What is the best way to get from Rome Fiumicino Airport to the city? All information about transfer options and waiting times at FCO.
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Rome Fiumicino is the largest airport in Italy and has been awarded for the best service in Europe since 2017. More than 40 million passengers arrive and depart every year, up to 170,000 per day. What is the best way to get from the airport to the center of Rome and from the city to the airport? How much time do you need at the airport?
After landing at Rome Fiumicino airport, how much time do you need?
It takes one hour from landing to the exit of Rome Fiumicino airport, 40 minutes for Schengen flights with hand luggage. You should allow 20 minutes to get to the train or bus station. For example, if you are scheduled to land at 3:00 p.m., book the first train or bus that leaves after 4:20 p.m.
What is the best way to get from Fiumicino Airport to the center of Rome?
It depends on whether you want to get from the airport to Rome as quickly and comfortably as possible or as cheaply as possible. The cheapest options are the airport buses and the regional train. The Leonardo Express to Termini station is a little faster. Cabs and private pick-up services are the fastest and most convenient.
How long does it take to get from Rome Fiumicino Airport to the city center?
The airport is located by the sea near the fishing village of Fiumicino, about 30 km from the center of Rome. A highway connects it to the city’s ring road and the southern district of Roma EUR. There is a direct rail link, the “Leonardo Express”, to Termini Central Station and the FL1 ring line.
The times and fares shown are based on a destination in the city center around Via del Corso. Waiting times at the station, taxi rank or shuttle bus are also taken into account.
| Travel time | Price | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shuttle bus | 90-110 minutes | €8.50 per person | Change at Termini to public transport |
| Local train FL1 | 1 hour 20 minutes | 8 € per person with regional ticket BIRG 3 zones | Change at Trastevere to public transport |
| Leonardo Express | 1 hour 15 minutes | 15.50 € per person | Change at Termini to public transport |
| Cab | 60-80 minutes | 55 € up to 4 persons | |
| Private pick-up | 40-60 minutes | 70 € up to 4 persons |
Private transfer from the airport
The most convenient solution is to be picked up directly at the terminal. The driver will help you with your luggage and take you to your destination as quickly as possible.
Together with your reservation you can order 72-hour tickets for public transport, which the driver will give you.
As a newcomer to Rome, this service makes it easy to get to your destination without having to worry for long. Professionals enjoy the luxury and convenience.
Taxis at the airport
There are taxi stands at Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. If the lines at T1 are too long, you can go to T3 where the lines are usually much shorter. Only take taxis from the taxi ranks and do not accept any other offers!
The fixed price for trips within the city walls is €55, otherwise you pay the taximeter price. Roman taxis are responsible for trips within Rome. The local taxi companies are responsible for trips around the airport. For more information, see our article on taxis in Rome.
Taxis to the airport
The journey from Rome to the airport can be pre-booked. This is very helpful as cabs can be scarce at certain times of the day and in bad weather. The Samarcanda cooperative, which offers this service, is one of the best cab companies in Rome.
Leonardo Express
The Leonardo Express generally runs non-stop every 15 minutes from Fiumicino Airport to Termini Central Railway Station. The journey takes 32 minutes. Children under 12 travel free when accompanied by a fare-paying adult.
Leonardo Express online tickets
With an online ticket, the date and time of travel can be changed as often as desired until the day before the scheduled departure. On the day of travel, it is possible to change the reservation until the scheduled departure of the booked train. To be on the safe side, you can book a later train and change your booking at short notice after arrival. Free Wi-Fi is available at the airport.
On-site ticket purchase options
Leonardo Express tickets can be purchased on site or paid for contactless. At the airport, tickets can be purchased from machines located at the baggage carousels or in the airport railway station. There are also machines at Termini train station. However, these are often besieged by people offering to “help” tourists buy tickets.
With contactless payment, you check in directly at the turnstile with a credit card or smartphone and can buy one trip per payment method. At your destination you have to check out contactless. The rail company calls this Tap & Tap. At Termini station, the Leonardo Express departs from platforms 23 and 24, where the turnstiles are located.
Regional Train
The regional train is slower than the Leonardo Express because it has many stops. However, if you don’t need to go directly to Termini station, it can be an interesting alternative. The FL1 regional train runs in a semi-circle around the city, stopping at Trastevere, Ostiense and Tiburtina. At Trastevere you transfer to St. Peter’s Basilica, at Ostiense the metro B crosses and starts the line to Ostia, Tiburtina is a fast train station and there is also the central bus station.
