to the river, across one of the bridges, and along the other bank until you get to the Via Vittoria, turn right, and [depending on exactly where you hotel is], there you are.

we were in Rome in February and had no problems/qualms about walking round central Rome at that time of night.

Alternatively, there are always cabs at the St Peter's end of the Via della Concilazione.

I've never done this tour so i can't help you with that part of your query.

neckervd

European towns have citybuses too.

A_Brit_In_Ischia

Not a tour we've done either!

But, other than within the immediate proximity of the ranks, you can hail down an empty cab if you see one... or try this for a map and list of where the ranks are situated:

http://www.comune.roma.it/wps/portal...ew=jp_pagecode

Not sure what time Metro line A closes on a Friday night - but there are also night buses, although we've always either walked or taken a cab!

Peter

tedgale

The metro closes at 1130 pm on Friday. Metro station Ottaviano is just N of the Vatican museums. You take the metro 3 stops in the direction of Agnanina, to Metro station Spagna.

Do not expect ticket booths to be manned at that hour.

The "notturni" buses run only from midnight.

From the Vatican area, almost all buses will take you toward Corso Vittorio Emanuele and the Piazza Venezia are, from which you would have to find another bus to the Spanish Steps - these are rare.

if you cannot take the metro, you can take a taxi (vials Giulio Cesare to the Piazza del Popolo, then down the via del Corso????).

Or you can walk, via that same route, except you take via del Babuino instead of via del Corso.. It could be 2 miles. The whole route is perfectly safe, in fact quite appealing.

For advice on all routes for metro, tram or bus, check the website of Atac, the Rome "azienda trasporto". You enter in the details of your "percorso" (route) - the start, the destination and any preferences, even the hour - and it gives you the best option.

A_Brit_In_Ischia

>>>> The metro closes at 1130 pm on Friday.

Heeding the advice above, one finds that ATAC themselves....

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/imag...24865/original

... and also the usually-reliable 060608 site...

http://www.060608.it/en/trasporti/mu...ormazioni.html

... think that on both Fridays and Saturdays, the last trains leave the terminus at 01:30 ?

Peter
http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde

Cjar

Thanks to everyone. Great to know we have several options. I will check out the links you have so kindly provided.

kybourbon

You can also hop the tram (#19) which runs until midnight and crosses the river, but not as close to Spanish Steps as the metro. Which option would be best would be determined by where exactly you are going.

http://www.atac.roma.it/files/doc.asp?r=5

tedgale

I was a little surprised at the 1130 closing on the website I consulted. It was not Atac but, I thought, a Rome city website. Glad to hear the trains run later. Metro is certainly the way to go, if the option is available.

dutyfree

A cab would not be that expensive. I usually take cabs at night from Largo Argentina/Cat sanctuary area up to the Borghese area at night and they are less than 8 euros for two people. There is a night surcharge but still reasonable-just make sure that you get one from the taxi stand area and he uses the meter.

Cjar

Thanks. It looks like metro or taxi would be our best options. We are staying at Mario de Fiori on Via Mario de Fiori 37.

hollywoodsc

Unless you're tired after the Vatican tour you can easily do that walk back to your hotel. I walked everywhere in Rome (single woman) and never had an issue. I walked back from dinner around 11pm, stopping for gelato and loved the city at night.
What a wonderful opportunity to see the city at night!