Transportation

Getting to and from Rome

There are regular trains that travel to all the major cities in Italy and Europe from Termini station, just northeast of the Palatine Hill and the Forum. Trains are comfortable and fast. Buses run from various city bus stop to the Lazio region and from Stazione Tiburtina to other destinations throughout Italy. Eurolines is the main carrier for other European destinations, leaving from opposite Tiburtina.The main road connecting Rome to the north and south of Italy is the Autostrada del Sole, which connects with the ring road circling the city.

Travel By Train

Stazione Termini is Rome's main train terminal; the Tiburtina and Ostiense stations serve some long-distance trains, many commuter trains, and the FM1 line to Fiumicino Airport. Some trains for Pisa and Genoa leave Rome from, or pass through, the Trastevere Station. You can find English-speaking staff at the information office at Stazione Termini, or ask for information at travel agencies. You can purchase tickets up to two months in advance either at the main stations or at most travel agencies. Lines at station ticket windows may be very long, and electronic ticket machines are complex, though they have instructions in English; you can save time by buying your ticket at a travel agency. Remember that you can reserve a seat up to one day in advance at a travel agency or up to three hours in advance at a train station. Tickets for train rides within a radius of 100 km (62 mi) of Rome can be purchased at tobacco shops and at some newsstands, as well as at ticket machines on the main concourse. Like all train tickets, they must be date-stamped before you board, at the machine near the track, or you will be fined.

Train information is available from the state agency, Ferrovie dello Stato (FS; phone: 848/888088 in Italy, www.trenitalia.it).

If you are traveling to Rome from the U.K. , information is available from: British Rail (phone: 020/7834-2345). French Railways (phone: 0891/515-477).

Travel By Car

The main access routes from the north are A1 (Autostrada del Sole) from Milan and Florence and the A12-E80 highway from Genoa. The principal route to or from points south, including Naples, is the A2. All highways connect with the Grande Raccordo Anulare (GRA), which channels traffic into the city center. Markings on the GRA are confusing: take time to study the route you need.

Travel By Bus

There is no central bus terminal in Rome. COTRAL (phone: 800/431784 toll free) is the suburban bus company that connects Rome with outlying areas and other cities in the Lazio region. Long-distance and suburban buses terminate either near Tiburtina Station or near outlying metro stops such as Rebbibia and Anagnina. For COTRAL bus information, call weekdays 8 AM-6 PM.

Italy 's bus network is extensive, although buses are not as attractive an option as in other European countries, partly because of the comparative low cost and convenience of train travel. However, in some areas buses can be faster and more direct than local trains, so it's a good idea to compare bus and train schedules. To reach some smaller towns, the bus is likely to be your only option. Bus service outside cities is organized on a regional level and often operated by private companies.

If you're traveling by bus from the United Kingdom, have some euros on hand to spend en route. And be sure to consider the train, as bus fares are quite high, especially when you take the long and tiring overnight journey into account. Eurolines runs a weekly bus service to Rome that increases to three times a week between June and September.