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ROME USEFUL INFORMATION
TRANSPORT
Rome is provided with a large public transport system, constituted by more than 200
bus lines, 2 underground lines and a city railways system.
Waits at bus stops can be sometimes longer than 15 minutes, even if ATAC (the firm that manages public transport
in Rome) during the last years has markedly improved services and quality of transport. Anyway public transport
is actually the only way to move in the historical center area, which is a limited traffic area and where parking
is practically impossible.
All around the city, traffic is chaotic; during the rush hours, even big thoroughfares born for high flowing traffic
are often overcrowded; same situation for GRA (big ring-road that goes round the city). By day moving by car means
spending much time even for quite short journeys; that's why almost every Roman family has got one or more two-wheeled
vehicles (motorcycles, scooters). In Rome there aren't many bicyles and the cycle paths are limited, so we advice
to use this transport only in limited traffic areas of the historical center
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
ATAC
Rome's public bus and tram system consists of orange buses and trams (and a blue tourist bus and a blue electric
van) that will do the navigating for you. Buy a bus route map at news agents and buy your bus/tram tickets or dayly/weekly
passes at tobacconists, newsstands, some snack bars, Metro stops. You cannot buy a ticket on the bus/tram and riding
in the black will cost around 50 euro if you get caught. If you have a regular 75 minute ticket, enter the bus/tram
at the back and stamp it in the orange machine that will generally be on the right or driver's side. Once stamped,
the ticket is good for 75 minutes on the bus/tram, with as many changes as you can manage. Fare for time integrated
ticket: € 1.
METRO
Rome's underground system is made up of two separate lines that intersect at Termini, the main train station. Line
A - RED line runs from 5:30 am to around midnight. This line takes you from Ottaviano (Vatican area) to Anagnina
(southeast). Line B - BLUE line runs from 5:30 am to 10:30pm. This line takes you from Rebibbia (northeast) to
EUR (southwest) via the station Magliana, which has a connecting FS train that goes to the beach and to the station
Ostiense, which has a connecting FS train that takes you to various locations in Italy as well as the airport.
All stations are marked by a red square sign with a white letter M near the entrance steps. Fare for time integrated
ticket: € 1.
TAXIS
Taxis are white cars and can be called and also found at Taxi stands. Fares depend on the distance and night service
TO AND FROM THE AIRPORT
The Leonardo Da Vinci (Fiumicino) Airport is about 45 minutes from the city of Rome.
There are bus and train services from various areas around Rome
SHOPPING
Best Areas to shop
Rome is a simply marvellous place to go wild with your credit card or to just stroll down the
main shopping streets. There are wonderful shops all over central Rome, but the main places to be are the Via Condotti
and Piazza di Spagna, as well as the Via del Corso, where most of the major fashion houses are represented: Valentino,
Max Mara, Prada, Gucci, etc. There are also souvenir stores located at the main tourist sites, such as the Trevi
Fountain, the Colosseum, as well as a whole street full of them near the Vatican.
Markets
Street-markets in Rome are numerous, and like markets anywhere they are good for bargains. The
most popular in Rome is the Porta Portese flea market in Trastevere. Sunday is the big day for this, it offers
some pretty amazing things on sale, but watch out for pick-pockets!
The other popular market is Campo dei Fiori (Field of Flowers). a picturesque open-air flower and greengrocery
market in a piazza deep in the middle of old Rome. Looks like something straight out of a fairy-tale book when
its in full swing.
MONEY
CURRENCY : Euro
Money can be changed at banks, railway station, airports and large hotels.
Banks close for an extended lunch hour and are open:
from 08h/08h30 to 1h30 pm
from 2h30pm/3hpm to 4hpm
from Monday to Friday.
Travellers Cheques
International Bureaux de Change include:
American Express: Piazza di Spagna 38, Rome
Tel: +39 06 72 282
Travelex: Piazza Barberini 21°; Via della Conciliazione 23/25; Via del Corso 23, Piazza del Colosseo
COMMUNICATION
POST
Open from 08h to 7h pm Monday-Friday and from 08h to 11h45 on Saturday.
There are many post offices located in every area of Rome.
TELEPHONE
For International call you can contact the operator by dialling 15 for European countries and 170
for countries outside Europe. Public telephone boxes are located across the city and in the bars. Some public phone
accept coins, but the majority only accept phone cards, which can be purchased from newsagents, newsstands and
stations.
Calling from Italy to Rome digit 06 before the telephone number, 041 for Venice, 055 for Florence, 081 for Naples
and 001 for USA.
Emergency numbers:
Carabinieri: 112
Police: 113
General emergency: 113
Medical emergency and Ambulance: 118
Fire disasters: 115
Tourcrafters 800 621 2259
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