Rome Transportation Tips by mccalpin

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: Rome, like most cities in Europe, has a working public transportation system (unlike, say, much of the U.S.). Rome has a subway system, but it is limited in scope, and, frankly, I've never been on it.

There are two bus systems, the one within Rome and the one around Rome. The one within Rome is called ATAC. The one around Rome is called Cotral.

ATAC's website is http://www.atac.roma.it/. Note the British flag in the upper left corner for the English version of the site.

Cotral's website is http://www.cotralspa.it/home_page.asp

ATAC does have various passes. I used the monthly pass in the past (one benefit was that you boarded by the less crowded front door rather than the very crowded rear door - I don't know if that's still true).

When I lived in Rome (a long time ago), I noticed that many people would board the back of the bus and not pay. Occasionally, transit police would board the bus and fine anyone without a valid ticket - unless you pretended to be a dumb tourist who didn't understand the system (OK, sometimes, it's not pretend). I noticed, however, that this was not generally true of Italy (not paying), but of Rome in particular. When I asked people in other cities if people paid to use the bus, they would stare at me in disbelief - when I mentioned "Rome", they would roll their eyes and say "Oh, that's Rome!".

Note that on the ATAC site, that there are links to all sorts of transportation in Rome and in Italy. Look for "transports".

In short, the bus system goes everywhere you want, assuming that you won't walk. It is really unnecessary to have a car, unless you want to drive out to places outside of town.

Bill

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Website: http://www.atac.roma.it/

'Mode': TO,AROUND
Category: Airplane
Getting TO/AROUND: This is a note I posted on a forum on handicap access from Leonardo da Vinci to Civitavecchia:

First, how to get from the airport (Leonardo da Vinci, or "Fiumicino" as the locals call it (from the town that it is in)) to Civitavecchia:
1. At the airport itself, take the train to Stazione Termini (Rome's main train station)
2. At Stazione Termini, take one of many trains to Civitavecchia (about an hour ride, I think).
3. At Civitavecchia, take a taxi to the port - actually, I am told that the distance is not far, but for anyone travelling with luggage, much less a handicap, why not take a cab?

OK?

For the airport, look at http://www.adr.it/content.asp?L=3&IdMen=630 . At the bottom of the page is a link for "special assistance" and lists locations of lounges for special needs. One of them is at the train station in the airport. Note that I recently emailed a question to the redazione@adr.it (editorial staff for the website), and I got an answer within a day(!!!), so you might try, too.

For the Italian train system, I have found two pages, but, unfortunately (perhaps), they are only in Italian. The page for wheelchair-bound people is http://62.110.170.238/disabili/viSed.html, while a list of offices to contact is at http://62.110.170.238/disabili/hodi.html . In any case, it is clear that some trains, at least, are able to handle wheelchair bound passengers, and major stations can use lifts to load the passengers. Your travel agent should be able to use this information to get more specifics.

Also, if you're in Rome a while, there is a page by ATAC (Rome's bus system) on handicapped access - see http://www.atac.roma.it/disabili/index.asp?A=3&S=36&lng=2 - this is in English.

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Website: see note

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Car/Motor Home
Getting TO/AROUND: It is not legal for most people to drive around in the city center of Rome during weekdays and part of the weekend. This is what an official website says:

"Monday through Friday from 6.30 to 18.00 and Saturday from 14.00 to 18.00 you are not allowed to drive to downtown Rome, unless you are a resident or you are granted a special permission.

All 22 streets accessing the so-called "Limited Traffic Zone" (Z.T.L. in Italian) have been equipped with electronic access detection devices, which are able to detect and record illegal access of vehicles. This electronic access detection system "reads" the plate numbers of vehicles illegally accessing the Zone and the vehicle owners will receive a fine at home.

All tourists wishing to drive to downtown hotels by their private car should first contact the hotel management. Upon arrival the hotel has to send a fax containing numberplate and days of stay to ATAC.
fax 0039 06 57 11 82 59 to avoid the fine.

For further information, please visit www.atac.roma.it or call the Information Center at the number 06 57 118 333 (Monday through Friday from 8.00 to 18.00, Saturday from 14.00 to 18.00)." from http://www.romaturismo.com/v2/romatiaccoglie/en/centrostorico.html

I have finally found the maps of the various Z.T.L. zones in Rome; however, the index and maps are only in Italian at the ATAC website. Please see the map index for the list of maps. Note that "diurna" means daytime, and "notturna" means nighttime.

Note that sectors A through F are generally the center of Rome east of the Tiber. Sector G is Trastevere.

Note that the ZTL hours for Trastevere (Sector G) is different than the others - cars without the proper authorization are banned from Sector G only from 06:30 to 10:00 on Monday through Saturday. At this point, there does not appear to be a ban after 10 a.m.

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Phone: 06 57 118 333
Website: http://www.romaturismo.com/v2/romatiaccoglie/en/centrostorico.html

'Mode': TO
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: Effective October 1, 2006, the City of Rome has set fixed fees for taxis going between inside the Aurelian Walls (i.e., the city center) and the city's two airports: Fiumicino and Ciampino (i.e., in both directions).

The fixed fee is 40 euro to/from Fiumicino and 30 euro to/from Ciampino. This fee covers up to four passengers and includes the luggage fee.

If you had previously seen this tip, note that previous URL is no longer valid. The new URL of the press release about these fixed fares is at press release.

