Rome Italy information
[click here to view a larger map]Rome, the capital of Italy, rises on the banks of the Tevere about 25 kilometers from its main outlet in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Rome is situated at the center of an undulating plain, the Campagna Romana, which is confined to one side by the hills of Monte Mario, Gianicolo and Monteverde and on the other side by smaller hills of volcanic origin - the so-called "Seven Hills."
Two thousand years of history have made the artistic and architectural patrimony of Rome so rich that the tourist feels overwhelmed. Thus it is preferable to outline a precise travel program and to set specific objectives, according to one's taste and the amount of time available for Rome travel.
By Plane * (From the airport to the city) - The Leonardo da Vinci airport, situated at Fiumicino,is about 36 km from Rome. A train line connects the airport to the air
terminal, near the Roma Ostiense train station. The terminal is, in turn, connected
via moving platform to the contiguous subway station Pyramid ("Piramide")
(line B). The train leaves every 20 minutes from 5:30 to midnight.
It is also possible to enter Rome using buses that stop just outside the
airport. They go to the air terminal of via Giolitti, situated alongside the
Termini Station. -
The Ciampino airport, 16 km southeast of Rome, is the destination for most air
charters and for some domestic lines.It is connected to the Termini Station by a local train line and by the buses
that go outside the city limits ("extraurban"). The most comfortable solution,
but also the most expensive, is given by taxis, which serve both airports.
ByTrain * All international trains and most Italian trains stop at the Termini Station
in Piazza del Cinquecento, situated near the urban center.
For information, go to the Ufficio dell'Azienda Autonoma delle Ferrovie di
Stato (National Railroad Office), open from 7:00 to 23:30, telephone 4755.
At the Tiburtina Station there are stops, especially during the night hours,
for some trains headed south.
ATAC, the Roman urban transport society, manages the subways, trams, and
buses.
There are two subway lines in Rome. The first, line A, crosses the city from the
western side (via Tuscolana - via Appia) to the Vatican section; the second,
line B, connects the eastern zone (Rebibbia) with the EUR (Exposizione Universale
di Roma), crossing line A near Termini Station.
At the ATAC offices one can purchase the Romapass, a card that allows three days of travel throughout the entire transport
network. At the offices one can request a free card that indicates subway, tram, and
bus routes. Part of the historical center is criss-crossed by the electric
minibus 119, which leaves from Piazza Augusto Imperatore.
Some taxi services in Rome are: the Cooperative Autoradiotaxi Romana, tel. 3570 Radiotaxi La Capitale, tel. 4994 Radiotaxi Cosmos, te. 88177.