You’ve arrived in Rome, your feet are hurting and you’re about to try and cram in as much as humanely possible in a single weekend. You’ve probably got a list of the attractions you want to hit, and your restaurants list is possibly as long as your arm. But there’s one thing you’ll need to get to grips with before anything else – and that’s transport.
How good is public transport in Rome?
We’re going to start off by being brutally honest here: Rome’s public transportation leaves much to be desired. And it’s not made any easier by its many underground ruins, historic cobblestone streets and sprawling cityscape. So ideally we’d recommend staying in a central hotel and bringing comfortable shoes so you can visit most attractions on foot. But hey, sometimes you’ll need to use public transportation to move around. So let’s get into it.
What’s the best way to get around?
Buses are the easiest and cheapest way of getting around (plus you get to see the sights on the way), but Rome has three metro lines, six tram lines and more than 350 buses connecting its various neighbourhoods, along with urban train services. Just beware of your belongings: pickpocketing is a problem on buses and metros, particularly major tourist routes that connect the city’s biggest attractions, notably the 64 and 40 Express between Termini and the Vatican.
How do I pay for public transport?
You can buy tickets at any Tabaccheria in the city (look for the signs with a big ‘T’) or simply use the new digital ‘Tap&Go’ service on board buses, trams and the metro to pay with a contactless card. Tickets are valid for 100 minutes across all forms of public transportation, making it a very affordable way to move around the city, if you have a flexible schedule (note that I say flexible as public transportation is often delayed here).
Note that you can only enter and exit the metro once with your ticket. Children under 10 years old are free. You can also purchase 24-hour, 48-hour, 72-hour, weekly and monthly tickets at vending machines within the metro stations. For more information, consult the ATAC website.
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Livia Hengel is an Italian writer based in Rome. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
