Ciampino is Rome’s second airport, and the destination of choice for many of Europe’s low-cost airlines. It is less well served by transport links than Fiumicino Airport. But it is closer to Rome city center than Fiumicino. We explore your options.
Arriving after 11pm? How to get to and from Ciampino airport at night >
Getting into Rome city from Ciampino Airport:
Welcome pickups
Halfway between a taxi and a limo, this service combines all the benefits of a private transfer, with modern technology.
You get the details in advance of your named driver who will wait for your flight in the airport with your name on a card, speaks fluent English, is a local, and can provide various recommendations and insights into the city.
The price is €14 more than the official taxi price of €30 but you can pay online before you leave, someone who speaks English is guaranteed to be there to meet you, there are no hidden extras, and there is no worry about being ripped off.
Bus & Metro
Two new bus lines were laid on in 2017 and 2018 that connect Ciampino airport with the Metro system. You can use either of them with a regular €1.50 Rome public transport ticket, which can be bought from the Chef Express café in the terminal building. This means that if you’re not in a hurry, you can travel the entire way from CIA to your hotel for only €1.50!
- The 720 bus leaves stand 4 outside the arrivals hall every twenty minutes. This connects with Laureatina, the southernmost end of Linea B of the Metro system.
- The 520 bus leaves stand 4 and connects with the metro station at Cinecittà. This is on the A line of the metro.
Both lines operate between 5.30 am and 11.30 pm (see what to do if you arrive into CIA at night). Depending on your destination, these bus/metro combos will get you pretty much wherever you want to go. For most tourist destinations (Spanish Steps, Barberini, Vatican), the 520/Linea A route will be the best.
To buy a regular public transport ticket in Ciampino, there is only one place to get them, namely the Rome Tourist Information desk in the arrivals hall, which is open from 8.30 am to 6 pm. If it’s shut, don’t despair – you can download the “MyCicero” app and buy a ticket on your phone.
Train & bus
Unfortunately the train from Ciampino is not the best option. The nearest train does not leave from the airport: you need to travel three or four miles to Ciampino town center, where you can connect. The train, while relatively fast, is also infrequent. It arrives into Termini station. Local buses to the station from the airport leave around every half hour, take 15 minutes, and cost around €1. A taxi to the station will cost around €10. Train tickets are only €1.50.
Taxi
Like at Fiumicino, Taxis are meant to charge a set fee for anywhere in the city. This is a reasonable €30 per car for up to four passengers including baggage, to destinations within the Aurelian Walls (essentially the city center). However as always, there are extras such as out-of-hours charges, baggage charges, that can increase the price – and drivers may often try to add fake ‘fees’ on, or rely on you not knowing what the official set charge is.
Coach
Ciampino is served by several coach companies. Your low-cost carrier will sell you a ticket on the plane for around €4-5 each way, which will usually save you about €2 off the price of a ticket sold at the door of the coach, but it does mean you have to wait for the specific coach company that the airline sold you, and can’t jump on the next available coach.
There are fewer companies operating at Ciampino than at Fiumicino, and as a consequence when several flights at the same time they can be a little oversubscribed. They take less time to get to the city center than from Fiumicino – between 30-40 minutes – and also end up at Termini Station.
Summary
Service |
Pros |
Cons |
Buy from |
---|---|---|---|
Welcome Pickup |
Drops you at hotel, personal service, waits for your flight 24-hour service, transparent pricing | Subject to traffic | Book Now > |
Taxi |
Drops you at hotel, not extortionate | Subject to traffic, bad reputation for ‘hidden extras’ | Pay driver €30 cash. |
Airport shuttle |
Drops you at hotel | Subject to traffic, relatively expensive | Book Now > |
Metro & bus |
Cheapest option | Infrequent bus, does not run late | Buy a combined transport ticket at airport. |
Coach |
Cheap, direct | Slow, subject to traffic | Buy a ticket at the door of the bus. |