Italy's busiest airport, Fiumicino (FCO), is the main international gateway to Rome. Located near the city center, there are multiple transportation options, including trains, taxis and buses, making it easy to reach your destination.
Rome's Leonardo da Vinci International Airport, usually called Fiumicino Airport, is Italy's main international gateway. It's the country's biggest and busiest airport with service from 95 airlines in 78 countries around the world. The airport is roughly 19 miles from the city center of Rome, and there are numerous ground transportation options.
Fiumicino has two terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. Terminal 3 is much larger than Terminal 1, and is where most of the international non-Schengen flights arrive and depart. The two terminals are connected by a free shuttle bus, but they're close enough that many travelers choose to walk the 10-12 minutes from one to the other.
You have lots of options for getting into Rome from FCO or vice versa.
Taxis are plentiful both outside the airport and all over Rome, and this kind of door-to-door service certainly has its perks. Hiring a taxi makes the trip an easy one, but that usually means it's the most expensive transportation option. The journey between Fiumicino and Rome's city center takes a little more than 30-40 minutes in normal traffic and there's a fixed charge. Rome is divided into several taxi zones, and the fixed fare depends on which one you start or end in (the city center is €55).
The fastest and most cost-efficient way to travel between Rome and its main airport is by train. The Leonardo Express runs between the airport to the Roma Termini train station every 15-30 minutes between the hours of 6:40 am and 11:40 pm, and the trip takes about 30 minutes. A one-way ticket is €14.
Another train option connecting Fiumicino and Rome is the FL1 line. This one stops at multiple points between the airport and central Rome, including both Roma Termini and Tiburtina train stations. An FL1 trip from the airport to the city (or vice versa) takes a little less than 50 minutes, with trains departing every 15-30 minutes. A ticket costs €8 one-way.
There's a high-speed rail station near the airport, too, which gives you easier access to other cities without needing to go into central Rome first. Fast Frecciarossa trains connect the Fiumicino airport station with cities like Venice, Florence, Bologna and Naples.
There are several coach services running between Fiumicino and Rome, including COTRAL and SIT Bus Shuttle. These used to be among the cheapest ways to get to or from airports, but today they're only a few euros less than airport trains like the Leonardo Express – not to mention that the trains are much faster.
The journey between central Rome and Fiumicino Airport is about 19 miles via the A91, which takes about 30-40 minutes in normal traffic.
Sign up for our Vacation Perfect newsletter and real estate updates.