Decisions to make before you land
- Which airport, which route? From Fiumicino (FCO), the Leonardo Express runs non-stop to Termini in 32 minutes for €14.00, while FL1 regional trains cost €8.00 and serve Trastevere, Ostiense and Tiburtina instead (Trenitalia, checked 3 October 2026). Ciampino (CIA) has no station: the €2.70 Ciampino Airlink combines a bus and a train to Termini.
- Taxi fares are fixed. A licensed white taxi charges €55 from Fiumicino or €40 from Ciampino to anywhere inside the Aurelian Walls, supplements included.
- Tickets for the city. Tapping a contactless card or phone (Tap & Go) charges a €1.50 BIT per trip, and a sixth BIT within 24 hours is charged as an €8.50 Roma 24h pass. Validate every paper ticket when you board and again at the metro gates.
- Book the Colosseum early. Tickets are named and checked against ID, sales open 30 days ahead, and the Full Experience Arena ticket goes on sale only 7 days ahead.
- Budget for the tourist tax. Hotels add €4.00–10.00 per person per night by star rating, and €6.00 in B&Bs and most apartments, for up to 10 consecutive nights.
Your planning order
Compare your ways into the centre
| From | Option | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiumicino | Leonardo Express | €14.00 | Hotels near Termini; fastest rail |
| Fiumicino | FL1 regional train | €8.00 | Trastevere, Ostiense, Tiburtina; lower fare |
| Fiumicino | Fixed-fare taxi | €55 inside the Aurelian Walls | Groups and heavy luggage |
| Ciampino | Ciampino Airlink (bus + train) | €2.70 to Termini | Lowest cost |
| Ciampino | Fixed-fare taxi | €40 inside the Aurelian Walls | Late arrivals, groups |
The last daily Leonardo Express leaves Fiumicino at 23:23; later departures run on some days only until mid-November under the current timetable. Under 4s travel free, and one child aged 4–11 travels free with each paying adult on the Fiumicino rail link.
Which way should you pay for rides?
| You are… | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Making a few trips, travelling alone | Tap & Go with your card or phone | One BIT per tap, never more than €8.50 within 24 hours; individual use only |
| Sharing rides as a family | Paper BITs or passes per person | Tap & Go covers one person per card |
| Riding a lot for three days | 72-hour pass (€22.00) | Unlimited city rides; not valid on the Leonardo Express |
No ATAC ticket is valid on the Leonardo Express. Inspectors' fines are €54.90 if paid within five days and €104.90 after that.
If this is your situation
Sights that now need a ticket, and the cruise port
- Trevi Fountain: since 2 February 2026 non-residents pay €2 to enter the area by the basin, from 9:00 (11:30 on Mondays and Fridays) to 22:00, last entry 21:00; the gate takes cards only and the square stays free (Roma Capitale, checked 8 October 2026). See Trevi Fountain Ticket.
- Pantheon: €7 since 1 July 2026, €2 for EU citizens aged 18 to 25 and free under 18; tickets are named and sold on Musei Italiani or on site, and it is not in the Roma Pass. Pantheon Tickets in Rome covers Mass times and free Sundays.
- Borghese Gallery: every visit must be booked, €16 plus a €2 booking fee, in two-hour slots starting on the hour, Tuesday to Sunday; tickets cannot be changed or refunded. See Borghese Gallery Tickets.
- Arriving by cruise ship: a free port shuttle runs to Largo della Pace, about 20 minutes' walk from Civitavecchia station, and a regional train to Rome costs €4.60. Civitavecchia Port to Rome by Train gives journey times and the return plan.
The Vatican and Castel Sant'Angelo
- Vatican Museums: €20, or €10 reduced, plus €5 to book online at tickets.museivaticani.va, the only official site; Monday to Saturday 8:00–20:00, last entry 18:00; closed on Sundays except the last Sunday of the month, which is free from 9:00 to 14:00 (Vatican Museums, checked 12 October 2026). Tickets cannot be refunded.
- St Peter's Basilica: open daily 7:00–20:00 since 1 June 2026, last entry 19:15, through security in St Peter's Square; the dome costs €17 by stairs or €22 with the lift. Shoulders and knees must be covered. See Vatican Museums Tickets and St Peter's.
- Castel Sant'Angelo: €18 since 1 July 2026, €2 for EU citizens aged 18–25, free under 18; Tuesday to Sunday 9:00–19:30, last entry 18:30, closed Mondays except the first Monday of the month in 2026 (14:00–20:00, €5 on site). Tickets are named. See Castel Sant'Angelo Tickets.
Day trips and trains out of Rome
| Trip | How | Site ticket | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pompeii | Italo (55 min) or Frecciarossa to Napoli Centrale, then Circumvesuviana to Pompei Scavi | €20–25, named, under 18 free | 20,000-a-day cap; last entry 15:30 from mid-October |
| Ostia Antica | Metromare (Roma–Lido) from Porta San Paolo on a €1.50 BIT | €18, valid 8 days | Closed Mondays; closes 16:30 from 25 October |
| Tivoli | Cotral bus from Ponte Mammolo or train to Tivoli | €15 per villa or €30 VILLÆ Pass | Villa d'Este opens at 14:00 on Mondays |
| Florence | Frecciarossa (about 1 h 30) or Italo (from 1 h 25) | — | Fare rules: Trenitalia Base or Italo Flex if plans may change |
Prices and times are from each operator's or site's own pages, checked 12 October 2026; each guide gives the scope and the fallback.
What to recheck on the day
Aeroporti di Roma and Trenitalia showed different last-train times on 3 October 2026; the guides use Trenitalia's timetable. Roma Capitale had not published a new tourist-tax tariff by that date. Each guide gives its sources and check date.
