FCO Airport transfer

Now there is more than one company; so you should Google the names of the ones the RS book mentions or

look at these:

Sita Bus
http://www.sitbusshuttle.com/en/fiumicino/

Terravision
http://www.terravision.eu/

Leonardo Express
http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en/Services/Fiumicino-Airport

The shuttles mentioned above are good options but they will not get you directly to your hotel, only to specified train stations or other stops from whence you'd have to walk or take another form of transport if your hotel is not nearby. You want the shared shuttle type that drops passengers off at their hotels, even if you end up being last on the bus/van to be unloaded, correct?

Your call but remember with a shared van you will be making multiple stops which may add a lot of time to your journey. A taxi to central Rome is 48 Euros.

Yes, I want a shuttle that will take us right to our hotel. I don't want to deal with dragging the luggage and everything the first day. I don't mind the extra time it will take to drop other passengers off as we will bearriving a few hrs before check-in time anyway.

I have used shuttledirect.com in Rome twice now and they have dropped me directly at my hotel in a shared van. They have a location right after you clear customs in the FCO airport and when you book they know your flight #, airline and time arriving. Was easy for me to find them.
https://www.shuttledirect.com/en/destination/it/rome.html

Thanks Dan - that is the type of service we want, but the online price for a shared van is 23.5 Euros each, no bargain there. Guess we'll just wing it when we arrive..

Don't know what prices you are finding, but for two or three people a private car service may be just as inexpensive -- and a heck of a lot more convenient. I know you are trying to economize, but paying a little extra might be worth it to you -- it is to us. When you arrive sleepy, jet lagged, and on unfamiliar ground, there's nothing better than having a private driver meet you inside the terminal and take you straight to your hotel. We can not say enough good things about Rome Cabs. It is a private car service (not a cab company despite the name) but only a little more than a regular taxi. We always use them and have always been very pleased. Go to romecabs.com and see what you think. We send an email and they answer us with a quote within 24 hours. You do have to pay cash (Euros) and the end of the journey but not in advance.

Sue, you are getting good advice here. That price for the direct to hotel shuttle is likely competitive. For two people the price of a taxi is very close. Since the taxi to central Rome is a fixed price you won’t be charged extras like waiting in traffic. There are times and places to economize. When you are jet lagged and fatigued you want to get to your hotel quickly and efficiently. Wing it? After booking shuttles for years and having long, uncomfortable multi-stop rides we use taxis or Uber.

but the online price for a shared van is 23.5 Euros each

If that's what you're being quoted then I'd definitely take a cab. No sense possibly being the last to be dropped off a shared shuttle for a savings of just a couple of euro.

I agree with Alan and TC. I have used Rome Chauffeur for airport transfer services on 3 trips to Rome. Each time I used this company, I enjoyed early pickup and no headaches at the beginning or end of my journey (very nice when you are jet lagged after arrival). Rome Chauffeur is 50 € for each transfer and is money well spent. Also, while they originally say you must pay in cash, I have asked and received permission to pay in advance via PayPal. Highly recommended and within your budget considering the per person fees of the shuttle. Happy planning!

Thanks for all the advice! 29 days and counting!

Sue

Does anyone have personal experience with airportshuttle.it? Their price is very good, shared shuttle for two from FCO to the hotel is 26 Euros total. I really want to know if they have a desk at the airport, I would prefer that instead of booking ahead. With all the nasty weather we've been having on the east coast, I would hate to have flight delays and have to deal with that.

I have no experience with that vendor. But, if you don’t book ahead you may not get a seat. If you book ahead most reputable vendors ask for your flight information and track flights in case of delays. I looked at the site and I come up with 31 Euros and they will wait 90 minutes. For me the savings over a cab with direct service at a fixed rate is just not worth it but your call.

Sue, this should answer your question:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g187791-d7895787-Reviews-AirPort_Shuttle-Rome_Lazio.html

I wouldn't touch this one.

Thanks Kathy, that is exactly what I was worried about. Crossed them off my list.

Ask your hotel for a suggestion?

Hi Sue,

This is the shuttle I booked. http://www.airportshuttlexpress.com/ I had a good experience. It's not connected to the other one someone named above. The shuttle names are similar and cause confusion. They are a separate company.

I reserved about a month in advance and got a confirmation right away with no added fees. I did not pay until day of arrival. I think if you pay in Euro you can save a couple of dollars. I booked a round trip pick up just to have the ease of mind. Make sure you get your copies (receipts) regardless of how you pay. He texts the driver who shows up right away.

They are located inside the Terminal. It can be a walk to get there so be prepared if you are taking a lot of luggage. There was a man and woman inside the small terminal office. He speaks very good English if you do not speak Italian. He was very nice and welcoming. From the terminal office, you go out the building and around - you follow him of course. It is a bit of a walk. He was very friendly, courteous.

