Italy - 4.5 Hrs Connecting in FCO Sunday AM -Quick Jump into Rome?

Need some advice. . .
Landing in FCO at 8:30 Sunday from non-Schengen (Business Class
Departing FCO 13:00 Sunday to non-Schengen (with AA in Business Class)
No checked luggage and I will already have my BP for the 13:00 flight.

Is it possible, even if crazy, to make a quick jump into Rome, specifically to the Colosseum and/or Forum, just to have a quick peek, and get back to FCO in time for my departure?

Thank you very much!

IMO, nope.

Check the train schedule between FCO and Rome Termini, determine when you must be in line for passport/security for your outbound flight, allow 15 minutes each way for a cab or Metro ride to the sites, and do the math.

If your inbound flight is on schedule, I'd say your ambitious idea is both possible -- and crazy. :cool:

I'd have to agree that 4.5 hours is a little tight... If you arrange a driver it could be done, but it would have to be fast! Figure 15-30 minutes to off-load the plane and clear passport control. Since you're up front and have no checked luggage, this is possible - UNLESS other planes have landed in front of yours and the immigration hall is packed. 08:30 AM is prime arrival time for US planes...

Then you'd have about a 25-40 minute ride into town... It's now about 09:30/9:45 AM - best case scenario.

Figure a 30 minute ride back, then you have to go through security, and passport controi... another 30 minutes - or worse! You'd have to be there NO later than 11:30 AM to guarantee you can clear all these challenges..

So best case you might get 1 to 1.5 hours cruising around Rome in a taxi or privately booked car. And that again is BEST CASE.

If your first plane is late... then all deals are off - and if you pre-paid your private car you're out that money. And then there's getting back through security at FCO. Read about one of our adventures: At the FCO Airport Again! (http://tinyurl.com/fco-again)

Having said all that, in the real world - I think I'd agree with bdemaria and plan on gettig a good book about Rome at the FCO airprot and spend your layover planning a trip when you'll have more time!

Thank you all so much for your input.

I figure that if my flight lands on-time or early I will go for it.

One more question: Since I'll already have my AA boarding pass, can I just go through security at Terminal 3 or MUST I use Terminal 5?

Well, I did it.
Flight was late getting in - landing only at 9:00 - BUT - connection was delayed to 15:00 . . . . So:
- Left my rollerboard at the Left Luggage in Terminal 3
- Took the 9:58 FR1 to Ostiense
- Metro to Colliseo, arrived at 10:45
- Got to see the Collesium (from the outside), Arch of Titus, went for a walk to the Jewish Ghetto
- Tram #8 to Travestre
- 12:51 FR1 train back to FCO, arriving at 13:20
- Walked to Terminal 5 (not too terrible)
- Checked in at 13:40 - no line whatsoever. . . .

Two observations, though: the Rome Metro reminded me of the NYC subway 30 years ago, graffiti everywhere, no AC. . . less than impressed. Also, FCO was not a terribly impressive air facility either . . . very outdated. TLV, though smaller, trumps it big time, which I found very surprising.

Well, I did it.
Flight was late getting in - landing only at 9:00 - BUT - connection was delayed to 15:00 . . . . So:
- Left my rollerboard at the Left Luggage in Terminal 3
- Took the 9:58 FR1 to Ostiense
- Metro to Colliseo, arrived at 10:45
- Got to see the Collesium (from the outside), Arch of Titus, went for a walk to the Jewish Ghetto
- Tram #8 to Travestre
- 12:51 FR1 train back to FCO, arriving at 13:20
- Walked to Terminal 5 (not too terrible)
- Checked in at 13:40 - no line whatsoever. . . .

Bravo!

Nice! Congrats!
BTW. Why did you walk to T5 and not take the T5 shuttle (which runs every 10 mins or less)?

Rome metro: they're improving it. One of the lines has had close to half of the stations redone and looks quite decent. The other (the one you took to Trastevere) is still in need of a cleanup.

Thanks, friends!
It was a great experience.

I walked to T5 and didn't take the shuttle for 2 reasons:
1) I spent about 3 minutes looking for the shuttle stop and couldn't find it.
2) I read on a bunch of blogs that the shuttle runs rather infrequently, especially toward the mid-afternoon. I didn't want to chance it, the signs said 800m to T5 so I figured I'd walk it. Of course half way through my walk the shuttle drove by! No big deal.

Congrats. I wouldn't have tried it, but sounds like you made it work