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Planning to visit the Eternal City, to know how works the Transport in Rome can reveal as a piece of important information.
If you’ve never had the chance to visit Rome, you have to know that many central areas of Rome are traffic limited and driving in the city could be complicated. Fortunately, the public transport service is very cheap and both covers efficiently the city center (Roma Capitale) and the Metropolitan City of Rome.
Rome is an open-air museum and, due to the short distance between most of the well-known tourist sites, walking is the best transport solution. By this, we always recommend that you wear a comfortable pair of shoes and visit Rome on foot.
Even if an application like Google Maps could be an excellent tool for orienting yourself, don’t be afraid to ask for directions from the Italians you meet on your route. Most of the time, they will be happy to help you and, apart from being an excellent socialization opportunity, if lucky, you may find yourself escorted to your destination.
Table of Contents
Planning to visit the Eternal City, to know how works the Transport in Rome can reveal as a piece of important information.
If you’ve never had the chance to visit Rome, you have to know that many central areas of Rome are traffic limited and driving in the city could be complicated. Fortunately, the public transport service is very cheap and both covers efficiently the city center (Roma Capitale) and the Metropolitan City of Rome.
Rome is an open-air museum and, due to the short distance between most of the well-known tourist sites, walking is the best transport solution. By this, we always recommend that you wear a comfortable pair of shoes and visit Rome on foot.
Even if an application like Google Maps could be an excellent tool for orienting yourself, don’t be afraid to ask for directions from the Italians you meet on your route. Most of the time, they will be happy to help you and, apart from being an excellent socialization opportunity, if lucky, you may find yourself escorted to your destination.
Table of Contents
How effective is public transport in Rome
The public transport in Rome is very efficient adn ; it is operated by three companies: ATAC, COTRAL, and TRENITALIA.
ATAC manage urban buses, trams, and metro service in Rome City, also known as Roma Capitale
COTRAL manage suburban buses within the Metropolitan City of Rome and Lazio Region
TRENITALIA manage urban e suburban train connection within the Metropolitan City of Rome and Lazio Region.
Since 1994, under the METREBUS brand, these companies realized an extensive transportation system serving Rome’s city center (Roma Capitale), the Metropolitan City of Rome, and the Lazio Region, the region of which Rome is the capital.
Bus - the most popular public transport in Rome
Buses operate 24/7, although with different frequencies on holidays and at night. At the stop boards, daytime buses are marked by the letter U and night buses by N.
Reading from the top, you can see: the departure terminal, scheduled stops along the route, and the arrival terminal.
The most recent display boards also indicate the time of the first arriving vehicle. You need to validate your tickets onboard.
Tram - vintage flavors of transport in Rome
Trams in Rome run from 5:30 to midnight every day. At night, night buses replace trams.
You need to validate your tickets at the turnstiles you find before accessing the platforms.
Out of the six tram lines operating in Rome, only line 8 connects central areas in Rome. In particular, Largo Argentina with Trastevere. For this reason, despite their charm, this makes them less appealing for visitors.
On the trams, you need to validate your tickets onboard.
Metro - the fastest transport in Rome Capital City
The metro opens every day from 5:30 am to 11:30 pm. Only on Friday and Saturday, the metro runs until 1:30 am.
Despite being one of the smallest metro networks in Europe, the Rome metro can quickly reach the most important landmarks in Rome. Of course, speed comes at the expense of the possibility of a pleasant panoramic view. For this reason, we recommend using the Metro in Rome almost exclusively when you need to shorten the time.
Key metro stops in Rome
Rome Metro A-Line (Orange)
Spagna: to reach Spanish Steps
Ottaviano: to reach St. Peter’s Basilica
Cipro: to reach Vatican Museum
Flaminio: to reach Piazza del Popolo
Rome Metro B-Line (blue)
Colosseo: Rome to reach Colosseum
Circo Massimo: to reach Circus Maximus or take the bus to the catacombs
Ponte Mammolo: to take the bus to Tivoli
Piramide: to get the train to Ostia Antica or the bus to the catacombs.
Apart from three railway lines managed by ATAC, Trenitalia provides the connection of the center of Rome with the rest of the Metropolitan City of Rome, with its regional trains.
Train - the best transport solution to explore the wonders of the Metropolitan City of Rome
While ATAC runs train within Rome Capital City (Roma Capitale), Trenitalia runs train within Rome Capital City (Roma Capitale), the Metropolitan City of Rome and Lazio region. This network will be useful in discovering the wonders of the Metropolitan City of Rome and Lazio Region of which Rome is the capital.
Trenitalia also provides national and international railway connection services in competition with Italo.
You can book your train tickets at the automatic machine available at the train stations or directly online by accessing their websites.
As an app to check train timetable and purchase your train ticket we suggest you download the “Trenit” app or visit: https://trenit.app/
If you have a paper ticket instead, check that it shows the train details (day, time, seat). In that case, you won’t need to validate it. Otherwise, remember to stamp it before boarding. The validating machines are generally available at halls in small railway stations or the platforms in the larger ones.
