ROME TRANSPORTATION

The Bus, Tram and Metro Rome's pubblic Transport is comparatively cheap, comprenhensive and as efficient as the busy streets allow. Priests, nuns, tourists, pilgrims, business-men and pickpockets all pile aboard, transforming the buses and trams into mobile saunas during the summer. Short distances are better covered on foot, because heavy traffic often blocks the roads. Getting off at the right stop can be difficult, but other passengers will usually help if you ask for directions. Always keep a tight hold on your valuables.

Examples of bus stop (with details of routes served) and ticket for the bus (cost 1 €, about 1US$)

Rome's underground system, the Metro, has two lines (A and B) which cross the city in a rough X- shape, converging at Termini station. Line A ( Red on the map ) leads from Ottaviano near the Vatican to Anagnina in the southeast of the city, where buses go to Ciampino airport. Line B ( blue on teh map ) runs from Rebibbia in the north-east, where you can catch a bus to Tivoli, down to Eur in the southwest, where buses leave for the coast. Stations are clearly marked by the Metro logo, a large white M on a red background. The system was designed to ferry commuters in from the suburbs, so is not very useful within the centre, but the Metro is a relatively speedy way of crossing the city. Useful stations are Colosseo, Spagna, San Giovanni, Ottaviano and Piramide ( For trains to Fiumicino). Metro Line C is due to be completed by 2000, linking St Peter's to the Colosseum. Line A runs from 5.30 am- 11.30 pm and Line B 5.30 am - 10.30 pm

Click here for the map of the metro in Rome

Click here for maps of busses, metro, tram, and also to obtain a free map of Rome and Italy

Rome is provided with a large public transport system, constituted by more than 200 bus lines, 2 underground lines and a city railways system. In spite of this capillarity you can't say that movements are carried out quickly, most of all because of slackenings caused by traffic. Waits at bus stops can be sometimes longer than 15 minutes, even if ATAC (the firm that manages public transport in Rome) during the last years has markedly improved services and quality of transport. Anyway public transport is actually the only way (except for two-wheeled vehicles) to move in the historical center area, which is a limited traffic area and where parking is practically impossible. In the most part of the city during Jubilee some parking areas by payment have been set up by the commune; this makes easier the possibility to find a place for your own car but at the same time it makes some zones extremely expensive to stay in. Usually by night and in working days even parkings by payments can be used freely. In order to allow fewer cars to arrive from outside the city, some exchange parkings have been set up, actually very little used. Behind the historical center large parkings by payment stand; the most important is Ludovisi parking near Villa Borghese (an entry is through Piazza di Spagna underground). You can find a place even in Temini Station parking. Prices are not particularly expensive if the stop is limited to few hours, less reasonable for longer stays. All around the city, traffic is chaotic; during the rush hours, even big thoroughfares born for high flowing traffic (the main are Via del Foro Italico, East Ring-road, Via Cristoforo Colombo, Via Palmiro Togliatti) are often overcrowded; same situation for GRA (big ring-road that goes round the city). By day moving by car means spending much time even for quite short journeys; that's why almost every Roman family has got one or more two-wheeled vehicles (motorcycles, scooters). In Rome there aren't many bicyles and the cycle paths are limited and not well kept, so we advice to use this transport only in limited traffic areas of the historical center.