Rome Transport

Rome's public transport system has plenty of critics, but for most tourist purposes the network is satisfactory enough. The central area and most attractions are covered by the underground metro lines, buses and trams. The most impressive aspect, however, is the price - UK travellers will be pleasantly surprised.

The company ATAC runs public transport services in Rome, and within the city area tickets are valid across the full range of services. A single ticket, called a BIT, costs €1 and can be used on any form of transport - but including only one metro journey.

Ticket prices:

• 75 minutes - €1
• 1 day - €4
• 3 days - €11
• 7 days - €16
• Monthly - €30

Tickets must be bought before you travel - if you are relying on single tickets, purchase a supply to last a while. You can buy them at most news-stands and bars. There are also machines in stations which sell tickets... but these aren't always terribly reliable, so it's wise to purchase in advance. Stamp your ticket when you enter the metro or board a bus or tram. There are two shapes of ticket and consequently two types of validating machine on every vehicle. Inspections are quite frequent and you'll be fined or even escorted to the police station if you don't have a valid ticket. If you ever find yourself on a bus with a broken validating machine, the correct procedure is to write the date and time on your ticket in pen.

The hub of Rome's transport system is Stazione Termini, the main train station. Rome only has two underground train lines, Metro Linea A and Linea B, and these cross at Termini. Outside the station are bus stops serving most city destinations. It's a good idea to obtain a public transport map of Rome - these are available free from ATAC's head office close to Termini Station.

Timetables are harder to uncover than routes, and given the traffic in the city centre, are rarely adhered to. The last metro trains depart at 11:30pm* (12:30 on Saturday nights); most buses run until midnight. After this there is a much thinner nightbus coverage. Bus stops are easy to understand in Rome; they list the stops in the order of travel. Nightbuses are indicated by the picture of an owl.

Taxis are white with lights on the top to indicate whether they are available for hire. They'll generally stop when hailed; and there are strategically placed taxi ranks around town.

* Metro update:
From January 2005 there are major works taking place on Metro Linea A. The service will close each day at 9pm, and will be replaced by buses. The stops will be as close as possible to the Metro stations, and there will be two different lines with routes that overlap: MA1, which runs between Battistini and Arco di Travertino, and MA2, from Flaminio to Anagnina. The service will stop at the usual Metro closing time, and should run as frequently as the trains do. However, journeys will inevitably be dependent on Rome's traffic, and take longer. ATAC estimate that these works will continue for three years.