I am visiting Rome next month and we have to vacate our rented apartment at 1030am monday morning then have several hours in the city before heading to the airport for a 17.50 flight.

In the past I've been happy to get a taxi from the city centre (I would not brave the Terravision bus again after a very closecall a few years ago!) but this time I will be in a party of 5 people, is it easy to pick up larger taxis from the rank or would it be best to book a shuttle company to collect us? I've found some which pick up from hotels but as I will not be in a hotel I'm not sure I could rely on paying up front and then being picked up from a random piazza or monument.

I would welcome any advice or recommendations for companies!

Laura

What will you do with your luggage during the day? If I were in your case, I would probably check my luggage at Roma Termini, have a pleasant luggage-less lunch and a last stroll, and then collect the luggage and take the Leonardo Express train from Roma Termini to FCO.

You are kind of on the seam about what you can do. The train would cost 70E, two taxis would be 90. You might contact Romacab and see if a they would have a large van available for your party and the price. Perhaps there would be a hotel near by where, for a good tip, you might storage your luggage and arrange for the pickup point. Good luck

I should have specified I'm flying from Ciampino so no train option (I think!)

Romacab seems good, will explore some more tomorrow morning, I will look into nearby hotels (am staying by the pantheon) and see if I can establish some contact by email in advance and if holding luggage will be viable.

thanks for your advice!

Is there any reason you can't have the hotel you are checking out of the morning of depature to hold your luggage, Laura, and make arrangements to have a shuttle pick you up at the same hotel at the time you need to leave to go to the airport? In my experience most hotels are very willing to do so, just a thought.

Oooops, my apologies, you will be staying at an apartment and not at a hotel. I read your OP too fast. Your last post and idea seems to be a good idea. Also, have you asked the agency or owner of the apartment you are renting from for suggestions? Best wishes.

I suppose with your bad experience with Terravision you might not be interested in the Sit Bus Shuttle, but here is the info just in case.
http://www.sitbusshuttle.it/

Rome Shuttle Limousine would be 60€ for your group in a Mercedes van. You still have the luggage storage dilemma. I would think you need to store your luggage at Termini and get the shuttle to pick you up there.
http://www.romeshuttlelimousine.com/...t-transfer.php

Storing your luggage at Termini is not the greatest idea but if you have no choice, then you have to use it. The luggage storage at Termini can be very busy with a long line to store and longer line to reclaim it. It would make some sense if you were using the train. You will have to take a bus to Ciampino or taxi. Ask the apartment owner for a recommendation. I am sure this is not the first time for that problem.

thanks everyone for your responses! I've passed it all onto my party, we're going to have hand luggage so while annoying it won't be too cumbersome.

I emailed the apartment agency but they have another check in coming that day so couldn't extend my checkout but I did venture to the Terravision website and there are many more services than there were 5 years ago and was surprised at how cheap (4euro) so maybe that will end up being the solution.

I had read about the long queues for luggage storage somewhere else so will probably avoid doing that!


and to expand upon my bad experience before it was wintry dark and rainy and traffic was bad, was quite a close call with the flight but before even boarding the bus we caught a kid with his hand in my friends handbag, the umbrella and driving rain made her drop her guard temporarily...an afternoon in september should be a much better experience if we do brave the bus!


thanks again for your advice everyone!