Fiumicino Airport to Central Rome - Transport Guide

Fiumicino Airport, which is also called Leonardo da Vinci, is Rome’s main airport, and it’s on the coast around 32 kilometres from the centre. To get from Fiumicino to Rome, you have four real options: the Leonardo Express airport train to Termini, the FL1 regional train, one of the cheap airport buses or a fixed-fare taxi.

Planning a last minute trip to Rome? 🇮🇹
Here are my favourite places to stay & things to do in The Eternal City.

🛌 Places to Stay:
1. H10 Palazzo Galla (an excellent hotel in walking-distance of everything)
2. Mercure Roma Centro (hotel with a rooftop pool overlooking the Colosseum!)
3. Colosseum Corner (cosy place around the corner from Colosseum, I really enjoyed staying here)

🏟️ Top Activities & Tours:
1. Colosseum is a must, of course - I recommend this Underground Tour
2. Skip-The-Line Tickets to The Vatican Museum & Sistine Chapel (this will save you hours!)
3. If you've got 4-5 days, consider going on a day trip to Pompeii & Mount Vesuvius, The Amalfi Coast or Tuscany

What suits you best depends on where you’re staying and when you land. The Leonardo Express is quickest to Termini and Monti, the FL1 is cheaper and stops in Trastevere and Ostiense, while a taxi is the easy option if there are several of you or you land late. Here you’ll find fares, journey times, where to get off and what to do at night. For the rough conversions I’ve used about £0.84 and $1.13 per euro.

If you’d rather drive yourself from the airport, you can compare prices on rental cars at Booking.com.

At a glance

• Leonardo Express: €14 (about £12/$16), 32 minutes direct to Roma Termini, runs every 15 minutes from just before 06:00 until around 23:30.
• FL1 regional train: €8 (about £6.80/$9), to Trastevere, Ostiense, Tuscolana and Tiburtina, runs every 15 minutes on weekdays and every half hour at weekends.
• Airport buses: From €4 (about £3.40/$4.50) online to around €9 (about £7.60/$10), 45 to 60 minutes to Termini, some also go to the Vatican, and TAM runs all night.
• Taxi: A fixed fare of €55 (about £46.50/$62) for the whole car to the centre within the Aurelian Walls, and the journey time depends on the traffic.
• Private transfer: Booked in advance, the driver waits in the arrivals hall, and the price is agreed before you land.

Finding your transport at the airport

Fiumicino has two terminals in use, Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. The railway station is within the airport grounds close to the terminals, and it’s signposted all the way, so just follow the signs for the trains. Tickets for both the Leonardo Express and the FL1 are sold at the ticket office and from the machines at the station, and there are also ticket machines in the airport.

Most of the airport buses to Rome stop at Terminal 3, where each bus company has its own numbered stop, while Cotral stops at Terminal 1. Buses to other Italian cities leave from the airport’s bus terminal on the arrivals level of Terminal 3, at bays 20 to 26, next to exit 6. Follow the signs for Bus Station.

Taxis wait on the arrivals level outside both Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. Car-sharing cars from Enjoy and Free2move are picked up on the top floor of the short-stay car park at Terminal 1. You can see it all on the airport’s page about getting to and from Fiumicino.

1. Leonardo Express to Roma Termini

The Leonardo Express is the airport train, and it runs from Fiumicino to Roma Termini without stopping along the way. The journey takes 32 minutes, and there’s a train every 15 minutes. Termini is Rome’s main station and the hub for the metro, the city buses and the trains to the rest of Italy, so from here you can get to most of the city.

According to the airport, the first train leaves Fiumicino at 05:38 and the last one at 23:27. The train avoids the roads, so the journey time holds even at rush hour, when a taxi can get stuck in traffic on the motorway into the city. Luggage doesn’t cost extra, not even large suitcases.

The train is my first choice if you’re staying near Termini, in Monti or somewhere you can easily reach by metro. The catch is that Termini is in the eastern part of the centre. If you’re staying in Trastevere or near Ostiense, the FL1 is both cheaper and closer, and if you’re staying in the historic centre near the Pantheon, you’ll have to carry on by taxi or bus from Termini. On the other hand, it’s one of the most predictable options when you’ve just landed.

