Transportation in Rome: How to get around

Rome has a vast public transport network. Read to find out about the buses, trains, metros and trams that run through the city.

Yordan

5 minute read

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Updated on 5 Dec 2024

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Living

Rome has an excellent public transportation system of over 350 lines to help you navigate the Italian capital. Figuring out how transportation in Rome works can be daunting as a newcomer. To help you navigate Rome's public transport, we've created this useful guide so if you're looking to locate rental homes near Rome and avoid the pricey rents in the centre, you're covered!

Rome has over 8,000 public transport stops, including trams, metros, buses and railways. You'll always have one option or another to get around Rome conveniently and affordably. Rome is also an excellent transport hub for heading to and from other Italian cities, so you won't just have excellent local transport options here.

Buses and trams in Rome have the same operating time. They run on a strict schedule from 05:30 AM to 12:00 AM.

Metros in Rome have a slightly different schedule, running from 05:30 AM to 11:30 PM, Monday to Thursday. There're more metros running over the weekend and they run later. On Fridays and Saturdays the metros run until 01:30 AM.

Public transportation in Rome is priced averagely compared to other European capital cities.

You can find the exact prices for 2024 in the table below:

Where do you buy Rome public transport tickets?

You can buy Rome public transport tickets at vending machines in metro stations, at the desk in certain metro stations, as well as in stores, newspaper stands. You can sign up to ATAC Roma to get your monthly or annual cards.

If your monthly or yearly subscription runs out, you can charge your card at the following locations:

• ATAC offices
• Online via ATAC’s website
• Selected stores
• Unicredit ATMs in the city and surrounding area
• Pay&Go parking meters

You can also use contactless payments and pay for your public transportation as you use it in Rome, no need for a ticket!

Any public transportation ticket you buy in Rome can be used across Rome's public transport network, there's no need to buy different tickets for different transport modes.

Rome's metro network has 3 lines, but a whopping 73 stations along these metro lines. Lines A (orange) and B (blue) have a lot of tourist traffic as they service a lot of tourist hotspots in Rome. Line C (green) is a more residentially-focused line that stretches all the way to the outskirts of the city in the north.

A lot of locals need to use buses to get around Rome, as the metro lines don't reach far outside of the city centre. Traffic is a big issue in Rome, so buses may be delayed. It's always a good idea to give yourself some extra time to get to your destination. But don't stress too much, Italian culture tends to be pretty laidback and being late is common.

Rome has 4 different types of buses, recognizable by the lettering at the bus stop:

• Urban Lines (U) the majority of buses travelling around Rome
• Express (X) lines run to the outskirts of Rome
• Exact (E) lines connect the city centre with the neighbourhoods that surround it
• Night Buses (N) run throughout the night

Night buses in Rome

Like most European capitals, Rome has an excellent night bus service. There're 20 night bus lines running from 12:30 AM to 05:30 AM to accommodate travellers during the "rest time" of the other transport lines in Rome. The main stations that Rome's night buses run from are Piazza dei Cinquecento and Piazza Venezia. Here, night buses will leave every 30 minutes.

An owl marks the location of night bus stops

Unlike other European capitals, trams in Rome are used less by tourists than other transport options. The 6 tram lines that service Rome don't cover the tourist hotspots. Rome's trams connect the outskirts of the city centre to the rest of the city. They're well connected to the metro lines so combining the 2 to get around the city outskirts and centre is common.

Rome's urban railway has 3 lines that help you get to and from other cities in the Lazio region. The urban railway is a great way to visit other parts of the region for a day trip or to get out of the busy city center. You can visit Lido, Viterbo and Giardinetti with the urban railway and make it back to the city in one day as the lines operate from 05:30 AM to 10:30 PM with trains running every 20 minutes.

Taxis and car/ scooter/ bike sharing, there're plenty of options to get around Rome when you don’t feel like using public transport.

Taxis

Taking a taxi in Rome is not ideal if you’re trying to stretch your budget, since the service is one of the most expensive in Europe. With a minimum fare of €4 and tariffs of up to €2.41 per kilometre, the bill builds up quite quickly.

Nevertheless, the service is there for you to use when you need to swiftly get somewhere.

All taxis in Rome are white and the car number is is on the sides. Don't get in any taxi that doesn't have those features!

Car sharing

There are several car-sharing options available in Rome. The most widely available ones are “Share Now” and “Enjoy”.

Car sharing is great if you don’t own a car and need one for a short period of time.

Scooter sharing

Need to get somewhere fast and enjoy feeling the breeze in your hair? Then the most popular way of getting around in Italy is the way to go for you! Renting one of the scooters waiting behind every corner is one of the most enjoyable ways of travelling in an urban environment.

Bike sharing

Renting a bike for a ride is perfect if you don’t have a driver’s licence and the weather allows it.

The most popular bike-sharing options in Rome are “Jump” and “Helbiz”.

Now that you’re aware of the most important information about the public transport system of Rome, you should check which Rome neighbourhood would fit your needs best!