Tickets purchased online can be changed up to the scheduled departure time. Children under the age of 4 travel free when accompanied by a fare-paying adult.
Shuttle buses
At the end of Terminal 3 there is a bus station where the airport buses to Rome and other directions depart. The SIT bus is very popular and stops at Via Aurelia and Castel Sant’Angelo on the way to the Central Station. Terravision goes directly to the Central Station.
Car rental
A rental car is not essential for your stay in Rome. However, if you want to explore the beautiful and varied surroundings of Rome, a rental car is the first choice. Many car rentals are located directly in the parking garages at the airport.
Other car rental companies pick up their customers at a meeting point on the departures level. Take the escalator up to the departures level and go to the meeting point in the parking lot between T1 and T3.
How long before departure do I need to be at Fiumicino Airport?
For Schengen flights, one hour before departure is sufficient for carry-on baggage and online check-in. If you need to check-in at the airport, the waiting time depends on the airline and is usually up to 30 minutes. Low-cost airlines have few check-in counters and require passengers to be at the airport up to three hours before departure. For non-Schengen flights, allow up to 30 minutes for passport control.
When do I need to go through security at Rome Fiumicino?
As the walk to the gate can be long, you should arrive at the security checkpoint at least 60 minutes before your flight’s departure time – or 90 minutes before your flight’s departure time if you also need to go through passport control.
The security checkpoints at Rome Fiumicino are equipped with the latest technology so that electronic devices and liquids do not need to be unpacked (except for flights to the USA and Israel). The waiting time is therefore only a few minutes. Pregnant women and families can use the Family Lane. There is also a free priority lane called QPass. Reservations can be made free of charge at https://fco.clearme.com/.
At Rome Fiumicino Airport
If you arrive at the airport early, this is not a big problem. As soon as you have checked in, you can go to the inner area of the airport. There you will find excellent restaurants for an aperitif and a good meal, as well as many interesting shops. If you are flying outside the EU, you can shop here tax free.
Many passengers come here early to relax before their flight. There are airport lounges in both Terminal 1 and the non-Schengen area of Terminal 3 where you can recharge your electronic devices and store your luggage if you want to take a walk around the airport.
I love this website, thank you for helping out visitors to Rome.
Thank you 🙂
Thanks for being active for years, I am sure you are helping lost tourists like me.
While this might have been answered, I am asking for complete clarity so I can travel with peace of mind.
I am arriving from Delhi to Rome on ITA Airways at Terminal 3, then for some reason while it is a non Schengen flight, my flight from Rome to London which is 4 – 5 hour later on the same PNR says departure as Terminal 1.
I understand from your comments that most likely checkin maybe at Terminal 1, but actual departure will be from Terminal 3, I have asked the airline for clarification too, but worst case scenario, if I had to go from Terminal 3 to Terminal 1 with my bags already checked-in, can I do so without passiMassport control.
Hi Ankush,
the information about Terminal 1 concerns check-in, but if you are checked through from Delhi to London baggage included, you do not need to leave the Extra Schengen Area. It’s not recommended to do a second check-in with baggage in Fiumicino and then you would have to go through passport control. The extra Schengen transit area is very nice and you can book the premium lounge for a comfortable waiting time.
Hi Bernhard,
I am flying into Rome FCO from Split landing at 2310 (no checked luggage)
Do you know if there are still shuttle buses going to Vaticano Prati area at that time? If not what are my options?
How would you get to your hotel at that time on a budget?
Hi Michelle,
at that time are no direct connections to the Vaticano Prati area, but only to the Termini train station with the Terravision bus or with the Leonardo Express train. From there you can take a bus to the final destination. After midnight run night buses.
If you are registered with a car sharing service like Enjoy you can use their cars.
Hello,
We arrive in Rome from the U.S. at 12:15pm at T3 and we have a connecting flight to Naples T1 at 1:30pm.
We did not check our bags.
Is that enough time?
Can we walk directly to T1 or do we need to go through immigration and customs first?
Thank you, Mary
Hello, without checked baggage is not a problem. You can go directly in the transit area from T3 to T1. When leaving T3 you have to go through passport control.
Hi!
I have arrival at T3 on Thursday 1st September at 16:20 and departure from T1 at 17:20. I am worried that this won’t be enough time for my luggage to be moved from one plane to another. Am I right to say that I don’t have to go through security again and go directly to T1 to catch another plane?
