ROME, GETTING AROUND

Updated on September 20, 2019

WALKING

Rome is a city not only to visit, but also to savor. Most of the streets have some kind of beauty or charm, but it is certainly too big, so using public transport at some point is inevitable.

COMMUTER TRAIN

Regional trains make stops at major stations in the city, but usually take indirect routes, so I don’t recommend them.

TAXIS AND UBER

Traffic in Rome is very dense, so they become expensive, although it is a good choice for 4 travelers. Uber, although expensive in Rome, may be a better option, since its price is not influenced by traffic.

BICYCLE

The center of Rome is not efficiently conditioned for cyclists and can be dangerous given the traffic and cobbled streets. In addition, there are more slopes up and down than it may seem.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION PRICES

A single ticket costs € 1.5 and does not allow transshipment between subway with other means of transport, but it does allow transshipment for 75 minutes between buses and trams.

For this, and especially if the bus is going to be taken, it is better to buy a pass, which is what they want and that is why they complicate our lives (explained below):

One day pass € 7.
2 days € 12.5.
3 days € 18.

They are valid for metro, bus and tram, but they must be validated on each route (those that are not validated are the monthly passes, so it may seem that locals slip through without paying).

SUBWAY

Every time they try to expand it, they find new ruins, that must be evaluated. Because of this, the network is too small for the size of the city, although well distributed and useful for tourists.

There are only two operational lines, with interchange at Termini:

From there, the Orange line (had been Red lifelong) allows you to reach the Spanish Steps, Piazza del Popolo and the Vatican (20 minutes).
Blue arrives near the Coliseum in just 5 minutes.

Open until 11:30 pm (1:30 am Friday and Saturday).

BUS

Most operate at approximately 5:30 a.m. to midnight. At peak times there is a maximum of 1 every 10 minutes.

The lines of greatest interest for tourists are 40 and 64 (which makes the same route as 40, but with more stops), which pass near some of the main attractions, but these two lines do not provide an advantage over the subway. Others that may be useful are lines H (Piazza Venezia, Trastevere) and 714 (St. Mary, St. John Lateran).

Still, I hate them, a lot. The city bus system in Italy in general and Rome in particular brings out the worst of oneself:

Due to heavy traffic, they are very unpunctual.
Itineraries showing the stops are not the most intuitive ones I’ve ever seen.
But the worst, what irritates me, is the buying tickets system. On buses you cannot buy the ticket, which are only sold in metro stations, kiosks and tobacconists. Let’s see, if I’m waiting for the bus probably is because there’s no subway station nearby, so you search for a tobacconist or newspaper stand, but beware that not all tobacconists and kiosks sell tickets. Besides, which tobacconist or kiosk is open at times such as 8 o’clock in the morning, lunchtime or especially after 8 pm? When you finally find the tobacconist, you may have to queue 5 minutes, and then wait for the next bus… So you have to calculate when you will use the bus and buy tickets in advance. They must be validated when entering the bus. If you have not been able to buy a ticket, you have two options: either get on the bus without paying, or do not go up. Do not try that Mr. Roman busdriverdude will have mercy on you at 11 pm because there is no place to buy the ticket, you will be told “is your problem”. If you opt for going up without paying, be aware that inspectors show up very often.

To the Trastévere, have to go by bus ... Photo courtesy of Alejandro de Palma — To the Trastévere, have to go by bus… Photo courtesy of Alejandro de Palma

TRAM

Most operate at approximately 5:30 a.m. to midnight. In rush hour some pass every 5 minutes.

They can be useful to go to the hotel but do not go near attractions, except for number 8 (light green) and 3 that runs along the Trastevere, and the last one also near the Colosseum.