Perche

Exactly. There is a fixed rate of 48 euro for a taxi. I'm pretty sure that there is a 1,5 euro Airport exit fee, and that's it. People have been known to post that they had a car reserved at 8PM, but their plane arrived at 2 AM because of a delay. When they landed and turned on their phone there would be a message: "Sorry, all of our drivers are asleep. Your flight is arriving after hours. Please take a taxi."

My nightmare is always taking a taxi in Philadelphia, which I've had to do twice a year for the last 8 years. They are filthy. The drivers have no idea where they are going. There are two Sheratons. About six months ago I got into a taxi and clearly told the driver the address. I'd been going there for years, but didn't recognize anything. I figured, maybe because of one way streets, he's leaving me at the back entrance, that's why I don't recognize it.

When I went in, I felt disoriented, and realized that I wasn't at the hotel I asked him to drive me to. I had to take another taxi, and missed a welcoming dinner.

Just read about it. A taxi is 48 euros, no tip expected, and will take you almost anywhere you want to go.

I really don't know if there will be taxi's at the airport waiting stand at 4 AM, because that's never happened to me. But I'll find out. I know for certain that the guy directing the car service limo drivers you reserved for an expected 9 PM arrival will be at home, in bed at that hour, and the phone will will be off the hook.

In addition to the airport exit fee, there is a small surcharge for rides after a certain time at night. It's still small potatoes compared to the convenience of just walking outside and getting into a clean car to almost wherever you want to go, for a fixed rate.

JBD

Yes, there is a €48 fixed rate for taxis going from FCO to the area of Rome within the Aurelian Walls, and vice versa. Here is the map showing the area within the Aurelian Walls.

If your hotel is outside the Aurelian Walls, there is a maximum rate of €70 if going from FCO to within the Rome ring road (GRA) and vice versa.

But that's only for the official Roman white cabs (there are also official Fiumicino white cabs which will cost you more if using to go into Rome). Here's an image I found online showing the official "Comune di Roma SPQR" signage that you should look for.

According to the official site, these rates are inclusive.

On a weekday afternoon there should be plenty of cabs at FCO. The size of the queue depends on how many flights have just landed, and how many of those pax are opting for the cab as a means into town.

And yes, you should be able to easily take a cab from your hotel back to the airport. But there are always exceptions. On one trip I had planned to just grab a cab after checking out (from the Westin Excelsior), but something was happening in town and there was a cab shortage (I don't honestly remember what was going on - it was almost 20 years ago. But Rome is a capital city and things can happen!) So I ended up having the hotel's car take me to FCO, and it was extremely expensive. If your flight is in the morning, I suggest the night before telling your concierge or the front desk that you'll need a cab at a specific time, just to cover yourself.

The two car services mentioned upthread which have received 100s of recommendations, RomeCabs and RomeShuttleLimousine, will cost you €50 and €45 respectively. So the costs are comparable to cabs.

(Are you aware that you also have the option of taking a train, or a shuttle? The express train costs €14 per person, the regional train costs €8 pp, and shuttles start at €4 pp).

The pros and cons of taking a car service vs a cab are the same at FCO as at other airports. Of course it's always much easier when you arrive at an airport to just go grab a cab in the rank, for all the reasons mentioned upthread.

I've been ripped off a couple of times by Rome cab drivers, that's why I prefer a car service.

With a car service you're most likely going to get a clean car, you won't be affected by any transportation strike the way you might be with a cab, and you won't have to worry that you'll be taken advantage of.

Frequentflyer99, chances are you'll arrive as scheduled, and not at 4 in the morning(!), and that whether you book a car through RomeCabs, RomeShuttleLimousine, or if you just grab a cab, that you'll get to your hotel without incident.

Hope you enjoy your time in Roma!

Perche

Fair enough, great dialogue!

I will say this, the link to what Membersince 2013 said is, "BTW, beware of those cabbies. Cabbie charged me 70 euros from the hotel to the airport. I told me i only paid 45 euros the first time from the airport but he pretended like he didnt understand English. The hotel concierge called the cab BTW..."

