The easiest way to get to Italy is to fly into the country and one of the most common destinations for international travelers is Rome. Rome is serviced by award winning airports that are clean, safe, highly efficient and designed to make onward travel as convenient as possible.
Rome has two main airports; the Ciampino Airport and the Rome Fiumicino Airport. Of the two airports, the Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) is the major international transport hub. Ciampino Airport (CIA) is primarily a domestic airport that mainly runs flights to other cities in the country as well as budget flights to inter-continental destinations.
The vast majority of inbound travelers arrive at the Rome Fiumicino Airport and then, if they are traveling onwards within Italy, they transfer to the Ciampino Airport.
All major international airlines fly into the Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) whereas the Ciampino Airport (CIA) is only used by smaller budget airlines such as EasyJet and Rynair. Therefore, if you’re flying into Rome from an international destination you will usually arrive in Rome Fiumicino International Airport.
Both of Rome’s airports have excellently integrated transport links so it’s easy to get into the city center or to continue your onward journey. Airport staff are also bilingual or multilingual so even if you don’t speak Italian you’ll still be able to ask questions and get help in your own language if you need it.
Rome Fiumicino International Airport (FCO).
Rome Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport is Rome’s primary international airport and has undergone extensive renovations over recent years. It provides premium services to all of the passengers that pass through it and is often rated as Europe’s most punctual and efficient airport. In fact, Rome Fiumicino won the Best Airport Award for three years running, from 2017 until 2020, so it really is top notch!
FCO is the airport in Italy that I use the most. It is very difficult and expensive to fly to Tuscany (my flat is in Volterra) from the east coast of the United States. The best way is to fly non-stop from Philadelphia (my hometown in the United States) or Newark to Rome or Milan and then take the fast trains to cities in Tuscany.
Following the global pandemic of 2020 world travel was significantly impacted and airports had to rapidly adopt new measures to help to keep their passengers safe. Under the instructive guidance of the AdR (Aeroporti di Roma) management organization, Rome Fiumicino was able to make the necessary changes and maintain their flight schedules within the boundaries of governmental restrictions.
As a result of their excellent reaction to the pandemic the Rome Fiumicino Airport was given the maximum safety certification of 5 Stars in relation to the equipment and measures that were installed against Covid-19. There are plenty of signs that explain the required Covid-19 protection procedures as well as UV anti-viral technology, additional cleaning staff and assistants on hand to answer any questions you may have.
Train From Fiumicino International Airport To Rome.
Once you have left the main Arrivals lounge of the airport there are signs that will point you towards the Fiumicino Aeroporto train station. It’s only a 10 minute walk from the Arrivals lounge to the train station, which is connected by an elevated tunnel with escalators.
If you want to get to Rome city center then you should catch the Leonardo Express to Roma Termini. The train ride takes about 30 minutes and costs approximately 15 Euros per person each way.
Trains depart every 15 minutes and even if there are public transport strikes these trains are guaranteed to run regardless.
Once you reach Roma Termini, the city’s main central station, you can use subways, city buses or a taxi to travel onward to your final destination.
Shuttle Bus From Fiumicino International Airport To Rome.
There are two main companies that run shuttle buses from Fiumicino Airport into central Rome. The buses are cheaper than the trains although they do take a little longer to arrive in town.
Terravision buses run services all over Europe including the Fiumicino Airport to Rome route. The company provides its services at a low price, approximately 6 Euros per person, and runs buses every 30 minutes from the airport. If you’re traveling with children under the age of 4 then they travel for free.
The buses drop you off at the Roma Termini station although they don’t run between around midnight and 05.30 AM. You can book your tickets online and show a digital ticket on your phone to board the bus or buy a ticket at the airport. The one downside of Terravision buses is that if you arrive in the middle of the night they don’t start running until early morning so you may have to wait for a few hours in the airport.
Alternatively, you can use T.A.M, the other company that runs a shuttle service from Fiumicino to Rome. These shuttle buses run all through the night and prices start at around 5 Euros. Buses have on board toilets and free WIFI as well as electrical charging points for your devices.
