How To Get Around Rome: 10 Modes Of Transport (2023)
Wondering how to get around Rome?
You’ve come to the right article as I’ve written a complete guide on getting around Rome.
Before visiting Rome, I wondered how to get around Rome.
What is the best way? Is it possible to walk everywhere? Are taxis easy to find?
I had so many questions about getting around, and I imagine you have these questions too.
Now, after visiting Rome myself, I feel confident to provide a guide on the best way to get around Rome.
🇮🇹 When planning a trip to Rome, I recommend using:
✈️ Flights: Skyscanner
🏨 Hotels: Booking.com
💵 Hostels: Hostelworld
🗺 Tours: Walks Tours & Devour Tours
👨👩👦👦 Activities: Viator and GetYourGuide
🚗 Car Rental: Discover Cars
🚌 Transport: Flixbus
🏥 Travel Insurance: Safetywing
📱E-SIM: Airalo
💻 VPN: Surfshark
How To Get Around Rome
For getting around Rome, you have quite a lot of options. There are 10 main ways. Some are better suited to tourists, some are better suited to locals and some I would not recommend at all.
The 10 ways to get around Rome are:
- Walking
- Bus
- Train
- Metro
- Tram
- Taxi
- Car Rental
- Private Transfer
- Bicycle
- Scooter
Best Way To Get Around Rome
To decide the best answer to the question “How to get around Rome?” I have evaluated the 10 methods of transport on both versatility and cost.
Versatility: how easy is it to go anywhere you want, to get from A to B directly? For example, can you get directly from your hotel to the Colosseum?
Cost: This is the scale I’ve used. Free: Free, €: 1-9 Euros, €€: 10-99 Euros, €€€: 100-999 Euros
| Method | Versatility | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Excellent | Free |
| Bus | Good | € |
| Train | Poor | €€ |
| Metro | Okay | € |
| Tram | Poor | € |
| Taxi | Excellent | €€ |
| Car Rental | Good | €€€ |
| Private Transfer | Excellent | €€€ |
| Bicycle | Excellent | €€ |
| Electric Scooter | Excellent | €€ |
From the table above, we can see that the best modes of transport for versatility are Walking, Taxis, Private Transfers, Bicycles and Electric Scooters.
This is because they can take you exactly where you want to go, whereas public transport systems restrict you to the designated routes.
Overall, the best way to get around Rome is by walking. It’s versatile and also completely free. The second best would be cycling.
Getting Around Rome: Walking
In my opinion, the best way to get around Rome is by walking. Most of the main attractions are within walking distance of each other.
For example, the Colosseum is less than 20 minutes walk away from the Trevi Fountain, which is within 10 minutes of walking from the Pantheon.
Therefore, if you are able to walk, I would highly suggest you use walking as your primary way of getting around Rome.
It is so convenient and allows you to see a lot of Rome as you are walking down streets that you might not otherwise see.
All of Rome is pretty and one of my favourite things to do is simply walk about and explore, especially when visiting Rome for the first time.
Not to mention that walking is completely free, so if you are visiting Rome on a budget, you’ll be able to save good money by walking. It’s so convenient and definitely the best way to get around Rome.
Getting Around Rome: Bus
Getting around Rome by bus would be the best alternative to walking in my opinion. The buses run pretty smoothly and can get you around Rome pretty well.
I would also recommend getting the bus from Rome Fiumicino to Rome’s City Centre, it’s the best value for money.
And similarly, I would suggest getting the bus from Rome Ciampino to the centre of Rome.
Note that in Italy, you pre-pay for public transport and do not pay once you are on the bus, metro etc.
On the other hand, a positive is that tickets are valid across buses, trams and the metro. You can buy tickets online or at Roma Termini, which is also in the best area to stay in Rome.
I took the bus once during my 4 days in Rome and I found it to be very crowded, with many people standing.
Also, it was quite unorderly and there wasn’t a proper queue when getting on the bus. So please bear these details in mind when getting the bus in Rome.
You can find out more about the buses in Rome including how to buy tickets and how to validate them, by clicking here.
Getting Around Rome: Train
Getting above-ground trains in Rome won’t make up much of your travel. In fact, the only time it would make sense to get a train is from the airports to Rome’s centre on your first day, or if you are taking a day trip from Rome.
However, I would only suggest taking a day trip if you spend more than 3 days in Rome, which is the number of days in Rome that I would recommend.
The train system in Rome only really leads out of Rome. As a city, there are no trains for within the city. So although convenient for getting in and out of Rome, if you are staying in Rome for your trip, you won’t be using the trains too much.
And it wasn’t overly crowded either, I visited Rome in December which is actually a pretty busy month for Rome, but the trains were so frequent from the airport that they weren’t overcrowded.
Getting Around Rome: Metro (subway)
The metro (below-ground trains) in Rome is average at best. There are few lines, but they do cover some of the main tourist attractions. For example, there is a metro station right outside the Colosseum.
