Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport (FCO IATA) is in the Lazio region of Italy. It is the main airport of Rome.
Understand
[edit]The airport is 34 km southwest of Rome. With 40.5 million passengers in 2023, it is the busiest airport in Italy and one of the busiest in Europe. It has four runways and is operating around the clock.
Flights
[edit]Fiumicino is a hub for ITA Airways (Italia Trasporto Aereo S.p.A.), which flies to Rome from major cities in Europe, North and South America, the Middle East as well as Tokyo's Haneda Airport. The airport is also served by most major European airlines and a range of airlines from the Americas, North Africa, and Asia. Unsurprisingly, as Rome is one of the world's most popular travel destinations.
E-Check-in is available for faster check-in; the machines are usually near the counter of the airline.
The airport has four terminals:
Terminal 1 Aegean Airlines, Aeroitalia, Air Baltic, Air Europa, Air France, KM Malta Airlines, AlbaStar, Austrian,Brussel Airlines, Bulgaria Air, Croatia Airlines, Eurowings, Dan Air, EasyJet, Finnair, Iberia, Icelandair, ITA, Luxair, KLM, Lufthansa, Luxair, LOT Polish Airlines, Norwegian, Ryanair, SAS, Sky Express, Sky Alps, Swiss, Tap Air Portugal, Tarom, Transavia, Volotea, Vueling. |
Terminal 2 No flights as of September 2024. |
Terminal 3 Airlines not listed above, excluding flights to Israel and the United States. |
Terminal 5 A bit aside from the rest of the airport, used for flights to Israel and the United States, probably with additional security checks. |
The gate areas are arranged by the letters A, B, C, D, G, and H.
Ground transportation
[edit]By train
[edit]There are two train lines to get you into Rome. To get to Fiumicino's railway station, follow the yellow signage with the trains. When exiting Terminal 1, the signage may lead you out on the street, then you need to take an elevator back up into the building.
- Leonardo Express trains leave every 15 or 30 minutes to the central train station Roma Termini (32 minute, non-stop trip). These trains arrive at platform 23/24, the southwesternmost tracks of the main station. Tickets cost €14 and are available on line. They can also be bought at the station from ticket counters, and eight ticket machines, many of which may be out of service (as of September 2024 six of those eight were broken!). You can also buy a ticket for returning to the airport, it is a separate ticket that also costs €14 but while there aren't any discounts you don't have to stand in line for buying this ticket at Termini.
- If there are three of you it is cheaper to take a taxi and you get delivered to your door. You can't buy a ticket for a specific train; it's just a general ticket for a specific route (Termini), but it's good for any time. When you want to use the ticket, place it on the reader to open the gates to the platform. The ticket will expire 90 minutes after validation, but as the platforms are literally just infrastructure for getting on or off the train, there's little point in hanging around there. Be sure to get onboard the white trains with the text Leonardo Express on them - the black trains are the metropolitan trains described below. Keep the ticket at hand throughout the trip, as it may be checked by train staff both outside the train and during the trip.
- The Metropolitan train (FL1) does not stop at Termini. Get off at Tiburtina Station or, before that, at Ostiense Station where you can connect to Line B of the Rome Metro, or get off at Trastevere Station and from there take the '8' tram (direction 'Argentina') to go to Largo Argentina and Campo de' Fiori. Tickets are €8, plus €1.50 for a metro/tram ticket (to be bought at the metro station). The extra cost of the Leonardo Express is for the convenience of a direct ride to Termini and for skipping intermediate stations. If you are going somewhere else close to a Metro station, Tiburtina and Ostiense stations are as convenient. Tickets for the metropolitan train are bought from the same counters and machines, and likewise you tap them on the reader to access the platform area.
By bus
[edit]COTRAL[dead link] operates public buses from the airport to the city. Don't forget to validate your ticket after getting on the bus. The timetables for its services can be searched here (in Italian). The public bus stop is located at ground level, at the end of the Terminal 1 (Domestic Arrivals). You can buy tickets at the tobacco shop in the Terminal 1 baggage area, with the blue sign (Tabaccheria).
Lines from Leonardo da Vinci/Fiumicino are:
- Aeroporto - Termini - Tiburtina. Tickets cost €5 one-way (or €7 one-way when purchased on the bus - cash only). The schedule is:
- Fiumicino Airport to Rome city centre: M-Sa 02:15, 05:00, 10:55, 15:30, 19:05; Sun and holidays 02:15, 05:00.
- Rome Termini station (Piazza dei Cinquecento) to airport: M-F 01:23, 03:53, 10:08, 13:13, 18:08; Sa 01:20, 03:50, 09:35, 12:40, 17:32; Su and holidays 01:20, 03:50.
- Rome Tiburtina station to airport: M-Sa 01:15, 03:45, 09:30, 12:35, 17:30; Su and holidays 01:15, 03:45.
The night Fiumicino timetable is not kept very well. The bus may be half an hour late or not arrive at all. Perch on the bus stop, do not give up, it will probably come, eventually.
- Aeroporto - Roma Cornelia (metro A): €3.40
- Aeroporto - Roma Magliana (metro B): €2.80 from airport, €2.20 to airport. This bus stops directly at the metro station and the sign on this bus reads "Fiumicino-Porto-Magliana".
