SpartanTartan

My husband and I will arrive in Rome at 5:30 PM and are looking for the best way to get to our hotel in Rome. Given the time, would we be better off taking the train and then catching a taxi from the termini or taking a taxi or shuttle service directly from the airport?

kybourbon

Where's your hotel?

SpartanTartan

It's the hotel Napoleon, and it's near the Colosseum at the Piazza Vittorio.

kybourbon

Taxi from the airport to your hotel is a set fee of 40€ (4 people including luggage). The train is 11€ per person and then you would take the metro from the train station - line A - 1 stop to Vittorio (1€ per person). I wouldn't really consider your hotel close to the Colosseum.

SpartanTartan

Would the traffic at 6:00 PM make taking the train better than the taxi? I know the train is less expensive, but a taxi is easier with luggage. My concern is traffic at that time of day.

Hal8999

We always take the train into Rome; it's convenient and inexpensive. We stay at the hotel Canada which is also near termini but on the other side. At the time you would be arriving I would strongly encourage you not to try taking the metro from termini to the hotel. It's not an unpleasant walk once you cross via Giolitti and get away from the station traffic. If you're not in good condition or burdened with many bags, a taxi from termini to the hotel might be the best choice, although as close as it is the driver may not be too happy.

Taxi or limo from airport into Rome is going to run 25 minutes to an hour depending on traffic. It's certainly a lot more convenient if hauling bags or walking bothers you.

kybourbon

I don't really see the point of training and then taking a taxi. You may as well taxi the entire way from the airport.

kayd

For me, the 10E difference between a taxi door-to-door and two train tickets plus a taxi from Termini is a price I am happy to pay for the convenience, even if traffic were slow.

Getting to the train platform at FCO, waiting for a train if your timing isn't just right, and then hauling yourselves from the far side of Termini to a taxi stand will take time even if the train ride itself is faster than a taxi ride from FCO.

bobthenavigator

www.airportshuttle.it

tedgale

I understand that price is not the only consideration.

But let me give you the low-price and -- to me! -- low-stress solution.

(Pls understand that I hate to stand in traffic, so I always prefer rail to cars for city travel. Note also that I travel light and am extremely fit: Toting luggage is, to me, just a replacement for weight-training when I am absent from the gym.)

OK enough throat-clearing.

In mid-March we went to Rome and did as we always do: From FCO we took the suburban train to Trastevere and took city transport from there to our apartment in the Centro Storico.

The suburban train departs from the same track as the Leonardo Express and leaves about as often -- every 15 minutes. But it is FAR less crowded. Yes, it makes stops at suburban stations ...but it took 20 minutes, to the "Express" train's 25.

It costs 5E 50. It stops at all the city stations -- Trastevere, Ostiense, Nomentana....

From Ostiense you could easily get the Metropolitana. But I really like the city trams and buses.

Yes, it would take some planning and you do need to research the city transport, using the excellent ATAC website.

PS: I am not 100% sure but it may be that a day tkt or weekly pass on city transport also covers the suburban train from FCO (Yes, I know it does NOT cover the Leonardo Express).

So for 16 E per person (for a weekly pass), you may be able to purchase transportation from FCO AND for the entire week that follows!!

NYCTS

Why should 5:30 PM matter? Banks close at 3:45 and retail shops are open till 7 PM. You're lucky if most workers are back from lunch by 3 PM. Sounds like a good time to zip into the city center. I prefer flat-fee, private car pick-up service, which is what I rely on in NYC as well.

kybourbon

tedgale - The passes do not cover the local train (FM1 or FR1) from the airport either. It's stated on the passes.

kayd - The Leonardo no longer arrives at the far end so you no longer have a long trek.

SeaUrchin

I agree, I would take the time in a taxi to relax after the flight and gather myself together again. Sit in the car and organize my purse, freshen up my makeup, look at the surrounding areas, people watch, take a bite of a health bar, etc. Unless there is a certain appointment, which I would not make after a long fight anyway, I would take one taxi or private car service all the way.

kayd

Thanks, kybourbon. Next time I arrive solo at FCO (and am feeling thrifty) I will appreciate not having to walk a kilometre to the Termini taxis. But if I'm with someone else, it will be taxi all the way.

Hal8999

Actually kybourbon the Leonardo Express DOES arrive at the far end of the station unless they've changed it in the last week.

SpartanTartan

Thanks to all of you! My decision: take a taxi. Why? Husband gets nervous thinking of all that could go wrong (shuttle not showing up as has baeen reported on other forum sites, not certain how to get from train to taxi stand, struggling with luggage, even though we are capable and pretty fit, etc.). It seeme the easiest solution is to take a taxi for 40 euros plus tip and follow SeaUrchin's advice: chill and enjoy the surroundings.

SeaUrchin

SpartanTartan, si, la dolce vita !!

kybourbon

Hal8999 - What track number? It wasn't the long trek it used to be when I was there in the fall.

SpartanTartan - Make sure you get an official Rome taxi as they are 40€. My understanding is the ones registered to the city of Fiumicino are allowed to charge 60€. It used to be stated on the airport website, but I no longer see it. They do tell how to tell an official taxi.
http://www.adr.it/portal/portal/adr/...vo_in_taxi_FCO

tuscanlifeedit

I too was going to ask Hal8999 about the track number. Surely the Leonardo Express leaves from and arrives in the main terminal area of Termini, and no longer in the inconvenient, out of the way, middle of nowhere track that it used to use.

SpartanTartan

Thanks, kybourbon. I printed out the page for the link you sent and will be very careful to get an official taxi.