That is why I mentioned, "Don't pay the hotel, as they've been known to add a "15 euro booking fee." Nobody pads their pockets more than a roman concierge.

I usually take a train from the airport to Termini, because I then the walk to the hotel near Pantheon, since I never bring luggage. If I take a taxi and they drive me around the city, so what? It's on their dime because it's a fixed 48 euros, plus 1.5 airport departure fee. Traffic, who cares?

Departure is always different. it's always going to be a pick up at around 4 -5 AM. I'm not going to go outside and wait at a taxi stand. Before i go to sleep I always tell the front desk that I will need a taxi at 4 AM, 5 AM, or whenever, the night before. I know that the taxi costs 48 euros.

The front desk will almost always counter, "would you like a private car instead?" I always respond, "how much?" If they say to me, and no one ever has, 70 euros, I'd say no, just call me a taxi. They sense that I know the rules, that a taxi is 48 euros, and the most that a private car will charge charge is 50 euros. I don't mind paying 50 instead of 48 for a car to make the system work by helping the front desk guy, who is helping his friend who owns a car, and everybody gets a little grease on the palm.

However, 70 euros, no. I settle the price before the guy at the front desk calls the car. If It's 48 euros or a few more, yes. If he responds by saying 70 for a private car, I just say no, I prefer a regular taxi for 48 euros. You'll be surprised how quick the price will come down to 48-50 euros.

Here is a typical conversation the night before leaving:
Me: I need at taxi to the airport at 4:30 in the morning.
Front desk: Would you prefer a private car?
Me: How much does it cost? The cab is only 48 euros.
Front desk: 50 euros.
Me: Sure.

If the hotel said 70 euros, it is the infamous "let's charge this tourist a 20 euro booking fee to call our friend Niccolo."

Strikes do not factor into regular thinking. Strikes are to make a statement, not to inconvenience people. They give you notice weeks in advance. If I read on that on January 14th there will be a strike, I'll make other plans. If I'm on a plane to Rome this Sunday, I won't think about strikes at all, because they haven't announced any. They always give ample warning so that you can make other plans.

JBD

self deleted

bman128

Would anyone know the situation for ground transportation on New Years? I saw that there would be the Leonardo Express trains running from the airport to the terminal but I wanted to know if there were any other cheaper options for 5 people on that day.

Perche

There are cheaper options, and there is a best option. The cheapest would be a bus. It would cost about 4 euro each, or about 20 euro. Of course, it won't leave you at your hotel, so then you'll need two cabs. The cheapest option is not always the best option. Next, there is a regional train. It doesn't go to Termini. As a local train, it makes several stops. The closest to the center, depending on where you are staying, is usually Ostiense. Then, you have to take a cab, or walk to the Metro and take another train. Not recommended. Then, Leonardo Express, as you mentioned. 14 euros each, or 90 euros. That leaves you at Termini, where with five people, you will then have to take two cabs to your hotel.

The most reasonable option is a car service. They usually run 60-70 euros if you specify you'll need a van because you are five. It's better than 90 euros for the Leonardo Express, then paying for two cabs.

Taxis are usually the best option. It's 48 euros, fixed rate for most places in Rome. Some of them are vans, and you could luck out that way. Most are not, and most people bring a lot of luggage, so you'll likely need two cabs, costing 96 euros. That's still cheaper than 90 euros for the Leonardo Express, then two cabs to your hotel.

Overall, I think with five people and presumably a lot of luggage, a car service, specifying that you are five people and will need a van, will be cheaper, simpler, and more convenient than any other viable option. They'll meet you at the airport with a van for five, and drop you off at the hotel. There are literally hundreds of car services for Rome. Most of them aren't located in Italy, or even in Europe. If you choose a car service, check their web site and make sure they are in Rome. Their phone number should have the 39 country code for Italy, and the Rome city code. make sure they are not only located in Italy, but in Rome itself.

JBD

Yes, there are cheaper options for 5 people.

But I just want to make sure of something:
- on the France forum I noticed your post saying that you'll be leaving from ORY that day. So you're flying into FCO and not into Rome's other airport (CIA), right?

