A guide for getting around Rome using public transportation

Rome has a vast public transport network. Read to find out about the buses, trains, metros and trams that run through the city.

Yordan

5 minute read

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Updated on 6 Jul 2023

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Living

As with every other European capital, Rome has an extensive public transportation network. This shouldn’t come as a surprise considering that the city’s territory is more than 1,000 square metres and the number of residents is just short of 3,000,000.

With 350 lines serving the whole city, it can be quite daunting to newcomers. So keep reading if you’re looking to locate rental homes near Rome. city and are wondering if the public transport is any good.

In this article, we cover the types of available public transport in Rome, the cost of using it, the operating times as well as the alternatives you can use.

Rome offers its residents and visitors trams, metros, buses and even urban railways. With more than 8,000 total public transport stops, you can be certain that you’ll always be able to get to where you need to be in a breeze!

The buses and trams share the same operating times, while the metros have a separate schedule.

With regards to buses and trams, you can expect them to run on a strict schedule between 05:30 am and 12:00 am.

The metros, on the other hand, run from 05:30 am until 11:30 pm Monday thru Thursday. The operating times get longer on Fridays and Saturdays when metros operate until 01:30 am.

Using public transportation in Rome costs around the average for Europe.

You can find the exact prices for 2021 in the table below:

Where can you buy public transport tickets in Rome?

Tickets are valid for all public transport types in the city. You can buy them at special vending machines, metro stations, stores, newspaper stands and even via SMS.

The monthly and yearly cards are available on request at ATAC ticket offices. All you need to do is fill out a form and provide a photocopy of an identification document. In case your monthly or yearly subscription runs out, you can charge your card at the following locations:

• ATAC offices
• Online via ATAC’s website
• Selected stores
• Unicredit ATMs in the city and surrounding area
• Pay&Go parking meters

Rome’s metro network has three lines, with a fourth one to be built in the coming years. Despite the modest number of lines, the network has 73 stops.

Looking at a map of the metro, you should remember that Line A is orange, Line B is blue and Lince C is green. Lines A and B have stops at many of the main attractions in the city, while Line C goes all the way to Rome’s outskirts to the north.

As a result of the limited metro lines in Rome, many locals must resort to using buses to get to their desired destination.

Traffic is a big issue in Rome, so don’t be surprised when your bus is delayed.

There are four types of buses in Rome, that are recognizable by the lettering at the stop:

• Urban Lines (U) operate from 05:00-06:00 am until 12:00 am.
• Express (X) lines run to the outskirts of the city.
• Exact (E) lines connect the city centre with the neighbourhoods that surround it
• Night Buses (N) run throughout the night

Night buses

What is a European capital if it doesn’t offer a night bus service?!

Rome has a 20 line fleet of night buses that run from 00:30 am until 05:30 am. The main stations that Rome’s night buses run from are Piazza dei Cinquecento and Piazza Venezia. You can expect to see buses leaving from there every 30 minutes.

An owl marks the location of night bus stops.

You’re the least likely to run into crowds of tourists in Rome’s trams since they don’t cover the tourist areas.

The six tram lines connect the outskirts of the city centre with the periphery of the city. This makes them ideal for combining with the metro lines which are mainly running through the city centre.

As if one type of metro isn’t enough, Rome boasts an Urban railway system that has three lines.

The lines connect Rome to three other cities in the Lazio region. This makes the urban railway the ideal mode of transport for when you want to visit Lido, Viterbo and Giardinetti on the weekend.

Rome’s urban railways operate from 05:30 am until 10:30 pm every day and run every 20 minutes.

Taxis and car/ scooter/ bike sharing, there are plenty of options to get around Rome when you don’t feel like using public transport.

Taxis

Taking a taxi in Rome is not optimal if you’re trying to stretch your budget, since the service is one of the most expensive in the whole of Europe. With a minimum fare of €3 and tariffs of up to €1.60 per kilometre, the bill builds up quite quickly.

Nevertheless, the service is there for you to use when you need to swiftly get somewhere.

All taxis in Rome are white and the car number is is on the sides. Don't get on any taxi that doesn't have those distinctive features!

Car sharing

There are several car-sharing options available on the territory of Rome. The most widely available ones are “Share Now” and “Enjoy”.

Car sharing is great if you don’t own a car and need one for a short period of time.

Scooter sharing

Need to get somewhere fast and enjoy feeling the breeze in your hair? Then the most popular way of getting around in Italy is the way to go for you! Renting one of the scooters waiting behind every corner is one of the most enjoyable ways of travelling in an urban environment.

Bike sharing

Renting a bike for a ride is perfect if you don’t have a driver’s licence and the weather allows it.

The most popular bike-sharing options in Rome are “Jump” and “Helbiz”.

Now that you’re aware of the most important information about the public transport system of Rome, you should check which Rome neighbourhood would fit your needs best!

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