Fares and tickets

A single ticket costs €14 (about £12/$16), and it’s valid in either direction, so you simply buy one ticket for each journey. There’s no return ticket. Children under 4 travel free, and each paying adult can take one child aged 4 to 11 along for free. If there are four adults, you can buy a Minigruppi ticket for €40 (about £34/$45) that covers all four of you in one purchase instead of €56 (about £47.50/$63), but you have to travel together.

You can buy the ticket online from Trenitalia, at the ticket office, from the machines at the station and from authorised retailers. A paper ticket is valid for 90 minutes once it’s been validated, while a ticket bought online is only valid for the train shown on it. The standard ATAC tickets for Rome’s buses and metro aren’t valid on the Leonardo Express. Fares and rules are listed by Trenitalia.

I’d bought my train tickets before I left home, and it saved me maybe 15 to 20 minutes of queuing. You can also buy your Leonardo Express ticket here, so it’s ready on your phone.

Paying by card: Tap&Tap

You don’t have to buy a ticket in advance. At the gates at Fiumicino station and at Termini, you can pay directly with a contactless Visa, Mastercard or American Express card, your phone or your watch. Hold your card against the reader with the Tap&Tap symbol before you board, and wait for the confirmation. On the Leonardo Express, you don’t need to tap out again when you get off.

Each person needs their own card, because one card only covers one ticket, and you show the same card when your ticket is checked on the train. You pay the full adult fare, so children’s tickets and Minigruppi tickets have to be bought another way. Read more about Tap&Tap at Trenitalia.

Where to get off

Roma Termini: The Leonardo Express only has one stop, and that’s Termini. Monti is right next to the station, so you can walk to many of the hotels from there, and Monti is also the obvious neighbourhood if you want to stay close to the Colosseum. You can see hotels in Monti here. I wouldn’t recommend staying in the area right around the station itself, because it can feel unsafe late in the evening.

Metro A from Termini: Line A runs towards Spagna by the Spanish Steps and on to Ottaviano in Prati, close to the Vatican. It’s the easiest way to carry on if you’re staying in Prati and don’t want to take the bus to the Vatican.

Metro B from Termini: Line B runs via Cavour in Monti and Colosseo to Piramide, which is the station for Testaccio. A single metro ticket costs €1.50 (about £1.25/$1.70) and is valid for 100 minutes, and you can pay contactless at the gates.

2. FL1 regional train to Trastevere, Ostiense and Tiburtina

The FL1 is an ordinary regional train, and it leaves from the same station at the airport as the Leonardo Express. It runs through the south-west of Rome and stops at Trastevere, Ostiense and Tuscolana, among others, before it reaches Tiburtina, where Rome’s tourist office puts the journey time at 48 minutes. Check the departure board to make sure the train stops at the station you need.

According to the airport, there’s a train every 15 minutes on weekdays and every half hour at weekends and on public holidays. The train doesn’t go to Termini, and that’s what a lot of people miss. On the other hand, it stops closer to Trastevere and Testaccio than the airport train, and the ticket is almost half the price. It’s an ordinary commuter train, so it can be crowded at rush hour. There are more details on the airport’s page about the trains.

Fares and tickets

A ticket from the airport to the stations in Rome costs €8 (about £6.80/$9), and that covers Trastevere, Ostiense, Tuscolana and Tiburtina. If you’re going further out, to stations outside the city zone, it costs €11 (about £9.30/$12.50). The rules for children are the same as on the Leonardo Express: children under 4 travel free, and one child aged 4 to 11 travels free with each paying adult. The fares are listed in Trenitalia’s fare sheet for Fiumicino Aeroporto.

You buy your ticket from the machines or the ticket office at the station, and a paper ticket has to be validated before you board, after which it’s valid for 90 minutes. If you pay by card with Tap&Tap, remember to tap out with the same card when you get off. Otherwise, Trenitalia charges the highest fare for the region. Rome’s standard 24-, 48- and 72-hour tickets don’t cover the whole journey to the airport.

Where to get off the FL1

Roma Trastevere: The station is at the southern end of Trastevere, and it’s the best stop if you’re staying in the neighbourhood of narrow streets and restaurants. Expect a walk or a short taxi ride from the station to the hotels around Santa Maria in Trastevere. You can see hotels in Trastevere here.

Roma Ostiense: The station is connected to Piramide metro station on line B, and from here it’s a short walk to Testaccio with its market and good places to eat. It’s also a good place to change if you want to carry on towards the Colosseum by metro.