You can see in the 060608 link in the wiki above, that the Leonardo Express costs €14 per person, so €70 total.

Where in Rome are you staying? That info will help determine what could be the cheapest and best solution for your party.

There are shuttle services, also found in that 060608 link in the wiki above:
If your accommodations are not in convenient walking distance from the Vatican area drop off point, or the Termini or Ostiense train stations, perhaps you're in waking distance from a metro line. From Termini you can take either the Line A or Line B metro, and from Ostiense you can take the Line B metro. The metro will cost €1.50 per person.

For car services, above in the wiki you'll see links for RomeCabs (the price for the 5 of you directly to your accommodations will be €60), and for Rome Shuttle Limousine (their price to take 5 pax to your accommodations is €55).

Edited to add:
If you decide to take one of the shuttles to Termini Train station, I've heard recommended that it's best to not pre-pay for a particular shuttle company, but rather to just grab the first one that's available when you happen to arrive.

Perche

Ugh, my bad math. 14 X 5 does not equal 90. It equals 70. But that is still the most expensive option. Most people who arrive at Termini then need to take a cab, unless they are light packers, and don't have a problem walking a mile or two to where their hotel is. Five people, five suitcases, its going to usually mean two taxis at perhaps 15 euros each from there. I almost always take the Leonardo Express, then walk the 2 miles to my hotel near the Pantheon. That's a total of 14 euros. Five Leonardo Express tickets and two taxis, is hard to keep under 100 euros. The size of the party makes a big difference.

I also mentioned that there are different bus and local train options for less, but I wouldn't recommend them. Since the OP didn't say where they are staying, and just said they are staying "in Rome" which is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, the chances are that their hotel won't be right at a metro stop, given how few there are in such a large city. Once they get to the train station, without knowing exactly where they are going, it's almost certain that they will need to take two taxis, or they will be lost out near Ostiense.

If they take any shuttle bus, unless they are staying at Vatican or Termini train station, which I hope they are not because they are two of the worst places to stay, they will have collectively already paid 20-30 euros to take the hour long, crowded, uncomfortable bus ride, and then when they get off the bus stop they will need to find two taxis, probably at 15-20 each. There is no need to make it that difficult to save a couple of euros, or perhaps to even spend more

When five people are traveling, economy of scale becomes important. They can have a limo waiting to drive them to the hotel door in 40 minutes for less than what the Leonardo Express+2 taxis, or train/bus+2 taxis over two hours will cost.

When 5 people are traveling it is almost always better to hire personal transportation than to buy 5 tickets on public transportation, plus taxi. The marginal difference is not worth the trouble, or it will actually cost more.

In Venice, I almost always take the Alilaguna boat to and from the airport because I get the 9 euro resident rate. It's slow and inconvenient, and has to make multiple stops. It takes about an hour and 15 minutes. I can't say how many time I've seen large groups of people pay 19 euros each to be on that boat, when due to the size of their group they could have taken a private water taxi for less, and go non-stop in luxury in 25-30 minutes. When it's a group of five, the cost calculations change.

KLouis

When going to the Pantheon area with "light" luggage, another possibility is to take the "slow and cheap" train, get off at Trastevere and switch to the tram, right outside the train station. Get off at Argentina (last stop) and walk the few 100 metres to your destination. Additional advantage, you use the same ticket for train and tram!

obscure2k

This option is so dependent on the time of arrival and your familiarity with Rome. Not an option I would consider if arriving at night and/or unfamiliar with location of your hotel.

Perche

People often ask a question without providing enough information for someone to give a perfect answer. This question was, how to get from FCO to Termini. I assume this party of 5 is not going to actually stay at the train station. Rome is a large city of about 500 square miles, and it's not clear that their final destination is the train station.

Based upon the question, it suggests a first time visitor who will have no idea how to get off of the train in Trastevere and find the tram to Largo Argentina, and then walk the streets for a mile if they are staying, for example, near the Spanish Steps. They will get hopelessly lost, and wind up desperately seeking two taxis.