As with the bus, you need to pre-pay and cannot pay while on the metro. However, I would not suggest taking the metro in Rome. Buses are more convenient and easier to navigate.
You can find a map of the metro lines in Rome by clicking here, along with further information about the metro.
Getting Around Rome: Tram
Unlike the metro, the trams in Rome don’t go through the heart of the city, meaning many of the main attractions are not reachable by tram. Again, I would not suggest getting the tram in Rome.
However, it is an option and if you do choose to use the tram, you will once again need to pre-buy your ticket. The tram mainly runs through the outskirts of Rome so you may find it useful if you are going beyond the touristy centre of Rome.
You can find out more information about Rome’s tram lines by clicking here. It has a map of the tram lines for the city too.
Getting Around Rome: Taxi
Taxis in Rome are convenient in the sense that they can take you directly from A to B. However, they are extremely expensive. A 15-minute journey is going to cost €15, for example.
I didn’t find Rome overly expensive, but one thing which was expensive was the taxis. Even using Uber, I found them to be pretty pricey.
The traffic in Rome is also extremely heavy, it’s a very busy city. There were plenty of occasions where a 10-minute drive was possible in a 12-minute walk; I know which I would rather choose.
However, if you choose to get a taxi, ensure you get in an official taxi, as their fares will be regulated. You can also get a taxi very easily, there are many taxi bays throughout the city, particularly at the main attractions. It is also possible to wave one down on the street.
Getting Around Rome: Car Rental
Car Rental in Rome is another option, it is as convenient as taxis in the sense of you can go from wherever you want to wherever you want.
The only issue is you will need to find somewhere to park the car while you are seeing the attractions. In other words, where will you leave the car when you take a tour of the Colosseum as there isn’t a designated car park.
It’s also worth noting again that the traffic in Rome is bad. However, if you do choose to rent a car in Rome, I highly recommend Discover Cars. They are very reliable and allow you to pick up a car straight away at the airport.
➡️Rent a car in Rome through Discover Cars by clicking here. You can pick your car up at the airport! Hire a car now.
Getting Around Rome: Private Transfer
Another option for how to get around Rome is a private transfer. Although this only really works for to and from the airports.
Private transfers are like taxis but more luxurious and VIP-like, and therefore are more expensive.
That being said, it can work out cheaper if you have a big group. Nonetheless, you won’t be using a private transfer while getting about Rome, unless you hire a driver.
➡️Book your private transfer from Rome Fiumicino to City Centre by clicking here. A great option for families and friend groups. Book now.
Getting Around Rome: Bicycle
Cycling is a great way to get around Rome. In my opinion, it would be second behind walking.
It’s cheap and allows you to go anywhere you want. It’s like walking but faster.
If you do cycle in Rome, be aware of cars. The roads in Rome are pretty hectic and the locals drive dangerously, to say the least, so make sure to take care! It’s the only thing about Rome I found unsafe.
Aside from this, bikes are an excellent option for getting around Rome. I wish I rented one while in Rome.
➡️Hire a bicycle (or eBike) by clicking here. Bikes are a great way to avoid traffic and get around Rome quickly. Rent now.
Getting Around Rome: Electric Scooter
The newest and most modern way of getting around Rome comes in the form of electric scooters. These can be found on the side of roads all across Rome, and many other cities all around the world.
Numerous companies rent electric scooters in Rome. You simply download the app and rent the scooter and you can ride wherever you want. Not only is it efficient, but it’s also pretty fun!
You can rent a scooter through a company called Lime, it’s owned by Uber. I’ve used them all across Europe and I’ve found them to be pretty reliable and affordable.
How To Get Around Rome: FAQ
Here are some related questions about how to get around Rome, along with my answers.
The best way to get around Rome is by walking. All of the main tourist attractions are within walking distance. It’s also free, compared to having to pay to use the crowded and average public transportation.
Not at all! You can easily walk between the main tourist attractions and the most you will walk at one time will be 30 minutes.
Definitely yes. Rome is without a doubt a walkable city. You can easily and quickly walk between the main attractions. For example, the Colosseum to Trevi Fountain is approximately a 20-minute walk.
Yes, in fact, the best way to get around Rome is by walking. Everything in Rome is close together, it is quite a compact city. You can easily walk between the main tourist spots.
The best way to get around Rome is by walking, even at night. Rome is also very safe, so walking at night is as safe as walking during the day.
Rome is incredibly easy to get around. The best way to get about is by walking, but if you do choose to use public transport, buses are available that stop near the main attractions.
How To Get Around Rome: Conclusion
And there you have it, a complete overview of how to get around Rome.
Remember, in my opinion, the best way is to walk. Everything is pretty close together so walking is definitely convenient, and of course, it’s also free!
Rome is a beautiful city to explore. So walking allows you to discover hidden gems in the city.
Enjoy your trip to Rome, it’s a magical place. Now that you know how to get around the city, it’s time to start planning what to do. I recommend starting with choosing which Colosseum tour to take– there are a lot of options!
