Rome's two airports - the big international gateway at Fiumicino and the compact budget field at Ciampino - and every way from the runway to the centre of town.
Last updated August 24, 2026
In a nutshell: as Italy's principal gateway, Rome draws most overseas visitors by air - landing at Fiumicino (officially Leonardo da Vinci) or Ciampino, then reaching the centre by fixed-fare taxi, by train or by shuttle bus. Full details below; back to how to get to Rome or the planning chapter.
Fiumicino - Leonardo da Vinci, to give it its formal name - is the airport where most overseas visitors land and the nation's front door for international traffic. It offers the widest choice of airlines and routes, plus the only direct rail link into the city: the Leonardo Express runs from here to Termini, with slower regional trains and shuttle buses alongside.
Ciampino is Rome's second airport and the one the low-cost airlines use. Its fixed taxi fare to central Rome is the cheaper of the two - €31 and about half an hour - which makes it a friendlier arrival for anyone not tied to Fiumicino's network.
Both airports have signposted taxi ranks, though queues can grow long at peak times, so booking through an app - Chiama Taxi 060609, itTaxi, FreeNow or Uber - may suit you better. Fares to central Rome - meaning anywhere inside the Aurelian Walls - are fixed and cover every bag and surcharge: €50 from Fiumicino, €31 from Ciampino. Count on 40 to 50 minutes from Fiumicino and roughly 30 minutes from Ciampino.
| Option | What you need to know |
|---|---|
| Taxi from Fiumicino | €50 fixed fare - 40 to 50 minutes - covers central Rome inside the Aurelian Walls, luggage and supplements included |
| Taxi from Ciampino | €31 fixed fare - about 30 minutes - covers central Rome inside the Aurelian Walls, luggage and supplements included |
| Leonardo Express train | Direct from Fiumicino to Termini - no wi-fi on board |
| Regional trains (FL1) | Slower than the express from Fiumicino - no wi-fi on board |
| Shuttle buses | Free wi-fi on most services into central Rome - not on Terravision |
The terminal: Fiumicino stays manageable, with just two working terminals - T1 and T3 - under one roof, and you can walk from one end to the other in about 20 minutes. Terminal T5, closed for renovation, is reached by a short shuttle. Both terminals have pharmacies, ATMs, shops, bars and ground-transport desks; Terminal 3 adds a tourist office open daily and luggage storage. Both airports share one website, adr.it.
The direct airport train reaches Termini in 32 minutes and costs €14, leaving 2 to 4 times an hour in both directions between about 6:00 and 23:00. Tickets come from Trenitalia machines, the Trenitalia app, the ticket office or the newsstand by the platform, and the machines issue open tickets valid on any train. Stamp a paper ticket in the green-and-grey machine before boarding. At the airport, follow the train signs and check your train is bound for central Roma Termini, since airport services also run to other destinations. Returning from Termini, the express usually leaves from tracks 23 or 24 - verify the departure board and confirm with a platform official.
The cheaper trains: regional services at €8 link the airport with smaller stations such as Ostiense, Trastevere and Tiburtina. Staying near Trastevere or the Pantheon? Ride to Trastevere station, then take tram #8 downhill towards your hotel. The Tiburtina train helps when a long-distance coach waits for you there. One or two direct Frecce departures daily link the airport with Florence, Padua, Venice, Bologna and Naples; otherwise a change of trains is usually needed, at Termini or Tiburtina.
Coach companies - Cotral, Terravision, SIT, T.A.M. and Schiaffini - connect Fiumicino with Termini, and the SIT coach also stops near the Vatican. At peak times one leaves every 10 to 15 minutes, so take whichever departs first. At about €7 one-way the coaches undercut the train, but the ride lasts roughly an hour in traffic and buses fill up, so allow extra time. At the airport, the coaches gather at the far end of Terminal 3. If you are travelling as two or more, shared shuttle vans make sense: Rome Airport Shuttle charges €56 for the first two passengers and €12 per extra person, reservation required.
Taxis, the fine print: the drive to the centre takes about 45 minutes when traffic behaves, and the €50 fixed fare - valid anywhere in the historic centre within the old walls, for up to four passengers with ordinary luggage - is posted on the door of every official cab. Tip €2 to €5 for good service. Use only white taxis with the roof light and the maroon logo of Roma Capitale; the fare limits are displayed beside the rank, and cabs based in the nearby town of Fiumicino may legally charge €60. If a driver asks for more, the law sets the fare at €50 and a firm answer settles it.
Ciampino is the compact field that handles charter flights and the low-cost carriers, including most Ryanair services - livelier than its size suggests, and dependent on coaches, buses and taxis rather than rail. The coaches of Terravision, Schiaffini and SIT reach Termini in about 45 minutes for around €6, running twice an hour. The cheapest quick link is Atral's bus at €1.20, which gets you to the Anagnina station on metro line A in 25 minutes, departing every 40 minutes; from Anagnina, line A carries you on towards wherever you are staying. City bus #520 also connects Ciampino with the Subaugusta metro stop on a standard transit ticket. Shared vans from Rome Airport Shuttle serve Ciampino at the same €56 for the first two passengers.