How to Get to Rome (By Plane, Train, Cruise, & More)
Planning a trip to Italy and wondering how to get to Rome? This iconic city is full of history, ancient ruins, incredible food, and some of the most breathtaking art and architecture in the world. It is one of those cities that is an absolute must for first-time visitors to Italy, and should absolutely make it onto your itinerary.
Whether you are flying in from abroad, coming from elsewhere in Italy, or traveling from a neighboring country, there are several easy ways to reach Rome.
In this guide, we will break down exactly how to get to Rome no matter where you are coming from, along with visa details and other useful tips.
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How to Get to Rome: Basic Info About Visiting
There are a few different ways of getting to Rome depending on your starting point. First, let’s look at where Rome is located and why it an excellent city to include on your European itinerary.
⭐️ Why Visit Rome?
Rome is one of the most extraordinary cities in the world, known for its incredible history, world-class cuisine, vibrant piazzas, and even being home to one of the world wonders. The mix of thousands of years of history with a modern, lively city gives Rome a unique atmosphere that will make you fall in love the moment you arrive.
From the Colosseum and Vatican City to the cobblestone streets of Trastevere and the best pasta you’ll ever eat in your life, Rome is absolutely overflowing with places to explore. It is also a fantastic base for day trips into the surrounding Lazio region and beyond, making it one of the most versatile destinations in all of Europe.
📍 Where is Rome Located?
Rome is located in central Italy, in the Lazio region, roughly halway down the Italian peninsula. It sits along the Tiber River, about 28 km inland from the Tyrrhenian Sea, and is close the Mediterranean Sea.
It is approximately 530 km south of Milan, 270 km south of Florence, and 220 km north of Naples – all of which are easily connected with various transportation options.
🤔 How Do I Get to Rome?
Rome is one of the best-connected cities in Europe, and getting there is pretty easy no matter where you are coming from! The city is served by two international airports, a major rail hub, long distance buses, and excellent highway access.
Here are the different options for how to get to Rome:
How to Get to Rome: Transportation Options
Ready to learn how to get to Rome? Here are all the best options for reaching the city smoothly and on any budget.
🌍 How to Get to Rome from Abroad
For most international travelers, the easiest way to visit Rome is by flying. However, Italy’s extensive rail and bus connections also make it simple to arrive via other major European cities, especially if you are already on the continent.
✈️ How to Get to Rome by Air
Rome actually has two airports. The main international hub is Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (also known as Fiumicino Airport), which is one of the busiest airports in Europe and offers direct flights from cities all over the world. The secondary airport, Ciampino Airport, is smaller and serves mostly low-cost European carriers like Ryanair and Wizz Air.
Both airports are well-connected to the city center, making either one a convenient arrival point depending on where you are flying from.
🛫 Cities that Fly Direct to Rome (Fiumicino Airport)
You can fly directly to Rome from an enormous number of cities around the world, with the biggest variety of flights going into Fiumicino Airport.
🇪🇺 European Cities that Fly Direct to Fiumicino Airport
Europe has the most amount of flights going into Fiumicino Airport.
The cities in Europe that fly direct to Rome Fiumicino include Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Basel, Belgrade, Berlin, Bilbao, Bologna, Bordeaux, Brest, Bristol, Brindisi, Brussels, Budapest, Baku, Cagliari, Catania, Cluj-Napoca, Cologne, Copenhagen, Crotone, Dublin, Dusseldorf, Edinburgh, Eindhoven, Florence, Frankfurt, Gdansk, Geneva, Genoa, Glasgow, Gothenburg, Hamburg, Hannover, Helsinki, Iasi, Istanbul, Katowice, Krakow, Kutaisi, Lamezia Terme, Larnaca, Leeds, Lisbon, London, Luxembourg, Lyon, Madrid, Malaga, Malta, Manchester, Marseille, Milan, Monastir, Montpellier, Munich, Nantes, Newcastle, Nice, Olbia, Oslo, Palermo, Paris, Podgorica, Porto, Prague, Reggio Calabria, Reykjavik, Riga, Rotterdam, Rzeszow, Sarajevo, Seville, Skopje, Sofia, Split, Stockholm, Strasbourg, Stuttgart, Suceava, Tbilisi, Thessaloniki, Timisoara, Tirana, Toulouse, Trieste, Turin, Valencia, Venice, Verona, Vienna, Warsaw, Yerevan, Zagreb, Zaragoza, and Zurich.
