NNY -- one possibility that I tried with success last year is the bus from Rome's Fiumicino airport that goes almost all the way to Perugia's historic centre.

I don't usually like buses, but it was somewhat more simple than taking the train (my usual preference.)

SITA has a bus that runs from the airport (directly across from Arrivals) thru Rome with a stop at Tiburtina railway/bus station, then out to Umbria and into Perugia. I got off at Piazza Partigiana, which is right below Pperugia's historic centre (and the point where the escalator system begins.)

It was about a 3.5 hour trip, and saved me the hassle of taking the train from the airport into Termini in central Rome; then, taking the train to Foligno; then transfering to the train to Perugia; then taking a cab from Perugia's train station to my hotel.

Ooops -- sorry, it's not SITA but Sulga that has the bus from Fiumicino airport to Perugia.

Here's a link to the Sulga website: http://www.sulga.it/

With the various train transfers, etc., I'm not sure it's much longer to take the bus than the train. But a lot would depend on what time you arrive, and whether that corresponds with the bus schedule.

sacc, that sounds great.