Rome Airport Transfers – From The Airports to The City

After a long flight to Rome, going through customs, and waiting for your luggage, the last thing you want to do is have to figure out the best and most cost-efficient way to get from the airport to the heart of the city. In this guide, we’ll go over some of the best Rome airport transfer options available to you.

How Far Is It From The Airports to The City?

There are 2 airports you can use if you wish to fly directly to Rome:

Fiumicino Airport

Fiumicino, which is also referred to as “Leonardo da Vinci Airport” is the main airport that most people use when flying to Rome, and is also the biggest airport in Italy. From Fiumicino to the city center is a 34 km journey, meaning finding a means of transferring from the airport to the city is a must.

Ciampino Airport

Ciampino is an airport that is typically used by budget airlines, however is much closer to the city center, being located only 16km away. Compared to Fiumicino, this is a much shorter airport transfer, although still too far to walk with all your luggage!

Rome Airport Transfer Options

There are many different airport transfer options available when you touch down in Rome, and depending on your budget, and how fast you would like to arrive at your accommodation, will influence which Rome airport transfer method you choose.

Taxis

Choosing to opt for a taxi as your method of airport transfer is probably the fastest method to get where you want. When exiting the airport you won’t struggle to find a taxi who is willing to drive you to the city center immediately, making it a very convenient option. 

While the fastest method, getting a taxi is also one of the most expensive. A taxi from Rome’s main airport, Fiumicino, costs around €48 to go to any destination within the city’s ancient walls. Unfortunately you will find that base price is also subject to a load of hidden extras, such as for luggage, time of day, etc. that you won’t know about until you arrive.

And Rome’s cabbies have an unfortunate reputation for playing a little fast and loose with their charges, and the rules, and of course they only take cash. Your experience travelling in a taxi while in Rome will massively vary depending on the taxi driver you get. As a general rule, be prepared to spend more than you think you might have to if choosing to use a taxi as a Rome airport transfer.

Uber

Another Rome airport transfer option you might be considering is Uber. While you can use the Uber app in Rome, it will cost a fortune. This is because using Uber for “regular Ubers” has been banned in Rome.

While the app works, you are limited to only picking from Uber Black or Uber Lux in Rome, which are the more luxury versions of Uber. This makes it impossible to use Uber if you are looking for a cheap ride in a regular car as a form of transferring from the airport to the city center.

Transfer Buses

One of the cheapest options available when looking at Rome air transfers is to use a shuttle bus service. Both the Fiumicino and Ciampino airports have shuttle bus services that run from the airport to Termini Station in the center of Rome. The Termini Station is connected to both major metro lines, meaning it is easy to get from Termini to anywhere in the city.

There are multiple buses that leave regularly throughout the day, and depending on where you transfer from, can take around 40–50 minutes to arrive in the city center.

• Fiumicino Airport – €7 one way, 50-minute journey, a bus every hour.
• Ciampino Airport –  €7 one way, 40-minute journey, buses run 13 times a day.

It is recommended that you book your shuttle bus in advance for when you arrive, to guarantee that you don’t miss out if all of the seats are taken.

Welcome Pickups

So step in a miraculous new service called Welcome Pickups. This combines the best of Uber, in that you can book it in advance, pay online, and you know exactly who’s going to be picking you up. For the price of a taxi, you get a named driver who will wait for you in the terminal, speaks perfect English, and can provide local insight.

And even better, Welcome Pickup has transparent pricing and no hidden extras, so you know exactly how much you will be paying for your Rome airport transfer.

Better still, your English-speaking driver will meet you at the gate with a name card, and will wait for your plane for up to an hour in the event of a delay, making it an incredibly user-friendly experience, perfect for those who have just arrived in the country for the first time.

Welcome Pickup also accommodates larger groups and their luggage, providing options for minivans for just €69, making it an incredibly cost-effective way to transfer from the airport to Rome.