🌎 Cities in the Americas that Fly Direct to Fiumicino Airport
US cities that fly to Rome Fiumicino include Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington.
Other cities in the Americas that fly direct to Rome Fiumicino include Buenos Aires, Fort-de-France, La Romana, Montreal, and Rio de Janeiro.
🌍 Other Cities that Fly Direct to Fiumicino Airport
African cities that fly direct to Rome Fiumicino include Accra, Addis Ababa, Algiers, Casablanca, Dakar, Marrakesh, Marsa Alam, Mauritius, Sharm el-Sheikh, and Tunis.
Middle Eastern cities include Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Beirut, Cairo, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Kuwait City, Muscat, Riyadh, and Tel Aviv.
Asian cities that fly there include Bangkok, Beijing, Chengdu, Colombo, Dhaka, Male, Mumbai, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo, and Wenzhou.
🛫 Cities that Fly Direct to Rome (Ciampino Airport)
Ciampino serves mostly European destinations, with a few different cities from outside of Europe.
🇪🇺 European Cities that Fly Direct to Ciampino Airport
The European cities that fly direct to Rome Ciampino include Amsterdam, Annecy, Arad, Baku, Barcelona, Bari, Birmingham, Bolzano, Bratislava, Brussels, Bucharest, Budapest, Cagliari, Cannes, Cork, Dublin, Dusseldorf, Edinburgh, Farnborough, Frankfurt, Granada, Krakow, Leipzig, London, Manchester, Marseille, Milan, Naples, Nice, Oberpfaffenhofen, Paris, Perugia, Podgorica, Poznan, Prague, Rabat, Salerno, Sofia, St. Moritz, Stockholm, Tarbes, Tirana, Trieste, Turin, Venice, Vilnius, Warsaw, and Wroclaw.
🌍 Other Cities that Fly Direct to Ciampino Airport
There are just a handful of flights that fly into Rome Ciampino directly from outside Europe. The cities that go into this airport include Amman, Dubai, and Marrakesh.
🛫 How to Get to Rome City Center from the Airport
There are several great ways to get from both of Rome’s airports into the city center. Here are all of your options:
How to Get to Rome From Fiumicino (Leonardo da Vinci) Airport:
How to Get to Rome From Ciampino Airport:
🇮🇹 How to Get to Rome from Other Italian Cities
If you are already in Italy, you will find it incredibly easy to get to Rome, especially due to its convenient location. Italy’s high speed Frecciarossa and Italo trains connect Rome with virtually every major city in the country, making rail one of the most popular and enjoyable ways to travel.
Most cities also have direct bus connections to Rome, which are often the most budget-friendly option. Renting a car is another good choice if you want to explore the Lazio region at your own pace, though driving in central Rome itself is not the easiest due to traffic and ZTL restricted zones.
We were only spending 24 hour in Rome on our latest visit though, and having. acar was really nice, especailly with our early flight out in the morning.
🚆 Train Stations in Italy that Connect to Rome
Italy’s rail network connects Rome with cities across the entire country. Here are some of the most popular train routes for getting to Rome.
Rome’s main train station is Roma Termini, which is centrally located and well connected to the metro, buses, and taxis.
🚌 Buses to Rome from Other Italian Cities
Buses are one of the most affordable options for getting to Rome from other Italian cities. FlixBus is the most widely used service, and these are some of the most popular routes:
🚗 Traveling by Car to Get to Rome
Italy’s highways (autostrade) are well maintained and pretty easy to navigate, making driving to Rome from other parts of the country or from neighboring countries a simple, scenic, and flexible option. The A1 (also called the Autostrada del Sole) is the main highway connecting Rome with Florence, Bologna, and Milan to the north, and Naples to the south.
Keep in mind that driving into central Romecan be difficult with limited parking (it’s also important to be aware of where you park due to residential restrictions). If you are planning to drive, it is best to park outside the center and walk or use public transport to get around Rome once you arrive.
This is also a great option if you’re flying into another Italian city and want to do a scenic road trip on your way to Rome!
🚙 Using Bla Bla Car to Travel to Rome
Bla Bla Car is one of our favorite travel apps! It’s great for getting from one destination to another, and is popular throughout Italy and the rest of Europe. It connects drivers who are already heading a certain route with other travelers looking to go the same way. It’s affordable, social, and an excellent way to be a more sustainable traveler.
