The subway system and other Rome, Italy Transportation Tips

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Subway/Metro
Getting TO/AROUND: There is a subway system in Rome, and it's not hard to use. But sometimes it does get crowded (although I think the fact that I was there during World Youth Day may have had contributed to that...) so be careful with your money. Also, if you're a girl, be careful of men trying to feel you up.

If you look closely at my picture, you'll notice that the guy I'm leaning on is asleep with his mouth open! We had just finished a 10km pilgrimage walk from Tor Vergata, and we were exhausted. The people in my picture are all from my WYD group.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: To get to different places in town, there are public busses in Rome, and they're air-conditioned (although the AC isn't very strong). They can be crowded though, so like with any public transportation, watch your money. Public transportation is a prime spot for pickpockets and thieves.

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'Mode': TO
Category: Airplane
Getting TO/AROUND: We flew over to Rome. We had Air Canada from Montreal to Frankfurt, then Alitalia from there to Rome. The flight is a few hours and on the way over, we saw the Alps out the plane window while we were flying over the mountains.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: Walking is one of the best ways to explore Rome. That way, you can see the city itself instead of just the inside of a subway/bus car and what's surrounding the tourist attractions. On my first night, I walked from Piazza di Spagna, to the Trevi Fountain, to the Piazza del Popolo, to the river, down the river, and across a bridge to St. Peter's Square, and though my feet took quite a beating, I loved every minute of it! If you have the time and/or are visiting Rome without a set schedule, I highly recommend taking the time to stroll around the city to explore on your own.

Be sure to wear comfortable shoes. I managed in strappy high-heel sandals but I'm a dancer - we have tough feet. There are a lot of cobblestone streets in Rome and you don't want to end up with a sprained ankle. One thing that did annoy me at times is when I'd be walking on a cobblestone street, and the skinny heel on my sandal would sink into the space between the stones and get stuck. That meant I had to yank my foot out and it could be dangerous whenever I happened to be in the middle of the street.

Also, watch out for the traffic - drivers (both car and motorbike) are crazy. I nearly got run over by a motorbike that jumped the curb onto the sidewalk.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: I've heard a lot of stories about taxi rip-offs but I never had any problems. At night, it's best to take a cab because the busses and metro don't run late and it can be dangerous to walk at night. If you're travelling with someone, just share the cost. But even in times when I took a cab on my own, the most I paid was around 10 Euros (from the Testaccio nightclubs to my hostel close to Termini).

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'Mode': TO
Category: Train
Getting TO/AROUND: Termini is the main train station in Rome and there are trains going to/from pretty much every city in Italy. Just buy a ticket either at the counter or the ticket machines near the platforms. If you're going to/from the Leonardo da Vinci (Fiumicino) airport, there is a special train that takes you directly to/from there for much cheaper than a taxi (it also runs pretty much every hour).

Just a few tips:

-remember to get your ticket stamped at the yellow machine on the platform. Just stick the ticket in, it gets stamped automatically. If you don't do this and your ticket gets checked on the train, you might have to pay a fine.
-trains don't always run on time in Italy, especially the cheaper trains. My train coming back to Rome from Assisi was late, and so was the connecting train in Foligno.
-watch out for pickpockets in Termini. This station is notorious for having thieves prowling around.

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