Train, Rome

I did an overnight train from Rome to Venice and it was a horrible experience. First of all the trains are packed and people are standing in the middle of the hallways and to find and get through the throng of people on the train is near impossible. I had to stand in the smelly hallway of the train for 3 hrs before I found my sleeper room. Not a very good experience and I will never travel by train at night again. One way you can avoid all the hassle of going through the crowd is look for your car number on your ticket and then stand in front of the area the car is supposed to stop at and embark there.

We're staying in Velletri, a small town on the outskirts of Rome. We plan to use the Rome PIU Pass, which gives free transportation to and around Rome on the public trasportation, free access to two locations (AHH! Walk right by the long ticket lines at the Colosseo!), and many half price admissions on the great collection of museums and sites of interest. It lasts for a 3-day duration.

Link to the Rome Passes (two different versions - PIU is 25 EUR, ROMA is 23 EUR): http://www.romapass.it

Locations the pass includes (discounted rates): http://www.romapass.it/doc/sitiAderentiCostoBiglietti.pdf

To figure which towns are in which zones, you'll need this map by ATAC: http://www.atac.roma.it/docunet/file.asp?mid=3&rid=511

Train lines map: http://www.atac.roma.it/docunet/file.asp?mid=3&rid=385

Map of Metro lines A and B: http://www.atac.roma.it/index.asp?p=1&i=675&o=3&a=3&tpg=2&lingua=ENG

For other options, like a one-day pass (B.I.R.G.), take a look here: http://www.atac.roma.it/index.asp?p=1&i=673&o=3&m=1&a=3&ci=55&tpg=2&lingua=ENG

For public transportation bus lines that are geared for tourists: http://infopoint.atac.roma.it/gru.asp?lingua=eng

We're thinking about using a hop-on-off tourist bus to get our bearings and to listen to a guided tour from the top deck of a double-decker bus. As of 2009, the cost is $18 EUR for one day. There are several different options, but this is the one we like so far. They have a good map of the city and free printable guide: http://www.romeopentour.com/

It may seem like an obvious note but I didn't quite realize how necessary it is!

We arrived at the train station quite early, purchased our tickets, dodged gypsies, found our assigned track and settled down to wait. And wait. And wait.

The wait started to become suspiciously long, so I walked back over to the schedule board to check the status of the train (AGAIN). Lo and behold, the train was listed as having "arrived." Well, it had arrived, though not at our track. It had arrived more than 10 tracks over from where we were.

We ran and ran and ran. Arriving there just in time to watch the train pull away.

Moral of the story: Watch the track number. Watch it until you are actually ready to board the train.

**If you do find yourself having missed your train, return to the ticket counter and speak with an attendant. Typically they can rebook you on the next train.

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The best way to get the major AND majority of sites to see in Rome is by the metro rail / subway. The cost is relatively cheap even in Euros. Whether you set your self up to go "Point A - Point B" or if you want to buy a card to travel for a day. (End the end an all day pass is the greater deal if you have a lot of places to go). Be prepared to start early!

Of course, as in every major city you travel to in Italy, while at the train station get yourself a detailed map with trains and bus routes included. General map and direction skills come in handy. If in a group designate someone for directions and someone for asking for directions, then combine! It may seem pricey but its well worth the information and makes a great keepsake and souvenir.

Pictures Ive included are of the Colosseum, Vatican City, the Pantheon, Plaza of the Popes and the Sistine Chapel. All of which are very near major train stops and walking distances from other major locations.

The one downfall would be if at all possible within your budget DO NOT travel on Sundays. The bus which passes the Colosseum goes by quite a few other locations and is a great second option. Unfortunately, it doesn't run on Sundays and it will hamper to ability get around and add time to your overall travel. This in turn will limit your time at locations you may choose to visit.

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I'm lifting this from my general Italy tips as Rome is a major rail hub...

As is the case in most of Europe, trains are a primary mode of transportation in Italy and usually the easiest, most economical way to get from Point A to Point B. Because train travel is not so common in the US, figuring out how the system works can be a source of some anxiety for Americans taking their first trip by rail in a foreign country. Here's the good news:

Trenitalia operates the vast majority of the country's rail system so the operation is usually very consistent.

Stations in the major cities are well-staffed and you can usually find help.

In many parts of Italy. like major cities and the Amalfi Coast, taking a train is MUCH less stressful than dealing with a car.

And finally, in the course of digging around for tips prior to our Trenitalia shuttle from Rome to Naples, I ran across an excellent web site covering darn near anything you want to know about train travel in Italy, from buying tickets to understanding station signage. I'm passing it along with heartfelt thanks to Italian Slow Travel contributor, Alice Twain. Now if she just could have warned us about the bathrooms!

On the site, click on Public Transportation/Trains in Italy, and have some fun surfing the other helpful categories for making the most of your Italian adventure!

My husband and I took the train from Perugia to Rome and we bought our tickets ahead of time from Rail Europe. Even shipping to the US we had no problems and did not have to worry about full trains.

http://www.raileurope.com/us/index.htm?WT.mc_id=google.Rail_Europe.cpc&WT.srch=1&gclid=CNObuISajpYCFRJexwodIjz3Dw

The best way to arrive in Rome is by train. The main station, Stazione Termini is close to the historic center of Rome. There are several outlying stations, too. You can also arrive by bus near Termini station or in Piazzale Tiburtina in front of the Tiburtina train station. Rome's airport Fiumicino is a major international airport and visitors from the United States often arrive here. You can take a train into Rome from the airport.

Public Transportation in Rome

Rome has an extensive bus and metro system (Metripolitana) so you can easily get almost anywhere on public transportation

I just traveled from Rome to Florence a couple of weeks ago. It is very easy. the Roma Termini has dozens of the ticketing machines by the front entrance. i would recommend buying your tickets the day before and selecting promotions -amica fare and you save about 10-15%. I would just buy my tickets the night before leaving on my way home from a day in the city.