🇪🇺 How to Get to Rome by Land from Other European Countries
Italy shares land borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia, which makes overland travel from many European countries super simple. You can reach Rome from neighboring countries by train, bus, or car depending on where you are coming from.
From France, the most popular route is by train via the French Riviera and the Italian coast. From Switzerland and Austria, trains through Milan or Venice connect easily to Rome. From Slovenia, connections run through Trieste and Venice.
All of these countries are within the Schengen Zone, so you won’t need to worry about customs controls at the border either!
🚆 Train Connections to Rome from Europe
Here are some popular international train routes for getting to Rome.
🚌 Buses to Rome from European Cities
Buses are one of the most affordable options for getting to Rome from other European cities, and FlixBus has an extensive network. Here are some of the most popular routes:
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🚗 How to Get to Rome by Car from Other Europe Countries
If you’re doing a bigger European road trip, driving to Rome is a rewarding and scenic experience. France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia are all easy to drive through, and Italy’s autostrade are well signposted. We did this road trip a few years ago and had so many fun stops along the way!
Just remember to factor in highway toll costs, and plan to park outside the city center when you arrive.
🚙 Using Bla Bla Car to Travel to Rome from Europe
Bla Bla Car has rides posted from all over Europe every day. Someone could be driving from Paris or Munich and posting their trip – so it is worth checking from just about anywhere! On our European road trip we actually posted all of our rides, and it was a great way to cover expenses while traveling.
The most popular European cities that travelers post rides from tend to be places like Lyon, Nice, Zurich, and Munich.
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🌊 How to Get to Rome by Sea
If you’re looking for how to get to Rome in a more unique and scenic way, arriving by sea is absolutely an option! We actually used to visit Rome all the time when we were working on cruise ships. The nearest major port to Rome is Civitavecchia, which sits about 80 km northwest of the city and is one of the busiest cruise ports in the Mediterranean.
🛳 How to Get to Rome with a Mediterranean Cruise
Civitavecchia is one of the most popular cruise ports in all of Europe, and virtually every major cruise line includes it on Mediterranean itineraries.
Companies like Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, and Holland America all feature Rome (Civitavecchia) as a key stop on their Western and Central Mediterranean routes. Some even have Rome as their final stop, so you can start in another European city and add Rome to your itinerary after your cruise.
⛴ How to Get to Rome with a Ferry
In addition to cruises, regular passenger and vehicle ferries connect Civitavecchia with several Mediterranean destinations including Sardinia (Cagliari and Olbia), Sicily (Palermo), Barcelona, Tunis, and Malta. Companies like Grimaldi Lines, Tirrenia, and GNV operate these routes.
This makes arriving in Rome by ferry a genuinely practical option, especially if you’re island hopping around Italy or crossing from Spain or North Africa.
🚕 How to Get to Rome City Center from the Port
If you arrive by sea at Civitavecchia, getting to Rome’s city center is easy and well organized.
🚖 Most Quickly: Taxi or private transfer. The journey from Civitavecchia to central Rome takes about 60–75 minutes by car, depending on traffic. This is the best option if you want a direct and comfortable door to door transfer.
🚆 Most Comfortably: Regional train. Civitavecchia has a train station with regular direct services to Roma Termini. The journey takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes and is a very affordable option. Trains run frequently throughout the day.
🚌 Most Affordably: Local bus services also connect Civitavecchia with Rome, though these take longer than the train and are less convenient if you have luggage. Good for travelers on a tight budget who don’t mind a longer journey. (Not ideal for docking in Civitavecchia for just a day).
🚐 Most Easily: Join tours from the cruise ship. This is the safest option to make sure you get back to the ship on time or don’t have to worry about logistics.
🚐 How to Get to Rome on a Day Trip
If you are staying elsewhere in Italy, visiting Rome on a day trip is a very realistic option thanks to the country’s excellent high speed rail network. Cities like Naples, Florence, Bologna, and even Milan all have fast train connections that make day trips to Rome easy.
There are also organized tours that include transportation and a local guide, which is perfect if you want to see Rome’s highlights – the Colosseum, Vatican, and Trevi Fountain – without planning everything yourself. This is also super ideal if you’re short on time but don’t want to miss out on Italy’s fantastic capital!
