Rome Fiumicino to city centre: train, bus, taxi

Rome Fiumicino (Leonardo da Vinci airport) lies about 26 km south-west of the centre, near the coast. The good news: the train station is right at the airport, connected to the terminals by a covered walkway. You have four options – the Leonardo Express train, the regional train FL1, an airport bus, or a taxi. The short answer: take the Leonardo Express if your hotel is near Termini, the main station; take the FL1 if you are staying in Trastevere or near Ostiense; take a taxi if you arrive late or with a lot of luggage.

Rome Fiumicino to the city centre: the options

Times: Leonardo Express from Trenitalia, FL1 to Tiburtina from Turismo Roma (the city's tourism office), taxi as pure driving time to Piazza Venezia based on OpenStreetMap, without traffic. In Rome traffic, plan considerably more for the taxi and for every bus.

The Leonardo Express: the fastest way

The Leonardo Express is a train operated by Trenitalia that runs non-stop between Fiumicino airport and Roma Termini. According to Trenitalia, it takes about 32 minutes and departs every 15 minutes. It runs from early morning until late evening; check the timetable for the first and last train if you land very early or very late.

• Where: follow the signs "Train" from arrivals; the station is a few minutes' walk from the terminals.
• Ticket: the Leonardo Express has its own ticket. The integrated Rome public transport tickets (Metrebus) are not valid on it.
• Buying: at the ticket machines and counters at the station, online, or – according to Trenitalia – directly at the gate with a contactless bank card, phone or smartwatch (one card per passenger).
• Arrival: at Termini, the main station, where metro lines A and B meet and most city buses start. Many hotels are within walking distance or a few metro stops away.

If your hotel is in the area around Termini, Monti or the Esquilino, this is the obvious choice.

The FL1 regional train: cheaper, to Trastevere and Tiburtina

The FL1 is a regional line from the same airport station. It does not go to Termini but crosses the city in an arc: Trastevere, Ostiense (change to metro line B), Tuscolana and Tiburtina, among others. According to Turismo Roma, it takes about 48 minutes to Tiburtina, with trains every 15 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes at weekends and on public holidays.

The FL1 makes sense if you are staying in Trastevere or Testaccio, or near Ostiense or Tiburtina. It is cheaper than the Leonardo Express. One detail: the Roma Pass is valid on this line only as far as Fiera di Roma, not from the airport – so buy a separate ticket for the ride into the city.

Airport buses: the cheapest, the slowest

Several companies run buses from Fiumicino to Termini, some also via the Vatican or Ostiense. They are the cheapest option and run when the trains do not – very early in the morning and late at night. But they share the road with Rome's traffic, so the travel time varies a lot. Timetables and tickets are on the operators' websites; Turismo Roma lists the companies.

Taxi and transfer: fixed fare to the centre

Licensed Rome taxis are white with a "TAXI" sign on the roof. They wait at the official ranks outside arrivals. Between Fiumicino and the historic centre – the area inside the Aurelian Walls – a fixed fare set by the city applies; it is shown inside the taxi and on the city's website. Ignore anyone who approaches you in the arrivals hall offering a ride: Turismo Roma warns that unlicensed drivers may charge much more.

A pre-booked transfer is worth it if you arrive late at night, with children or as a group: a driver waits in arrivals with your name and takes you to the door. Airport transfers in Rome^* can be booked with Welcome Pickups. Our article on when an airport transfer pays off compares the options for ten airports.

Which option suits whom?

• Hotel near Termini, Monti, Esquilino: the Leonardo Express – fast and direct.
• Hotel in Trastevere or Testaccio: the FL1 to Trastevere or Ostiense.
• Hotel near the Vatican or Piazza Navona: Leonardo Express to Termini and a taxi or bus from there, or a taxi straight away at the fixed fare – for two or more people often the most relaxed way.
• Very early or very late arrival, children, lots of luggage: taxi or pre-booked transfer.
• Tight budget: the FL1 or an airport bus.

If you come from outside the EU, for example from the UK, set up mobile data before you land so you can check the timetable and your route straight away – a travel eSIM for Italy^* (Airalo) is usually cheaper than roaming; our eSIM price index compares the prices per gigabyte.

Arriving at Ciampino instead?

Many low-cost flights land at Rome Ciampino, about 20 km south-east of the centre. There is no train at the terminal: buses run to Termini, and city buses connect to the metro. Another option is a short bus ride to Ciampino railway station, from where trains take about 10 minutes to Termini, according to Turismo Roma. Taxis to the centre also charge a fixed fare from Ciampino.

On the day you leave

The Leonardo Express runs the other way from Termini, also every 15 minutes. Plan with the 32 minutes plus a buffer; Termini is a large station, so allow a few minutes to find the platform on the departure board. If your flight leaves in the evening and you have already checked out, you can use luggage storage near Termini^* (Radical Storage) while you see the Colosseum or the Pantheon one last time.

How long to stay and what to see is in our article how many days in Rome, with plans for one to four days.

Rome trip planDay by day, with map and tips

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