This past week has been tremendously challenging for folks traveling to and from Europe. The volcanic ash cloud has caused numerous cancellations. People have been stranded at the both airports in Rome waiting for ANY opportunity to “get out of town.” We’ve had friends stranded in London, Madrid, and Brussels for days. My wife was [...]
On travel boards I often see folks asking, should I rent a scooter to see Rome or Naples? The responses are often one-sided – Not just no, but NO, NO, NO, NO….NO! I certainly understand this as we drive a ride a motorino (scooter) and it can be quite challenging. The motorino rules are [...]
For years the bus system in Rome has relied on the “honor” system. It was expected you would purchase a ticket and then board and validate your ticket. Now, Rome is thinking of bringing back “conductors,” missing since the 1960′s. In a recent article published in Il Messaggero, Alessandro Vannini, chairman of the Capitoline tourism, [...]
The ADR is RE-Numbering all the terminals at FCO. And somehow they’ve made it more confusing than before…. Here’s the text translated (Badly) from their website: On the night of 10/24 small “army” of engineers and workers will take to the field to change the signs of the terminal, roads, car parks and in all [...]
One of the most confusing aspects of traveling by train in Italy is which ticket to buy. There are probably – on some runs – more than ten different types and classes of tickets to purchase. And how do I get those great low-price tickets that I hear about? As a traveler, and if you’re [...]
As an ancient city, Rome has many narrow, one-way streets. There’s also monumental traffic jams… and then of course, there are the driving habits of Romans. All these contribute to make the metro system in Rome a good alternative for getting around town. Romans called the subway system Metropolitana . Unfortunately, there are ONLY two [...]
If you are uncomfortable heading into a Tabacchi shop and trying to purchase a bus ticket, there is another option. All over Rome ATAC ticket kiosks are being placed. You’ll always see these in EVERY metro station… but now they are being installed at many of the larger bus stops. These new kiosks replace the [...]
Pulled directly from the Trenitalia website, here are the current “Summer” promotions. Most of these are good until either August 31 or September 30, but do check the fine print! With the loss of the Amica fare availability on most trains tourists will use, these are perhaps your best alternatives. The challenge, of course, is [...]
NOTE – In October 2009, the Terminal names were changed at Fiumicino (FCO). This posting has been updated to reflect those new Terminal names. One question that always comes up on travel boards is, “We are arriving ahead of other people in our party and would like to know where would be the best place [...]
How do you find out if Luggage Storage (deposito bagagli) is offered at a train station on the Trenitalia system? Simple, if you know where to look! Once you follow these instructions, you will see charts that will tell you if there is a Ticketing Office, if Self service kiosks are available, if Other Ticket Vendors [...]
The Galleria Borghese is one of the most incredible museums in town. Featuring the “best ” works of Bernini and paintings from other masters, the Galleria is a “Must See” for art buffs. Unfortunately, the ticketing procedures for the Galleria Borghese are not as incredible as the artwork. If you plan to pre-purchase your tickets [...]
One of the few discounts available to non-EU travelers in Rome is the Roma Pass. The Pass, currently priced at €25 (effective February 1, 2010) , has multiple benefits. First, it serves as a 3-day transportation ticket, good at all local metro, bus, and tram connections… and second, it acts as a museum or “site” card that gives you [...]
I’ve replied to many questions regarding the Train Station at Leonardo Da Vinci Airport, also known as Fiumicino (FCO). The train station is easy to find and very convenient to get your tickets, helping you to avoid the long lines at Termini. You can get your Leonardo Express Tickets, your FM1 tickets, or those tickets [...]
One of the best things about living and traveling in Europe is how easy – and inexpensive – it is to fly from country to country. Often fares are advertised for €1! While flying is inexpensive, it’s not THAT inexpensive! There are so many new, cheap airlines in Europe it can get quite confusing. [...]
Driving in Italy…If the thought of THAT is not stressful enough, there seems to be a lot of confusion about what is an International Driver Permit – also known as an IDP. Do I need this IDP-thing? DO rental vendors ask for it? Is an IDP required by law in Italy? What about all those [...]
By “Kent of Oregon” Will your Italy itinerary or day trip unexpectedly turn into a Death March as you realize you’re seeing more of the inside of trains than the sights you went all that way and paid all that money to see? And all because you didn’t fully appreciate the travel time it [...]
Traveling by car in Rome is at best, difficult. If you avoid the “unique” driving habits of the locals and safely arrive at your destination, then you have to find a place to park – Good Luck! Taxis are available – somewhat. You are only supposed to get in a cab at a designated Taxi [...]
On many travel sites, this seems to be one of the most frequently asked questions. Many travelers ask the question differently. Most often it’s phrased as, “I have an early morning flight from FCO and would like to know the best Airport Hotel to stay at – Can you make a recommendation?” Like many folks [...]
Continue reading about Getting to Leonardo Da Vinci Airport (FCO) Early in the Morning
Strikes are very commonplace in Italy – especially transportation strikes. They are a way of life here and you just have to adjust your plans if you get caught up in one. Strikes are on the rise. Reports indicate that in 2008 strikes were up more than 17% over 2007 – OUCH! In 2008, unions [...]
We’ve discussed purchasing a train ticket (see March 05, 2009 posting) so let’s talk about riding trains in Italy! Here, train travel is much less expensive than in other parts of Europe. But on the downside, the trains tend to be more crowded, especially the Regional or Local lines. Seats can be hard to [...]
I was riding the bus a few weeks ago and had an interesting conversation. The folks sitting in front of me were obviously Americans and they were very confused. I asked if I could help and we managed to determine what bus stop would work best for them. As they readied to get off the [...]
Continue reading about Tickets for the Bus, Metro, Trams, & Met.Ro Trains
On many travel boards one of the main complaints, over and over, is how difficult it is to buy tickets online through the Trenitalia website. For many US-based credit card holders, it’s almost impossible. In order to purchase their tickets prior to arriving in Italy, many folks turn to “ticket middlemen” such as RailEurope. Price [...]
Many folks contact me regarding how to get from the Cruise port, Civitavecchia, into Rome for the day and back before their ship departs. There are a few options for a one-day excursion to Rome. The biggest challenge is that Civitavecchia is a little more than an hour from downtown Rome. First, you can [...]
Roma Termini! The name brings different images to everyone who hears it. For locals, it’s a busy connection point for the two metro lines, multiple bus routes, and Regional, National and International trains. For tourists arriving in Rome for their first visit, it’s often perceived as chaotic, dirty, and “filled with gypsies, rip-off taxi drivers, [...]
NOTE – In October 2009, the Terminal names were changed at Fiumicino (FCO). This posting has been updated to reflect those new Terminal names. The first step of a vacation in Rome is just getting here! Sometimes that can prove to be quite a task, especially if you’ve never traveled to Europe. If you’re flying [...]
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