Rome public transport: tickets, passes and apps

Match the ticket to how many rides you will actually take, not to how much walking you plan. Rome's centre is compact: many travellers ride twice a day and walk the rest, which makes single tickets cheaper than a pass. If you are crossing the city for the Vatican, Testaccio and Trastevere in one day, a pass wins.

The 48-hour and 72-hour tickets are unlimited within the urban zone, so they pay off from roughly four rides a day. For a full week, the 7-day pass is the simplest option; it needs a reusable card bought once at a machine or tabacchi. Children and some residents travel free or reduced — check the current rules at the machine before buying.

Contactless bank cards and phones are accepted directly on metro turnstiles at many stations, and on some surface routes. The system charges the best fare for your day automatically, so you do not need to buy a ticket first. Coverage is still being extended — check the reader at the gate or ask at the ticket office before you rely on it.

Paper tickets remain the default. Buy them from machines at metro stations, from tabacchi (look for the T sign) and newsstands, or in the official ATAC app. Machines take cards and coins; small shops often prefer cash. Keep the ticket until you leave the network: inspectors can ask for it at any point.

Rome's urban fare covers one zone: metro lines A, B and B1, the trams, the city buses and urban trains inside the city boundary. The Leonardo Express and the FL regional lines to the airports sit outside this, so a BIT or a 24-hour ticket will not get you to Fiumicino. Buy the airport fare separately.

For trips beyond the city, such as Ostia, Tivoli or the Castelli Romani, you need a regional ticket priced by distance. Machines sell these by destination; check the board above the machine for the zone map. Suburban buses run by other operators may not accept ATAC tickets at all.

From Fiumicino, the Leonardo Express runs non-stop to Roma Termini in about 32 minutes; it is the fastest option and costs more than an urban ticket. The regional FL1 stops at Trastevere, Ostiense and Tiburtina and is cheaper, but it does not serve Termini. Both need a separate ticket from your Rome pass.

From Ciampino, there is no train. Shuttle buses run to Termini in about 40 minutes and are the usual choice; taxi fares are fixed by law and posted at the rank. Urban tickets do not cover either airport bus, so buy the airport fare before boarding. Allow extra time in the morning peak, when the ring road jams.

Validate paper tickets every time you board a bus or tram. The machine stamps the time; an unstamped ticket counts as no ticket and the fine is steep. On the metro, the gate does the validation for you. Keep the ticket until you exit the network.

Pickpockets work the metro and the 64 bus to the Vatican, especially in the crush at Termini and Ottaviano. Keep bags zipped in front and do not keep a phone in a back pocket. Late at night, use the night buses or a taxi rather than waiting at an empty stop.

Strikes (scioperi) are announced in advance and can stop metro and bus service for a day. Check the transport authority notice the evening before, and have a walking or taxi plan for strike days.