Roma Tuscolana: A smaller stop in the south-east of the city. It’s only relevant if your hotel is nearby.

Roma Tiburtina: Rome’s second big railway station, where you can change to metro line B and to trains and long-distance buses to the rest of Italy. It’s some way from the classic tourist neighbourhoods, so it suits you best if you’re travelling on by train or bus.

3. Airport buses to Termini and the Vatican

The buses are the cheapest way straight to Termini, and several of them also stop at the Vatican. On the other hand, they take longer than the train, because they use the same roads as the rest of the traffic. Allow 45 to 60 minutes to Termini, and more at rush hour. Most of the buses leave from the arrivals level at Terminal 3, and the biggest companies are SIT Bus Shuttle, Terravision and TAM. Cotral and Rome Airport Bus also run buses, and you’ll find all of them on the airport’s page about the buses.

SIT Bus Shuttle: Leaves from stop 16 at Terminal 3 and stops at the Vatican on Via Crescenzio and at Termini on Via Marsala, right by the station. It’s the obvious choice if you’re staying in Prati, because Via Crescenzio is in the middle of the neighbourhood.

Terravision: Runs straight to Termini without stopping, and the company itself reckons on around 45 to 50 minutes. Terravision also has a route to the Vatican on Via Crescenzio, which takes around 40 minutes. The bus runs roughly every 20 minutes, and there’s no limit on how much luggage you bring, as long as there’s room.

TAM: Runs to Termini, where the bus stops on Via Giolitti by the station, and some departures also go to Ostiense. TAM runs around the clock, so it’s one of the few options if you land after the last train.

Fares and tickets

Prices vary from company to company. With SIT Bus Shuttle, a single ticket costs €7 (about £5.90/$7.90) and a return €13 (about £11/$14.50), and if you buy your ticket at the stop, it costs €2 (about £1.70/$2.30) extra. See the prices at SIT Bus Shuttle.

Terravision sells tickets online from €4 (about £3.40/$4.50) to Termini and from €6 (about £5.10/$6.80) to the Vatican, and the price goes up the closer to departure you buy. Children aged 4 and under travel free. See the route at Terravision. With TAM, a single ticket costs €9 (about £7.60/$10) and a return €15 (about £12.50/$17) at the stop, and you’ll find the timetable at TAM.

The buses are best if you’re travelling alone or as a couple and want to save money, and if you’re staying in Prati. With children or lots of luggage, the train is the more comfortable choice. Buy your bus ticket from Fiumicino to Termini here, so it’s ready when you land.

4. Taxis and private transfers

Rome’s taxis charge a fixed fare from Fiumicino: €55 (about £46.50/$62) to the centre within the Aurelian Walls, which covers the historic centre, Monti, Trastevere and Testaccio. The fare is for the whole car and applies in both directions, and all supplements for luggage and the like are included. Before you set off, tell the driver that you want the fixed fare. To Ostiense it costs €50 (about £42/$56), and to Tiburtina €60 (about £51/$68). All the fixed fares are listed by Roma Mobilità.

If you’re going somewhere without a fixed fare, for example Prati, which is outside the walls, the taxi runs on the meter. The minimum fare is €35 (about £29.50/$39.50), and if your hotel is inside the GRA ring road, the journey can cost no more than €80 (about £68/$90). The journey time depends entirely on the traffic, so at rush hour the train is quicker. Before you set off, ask the driver how you can pay.

Only take a taxi from the official ranks on the arrivals level. The licensed taxis are white, with a TAXI sign on the roof and the licence number on the doors, on the back and inside the car. The airport itself warns against people inside the terminal offering rides, so say no thanks and head to the rank. You can read more on the airport’s page about taxis.

For two people, the train is much cheaper, but if there are three or four of you, the difference is small. Four Leonardo Express tickets cost €56, and even with the Minigruppi ticket, you still have to get from Termini to your hotel. The taxi takes you all the way to the door for €55.

Private transfer

If you want your transport sorted before you land, or you’re landing late with children, a private transfer is the easiest option. The driver meets you in the arrivals hall, and the price is agreed in advance. You can book a private transfer from Fiumicino here. The airport itself points out that this kind of chauffeur service has to be booked in advance.

