How to Get Around Rome and a Few Travel Tips
What’s the name of the popular Eternal City that wasn’t built in a day?
Rome, Italy.
The city with so much history and great edifices. The size and locations of its famous sites are spread far and wide across the sprawling city.
You can feel the goosebumps rising all over when you picture this Eternal City. You can but only congratulate yourself for making a good decision to visit the city.
The best way to experience the beauty of Eternal City is to walk its Golden street.
However, for places like Vatican City and some famous sites you can utilize public transport.
Several ways to explore the city of Rome include taking a walk, bus, metro, taxi, or car service.
Metro
Metro service is simply what we refer to as the subway system in other parts of the world. It’s the fastest means of travel in Rome.
The metro has a big red M sign on it to indicate the entrance to the subway system. It runs from 5:30 am to 11:30 pm (it extends to 1:30 am on Friday and Saturday).
The city has three underground metro lines.
The first existing metro line is the B line (blue) which began in 1955. It connects the northeast part of the city with the southwest part of the city.
The A-line (orange) connects the northwest part of Rome with the Southeast part of the city. It began service in 1980.
The third metro line is the C line (green). It opened in 2014 but is not much of a use to tourists. It runs from the southeast axis to the outskirts of the city.
The Yellow D line is under construction.
Tickets can be from newsstands, tobacco shops, and vending machines at the cost of €1.5. They're available in all of the metro stations.
Other transports are referred to as surface transport.
Bus
Buses are operated by ATAC, the bus, and Tramway company of Rome.
Bus tickets are the same price as metro tickets. The difference is that your bus ticket is valid for 100 minutes which means you can get into as many buses as possible within that timeframe with the same ticket.
Bus transport does not issue tickets but rather validates them at the yellow validation machines on the buses.
You can get your tickets at tobacco shops or bus terminals before you get on any bus.
The buses provide service from 6 a.m to midnight daily. After that, you'd have to get a night bus which usually has 'N' displayed on it. The only challenge with night buses is that it has a limited number of main routes.
During the nighttime, bus stops have a blue owl on them and departures are usually every 15 to 30 minutes.
But in the daytime, bus stops can be identified by a yellow sign (fermata). It displays the number of buses that stop there and each bus stop along its route.
The main bus station is in front of Stazione Termini in Piazza del Cinquecento. Others include Largo do Torre Argentina, Piazza Venezia, etc.
Taxi
Taxis are available options.
Authorized Taxis in Rome are white vehicles with a taxi sign on the roof and an emblem on the door that reads "commune di Roma."
They're readily available and licensed with set rates. For example, in town (within the ring road) flag fall is €3 between 6 am and 10 pm on weekdays, €4.50 on Sundays and holidays, and €6.50 between 10 pm and 6 am or €1.10 per kilometer.
Taxi stands are available at the airports, Stazione Termini, Piazza Della Repubblica, Piazza Barberini, Piazza di Spagna, Piazza Venezia, the Pantheon, the Colosseum, Largo di Torre Argentina, Piazza Belli, Piazza Pio XII, and Piazza del Risorgimento.
You can also get them by calling these taxi lines Radio Taxi: 06-3570, Pronto Taxi: 06-6645 and other companies: 06-5551, 06-4994, 06-4157 which sends the nearest car available. The ChiamaTaxi app and MyTaxi app are also good alternatives.
Note that when you order a cab, the meter is switched on right away, and you pay for the cost of the journey from wherever the driver receives the call.
Hop-on/Hop-off Bus
Also known as (Ho-Ho) buses. They are open-top double-deckers.
You can purchase its all-day ticket for about €30.
The ticket provides you with access to any available seat and headphones to plug into outlets, so you can listen to running commentary on approaching sights.
The commentary is offered in nearly all European languages.
Range of tickets including a daily BIRG (biglietto integrato Regionale giornaliero) ticket, which allows unlimited travel on all city and regional transport until midnight on the day it's activated, are available. It’s priced according to zones.
As you move around Rome, you'd need to have these travel tips with you.
Ordering a Beverage
When you enter a café, locate the cashier and place your order, then take your receipt to the bar to receive your beverage of choice.
Being served at a table usually insure extra service charges which may double your bill.
In Rome, people don't linger on coffees so it's easy to drink it on one stand.
The Cappuccino Crime
Don't order a cappuccino after noon because Italians take digestion very seriously.
In Italy, milk is considered to be heavy in the stomach and should be taken only in the morning.
Ordering a Cappuccino afternoon will raise a lot of eyebrows and attract a lot of unwanted stares.
Petty Crimes
Rome is relatively safe but harbors a lot of petty crimes.
Pickpockets, bag snatching are common in buses, beaches, and attractive centers.
However, it's nothing to worry about, just keep your things at close reach to avoid being a victim.
Greet Small Shops Owners
There are many family-run artisan workshops and small boutiques in Rome.
In Italy, it’s customary to greet these shop owners when you enter and leave the shops.
When you enter, you can say “Buongiorno” until lunchtime and “Buona sera” in the afternoon and evening; when you leave, you should say “arrivederci.”
Bottom Line
Rome is a beautiful place to be.
Make sure you explore every attractive site you can. Take pictures, try out new meals and live the moment.
Have a nice time in Rome.