Suburban bus – The branched transport network for the connection between the towns of the Lazio Region
With its fleet of over 300 buses, COTRAL guarantees the extra-urban connection within the Metropolitan City of Rome and Lazio Region.
Tickets must be purchased in advance and stamped on board.
Where to buy Train, Bus and Metro Ticket in Rome
You can purchase your METREBUS ticket to travel on Bus, Tram, and Metro in Rome at the ATAC ticket offices, the automatic ticket machines in the metro stations, or authorized resellers such as bars, tobacconists, newsstands.
Read more about Metrebus Pass. It will allow you to optimize you tours in Roma Capitale and the Metropolitan City of Rome.
In this article, our attention focuses mainly on the public transport service of Rome because, in principle, we believe it is the best solution for visiting the Rome city center.
However, there are special conditions for which it is worth considering other means of transport.
So let’s take a quick look at the transport alternatives available in the City of Rome.
Taxi in Rome Italy
Cars used for Taxi service in Rome Italy are white and wording “TAXI” on the roof.
The rates include a fixed portion dictated by the time slot and a variable portion dictated by the mileage in the specific time slot.
The amount of the service is visible at the end of the journey by a taximeter. To this amount must be added any related surcharges: excess baggage, fixed right to call a radio taxi, any passengers from the fifth onwards. These supplements will add to the fare identified by the taximeter.
Before boarding a taxi in Rome, make sure you have cash in your pocket because not all taxi drivers accept card payments.
How to take a taxi in Rome
To take a Taxi in Rome, you can:
– Call a Radio Taxi;
– Use an app;
– Reach a Taxi station;
– Stop one Taxi passing by.
A reliable Radio Taxi number in Rome Italy is 06 5551 managed by Samarkand cooperative.
As a Taxi app for Italy, we suggest: WETAXI.
The official website of We Taxi Italy is www.wetaxi.it . A language selection is available on the footer.
Main Taxi stations in Rome:
– Largo Torre Argentina
– Piazza Fiume
– Piazza Venezia
– Piazza G. Belli
– Piazzale Ostiense (Ostiense – Train Station)
– Piazza S. Silvestro
– Piazza dei Cinquecento (Termini – Main Train Station)
– Piazzale della Stazione Tiburtina (Tiburtina – Train Station
– Anagnina (Metro A line)
– Piazzale della Stazione del Lido (Ostia)
– Piazza Risorgimento (Vatican).
When traveling by taxi in Rome , it is advisable to check that the taximeter is switched on upon departure.
Unfortunately, the cunning of some Taxi drivers in the world has always been well known.
This should not discourage us to get a Taxi in Rome but it is good to know the rules and ask for them to be respected.
Therefore, is useful to point out that, if you have a dispute or problem with a Taxi driver, you can:
– call the Local Police at +39 06 6710 4282
– send an e-mail to: protection.consumatori@comune.roma.it;
– make a report through the website www.turismoroma.it.
As an alternative to the Taxi service, the Transportation service offered by Uber has also been available for some time now in Rome Italy.
Uber in Rome
Many still wonder if there is Uber in Rome or if Uber is illegal in Rome Italy.
This is because the obstacles created by the taxi cooperatives have slowed down Uber’s presence in Rome for a long time. Uber struggled a lot before being able to enter the official transport network in Rome.
As in other countries, to book an Uber car you need to access the app or the website www.uber.com. Select the travel options, the time and the size of the car (normal, black sedan or SUV) you will be able to know the fare immediately. This is a prerogative that gives the customer greater peace of mind.
It is always better booking Uber in advance.
Hop On Hop Off Rome
Hop On Hop Off bus is a mode of transportation commonly used by tourists.
Could they miss the Hop On Hop Off in Rome Italy, the Eternal City? Certainly not.
If you ask me if it is worth using a Hop On Hop Off in Rome, you will see me very perplexed. The reasons are different. The first is that Rome’s public transport service, well distributed and made particularly advantageous by the Metrebus offer. Looking at a map of Hop On Hop Off in Rome, it is easy to see that they basically follow the same route as the regular buses which, included in the Metrebus offer, travel with a much lower frequency. The third not least is that guests of Olive Tree Hill receive much more information for free than is spread about the Hop On Hop Off.
As you will have understood, with the necessary instructions and except for particular mobility problems, our advice to visit the Eternal City of Rome at its best is to wear a comfortable pair of shoes and use the public transport in Rome Italy which, thanks to the Metrebus offer allow you to discover those wonderful sites of Rome Capital and the Metropolitan City of Rome which, although less known, are absolutely worthy of attention.
Metrebus: the best solution to get around Rome
Now that we know better about Rome’s Transport service it will be easier to get around in Rome.
Choosing among the right solution between the available Metrebus offers, you have the chance of getting on and off on trams, buses, metros, and regional trains.
Now that we know better about Rome’s Transport service it will be easier to get around in Rome.
Choosing among the right solution between the available Metrebus offers, you have the chance of getting on and off on trams, buses, metros, and regional trains.
The wide range of tickets and passes available with the Metrebus offer allows you to easily visit Rome without feeling the need to use Taxi or Hop On Hop Off buses.
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