👨👨👦👦 How to Get to Rome with a Group Trip
Group trips are a fun and social way to get to Rome. Many tour companies and influencers offer multi-day itineraries that include transportation, accommodation, and guided tours throughout Italy. This is a great option if you want a planned experience with everything taken care of.
Groups often travel by private bus or minivan, making it easy to move from city to city while enjoying the company of other travelers. It is also one of the best ways to explore the surrounding region – including the Amalfi Coast, Tuscany, or Sicily – as part of a larger Italian adventure.
⭐️ Group Tours Around Italy
🏍 Other Adventurous Ways to Visit Rome
Looking for a bit of thrill on your trip? There are some really exciting adventures you can embark on to experience Rome and the surrounding area, including group cycling tours through the Italian countryside, motorcycle trips along the Amalfi Coast, or e-bike tours through Lazio. These are a fun and unique way to experience not just Rome, but the stunning landscapes and historic towns that surround it!
How to Visit Italy: Entry Requirements
Before traveling to Rome, it is important to understand the entry requirements and customs rules. Italy follows the same regulations as other countries in the Schengen Area.
🛂 Visa Entry Requirements for Italy
Most travelers from Europe, North America, and many other countries can enter Italy for short stays without a visa. Your passport should be valid for at least three months beyond your departure date.
Travelers from the US, Australia, Canada, the UK, and many other countries do not need a visa to visit Italy, and can stay up to 90 days in a 180-day period within the entire Schengen Zone.
⏳ The 90/180 Rule
You can spend 90 days within a 180-day period inside the Schengen Zone in total. For exmaple, if you spend 10 days in France, those 10 days count toward your overall total in Italy and anywhere else in the Schengen area.
Since we typically go on longer trips, this is something we need to be mindful of. We always use the Schengen visa calculator, which is super helpful for travelers planning long-term or multi-country trips.
🇪🇺 Schengen Visas
If you plan to stay longer than 90 days or if your nationality requires a visa, you will need to apply for a Schengen Visa in advance. Make sure to check your specific entry requirements so that your trip to Rome goes smoothly.
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How to Get to Rome: Final Thoughts & Travel Tips
Now that you know how to get to Rome, here are a few quick travel tips to make your visit easier:
🚶 Getting Around Rome: The historic center is very walkable, though the cobblestones can be tough on feet! Rome also has a metro (Line A and Line B), buses, trams, and taxis for getting around the wider city.
🏨 Where to Stay: Trastevere is the most charming neighborhood. Monti is great for food and a local feel. The area around Roma Termini is practical for transport connections.
🗣 Language: Italian is the official language, but English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants, and tourist areas throughout Rome.
💶 Currency: Italy uses the Euro. Cards are widely accepted in most places, but it is good to have some small cash on hand for markets, street food, and smaller cafes.
👮 Safety: Rome is generally very safe for tourists. As with any major city, just be mindful of pickpockets in crowded areas like the Colosseum, Termini station, and busy tourist squares.
☀️ Weather: Rome has mild winters, hot summers, and beautiful spring and autumn seasons. Late spring (May–June) and early autumn (September–October) are the most ideal times to visit for pleasant weather and slightly smaller crowds.
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👀 What’s Next?
Now that you know how to get to Rome, you’ll probably want to know more about visiting! We have a full Rome travel guide with more info, as well as other Italy travel guides you can check out – including:
📸 Best photo spots on the Amalfi Coast
🍋 Amalfi Coast travel guide
🐙 Bari travel guide
🚣♂️ How to visit Lago di Braies
🏔 Hiking Cadini di Misurina
🥾 Hiking Tre Cime di Lavaredo
💧 The hike to Lago di Sorapis
⛰ Dolomites travel guide
🛶 Venice travel guide
🌈 Burano travel guide
👩🏻🎨 Florence travel guide
🛳 Genoa travel guide
🎬 Turin travel guide
⛪️ Things to do in Milan
Now you have all of the information for how to get to Rome, Italy! Have any other questions though? Feel free to drop them in the comments below!
Want to learn more visiting other areas of Italy? We have tons of other Italy Travel Guides for you, as well as new ones coming up every week! Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter so that you’re able to stay up to date with our most recent articles, and get special discounts on our shop.
Ready to start planning an amazing trip to Italy? Well, we’re here to help! Scratch Your Mapa offers customized travel planning, so you can skip all the work, and simply enjoy your trip. Take a look at our travel planning packages we offer, or simply email us to get started today!
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