How to Navigate Rome's Metro, Buses, and Trams Like a Pro
Issue #122
Many Romans tend to have a rather negative view of public transportation, but I don’t think that’s really fair. I use the metro, buses, and trams all the time and, while it’s not exactly as glamorous as zipping around on a Vespa, it’s the most affordable form of transportation and sometimes the fastest too.
If you’re just visiting for a few days, you might be tempted to walk and take taxis everywhere, but unless you like sitting in traffic, you should really consider taking the metro. It’s generally clean and safe; keep your belongings close and watch out for pickpockets (as you should in most major cities) and you’ll be fine. If you want to navigate the metro, buses, and trams like a pro, here are some things you should know.
Riding the Metro
Rome’s metro currently has three lines. Line A, which appears red or orange on maps, runs from Battistini in the northwest to Anagnina in the southeast, stopping near important monuments and piazzas like the Vatican, Piazza del Popolo, the Spanish Steps, and the Trevi Fountain. It intersects with Line B (the blue line) at Termini, which is also the city’s main railway station. Line B goes from Laurentina in the southern part of the city up to the northeast, branching off after the Bologna stop and has stops in Monti, the Colosseum, the Circus Maximus, and Ostiense.
Line C (the green line) currently goes from San Giovanni, where it intersects with Line A, out to the eastern edge of the city, stopping in Pigneto, which is full of hip bars and restaurants. There are plans to expand Line C with additional stops at the Colosseum (where it will intersect with Line B), Piazza Venezia, and near Piazza Navona. This is Rome, though, so the project has been plagued with delays. The Colosseo stop was supposed to open in 2021, but we’re still waiting for that to happen.
Normally, the metro runs from 5:30 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 1:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. Over the past year, though, Lines A and C have gone through periods of early closure (9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday) because of construction. It’s currently Line C’s turn to close early. When this happens, there are buses to replace the metro, but they’re not nearly as fast or reliable.
Riding the Buses and Trams
An extensive network of buses and trams crisscrosses the city, going to many places where the metro doesn’t stop. Waiting for them, though, can feel like waiting for Godot. I use Google Maps to plan my routes and the Moovit app to track the buses in real time—theoretically anyway—but it’s often wrong. If you plan to take the bus, always give yourself extra time. No matter how long Google Maps says it’ll take, add 10 or 15 minutes onto that. Or just do as the Romans do and arrive late—in this city, no one will fault you for it.
Bus and tram stops are marked by yellow signs with stops listed in descending order. So if you’re looking up at the sign and the stop you need to go to appears before the stop where you’re waiting, you need to cross the street and wait for the bus or tram going in the other direction.
Cost and How to Pay
A single ride costs €1.50 and is valid for 100 minutes on a combination of metro, buses, and trams. (There are rumors that the price will rise to €2, but when that will happen has yet to be announced.)
You can buy tickets at the automatic machines or ticket booths in metro stations, as well as in some tabacchi (shops that sell cigarettes; look for the T sign). If you plan to use public transit a lot, you can buy an unlimited pass for 24, 48, or 72 hours. ATAC, the city’s transit agency, has also implemented contactless payment, so you can just tap your contactless card at the turnstiles or the little machines on buses and trams.
Bus drivers don’t collect fares or issue tickets; as the rider, you’re responsible for validating your ticket or paying via contactless card. In theory, it’s pretty easy to get away with fare evasion on the buses and trams, but every now and then ticket controllers will board and check everyone’s tickets. If they catch you without a properly validated ticket, the fine is €54.90 if you pay within five days; it jumps up to €104.90 after that. The ticket controllers are trained to deal with tourists; they speak enough English to get by and neither ignorance nor tears will work on them.
When I moved to Rome the first time, I couldn’t help noticing that none of the Romans ever validated their tickets on the bus, so I didn’t validate my ticket either—until I got caught by the ticket controllers—on my birthday no less. Then I realized that if you have a monthly unlimited pass, you only need to validate it on the buses the first time you use it that month. So now I always pay the fare—it’s much cheaper than paying the fine.
Have you used Rome’s public transit system? Do you have questions about it?
Further Reading
If you found this useful, you might also want to read this issue from the archives about how to navigate Italy’s trains like a pro.
For more tips about getting around Rome, including what you should know about taxis and Uber, check out my article for Fodor’s on the topic.
Unless you live in Rome, or are a masochist, I would strongly discourage you from driving in Rome; but if you do want to drive in Rome—or anywhere else in Italy—read this.
After 20 years of Rome public transportation, I am always missing the boat or waiting longer than any Venetian would abide because I STILL can't trust that a schedule is a schedule 😂
I buy all my public transport tickets using the TicketAppy app. You can buy as many as you want - just be sure to activate the ticket when you board by clicking on it. Just show your phone with the activated ticket to the controllers if they board the bus. It’s a lot easier than buying paper tickets or squeezing to the front and back of a crowded bus for the contactless machine.