One evening in Rome before FCO departure
 

My friend and I are leaving in the morning from Montalcino on Monday, May 8th and driving our car to Orvieto for a look around and some lunch. Rather than driving straight through to FCO in Rome and staying in an airport hotel, we are considering dropping our car off in Orvieto and taking the train to Rome. We figure we’ll just walk around a bit in the evening and have dinner. We have a 10am flight out of FCO on Tuesday the next morning.

In the morning we would like to take the cheapest route to the airport, probably leaving around 7-7:30am. Would that be the train? If so, does anyone know what we should budget for the fare on that route? I’m also looking for cheap (under $150/night for a double) hotel recommendations within walking distance from the train station, (or another station that goes to the airport in the morning) that has some nice casual restaurants nearby, maybe overlooking one of the major sites.

Any other advice or suggestions are appreciated.

The train from Roma Termini to FCO is 11€, departs every 30 minutes and travel time is 30 minutes. The train from Orvieto takes a bit longer and cost is just a few more €.

If you stay in Trastevere, you could take a train to the airport from that station - about 5€.

Thanks for the pricing! I have never been to the Trastevere area. Is there anything particularly interesting about that area?

The train company website for Italy is www.trenitalia.com

Trastevere is quite interesting with narrow little alleyways, restaurants, etc., but maybe not for such a short visit (you don't have enought time in Orvieto either :) ).

Another option for the airport is a limo. 35€ for 3.
http://www.romeshuttlelimousine.com/FiumicinoE.htm

When kybourbon mentions the train from Orvieto to FCO, just be aware that the train will go to Termini in Rome first, not directly to FCO.

I would definitely stay IN Rome for your last night. While there are plenty of interesting things in Trastavere, I would stay nearer to Piazza Navona/Pantheon. It's a great area for one night when you want to wander and have dinner.

You might walk over to the Trevi Fountain first, then back over to the Pantheon. Have dinner around the Pantheon or Piazza Navona (which are fairly close together). Then go to one of the cafes on the Piazza Navona and enjoy a drink or coffee while enjoying the people, fountains, performers and artists. My favorite way to end the evening in Rome.

You will need to be at the airport by 7 am, so will want to leave your hotel around 6:30. At that time of morning, a taxi wouldn't cost much to get to termini. However, by the time you spend 22€ for two of you on the train from Termini plus the taxi to get there, it wouldn't be much more to book a shuttle to get you to the airport, which would pick you up right at your hotel.

I've used www.airportshuttle.it many times with great service. There are also others, such as Rome Cabs. If you want more options of shuttles, just do a search here for more recommendations.

While in Montalcino, you might want to stop by Enoteca Osticcio for a drink. The view is fabulous. I had a sampler plate of six bruschetta while sampling the Brunello's. Very good.
http://www.osticcio.com/

I see that kybourbon and I were posting at the same time. She gives another option for a shuttle service. It would be worth the small very small amount extra to take a shuttle to the airport.

Yes, I know we won't have enough time in Orvieto :( but we chose to spend most of our time in Venice and Tuscany on this trip :) We just thought we'd make good use of our last day driving to Rome and have a stop there.

I do know the train stops at Termini, not at FCO. But I can see what you mean if we are each spending 11€, a shuttle seems easier and not that much more. But this is at the end of our trip and there's no telling how much money we will have left so I wanted to know all our options. I was hoping to not have to get a taxi to the Termini, which is why I was looking for nearby hotels, or at least something that is within a walking distance of maybe 10-15 minutes or so. But if we decide to do the shuttle, is that something we can just reserve the night before or do we need to make advance reservations?

And kybourbon, thanks for the suggestion to stop at Enoteca Osticcio. That looks perfect!

My post about the Orvieto train must not have been clear. I was talking about Orvieto to Rome, not Orvieto/Rome/FCO.

There is a budget convent (Santa Sofia) one metro stop (Cavour stop) from Termini. A double with private bath would be around 60-70€. It is one of the few convents with late curfew (midnight). From the Piazza you can see the Colosseum.

When I was staying in Orvieto a lady was planning to catch an early train (she bought her ticket in advance) to Termini and on to FCO. She was trying to find transportation to the Orvieto train station at 4 am since she had an early flight. I think she took a taxi.

Do you have any feeling about seeing the antiquity of the Roman empire?

If I were you -- and I'm not! -- I would drive directly from Montalcino to either the town of Fiumicino, or the town of Ostia -- either the "lido" (the beach front) or the hamlet of Ostia Antica. I would use the time to visit the ruins of Ostia -- which is a stone's throw from the international airport.