Note that the map of the area within the Aurelian Walls can now be found at Aurelian Walls Boundary.

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Phone: 06671070844
Website: www.romatourismo.com

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: Rome has a great public transportation system, which goes everywhere around town. However, it does this through its bus and tram system, as the two Metro lines only go to certain places.

Unfortunately, the ATAC website (the public transit system) is mostly in Italian, including the landing page. The following discussion will show English speakers how to use the website.

The Metro Lines A and B run from 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., except on Saturday, when they run until 12:30 a.m. There is sometimes construction that forces riders to use the bus instead.

Normal buses run all day until midnight or so (I am not sure of the exact time), then they switch to night service, which means that many routes stop running but some routes still run with reduced service.

You can actually have the ATAC website (the public transit system) calculate your routing, if you want to test how long it takes to get from a proposed hotel address to the city center. Go to http://infopoint.atac.roma.it/bw.asp?lingua=eng . ***Note that this link has been recently updated, the older link is no longer valid***

Put your hotel's address at the depart from address (note that the street number goes in the separate box to the right of "No"), and put "Piazza Venezia" as the arrival at address (or any other address you'd like to try, like "Piazza San Pietro" for the Vatican, or "Piazza dei Cinquecento" for Termini. Then update the date and time. Actually, you can probably leave the date alone, but note that the time defaults to the current time in Rome, which may not be what you want. Then hit Calculate.

If you do this and compare day time versus night time (after midnight), you'll see the solution change as things shift to night service.

Note that this is one solution, but frequently not the only solution. But it will give you an idea of how long it will take to get places.

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Website: www.atac.roma.it

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: If you want maps of Rome's public transportation system, go to http://www.atac.roma.it/linee/index.asp?i=6&p=1 .
"Roma citta" is the city of Rome.
"Roma centro" is the city center.
"Metro e ferrovie regionali" is the Metro and local trains.
"Rete tranvaria" is the tram network.
"Linee notturne" are the lines running at night.
"Linee di Ostia" are the lines either to or in Ostia (I haven't looked)
"Linee periferiche" are lines outside the city center
"Linee elettriche" are electric bus lines

Note that each of these downloads are zip files that contain one pdf file - the one you want...so you have to have an unzip product and Adobe Acrobat Reader to view them...

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Website: www.atac.roma.it

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: Types of tickets for public transit for Rome's buses/trams/Metro:
BIT - Integrated Time Ticket <== one time use
BIG – Integrated Daily Ticket <== all day
BTI – Integrated Tourist Ticket <== 3 day
CIS – Integrated Weekly Ticket <== 7 day

See the full descriptions at the ATAC website at http://www.atac.roma.it/index.asp?p=1&i=870&o=3&a=3&ci=55&tpg=2&lingua=ENG

NOTE: there are important restrictions on these tickets. For example, the one time ticket must be validated (put in machine on the bus), and it is good for 75 minutes - the fine is 52 euro is you violate this. Please read the links.

These tickets can be used on :
- Atac buses (including the trams)
- Cotral buses (urban routes)
- Cotral Trains: Roma–Lido, Roma–Viterbo (Rome - Sacrofano leg), Roma–Pantano
- A and B subways (for one trip , including those requiring switching lines without having to pass through the turnstile)
- FS trains (one trip, one direction)

Tickets can be bought at nearly 2,000 resellers (tobacco stores, kiosks, bars, and card shops) in the region of Lazio (except for the yearly pass) and at resellers in the train stations in the region of Lazio.
The automatic ticket machines accept banknotes and coins of various types, but give change ONLY as 5, 20, and 50 (euro) cent pieces, up to a total of 2 euro.
In the case that more money is put in the machine that the ticket costs:
- the ticket will be issued if the change can consist of only 5, 20, and 50 (euro) cent pieces;
- the ticket will not be issued if the change must consist of 1 or 2 (euro) cent pieces, or is more than 2 euro. In such a case, the message "Change not available - cancel the operation" and the money will be returned.

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Website: www.atac.roma.it

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: NOTE:
In order to be valid, all tickets described in the previous tip (BIG, BTI, CIS, ert.) must always be stamped at the BEGINNING of the first trip. Validating machines are located: on the buses, trams, the Roma-Pantano and Roma-La Giustiniana trains, subway turnstile entrances, Roma-Lido trains and FS trains.

These tickets must be conserved until the carrier has arrived at its destination, and shown, upon request, to the ticket inspector.

See separate note about the weekly ticket above (see link under "CIS").

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Website: www.atac.roma.it

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: There are now 2 passes in the area of Rome that combine transportation with museum discounts!

The Roma Pass is a combination 3 day public transit ticket and a museum pass to many (but not all) museums in the city of Rome.

The Roma&Più Pass ['Rome and more'] is a combination 3 day public transit ticket and a museum pass to many (but not all) museums in the province of Rome. That is, the Roma&Più Pass not only include the benefits of the Roma Pass, also has the ability to use certain Cotral buses which run in the province of Rome outside the city of Rome, as well as giving discounts to certain museums out in the province.

For example, the Roma&Più Pass gives you access to the Villa D'Este and Hadrian's Villa ("Villa Adriana"), which are outside the city, but well within the province (they are near Tivoli).

The Roma Pass is 20 euro.
The Roma&Più Pass is 25 euro.

Please see http://www.romapass.it/english/cosa.html for more information on both passes.

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Website: http://www.romapass.it/english/cosa.html