From Rome's airports to the city centre

Fiumicino (Leonardo da Vinci, FCO) is Rome's main airport, on the coast about 26 km west of the centre, with its own railway station. Ciampino (CIA) is smaller and closer, south-east of the city, and mainly used by low-cost airlines; it has no station of its own, so you go in by coach, city bus or taxi.

A rule of thumb: travelling light with one or two people, take the train or a coach. With children, lots of luggage, a late landing or a group of four or more, a taxi at the fixed fare or a private transfer usually costs about the same per person and saves an hour of changes.

The Leonardo Express runs non-stop between Fiumicino Airport and Roma Termini in 32 minutes. In 2026 a single ticket costs €14. Trains run every 15 minutes (every 30 at some times of day), from Fiumicino between 05:38 and 23:27 and from Termini between 04:50 and 23:05.

Children under 4 travel free, and one child aged 4 to 11 travels free with each paying adult. Four people buying together can use the Minigruppi fare: four tickets for €40 instead of €56. The simplest way to pay is to tap a contactless card or phone at the turnstiles (one ticket per card); paper tickets must be validated before boarding. Normal city bus and metro tickets are not valid on this train.

From Termini, metro line A takes you to Barberini in a few minutes, a five-minute walk from our Piazza di Spagna and Fontana di Trevi apartments, and on to Ottaviano or Cipro for our Vaticano apartment in Prati. For our Colosseo apartment in Monti you can walk from Termini in twelve minutes, or take metro line B one stop to Cavour.

The FL1 regional line also starts at Fiumicino Airport but does not go to Termini. It stops at Roma Trastevere, Roma Ostiense (for metro line B), Tuscolana and Roma Tiburtina (also metro line B), among others. In 2026 a single ticket into the city costs €8. Trains run every 15 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes at weekends and on holidays.

It is the best option if you are staying in Trastevere or near Ostiense. For the historic centre it usually means an extra change, so the Leonardo Express is simpler. Buy the ticket before boarding and validate it if it is on paper.

Several companies run coaches from Fiumicino to Termini: COTRAL, Rome Airport Bus, SIT Bus Shuttle, TAM and Terravision, each from its own numbered stand outside Terminal 3. They are the cheapest way in, but in traffic the trip can take an hour or more. SIT also stops on Via Crescenzio in the Vatican area, which is handy for Prati. Some coaches leave Fiumicino after midnight, after the last train: check the operator's timetable for your date.

Take only the white licensed taxis of Roma Capitale from the official rank outside arrivals, and ignore anyone offering a ride inside the terminal. To or from any address inside the Aurelian Walls there is a fixed fare, per car and with all supplements included: in 2026, €55 from Fiumicino and €40 from Ciampino. Tell the driver your address and confirm the fixed fare ("tariffa fissa") before setting off; the fares are set by the city and can change.

Our Piazza di Spagna, Fontana di Trevi, Pantheon and Colosseo apartments are all inside the walls. Our Vaticano apartment in Prati is just outside them, so the taxi runs on the meter: ask for an estimate before you leave. For the Pantheon apartment, which is in a pedestrian lane, taxis stop at Piazza di Pietra, fifty metres away. A standard taxi seats four; with more people or many suitcases, book a larger vehicle.

SIT, Terravision and Rome Airport Bus run coaches from Ciampino to Termini. On a budget, ATAC city bus 720 goes to Laurentina on metro line B and bus 520 to Cinecittà and Subaugusta on metro line A; ATRAL buses go to Ciampino railway station, from where regional trains reach Termini. With luggage or children, the €40 fixed taxi fare to the centre is the easy answer.

If you book one of our apartments, we can arrange a private transfer with a van and driver we trust, from Fiumicino or Ciampino to the door. Send us your flight details on WhatsApp and we will confirm the price and the pick-up. It is the option we recommend for families, groups of five or more, late arrivals and anyone who would rather not deal with trains after a long flight.