The scenic ride from the airport to my hotel was a nice one. The driver jumped out, took my luggage and brought it into the entrance to the hotel.

For my return, here is where it's important to have your confirmation copy - since I prepaid for the return at my arrival - the driver asked to see my confirmation receipt. (I am organized and had it at the ready.) The driver gave a little tour on the way to the airport. He was very friendly and helpful.

Thanks MM14. I think this one will be fine. I will pay upon arrival as you did and get the round-trip. We are flying into terminal 1 out of JFK. Is that the terminal you arrived at?

You are welcome Sue.

I hope you have a positive experience with the shuttle service.

I flew from Boston Logan International into Heathrow, London and then on to FCO via British Air - my favored international airline.

Boston = Terminal E to
London = Terminal 5
London = Terminal 5 to
Rome = Terminal 3

(Of course in reverse order for the return)

~M

OK M - thanks. I'm sure they'll meet us at Term 1 when we land.

Hi Sue,

When you email them, ask for specifics to be safe.

In my experience, they did not meet me when I deplaned. I had to go to their terminal office - adjacent to the train station. That is where I reconfirmed my RT reservations and paid them - got my receipts.

On their website is a picture of the office. http://www.airportshuttlexpress.com/who-we-are/

I also noticed this in their FAQs:
General Questions
How much does it cost?
Our service costs only 20 Euros per person!
2 people: 30 Euros
3 people: 40 Euros
4 people: 50 Euros

When you email them, ask them to confirm prices/details.

Of course I went to baggage claim first to get my piece of luggage before going to the shuttle office. As an aside: British Air is very generous with their free baggage allowance and weights - even for carry on.

I hope this helps :)

I'm sure they'll meet us at Term 1 when we land.

As mm14 stated, you don't get "meet and greet" services with shared shuttle outfits. You find their offices and they direct you to the pickup point. If you want to be personally met, you'd need to book a private shuttle such as RomeCabs mentioned above.

You can’t go wrong with Romecabs.com. Used them many times and they are headache free and extremely professional. Very reputable company with excellent reviews.

I’m new to this thread but monitoring it. I tried to book Rome Cabs but they are entirely booked for our 18 April evening arrival. Is Rome Chauffers as dependable?

Yes. I've used Rome Chauffeur for airport transfers on all 3 of my trips to Rome. They provide outstanding service. On my first trip to Rome, I needed to be picked up on a very residential part of Rome early in the morning. I got downstairs 15 minutes early to wait for the driver, and he was already there. I am a huge advocate of Rome Chauffeur, and will continue to work with them on future trips to Rome. Hope that helps!

I am going to Rome in early May and I have booked a car from FCO to my rental apartment and a car back to the airport a week later through Romecab. It will cost me an even 50 euro each way and they will drop me off on the door step. I have the ride reserved but, you don't pay until the service is rendered. I found this to be the less stressed and easiest way to get to our rental with being first time Rome visitors.

Thank you to all those who shared their experience! I knew about the Leonardo Express, the buses, the private car service and the taxi... but didn't know they have a shared shuttle service available!

So is pre-booking necessary or it is possible to book only once i arrive?

I will be emailing the same question to some of the companies, but I'll ask here in case someone knows the answer. If i pre-book, but missed my connecting flight on my way to Rome, will they just put me on the next available shuttle (if I use a share shuttle) ?

My situation is that I'll be flying into Rome with a connection in Istanbul first and I only have an hour to make my connection. Obviously i'm a bit worried about missing my flight. I'm told by the airline it should be fine but still. I'll start a new post if necessary. Thanks in advance.

rho,

If you go up thread and read my replies to Sue, you can get an idea of my experiences with a shared shuttle.

After arriving in Rome, deplaning and getting my luggage, I went to the shuttle office located in the Terminal near the trains.

I booked a reservation about a month in advance of my trip. I did not have to prepay. I got an email right away confirming my reservation. When I arrived, the man in the office looked up my reservation, asked how I wanted to pay - euro or card. I think he said you can save a couple of dollars if you pay in euro. He texted the driver who showed up fast. Got a nice ride from the airport to my hotel near Termini. The driver did not speed. (The return trip to the airport was just as nice.) In my case, I got door-to-door service because he was able to pull up right in front of the hotel. I am not sure about other hotels elsewhere. He unloaded my luggage and brought them into the lobby.

http://www.airportshuttlexpress.com/
http://www.airportshuttlexpress.com/who-we-are/

Perhaps you can email the shuttle company and ask about a definite reservation. They ask for your flight number, or he did with me in the reservation, so, I will presume they monitor. It appears they have a shuttle every 20 minutes or so. If your flights are late, it looks like no worries. You can catch the next available.

thanks mm14... in my case if I miss my connection, the flight number won't be valid anymore as i will most probably have to take the next available flight a few hours later.

but i think i should be ok. I'll still email or add a note to my booking.