Hello, You can go directly from T3 to T1 without security check. You must not leave the transit area to do this. If you go through the gates to the baggage carousels, you will then have to go to the exit, go up to the departure levele and through security. Baggage handling is the responsibility of the airline and this shall work in an hour.
Hi! We are staying in a hotel near the airport, in the seaport area, on our last 2 days in Italy. If we need to travel to Roma Termini via the airport Leonardo Express, can we enter the airport train station without going through security?
Hello, you can go directly into the station through the parking garages or even through the airport (T3 arrivals) without going through security.
Hey! I have booked a connection flight at FCO for the 2nd of sept. The first flight (from Abu Dhabi) lands at terminal 3 and the second flight takes off (to Toronto) at terminal 3 as well. What are the steps I have to go through during the connection? are there transit visas? customs process? etc. Please help as I am traveling soon. Thanks
Hello,
if you have checked through your baggage to the final destination you can stay in the transit area without any formalities. Otherwise, you must comply with the EU immigration regulations.
If I have to retrieve my baggage and then re-check in, what would be the process? also, how much time would an average person need to make a transit at FCO?
You have to go through passport control (remember that this is a regular entry into the EU) and then you can pick up your baggage. Then go up one level from Arrivals to Departures and check in with your airline. After that you have to go through security and passport control and then you are back in the transit area. For this, you have to expect at least two hours from the moment you got off the 1st plane.
We are 3 friends arriving to FCO in different flights.
Is there any area where we can wait for the rest of the group? some will have to wait 3 hours so searching options where to wait besides next to baggage claim.
Thanks!
FCO has a very nice transit area airside, but if you need to pick up luggage, you can’t wait there. Terminal 3 has a large area with bar, restaurant and stores on the second floor. When you arrive in T3, after customs go left and you find escalator and elevators. When you arrive in T1, take the pedestrian bridges to T3. Or you take the pedestrian bridge to the Hilton Rome Airport and meet there at the bar.
Hey. I plan on arriving a day early and staying at the adjoining Hilton. The next day we walk back to the airport and take a transfer service (taxi) to the cruise port. Is it safe to assume there is no issue going back into the airport and waiting for the taxi at the arrivals area after leaving customs? Can you recommend a transfer company? Thanks!
Hello. Yes, you can go back to the airport and take a cab there. But if you book a private driver, he will also pick you up safely at the Hilton at the airport. I could recommend you this transfer service from the airport to Civitavecchia.
Hi. In your experience, how long is the immigration clearance at FCO? I’m planning to go directly to Florence via high speed train from Roma Termini. If I arrive at 6am at FCO, will I make it to my 930am train at Roma Termini? I’m not an EU citizen, if that helps. Thank you!
Yes, this is feasible. On average, passport control takes 20 minutes. You should catch the Leonardo Express train at 8:38 at the latest, which arrives at Termini at 9:10.
We are departing Rome on Tuesday October 11, 2022. Our flight departs at 11:00 am for the US. What time do we need to get to the airport?
The rule is to be at the airport two hours before departure.
I am departing FCO to the United States and do not plan on checking a bag. Can I go directly to Terminal 5 and by pass baggage drop off?
Hi Susan, I think, terminal 5 is closed. You shall leave from T3 and if you have a web check-in you can go directly to the security control.
I’m staying in Fiumicino along the seafront and wondered how much a taxi will be from the airport please. Also if I get a 3 day pass can I use it starting the nxt day or does it start from the day I buy it.
Hi Kath, there are no fixed taxi prices from Fiumicino village to the airport. I don’t know which pass you mean. Fiumicino is not part of the metropolitan area of Rome and you can’t use the city tickets of Rome, which are valid 24/48/72h from the first trip. The city tickets are valid in Ostia Lido, which is part of the City of Rome. From Fiumicino to Rome you need a 3 zone ticket (this is not valid for the express train from the airport to Termini main railway station) and you can buy tickets for more days.
There is a ticket for 3 days that is called BTR and is valid until midnight of the 3rd day after the first trip. For 3 zones it costs 22 €. Then there is a 7 day ticket CIRS and it costs 34,50 € for 3 zones. The day ticket BIRG is valid from the first trip until midnight and it costs 8 € for 3 zones.
Hi,
I have arrival at T1 on Sunday 29th May at 08:45 and departure from T3 at 10:35. Will this be enough time? I do not have hold luggage only hand luggage. Am I correct in saying I don’t have to go through security again?
Hello,
yes, that’s enough. You can go to T3 without leaving the transit area and don’t need to pass security.