The shuttle route runs to Roma Termini station or Roma Ostiense station and the 24 hour service has buses every 30 to 60 minutes.
Taxi From Fiumicino International Airport To Rome.
If you want to travel in a private car you can catch a taxi from the stand outside the exit of the airport. Taxis are fast and know the best routes into town and what’s more, they can drop off on your hotel’s doorstep. Taking a taxi is a more expensive option, particularly if you are traveling alone; however if you’re traveling as a family or a group then it can work out as being quite cost effective.
Taxi fares are standardized although some drivers do try to cheat naïve tourists; so be a little careful when negotiating the price.
Prices for a trip into Rome are set at approximately:
- Center of Rome : 50 Euros.
- Ciampino Airport : 50-60 Euros.
- Civitavecchia Port : 125-150 Euros.
- Tiburtina Station : 60 Euros.
- Ostiense Station : 50 Euros.
Private Transfer From Fiumicino International Airport To Rome.
You can book a private transfer in advance from the airport to Rome. Prices generally start at about 10 Euros per person and the driver will be waiting for you in the airport with a sign with your name on it. This is a great way to get into town for groups of 5 or 6 and above and good private transfer companies will have a whole range of vehicles to suit groups of every size.
Rent A Car From Fiumicino To Rome.
Lastly, you can opt to rent a car however this is not particularly advisable because getting around Rome by car, especially if you’re not familiar with the city, is extremely challenging! There is a lack of parking spaces in the city and the roads are notoriously dangerous and difficult to navigate.
However, if you decide to rent a car there are several major car rental companies within the airport with 24 hour desks. You can also book your rental car in advance to save time after your arrival at the airport.
Storing Your Luggage At Fiumicino International Airport.
In the past Rome Fiumicino had a bad reputation for luggage collection after your flight with items going missing and it taking hours for it to arrive at the baggage pick up lounge. However, this has largely changed and the luggage collection service is now extremely efficient.
If you want to deposit your luggage in the airport to pick up at a later date then you can drop it off at the Luggage Deposit in Terminal 3. The office is open from 06.30 until 23.30 each day and the fee for luggage is about 10 Euros per day.
Accommodation Near To Fiumicino International Airport.
If you need to sleep over after you’ve arrived in Fiumicino then there are a couple of excellent hotels nearby. The Air Rooms Rome Airport by HelloSky is actually located within the airport and provides 4 Star rooms, great comfort and costs around 200 Euros per night.
Alternatively, you can stay at the Hilton Garden Inn Rome Airport. The hotel provides a free shuttle service to take you to the hotel. The hotel is located just 10 minutes drive from the airport and as well as lovely rooms it also has a fitness center and a 24 hour restaurant.
Shopping In Fiumicino International Airport.
Before serious renovations and improvements took the Fiumicino Airport into the 21st century it had very poor shopping and dining facilities. However, all this changed and today it has an excellent duty free shopping plaza containing more than 50 stores including classic Italian brands such as Armani and Bulgari.
You can also grab a bite to eat in the Terminal E eateries where you can get pizza, fresh pasta, coffee and gelato among other tasty treats. You can also ask for your food to be packaged so that you can take it onto the flight with you.
The Airports Of Rome – World Class Transport Hubs.
Both of Rome’s main airports have excellent transport links and good facilities. In all likelihood you’ll be arriving into the Rome Fiumicino International Airport and traveling into the city from there. It’s easy to get into Rome and the costs of public transport are very low compared to other cities in Europe.
If you need to transfer to Ciampino Airport to continue your journey in Italy then the links between the airports are also superb with quick journey times and comfortable public transport. Arriving in Ciampino Airport, if you’ve taken a budget airline into Italy, is also a convenient option for travelers and getting into Rome takes less than 45 minutes.
Overall, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the high quality of Rome’s airports that are leading the way in international travel, even in the difficult Covid era. This means that your arrival in Italy will be as relaxing and hassle free as it can possibly be; making it the ideal start to your adventures in the country of the Dolce Vita.
