Transportation in Rome: Metro, Bus and Taxi Made Simple

Public transport in Rome, including the metro, city buses and trams, runs on a wide and fairly efficient network.

The fastest way to get around the historic center is the metro. That said, much of central Rome is walkable, since the most famous monuments in Rome are all in that area. Your feet may complain by the end of the day, but you'll go to bed thinking one thing: it was worth it.

More about getting around Rome

Rome's transport network is run by ATAC (Azienda per i Trasporti Autoferrotranviari del Comune di Roma), which operates three metro lines, suburban rail lines, six tram lines, three trolleybus lines and 400 bus routes.

Download the metro and rail line maps as a PDF from the official ATAC site.

Rome Metro

The Rome metro (or «la metropolitana», as Italians call it) has three lines: line A (orange), line B (blue) and line C (green).

A single ticket costs €1.50 and is valid for one journey of up to 100 minutes. See all the details, including the map, key stations and opening hours, on our Rome Metro page.

Buses and trams

Rome's buses and trams also run from 5:30 am until midnight, and you can use the same travel ticket you use for the metro. Trams are a great option if they cover the area you're interested in, as they come often and don't get stuck in rush-hour traffic the way buses do.

Even so, Rome's buses can be very handy for reaching certain sights that the metro simply doesn't serve, such as the Baths of Caracalla and the Catacombs of Rome, both easy to reach on bus 118.

From 12:30 am to 5:30 am more than 20 night bus lines are in service, with their main hubs at Roma Termini (Piazza del Cinquecento) and Piazza Venezia.

For more on routes, stops and timetables, visit the official website of Rome's public transport, ATAC SpA (English and Italian only).

Trains – Roma Termini

The main station is Roma Termini, Rome's busiest hub.

From Rome you can catch trains all over Italy or to cities abroad, as well as to other Italian cities such as Milan, Venice or Florence.

Tickets aren't as pricey as in other European capitals, so before booking a tour or one of the day trips from Rome, it's worth checking whether you'd save a lot more by buying the train ticket directly.

Taxis

A few tips: before getting into a taxi in Rome, make sure it belongs to a recognized company, that the meter is working and that the driver resets it to zero at the start of the ride. Always ask roughly how much the trip will cost for your destination.

Never accept a ride from a driver who approaches you offering their services. An official Rome taxi driver will never do that. Keep in mind that calling a taxi adds around €3 or €4 to the fare, depending on how far the car has to travel to reach you.

The most reliable way to get a taxi (far more so than flagging one down from the curb) is to head straight to one of Rome's taxi ranks. Here are some of the main ones:

1. Stazione Taxi Cavour – Piazza Cavour, 17
2. Piazza del Popolo
3. Piazza di Spagna 42
4. Piazza Navona – Piazza delle Cinque Lune, 33
5. Largo di Torre Argentina, 47

It's hard to hail a taxi on the street, especially at night, so here are some numbers for Rome's main taxi services:

• Radio Taxi: 06 3570
• Pronto Taxi: 06 6645

UBER

You can also use UBER in Rome. Just open the app on your phone, request a private car and it will be there in minutes. No extra charges or surprises, since the system calculates everything automatically.

To get started, open this link and claim €10 in credit.

Guide to Rome's airports

On our page about Rome's airports you'll find everything you need to know about Fiumicino and Ciampino.

Find out the best way to get from each one into central Rome or straight to your hotel.

Other ways to get around Rome

Hop-on hop-off sightseeing buses

The Rome sightseeing bus runs from 9:00 until 19:00 in summer and 17:00 in winter. It's a handy way to reach the city's landmarks, among them the Colosseum, Circo Massimo, Piazza Venezia and the Trevi Fountain.

You can hop off at any of the stops listed above, and tickets are available for 24, 48 or 72 hours. The full loop takes about 2 hours. Buy your ticket here.

Transfers in Rome

If you're looking for a transfer in Rome, we recommend checking out the cheapest options for transfers to and from Rome's airports.