Getting There

By Plane

Chances are, you'll arrive at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (tel. 06-65951), popularly known as Fiumicino, 30km (18 1/2 miles) from the city center. (If you're flying by charter, you might land at Ciampino Airport, discussed below.)

After you leave Passport Control, you'll see two information desks (one for Rome, one for Italy; tel. 06-65954471). At the Rome desk, you can pick up a general map and some pamphlets daily from 8:15am to 7pm; the staff can also help you find a hotel room if you haven't reserved ahead. A cambio (money exchange) operates daily from 7:30am to 11pm, offering surprisingly good rates.

There's a train station in the airport. To get into the city, follow the signs marked TRENI for the 30-minute shuttle to Rome's main station, Stazione Termini (arriving on Track 22). The shuttle runs from 6:37am to 11:37pm for 9.50€ ($11.40) one-way. On the way, you'll pass a machine dispensing tickets, or you can buy them in person near the tracks if you don't have small bills on you. When you arrive at Termini, quickly get out of the train, and grab a baggage cart. (It's a long schlep from the track to the exit or to the other train connections, and baggage carts can be scarce.)

A taxi from da Vinci airport to the city costs 45€ ($54) and up for the 1-hour trip, depending on traffic. The expense might be worth it if you have a lot of luggage or just don't want to bother taking a train. Call tel. 06-6645, 06-3570, or 06-4994 for information.

If you arrive on a charter flight at Ciampino Airport (tel. 06-65951), you can take a CoTral bus (tel. 800-150008 within Italy), which departs every 30 minutes or so for the Anagnina stop of Metropolitana (subway) Line A. Take Line A to Stazione Termini, where you can make your final connections. Trip time is about 45 minutes and costs 1€ ($1.20). A taxi from this airport to Rome costs the same as the one from the da Vinci Airport , but the trip is shorter (about 40 min.).

By Train or Bus

Trains and buses (including trains from the airport) arrive in the center of old Rome at the silver Stazione Termini, Piazza dei Cinquecento (tel. 800-431785); this is the train, bus, and subway transportation hub for all of Rome and is surrounded by many hotels (especially cheaper ones).

If you're taking the Metropolitana (subway), follow the illuminated red-and-white M signs. To catch a bus, go straight through the outer hall and enter the sprawling bus lot of Piazza dei Cinquecento. You'll also find taxis there.

The station is filled with services. At a branch of the Banca San Paolo IMI (at tracks 1 and 24), you can exchange money. Informazioni Ferroviarie (in the outer hall) dispenses information on rail travel to other parts of Italy. There's also a tourist information booth here, along with baggage services, newsstands, and snack bars.

A Few Train Station Warnings -- In Stazione Termini, you'll almost certainly be approached by touts claiming to work for a tourist organization. They really work for individual hotels (not always the nicest) and will say almost anything to sell you a room. Unless you know something about Rome's layout and are savvy, it's best to ignore them.

Be aware of all your belongings at all times, and keep your wallet and purse away from professionally experienced fingers. Never ever leave your bags unattended for even a second, and while making phone calls or waiting in line, make sure that your attention doesn't wander from any bags you've set by your side or on the ground. Be aware if someone asks you for directions or information -- it's likely meant to distract you and easily will.

Ignore the taxi drivers soliciting passengers right outside the terminal; they can charge as much as triple the normal amount. Instead, line up in the official taxi stand in Piazza dei Cinquecento.

By Car

From the north, the main access route is the Autostrada del Sole (A1), which cuts through Milan and Florence, or you can take the coastal route, SSI Aurelia, from Genoa. If you're driving north from Naples, you take the southern lap of the Autostrada del Sole (A2). All the autostrade join with the Grande Raccordo Anulare, a ring road encircling Rome, channeling traffic into the congested city. Long before you reach this road, you should carefully study a map to see what part of Rome you plan to enter and mark your route accordingly. Route markings along the ring road tend to be confusing.

Important advice: Return your rental car immediately, or at least get yourself to a hotel, park your car, and leave it there until you leave Rome. Don't even try to drive in Rome -- the traffic and parking are just too nightmarish. Many hotels do not have their own parking lots, and the closest paid parking garage may be blocks away.