In fact, the airport is built over the ancient port of Roma, and Ostia was the town that defended the waterway link of the river Tiber and the sea during the Roman empire -- until a huge storm flood, not unlike the one Rome had this year, changed the course of the Tiber just enough to cause Ostia to fall into decline.

The great thing about decline in Italy is that nobody builds junk there! (Venice is the best example.) So there are these fabbo ruins in Ostia where you can walk around and actually see the old bakeries, the baths with there mosaic floors. There is one "piazza" where all the traders had storefronts, and outside the doors of the stores, they would put a mosaic in the sidewalk as a sign of their trade. My favorite is the elephant trader, but all of them are fascinating.

If you could care two figs about what it's like to walk around an empty Roman town just after the the presumed birth of Christ, I will also add that it's not all that bad an idea in May to enjoy a bit of time at the beach and catch up with fish-eating after a vacation in meaty-cheesy Tuscany.

The whole point is that if you stay at the beach in Ostia or near the airport in Fiumicino, you can drive yourself to the airport the day of your flight. I think you need to get to the airport by 7:30 latest for a flight to America. Even if you'd rather day trip in Rome, you can drive the car to Ostia or Fiumicino (or Fregene) and take public transportation into Rome to sightsee.

If you end up staying in Rome, via Orvieto (which is well worth seeing for the cathedral), be sure to leave yourself some wiggle room for that train to the airport. You need to be one by six am, and since the station isn't in the loveliest part of Rome, you might prefer to just book a car service to FCO/

Hope that helps.

This is a bit premature, but we are going to Rome in a few months staying near Termini. On our first night we are staying at the Best Western Canada before catching a train in the morning. We will spend a few nights in Rome at the end of our trip before heading home at the Residenza Cellini. Residenza Cellini is more central than the Canada. Both are highly recommended on Tripadvisor.

Since we're planning to use the train a lot, we thought staying within walking distance of Termini would be a good idea.

I also suggest you allow three hours at FCO. The last time we went through there it took a long time to get through all the check points.

Since you're not going from Orvieto to FCO via Rome to get a flight all on the same day, the time from Orvieto to FCO doesn't really matter.

I don't know how far ahead you need to book a shuttle, since I always do it before my trip. Once you decide which company you want to use, just email them and ask them how much advance notice they need.

Another convent that would be a possibility is Santa Giuliana de Falconieri, just outside Piazza Navona. Their curfew is midnight, but they have a guard, so if you know you're going to be a little later, you can arrange to be let in. The last I knew, a double room was 75€, but that was awhile ago, so you would want to check the price. It's a fabulous location. As I said, at that early morning time with little traffic, a taxi to Termini wouldn't cost much, maybe 6-8€. But again, add that to the price for 2 on the train to FCO, it's very little more to book a shuttle.

luvtotravel - Are you planning daytrips out of Rome? I don't quite understand you statement about using trains a lot.

zeppole's plan isn't bad if you want to see Ostia Antica. I wouldn't stay near Termini just to be near the train to FCO. Even if your funds are low at the end of the trip, surely you'd have 35€ between you for a shuttle to the airport? Even if you stay close enough to Termini to walk there, it will still cost you 22€ for the train.

You said you wanted to just walk around and have a nice evening/dinner. The Piazza Navona/Pantheon area is the place to do that.

SusanP - You have misunderstood my post about the train from Orvieto entirely. I was never commenting on training from Orvieto to FCO. I said the train time from Orvieto to Rome was longer as compared to training from Rome to FCO. I'm not sure why you don't understand or why you keep bringing it up.

Sorry, kyboubon, I understand completely. I only mentioned it once, and then you clarified that you didn't mean Orvieto to FCO. I didn't "keep bringing it up," I only mentioned it the first time when I thought loves2sing might think it went directly from Orvieto to FCO when you gave the price from Orvieto and then said it was only a little more to FCO, which I thought might have sounded like it was one trip.

From Montalcino I would skip Orvieto and drive a different route. See the route via Grosetto and the coast road---much more direct and you miss the dreaded GRA around Rome. I would then see Ostia Antica before dropping my car and staying your last nite near the airport--there are several options.

I forgot that Rome had changed to set taxi fees for the airport a few years ago. The fee would be 40€ which includes luggage (cheaper than the limo services). You will even see signs on the streets in front of hotels stating the amount.