Hello everyone! Our family will be in Rome for three and a half days, and we're thinking about taking a day trip to Orvieto. We will be staying at Hotel Campo de Fiori. Does anyone know of any other station besides the Stazione Tiburtina to Orvieto that would be closer to our hotel? Perhaps within walking distance? If Tiburtina is the only way, where can we find a bus to get there from our hotel and about how long would it take? Sorry for all of the questions, but we heard frightful stories about taking a taxi.

I went to Orvieto from Termini which is much closer than Tiburtina although it would be a long walk.

Rome taxis are OK and not very expensive. Just be sure to check the meter as you get in to ensure it's been reset. I would take a cab, especially as you are a family. Your hotel will call the cab for you.+

Termini is closer than Tiburtina. You can walk a couple of blocks from Campo to Torre Argentina and catch the bus to Termini.

Zoom in a time or two to see the bus numbers.
http://www.atac.roma.it/files/doc.asp?r=3

We ended up renting a car the day before we went from Rome to Orvieto on the advice of our concierge. It turned out to be cheaper than two train tickets. It's just something to consider if you can get a good price on a car. I'm guessing it's because it was last minute.

Take the train from termini. Easy. If you have lots of luggage, take a taxi to termini. Cheap and easy. Get your Hotel to organize it. Rome taxis are Cheap and easy. Just make sure it is a real taxi.

A day trip to Orvieto should not be that difficult by train. Take the bus from the Largo Argentina to Teermini. You can't drive a car into Orvieto without a lot of headache, although you can park in the free parking lot at the bottom of the hill below the train station and take the escalators and tram up to town. IMO it is not worth the aggravation to drive out of Rome and back in again just to save a few $$. Don't forget the car will need gas, and it is very expensive there -- about 3 times US prices.

We ended up renting a car the day before we went from Rome to Orvieto on the advice of our concierge. It turned out to be cheaper than two train tickets>

By regional train it's 7.10 euro each way Rome Termini to Orvieto and on the IC trains (10 mins faster) it's 13 euros each way

so by regional train return p.p. would be 14.2 euros or 28 euros for both - no way that can be more expensive than a car rental - you'd pay more in petrol alone, not to mention steep tolls to Orvieto - your hotel concierge simply gave you wrong advice.

Hi thefengs,

we did almost the same day trip 2 weeks ago [I can't beleive that the time's gone that quickly], and it's very easy.

From your hotel, walk north up onto the corso vittorio emmanuale and catch a no 40 [the express, fewer stops] or no 64 bus to termini - the main railway station. the bus stops TO Termini are on the same side of the road as the campo dei fiori, so you don't need to cross the road, but walk east until you get to a "fermata".

you'll need two tickets for each person, one there, and one back - you just go to a tabac or a street-side machine and buy the no of €1 tickets you want, and you can do this any time - they are valid for ages [a year] and cover most journeys within Rome taking 75 minutes or less. so a trip on the bus to termini is fine. don't forget to validate them in the little yellow machine when you get on the bus [get on at the front or the back not in the middle, which is where people are trying to get off!]

When you get to termini [20 mins more or less] you will see that they are rebuilding the front of the station. there are signs showing which way to walk to the main station - just follow them. when you get there, there are loads of automated ticket machines at the front of the station. IGNORE the people who offer to "help" you to buy your tickets - you don't need them. the machines will ask you what language you want, and where you want to go. that is a little more difficult - you have to select "other destinations" I think, as the default option is Rome and its immediate environs, then "orvieto - return", and the no of tickets- whether full-price or reduced [children, students, OAPs].

As for cost, there are fast and slow trains, the faster ones costing more than the slower ones, but as the slower ones aren't that much slower, there didn't seem to be much advantage in getting the fast ones. From memory, the fast one goes at 10.30, the slow one at 10.45.and gets there at about 12 noon, and costs €7 each way. you can access the timetable and ticket costs at www.trenitalia.com. on the way back, just reverse the journey.

once you are in Orvieto, you have to get the funicular up to the old town [another €1 each, each way] and that covers the bus from the top of the funicular up to the Cathedral too.

the best bit about the trip, apart from the fun of the train journey, is the front of the cathedral, which is a real joy. if you get there at about noon, the sun is full on it; as the afternoon wears on, the light mellows and gets warmer...better for photos. the 4 sets of carvings all tell stories - creation, heaven and hell..it's fun working them out.

you could hire a car, but then you'd have to negotiate the awful traffic in Rome, and you'd miss the fun of the train journey, which is fun and educational in itself. and it's really not expensive for a 75 minute train journey.

have a great trip,

regards, ann

you could hire a car, but then you'd have to negotiate the awful traffic in Rome, and you'd miss the fun of the train journey, which is fun and educational in itself. and it's really not expensive for a 75 minute train journey.>

renting a car for this journey IMO is daft - not a pretty drive on the autostrada and once you get to the hill town finding a place to park in season can be hard and you'll have to pay perhaps more for that. Like most Italian towns the city centre is pretty much off-limits to cars. Doing like annhig did is easy - and if you figure the time it would take to go get the car, return the car and yes drive out of Rome it could take much longer even than the train.

Can we assume that you've been in Rome before? Because if not, there is plenty you will want to see in Rome and 3-1/2 days isn't nearly enough. Consider saving yourself the money and staying in Rome. (Unless of course you've been there a dozen times and have seen everything.)

Thanks everyone for the great advice and information! This is our 2nd trip to Rome, but our 1st independent trip. We'll arrive on May 14th around noontime and will leave for Assisi on the 18th. Is Tivoli better than Orvieto for our trip, or should we just stay in Rome in your opinion?

I'd stay in Rome.

But, just to throw out another possibility, how about Ostia Antica, the poor man's Pompeii? The ruins of Rome's ancient port, it's easy to get to, not so time-consuming. Here's Rick Steves' description with transportation details: http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/desti...taly/ostia.htm

Ostia Antica - ancient Rome's port, is to me a fascinating place and best of all is just a short hop by Rome's metro so need not consume a whole day as Orvieto and Tivoli, both also fantastic places IMO would. Hadrian's Villa is a natural component to Tivoli's water gardens - Hadrian's Villa is an awesome archaeological site in romantic setting. You can take a train or bus to Tivoli for the Villa d'Este then a bus to Hadrian's Villa and a bus back to Rome from there - a whole day but a fabulous one IMO