Managing Roma Termini
If you spend time in Rome you will have to pass through Roma Termini at some stage. Here are some tips to help you feel less stressed
Arriving from and Departing for Soriano
Attention: Trains from Soriano usually leave from and arrive at Platform 1PE which is 500metres down platform 1. There is usually at least a train every hour and the service indicated by an R costs €5.00 one way. ES (Eurostar) and IC (Intercity) cost more. If you are going to explore Rome it is better to but a BIRG ticket for zones A to D. You have to put your name and date of birth on it and stamp it the first time you use it e.g. on the Pullman from Soriano to Orte station. These cost €12.00 and allow you return travel on the train to Rome and unlimited trips on busses and metro for the day.
If Roma Termini is too daunting you can get off at Roma Tiburtina and transfer there to the Metro B line.
Taking the Metro
Rome has only 2 Metro lines but they are constructing another. The 2 lines cross at the Metro station under Roma Termini. A BIT ticket costs €1.50 and is good for one Metro voyage or 100 minutes of travel on a bus. A BIG ticket costs €6.00 and lasts all day and is valid for busses as well. If you are coming from Soriano and have a BIRG ticketyou do not need to buy another ticket. You need to consult a map to work out which station is best for you to get off at and then go to either the blue or the red line.
Taking a bus
The forecourt of the Termini station has a great bus station in Piazza Cinquecento. From here busses depart for all over Rome. If you have a computer and go to http://infopoint.atac.roma.it/bw.asp?lingua=ENG you can calculate your route and get information on how often the busses come. If there are 3 or 4 of you it may be cheaper to take a taxi and there is a taxi rank in front of the Termini station as well.
Buying tickets
Queuing for tickets at termini is painful. If possible always buy tickets at Orte as the staff there as very helpful but speak very little English. There lots of machines that dispense tickets and these work quite well in English. Be careful as people hang around and try to help you. They will want to be paid so if you don’t want their help just tell them “No”.
Leonardo express for Fiumicino
There is an express train from Termini that goes to Fiumicino airport. I think it leaves from Binario 23 which is a little hard to find. It leaves every half hour and costs €14.00.
If you are going from Soriano to Fiumicino or vice versa, it is better to take the commuter train which leaves every hour or take the normal train to Tiburtina and change there for the train to Soriano or Fiumicino. The commuter train takes 2 hours and stops at every station but it is a pleasant trip through Rome and the Tiber Valley. Changing at Tiburtina is marginally quicker but finding the correct Binario (platform) can be stressfull.
Around Termini
Because this is a big station there are always pickpockets and petty thieves that can ruin your trip. Please be very careful. If you have to spend time at Termini there is a very good Autogrill there where you can get a reasonable meal. Better that anything at any Australian Station. The left luggage works OK but can have queues. Outside the Station there is a hotel zone if you need somewhere to stay in Rome for a night e.g. if your flight leaves early the next morning. Welcome Hotel is recommended by trip advisor.
There are 2 very good national museums just outside the station and also the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli on Piazza Republica is worth a visit if you have time to spare. It was built into Diocletian’s baths by Michelangelo and is spectacular inside