- Aeroporto - Ostia Lido: €1.10 from airport, €1.30 to airport
- Aeroporto - Fregene: €1.30
- Aeroporto - Fiumicino (città): €1.10
By coach
[edit]There are four dedicated coach services. All of them leave from the bus hub next to Terminal 3. And all of them stop at least at Stazione Termini (the main train station in the city center) either on Via Marsala or on Via Giovanni Giolitti.
- Terravision offers a connection between Fiumicino airport and Rome city center. If you book online in advance, the tickets cost €5.80 one-way and €9 return. If you buy your tickets directly at the bus stop they cost: €7 one way and €10 return ticket. The bus departs near Terminal 3 and goes to Termini station (at via Giolitti). It is not necessary to print the tickets (mobile tickets are accepted).
- SITBusShuttle is another option from Termini station (at Via Marsala) to Fiumicino. One-way tickets cost €7 and return tickets €13.
- RomeAirportBus[dead link] (by ATRAL/Schiaffini) offers buses from the airport to Termini (at Via Giovanni Giolitti) in the city centre. Ticket prices depend on the direction of travel. Tickets from the airport to the city cost €7, and from the city to the airport cost €8, and €13 for a retourn ticket. A couple of euros cheaper to buy it online.
- TAM bus operates buses to Stazione Termini (at Via Giovanni Giolitti) and Stazione Ostiense. Single tickets cost €7 (€12 for return) It's €1 cheaper to buy it online. Travellers report that the TAM bus is not very reliable, in particular the service from Ostiense: even if a reservation was made online, the bus may not come and the company's customer service does not respond to complaints.
By taxi
[edit]There is a fixed fare of €48 from Fiumicino Airport to downtown (any point at your choice within the city's ancient Aurelian Walls) and vice versa. Taxis in Rome are white. Occasionally taxis in the queue at the airport are not from Rome but from the town of Fiumicino. These are not bound by the fixed fare rule and are best avoided.
Transport between Fiumicino Airport and Ciampino Airport costs €50.
For most other destinations fares are not fixed and are based on the meter.
Generally, Rome taxi drivers are hard-working honest people. But there is a hard core of crooks, and these tend to work the airports and the main station. Do not negotiate the price for the city center and be sure your driver activates the meter (all regular taxis have a meter) when he/she starts driving to any destination not covered by a fixed fare. Drivers at the airport may try to talk you into paying more than the fixed fare, saying that your destination is 'inside the wall' or 'hard to get to'. If they try to overcharge you at your destination ask them to call a policeman. They will probably back down. Be aware as well of unlicensed "taxi" drivers. Go directly to the taxi stand and ignore touts. See Rome#By_taxi for more taxi scams.
By rental car
[edit]Rental cars are available from all major companies. Providers can be reached easily in the arrivals halls.
By limousine
[edit]Licensed limousine drivers may approach you at the airports, particularly Fiumicino where there are several companies (mainly cooperatives) with booths close to the exit. A drive with them to the center could reach as high as €80 but if you are in a group a large limousine or "van" could be cheaper than two taxis.
Easy Private Taxi offers licensed limousines or minicabs that you can book in advance online. A sedan (usually a Mercedes E-class) from Fiumicino Airport to Rome Centre and hotels can be booked for €45 or a minivan for €55.
Fiumicino-Shuttle.com offers low price shuttle service with limousines or minivans that you can book in advance online without credit card and then pay directly at the driver. A transfer from Fiumicino Airport to Rome Centre and hotels can be booked for €39 or a minivan for €55.
Get around
[edit]To get to the gates that are labeled G you have to take the shuttle train Sky Bridge.
Wait
[edit]The Emirates Lounge is closed, so the Giotto Lounge is used instead.
In the terminals 1 and 3 there are many shops before the security check. In terminal 1 there are on the arrivals floor, on the departures floor there is little but check-in counters. Airside shops can be found in the areas A, B, C-8-C16, D, G and H. There you can also find restaurants and cafes.
Eat and drink
[edit]- 1 Antica Focacceria San Francesco (Near Gate D4), ☏ +3906659524650. Casual eatery serving Sicilian specialties including arancini, caponata, and panelle.
- 2 Farinella (E Gate, Upper Level), ☏ +39800606666. Casual spot for Neapolitan-style pizza and pasta.
Buy
[edit]In Terminal 1 airside, there's a largish duty free store right after security that all passengers will walk through. After this, there are duty free and mainly Italian fashion stores on the first floor and a large food store as part of the restaurant area on the second floor.
Connect
[edit]Cope
[edit]- First Aid station, ☏ +39 06 6595 3133 - 3334.
There are several pharmacies at the airport. In Terminal 1 it is next to the check-in counters; in Terminal 3 both groundside (departures) and airside and in Terminal 5 airside.
Sleep
[edit]Go next
[edit]- Fiumicino — the town after which the airport is named is not far away.
- Ostia — Rome's beach and ancient archaeological site is also nearby.
Routes through Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport |
END ← | SW NE | → South Rome → Nomentano, Rome |
Civitavecchia ← Cerveteri ← | W E | → Rome → Pescara |