Getting Around Rome

Inner-City Transportation Overview

Although most of Rome 's sights are in a relatively circumscribed area, Rome is too large to be seen solely on foot. Take the metro (subway), a bus, or a taxi to the area you plan to visit, and expect to do a lot of walking once you're there. Wear a pair of comfortable, sturdy shoes to cushion the impact of the sampietrini (cobblestones). Heed the advice above on security. Get away from the noise and polluted air of heavily trafficked streets by taking parallel streets whenever possible. You can get free city and transportation-route maps at municipal information booths; the transportation maps are probably more up-to-date than those you can buy at newsstands.

A ticket valid for 75 minutes on any combination of buses and trams and one entrance to the metro costs EUR0.75. You are supposed to date-stamp your ticket when you board the first vehicle, stamping it again when boarding for the last time within 75 minutes (the important thing is to stamp it the first time). Tickets for the Metrebus system are sold at tobacconists, newsstands, some coffee bars, automatic ticket machines positioned in metro stations and some bus stops, and at ATAC and COTRAL ticket booths (in some metro stations, on the lower concourse at Stazione Termini, and at a few main bus terminals). A BIG tourist ticket, valid for one day on all public transport, costs EUR3.10. A weekly ticket (Settimanale, also known as CIS) costs EUR12.40 and can be purchased only at ATAC booths.

Addresses in Italy are fairly straightforward: the street is followed by the street number. However, you might see an address with a number plus "bis" or "A"; for instance, "Via Verdi 3/bis" or "Via Mazzini 8/A." This indicates that 3/bis and 8/A are the next door down from Via Verdi 3 and Via Mazzini 8, respectively.

Rome Buses

In general, this is a good way to travel, but take some time to familiarize yourself with it. Electric buses 116, 117 and 119 are a tourist's friend because they ply the pedestrian areas of Piazza del Popolo, Via del Corso and the centro, hitting the major sights along the way. Whenever possible, use the express buses (with X by the bus number): They're faster and more comfortable. Pickpockets operate on all buses, particularly on those around the tourist areas. Be aware of your wallet and bags at all times.

ATAC (phone: 800/431784 toll free) city buses and tram lines run from about 6 AM to midnight, with night buses (indicated "N") that travel on some lines. A 75-minute ticket costs EUR0.75. The compact electric buses of Lines 117 and 119 take handy routes through the center of Rome that can save lots of walking.

The orange-and-blue J-Line (phone: 800/076287 toll free) buses, which are not part of the ATAC system, are a big help to visitors; their three lines run from 7 AM to 9 PM or so, and take you to some of the major sites and basilicas, with stops at St. Peters, the Forum, and along Via Corso. Tickets cost EUR0.98 for 75 minutes or EUR2.43 for a day pass, and are available at newsstands and tobacconists; ATAC tickets are not valid on the J-Line.

Rome Metro

There are two Metropolitana (subway) lines to travel by. The A line runs from Battistini to Anagnina, crossing the city from west to southeast. The B line runs from Laurentina (near EUR, south of Centro Storico) to Rebibbia and crosses the city from south to southeast. The two lines intersect at Stazione Termini. (Plans for a third line, running from southeast to northwest, have been postponed indefinitely -- they continually encounter ruins while digging the tunnel.) Stations are marked aboveground by a large red M sign.

Rome By Car

Driving in Rome is the next best thing to suicide - especially on a motorbike. Most of the historic centre of Rome is closed to normal traffic, although you will be allowed to drive to your hotel. You'll need to get a parking permit from the traffic police if you wish to park anywhere in the centre, or you'll risk being towed. Italians drive fast and are impatient with those who don't, a tendency that can make driving on the congested streets of Rome a hair-raising experience. Traffic is heaviest in morning and late-afternoon commuter hours, and on weekends. Watch out for mopeds.

Rome Car Rentals

Renting a car is not necessary if you plan to stick to city travel. Signage on country roads is usually good, but be prepared for fast and impatient fellow drivers.

Fiats in a variety of sizes are the most typical rental cars. Remember that most Italian cars have standard transmissions. If you want to rent an automatic, you must specify so when you reserve the car. Higher rates will apply.

Avis (phone: 06/42824728).

Europcar (phone: 800/014410).

Hertz (phone: 199/112211).

Maggiore (phone: 848/867067).

Thrifty (phone: 06/4820966).

Rome Car Insurance

Note that in Italy, all car-rental companies make you buy theft-protection policies.

In Italy your own country's driver's license is acceptable. An International Driver's Permit is nonetheless not a bad idea; it's available from the American or Canadian Automobile Association and, in the United Kingdom , from the Automobile Association or Royal Automobile Club. These international permits are universally recognized, and having one in your wallet may save you a problem with the local authorities.

In Italy you must be 21 years of age to rent an economy or subcompact car, and most companies require customers under the age of 23 to pay by credit card. Upon rental, all companies require credit cards as a warranty; to rent bigger cars (2,000 cc or more), you must often show two credit cards. Call local agents for details. There are no special restrictions on senior-citizen drivers.

Rome Parking

Parking space is at a premium in most towns, especially in the centri storici (historic centers), which are filled with narrow streets and restricted circulation zones. It is often a good idea (if not the only option) to park your car in a designated (preferably attended) lot. Parking in an area signposted zona disco (disk zone) is allowed for limited periods (from 30 minutes to two hours or more -- the limit is posted); if you don't have the cardboard disk (inquire at the local tourist office) to show what time you parked, you can use a piece of paper. The parcometro, the Italian version of metered parking in which you put coins into a machine for a stamped ticket that you leave on the dashboard, has been introduced in some cities. It's advisable to leave your car only in guarded parking areas when you travel.

Rome Road Conditions

Italy has an extensive network of autostrade (toll highways), complemented by equally well maintained but free superstrade (expressways). The ticket you are issued upon entering an autostrada must be returned when you exit and pay the toll; on some shorter autostrade, mainly connecting highways, the toll is paid upon entering. Viacard cards, on sale at many autostrada locations, make paying tolls easier and faster. A raccordo is a ring road surrounding a city. Strade statali (state highways, denoted by S or SS numbers) may be single-lane roads, as are all secondary roads; directions and turnoffs are not always clearly marked.

Autostrade are well maintained, as are most interregional highways. The condition of provincial (county) roads varies, but road maintenance at this level is generally good in Italy. Street and road signs are often challenging -- a good map and patience are essential.

Rules of the Road in Rome

Driving is on the right. Regulations are largely as in Britain and the United States, except that the police have the power to levy on-the-spot fines. In most Italian towns the use of the horn is forbidden in certain, if not all, areas; a large sign, zona di silenzio, indicates where. Speed limits are 130 kph (80 mph) on autostrade and 110 kph (70 mph) on state and provincial roads, unless otherwise marked. Fines for driving after drinking are heavy, including the suspension of license and the additional possibility of six months' imprisonment. Enforcement of these laws varies depending on region; fines, however, are stiff: 10 kilometers over the speed limit can be worth a fine of up to EUR500; over 10 kilometers, and your license could be taken away from you.

Tailgating is the norm here -- the only way to avoid it is to get out of the way. Right turns on red lights are forbidden. Headlights are not compulsory when it's raining and snowing, but it's always a good idea to turn them on. Both seat belts and children's car seats for children under three are compulsory. Car seats must be booked in advance. The cost is generally about EUR36 for the duration of the rental.

Parking fines can be stiff, and are strictly enforced, particularly in cities and major tourist towns. Towing is common, and often the places where the cars are towed are difficult to get to, so it's simply not worth it to take a risk.