Traveling

How to get Rome

Are you planning to travel to Rome to attend the conference? You can find below some general traveling tips and visa information. More info is available here.  Useful information for people with disabilities can be found here.

If you are already in Rome and you are wondering how to reach the conference venues and how to use public transportation, please take a look here.

By Airplane

Rome is served by two airports:  the international “Leonardo da Vinci” Fiumicino (FCO) airport and the international “G. B. Pastine” Ciampino (CIA) airport.  Fiumicino (FCO) airport is located to the west of Rome city center and is the major airport serving Rome.  The other, Ciampino (CIA) airport is mostly used by low cost airlines (mainly Ryanair).  Ciampino (CIA) is close to the city center (closer than Fiumicino) making it a suitable option for low-budget flights from European countries.

The best way to reach the conference venues from both airports is to reach Termini train station (Stazione Termini) and then move from there.

From the international “Leonardo da Vinci”  Fiumicino (FCO) airport

Airport website

BY TRAIN – Trains are the most convenient transportation means to reach the center of Rome, travel time approx. 30 minutes.  From the arrivals area of the Fiumicino airport, go to the railway station and take the Leonardo Express train. The train departs every 30 minutes during daytime and stops at Stazione Termini. The one-way fare is 14 Euro. Purchased tickets must be validated before boarding the train using the available green or yellow validating machines; tickets bought and printed on-line are already validated, and their validity lasts for 90 minutes from the departure time of the selected train.  Tickets bought from the ticket desks at the stations, railway ticket desks, travel agencies, authorized ticket offices and self-service machines are valid for 90 minutes after the validation.  The Leonardo Express service is guaranteed also in the event of a strike. Train are scheduled from 6 am to 11 pm approximately every day; the updated schedule is available on Trenitalia web site.

NOTE: Besides the Leonardo Express, a regular metropolitan train service is also available, departing from Fiumicino (FCO) airport and stopping at stations other than Termini railway station (e.g., Ostiense, Tuscolana and Tiburtina railway stations). The estimated time is 45 minutes to Tiburtina railway station, with a 20 minutes frequency. One way fare is 8.50 Euro.  Both the Leonardo Express and the metropolitan  trains depart from close platforms, so passengers are advised to double check before boarding.

BY BUS – There are several buses departing from the airport and arriving to Termini railway station. From the arrivals area, follow the  “Bus Station” sign. The main bus lines are Terravision and Sitbusshuttle, departure frequency is approximately one bus every 30 min. The duration of the trip is roughly 1h (travel time is subject to traffic conditions).  Ticket prices vary from 4 to 8 EURO. They can be bought on the spot, or online at a discounted price (for some companies only) .

BY TAXI – Taxis are available at the international arrivals area. The cost to reach the city center is approximately 50 Euro (plus surcharges for late nights, Sundays, holidays and luggage). You should verify the price before starting the ride. Taxis licensed by Rome City Council are white and have a sign bearing the word “TAXI” on their roofs. The symbol of the Rome City Council must be clearly visible on the front doors and the license inside the back left seat. Beware boarding “unofficial” taxis conducted by unauthorized drivers, as the fare could result much higher. You can find here info and official fares. Here are the most relevant (the conference venue is inside the Ancient Aurelian Walls):

• Fiumicino (FCO) ↔ any address inside Ancient Aurelian Walls of the city – 48 Euro
• Fiumicino (FCO) ↔ Ciampino (CIA) – 50 Euro
• Fiumicino (FCO) ↔ Stazione Ostiense – 45 Euro
• Fiumicino (FCO) ↔ Stazione Tiburtina – 55 Euro
• Fiumicino (FCO) ↔ Civitavecchia port – 120 Euro

For more info and other options regarding possible connections between Rome and the airport, take a look here.