You are welcome. Yeah, lol. I did not think of that...if you miss your flight or it is delayed, then it is moot. If you go with that shuttle service, I think you should be okay. As I wrote, they have shuttles every 20 minutes or so.

If your flight changes for whatever reason, you can always email him to apprise him of your "new" arrival. Just a thought.

My final comment: take a taxi for goodness sakes!

As I understand it, this is an open forum to share ideas, experiences and exchange travel information. Being too critical of a person's travel ways does not seem forum friendly.

What works for you may not work for another. I give the benefit to those who choose their own best way. There is no perfect answer. What worked for me, someone else may have a different experience. (For any of my trips, I had very good experiences.)

Also, for the price of a taxi, I got a nice, round-trip shuttle ride, met a nice couple on my ride and got door-to-door service - oh, and a "guided" tour on the return to FCO. I see that as an added bonus.

Well said, MM! I agree - I'd rather spend 20 Euros and share a shuttle than 48 Euros for a cab. My choice - and with those saved Euros I can splurge on more gelato!

:) Ah, yes. Gelato! Agreed.

For those who show impatience, sarcasm or gruffness with their
replies...

Jumping on a poster, being (overly) critical of their own travel ways,
whether they carry on or check or take too much of this or that is not
forum friendly....No one should be made to feel bad if they take some
extra items from home.

In recent news, Rome has been on high alert.

mm14, no one did any "jumping" at all on Sue or rho88 nor displayed any sarcasm or gruffness. Nothing here was said to make them "feel bad". Packing/luggage was not even a topic in this thread. Safety in Rome was not a topic either. Just as you were allowed to express your preference on the transport subject, so was everyone else. All most respondents have done here is provide their reasoning for alternate choices, some clarity where needed (e.g. the OP wanted door-to-door service versus less expensive options from airport to Termini?) and much of that was done out of CONCERN that the transfer is as easy and efficient as possible for the $.

From the Airport Shuttle Express website:
Our service costs only 20 Euros per person!

2 people: 30 Euros
3 people: 40 Euros
4 people: 50 Euros

So, you will save some money over the fixed cost of a taxi. For that (18 Euros) you’ll likely spend more time and possibly go way out of your way, depending on how many are on board your shuttle. Time is money, and, as one of those experienced travelers who is prone to jet lag, wants to get to my hotel as soon as I can, and who has done private shuttles, shared shuttles, taxi, Uber. When deciding I weigh time, cost, convenience in making my choices. A shared shuttle always comes in dead last and we have stopped using those.

Ok, that works for you. But, your last written comment suggested that your way is the only way. I didn't feel put out at all by taking the shuttle.

That’s why Baskin Robbins makes 31 flavors. Safe travels!

Haha, Alan...true...

I've traveled a lot and I usually use a taxi only as a last resort... It also depends on the city I'm going to. I was seriously considering going with private transfer as they are more convenient in my opinion and the car is most of the time cleaner than a taxi, not to mention a taxi is 48 euro and a private car is 50 euro (assuming you are going within the city walls). Value for money for a taxi is just not there going to Rome IMO. Taxi is good I guess if you don't want to pre-book anything. For this trip, I actually thought taxi was going to be my only option because I was uncertain about my flight. On my last trip to Rome things were a lot easier as i was staying right next to Termini.

But thanks for the input.

I am going in September and just discovered my hotel charges 103 euros for a round trip

LOL, we've gone really cheap: shuttle bus from Fiumicino for 4.00 - 6.00€ pp and walk to hotel (booked within easy hoofing distance from Termini). I have terrible motion sickness and can't handle much time in the backseat of a car! No tummy problems with the airport bus, thank goodness. :O)

Did take a cab from Termini to a Prati hotel some years ago but I don't recall what it cost. Don't think it was all that much.

Was it the Terravision bus? I looked and they quote a price of 5 euro to Termini from FCO. (9 Euro round trip) Good deal if one can coincide times.

Terravision or SIT. Both are very inexpensive. Buses are of the touring-coach variety, clean, comfortable and air-conditioned, and journeys take no longer than a cab, really, excepting the additional time from train station to hotel. Tickets were quickly and easily purchased outside of baggage collection at Fiumicino.

SIT has an additional stop near Castel Sant'Angelo that may be convenient if staying in parts of Prati/near the Vatican.

Chiming in to say that after 7 p.m. Rome Cabs is 60e, not 50e.