I've read several posts recently from folks getting off cruise ships in Civitavecchia, near Rome, and wishing to go to Rome by train but who were rather daunted by the details. Well the new Roma-Civitaecchia Express has been launched just to assuage such doubts about the ease of going between Rome and its main cruise ship port, Civitavecchia.
In May the new tourist-oriented service, called 'Roma Express' took to the rails, operated by Sea Train Srl from the port in Civitavecchia (now to spell and pronounce this town is also daunting to many) to Rome's San Pietro station, in the shadows of the Vatican - one purpose is to help cruise passengers reach the Vatican easily whilst the ship is in port.
Service will operate daily May 1 to Nov 15 and trains could be chartered in off season. Curently trains leave the port daily at 9am, returning from S Pietro at 16:15 (4:15pm).
The train, described as Italy's first open access passenger service (deregulation) has several novel features i'll cover in the next post

Do tell more...........

Hi

Thanks for the info. Very interesting. Is there a website?

Cheers.

The cars on the Roma Express each have a themed decor inspired by different periods of Roman history:
such as: one for Baroque period, one Dolce Vita, one Classic Age, one to Imperial Rome and one to Renaissance. The train uses diesel cars leased from the Ferrovia Centrale Umbra

no web site info but train is run by Seatrain and marketing will be by Civitavecchia Shipping Srl

70% of the seats have already been sold to cruise companies.

I'm confused - does this train run separately from the trenitalia system? on different tracks? does it only run at 9 am? and if the crusie companies are buying the seats are they then reselling them to the passengers from the ships (at a mark-up, I would assume?)

Not part of Trenitalia system

runs on same tracks, but being diesel does not have to use trenitalia electric overhead wires

yes now only once a day as indicated

yes cruise ships will probably re-sell or include in their 'optional' shoreside excursions

this information comes from Today's Railways magazine, August 2005 - UK train mag

I believe this particular traindeparts from the port itself rather than the main rail station which is a bit farher away from where the cruise ships actually dock.

Hi

I think I found the website - http://www.seatrain.biz. It loads slow though. I couldn't see any prices. Should be a great service - I can see why the cruise lines have snapped up 70 % of the seats. If their optional excursions is anything to go by they will on sell them at greatly inflated prices I'm sure.

Cheers