Onward travel around Italy straight from the airport

If you’re not heading into Rome, you can often take a bus onwards straight from the airport. FlixBus, Itabus, Sulga and Tiemme, among others, run from the bus terminal at Terminal 3 to other cities in Italy, and you can find and compare the tickets on Omio.

If you’re travelling by train, take the Leonardo Express to Termini or the FL1 to Tiburtina, as these are the two big stations with trains to the rest of the country. If you’re landing at Rome’s other airport instead, I’ve written a guide to getting from Ciampino Airport to Rome.

Getting back to the airport

Towards the airport, the Leonardo Express runs from Termini from 04:50 to 23:05, according to the airport, so you can catch even the early morning flights by train. Buy a new ticket for the journey back, or pay by card at the gates. The FL1 runs from Tiburtina, Tuscolana, Ostiense and Trastevere, and the ticket costs the same as on the way in.

If your flight leaves in the middle of the night, the TAM bus runs around the clock from Via Giolitti by Termini, and taxis charge the same fixed fare from the centre to the airport. How early you need to be at the airport depends on the airline and the destination, so check their recommendation. If someone’s driving you, they can stop in the Kiss&Go area for up to an hour in the bays marked with blue lines, according to the airport’s FAQ.

Which option should you choose?

Here’s what I’d recommend, depending on where you’re staying:

Pantheon and Navona: Take a taxi at the fixed fare, because the historic centre is a long way from both Termini and the railway stations, and the narrow streets aren’t made for dragging suitcases. If you’re travelling light, you can take the Leonardo Express to Termini and a taxi or bus for the last stretch.

Trastevere: Take the FL1 to Roma Trastevere and walk or take a short taxi ride for the last stretch. It’s both cheaper and quicker than going via Termini.

Monti: Take the Leonardo Express to Termini and walk down into the neighbourhood, or take metro line B one stop to Cavour.

Prati: Take SIT Bus Shuttle or Terravision to Via Crescenzio in the middle of the neighbourhood, or the Leonardo Express to Termini and metro line A to Ottaviano.

Testaccio: Take the FL1 to Roma Ostiense and walk over to Testaccio from Piramide.

If you land at night: After the last train at around 23:30, it’s either a fixed-fare taxi or the TAM bus to Termini, which runs all night.

If there are three or four of you: Take a taxi. The fixed fare of €55 covers the whole car, so it doesn’t cost much more than three or four train tickets, and it takes you all the way to your hotel.

Practical tips for getting from Fiumicino Airport to central Rome

Pay for the train by card if you’re travelling alone or as a couple. With Tap&Tap, you simply hold your contactless card against the reader at the gates and skip the queue at the machines. Remember that each person needs their own card.

Take your child along for free. On both the Leonardo Express and the FL1, one child aged 4 to 11 travels free with each paying adult, but children’s tickets can’t be bought with Tap&Tap, so buy the family’s tickets from the machine or online.

Buy day passes for the city, not for the airport. ATAC’s tickets at €1.50 (about £1.25/$1.70) and the passes at €8.50 (about £7.20/$9.60) for 24 hours and €22 (about £18.50/$25) for 72 hours are valid on buses, trams and the metro, but not on the Leonardo Express. If you pay contactless with Tap&Go on the metro, the system makes sure you never pay more than the price of a 24-hour pass in one day. See the prices at ATAC.

Only take official white taxis. Go straight to the rank on the arrivals level, and turn down drivers who approach you inside the terminal.

Choose your hotel with the connection in mind. If you stay in Monti, you’re at your hotel shortly after the Leonardo Express pulls into Termini, and you can see hotels in Monti here. In Trastevere, the FL1 stops right by the neighbourhood, and you can see hotels in Trastevere here. If you want to stay in Prati, the airport bus goes all the way to Via Crescenzio, and you can see hotels in Prati here.

If you’re not sure which neighbourhood suits you, read my guide to where to stay in Rome, and find ideas for your trip in my guide to things to do in Rome.

Travel ressources & websites I use all the time 👇

• Booking.com has the best offers on hotels and unique places to stay
• GetYourGuide is the best place to book tours & activities with free cancellation
• Welcome Pickups is the best & safest place to pre-book airport transfers

Psst 👀 Have you subscribed to my Youtube channel and my Instagram where I provide more useful travel tips?