For five people, when you add the costs of five bus or train tickets, plus the almost inevitable two taxis when they get lost, the economy of scale makes it quicker, much more stress free, and probably cheaper, to just arrange for a van to meet them at the airport, and drop them off at their hotel.

bman128

Thanks for your guys advice, I'll definitely keep it in mind when I arrive in the afternoon. I'm staying by the Termini station but it seems like there would be many other alternative options other than the express train. Anyways, hope you all have happy holidays.

JBD

Hi bman128. No one actually addressed your question specific to New Years' options. When I looked at those 3 private shuttle companies that I mentioned above, I didn't see anything on their websites indicating that they don't run on holidays - but that's not definitive.

What I would do in your shoes is contact the place where you have accommodations, whether it be a hotel or an Airbnb, and ask them if the shuttles run on New Years. Being that your lodging is located close to Termini, I'd wager they'd be very familiar with these (Terravision, SITbus and TAMbus).

And since you're staying close to Termini you won't have to bother with any cabs!

Regarding Termini, there are some great new food options there: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/italy...e-termini.html

And happiest of holidays to you too!

Perche

New Years isn't different from any other day in a world capital of a major country. It still functions. There will still be cabs and car services from the airport, and the trains will be running.

I wrote in a previous post, "Since the OP didn't say where they are staying, and just said they are staying "in Rome" which is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world...." It is the same thing now. brman128 still hasn't said where he is staying. Hundreds of hotels tmiles away from Termini advertise on their website that they are, "close to Termini, the Vatican, and the Fountain of Trevi." Three opposite sectors.

Saying that they are staying near Termini doesn't mean anything. It doesn't mean they won't need a taxi.

For example, I just did a Google search for, "hotels near Rome Termini." The first website that came up, of course, was TripAdvisor. Their #1 recommended hotel "near Rome Termini," is Residenza d'Epoca Pietra di Ponente, which is not even in Rome. It's in the town of Ciampino. The #2 hotel "near Termini," also isn't in Rome, it is in Frascati. The third most recommended hotel "near Termini" is in Marino. Someone could technically argue that these places are within the area considered to be Metropolitan Rome, but they are each about a half an hour drive from Termini, and it is not possible to walk to any of them unless you want to walk for three hours on the side of a highway.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/HotelsNe...ome_Lazio.html

brman128 started by saying that he is staying in Rome, a 500 square mile area. He or she was asked to narrow it down, and the answer was, "near Rome Termini." I still have no idea what that means. Hotels have a name, and the only way for someone to make a recommendation about how to get to where they are staying is for them to tell where they are staying.

As a group of 5 travelers it's probably not going to be a problem, but in a large part of the neighborhood around Termini you would want to be inside a cab rather than walking around, to avoid the risk of getting mugged, depending on your arrival time. "Near Termini" doesn't mean anything since hundreds of hotels advertise that they are, "Near Termini, the Vatican, and the Fountain of Trevi." My suspicion from the nature of the question is that brman128 is not familiar with Rome so, "we are staying near Termini," doesn't reveal that much.

KLouis

Sorry, but let's get a bit more "open minded"! This is a searchable, merged thread on transportation to/from FCO and it does not only include answers to people traveling in a company of four or five! Moreover, there are people who are not rich (my pension in Greece was cut down to what some people here budget for a stay of 5 days in Rome!), thus offering an additional possibility for those living close to the Pantheon (there was no mention of the Spanish steps in my post) is fully legitimate (€8 from FCO to "Argentina"). As for getting out of the Trastevere station and finding the tram that stops right in front of it, I assume that anybody who managed to get from anywhere in the world to the train will be in position to do that as well. As a matter of fact, easier than Ostiense where you have to walk a long, long way to the Metro! Finally, there are very few trains arriving at FCO after midnight and, indeed, no train is available for them. The problem, thus, will not be at Trastevere but at FCO.

Let me use a saying from biology here: what is valid for E. coli is [not] necessarily valid for the elephant. I personally prefer the version that includes the "not".