From the international ” G.B. Pastine” Ciampino (CIA) airport

Airport website

BY BUS – The most convenient transportation service from/to Rome  is offered by private bus lines. At the arrivals area of the airport you can see some bus parking spots. Terravision coaches provide frequent connections from Ciampino (CIA) airport and Via Marsala 29, next to Termini railway station (Stazione Termini).  The one-way fare is 4 Euro, and the journey takes approximately 45 minutes (travel time is subject to traffic conditions).  SITBusShuttle coaches are an alternative option.  There is also one bus run by ATRAL that travels directly to the Termini railway station. The ticket costs 3.90 Euro and can be purchased directly on the bus or at the ATRAL desk inside the airport.

BY TAXI – Taxis operate just outside the air terminal. You can find info and official fares (plus surcharges for late nights, Sundays, holidays and luggage) here . Taxis licensed by Rome City Council are white and have a sign bearing the word “TAXI” on their roofs. The symbol of the Rome City Council must be clearly visible on the front doors and the license inside the back left seat. Beware boarding “unofficial” taxis conducted by unauthorized drivers, as the fare could result much higher. Here are the fares for official taxi  (the conference venue is inside the Ancient Aurelian Walls):

• Ciampino (CIA) ↔ any address inside Ancient Aurelian Walls of the city – 30 Euro
• Ciampino (CIA) ↔ Stazione Ostiense – 45 Euro
• Ciampino (CIA) ↔ Stazione Tiburtina – 55 Euro

See here for more traveling info and options relatively to the connection between Rome and Ciampino airport.

By Train

Stazione Termini, Stazione Tiburtina and Stazione Ostiense central railway stations are the arrival and departure sites  for almost all trains traveling to all national and international destinations. The majority of public buses depart from Termini, Tiburtina and Ostiense railway stations to the different zones of the city, which are connected to the two existing roman underground lines,  Line A (red) and Line B (blue) as follows.  Termini station is connected with both A and B lines, Tiburtina and Ostiense are connected only with B line. Trenitalia Eurostar and Italo trains are the fastest means to reach Rome departing from Milan, Florence, Venice, Turin, Naples and Bologna.

A Car Rental service is available at Termini station. The taxi stand is in front of the main entrance to the station in Piazza dei Cinquecento or in via Marsala just outside the station.

By Car

Arriving from Northern Italy on the A1/E35 highway, exit at the ”Roma Centro, Grande Raccordo Anulare, Aeroporti, E80, A12, Civitavecchia, Roma Nord, Rieti“ tollgate. Arriving from the South on the same A1/E45 highway, exit  at the “Roma Centro, Grande Raccordo Anulare, Aeroporti, E80, A12, Civitavecchia, Roma Sud, Cesareo“ tollgate. In both cases you will find yourself on the “Grande Raccordo Anulare (G.R.A.)“, the major beltway that surrounds Rome and links the highways and state roads leading to the city. Once on the G.R.A., exit and follow the signs for Nomentana/​Tiburtina and the directions to Viale Manzoni 1 (main conference venue) or Viale Ariosto 25 (workshop and tutorial venue).

 

VISA Guidelines

In case of theft or loss of a personal document,  the event must be reported to the nearest Carabinieri or Police Station to where the robbery or loss has occurred. In case a passport is lost, the person should contact the Consulate or Embassy of interest in Italy.

Currency and Credit Cards

 

The official currency in Italy is  the Euro (EUR). The easiest way to obtain euros is from an ATM (called “bancomat” in italian, PIN is “codice segreto“), operational 24 hours a day with instructions available in several languages.

Should you need to exchange currency, please refer to the foreign exchange offices located in the airports, in the downtown areas and at the Termini station (on the ground floor opposite to platform 12-13 and in the Forum Termini Shopping Center near the escalators to via Marsala).

Most restaurants and shops accept VISA and MasterCard. American Express can also be used sometime (check in advance). Credit cards are generally accepted for expenses of 10 Euro or more.  Please, be advised that credit cards are hardly ever accepted by taxi drivers.

In case of theft, the card can be immediately blocked by calling: