FCO Airport question

Posted by sgromer.ga (Atlanta, GA) on 01/28/26 12:41 AM

My husband and I will be arriving in FCO/Rome at 7:35 AM on a Sunday morning in April (from the USA) and will hire a private driver to pick us up to drive us to our next location.

How much time is typical for us to de-board our plane (economy seats!), clear customs and exit the airport to meet our driver?

We will not be checking our bags. Should we expect 1 hour? 2 hours?

Planning to hire a private driver, who will monitor our flight - but working to schedule a lunch stop in Orvieto and would like to have a good guess in order to make a reservation and plan the rest of our day.

Thank you.
Suzette
Atlanta, GA

Posted by ChristineH

Gettysburg PA

01/28/26 12:43 AM

8816 posts

Hard to say
Flights can be delayed
Passport control can be crowded at that hour

Most driver services will monitor your flight so they will know what time to expect you

Posted by sgromer.ga OP

Atlanta, GA

01/28/26 12:49 AM

93 posts

Thanks Christine for your reply. I edited my post. Our driver will monitor our flight to pick us up.
However, I'm working to schedule a lunch stop in Orvieto on our way to Florence, so would like to have an idea for scheduling our day so we can make a lunch reservation at a desired restaurant. Thank you.

Posted by ekscrunchy

new york

01/28/26 01:11 AM

1181 posts

You could phone the restaurant as soon as the driver collects you, or as soon as the restaurant opens, and book your table. The driver will be able to give you an approximate time of arrival.

Do you have a certain restaurant picked out?
Because if not, and if you are not planning to sightsee in Orvieto, there are many rural restaurants on that route that would be much easier to access, rather than having to drive into Orvieto.

If you arrive FCO at 7:30, you should be out of the airport by 8:30 or even earlier.

The drive to Orvieto takes about two hours. So you will arrive far too early for lunch...even if you leave the airport at 9:30.

You might want to choose a restaurant in Tuscany, much closer to Florence, for your lunch, if there is no specific reason to enter Orvieto. There are plenty to choose from, not far off the A1. Just make sure they are open on Sundays.

Posted by margie

Bend, OR

01/28/26 01:22 AM

1835 posts

Too many variables for anyone to give you an exact time if you need to make a reservation.

Posted by joe32F

Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂

01/28/26 09:05 AM

13238 posts

Planning to hire a private driver, who will monitor our flight

Have you looked into the cost ? One source I checked has an almost 700 euro fee to go FCO to Florence. Adding in the waiting time in Orvieto, I suspect the trip will cost close to $1000.( and more wouldn't be a surprise)

If you have a specific restaurant you want for lunch, I would contact them now, explain the situation and see if they would be willing to accept a reservation once you are in the car and on the way.

Is it Easter Sunday or some other Sunday?