Getting to Rome's Termini station & getting around the station

Get there 30 minutes before because inside the station you have to monitor the board of all the departures to see what track your train leaves from. There is a board listing all the departures before a checkpoint and you will see other travelers monitoring that. Sometimes the track number for your train does will not post until 15 minutes before the departure. There is a checkpoint which consists of checking your ticket to see if you have a ticket to enter the track area where the trains depart.

You don't need to arrive more than 15 minutes before your train is due to leave. Most trains won't be there much before that. When you enter just follow the signs to the platforms. Once at the platforms look at the departures boards to find your train. Do this by train number and not by destination as some trains are through trains and others are not. Once you know your platform number you can head to it and wait for the train to arrive. They won't post platform numbers on the departure boards until the trains are approaching the station so don't worry if they are not posted when you arrive.

It shouldn't take more than a 10 minute taxi ride to get to the station. Once inside it will take less than 10 minutes to get to the platforms if you already have your tickets.

Donna

" Once at the platforms look at the departures boards to find your train. Do this by train number and not by destination as some trains are through trains and others are not."

This is important. People not used to trains think in terms of their final destination, so, like at an airport, in Roma Termini Station they're looking searching the departure board for "Florence." But trains are listed with the train's final stop in large type, and in much smaller type, the intermediate stations. And, you have to look for the Italian names. Your train is likely ending in Milano or Venezia, and Firenze will be listed much less conspicuously.

While it's true that you don't need to get to the station more than 15 minutes before departure, if you want to use the toilet, buy a snack, etc, allow more time.

And if your hotel is close to the Colosseum you can hop on the Metro for the very fast 2 stop journey right into Termini.... probably less money than a taxi.

I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to navigate the train stations in Italy. Specifically; Rome, Florence, Venice and Naples. All well designed and laid out for the traveler. If you have successfully navigated a large station in the US, then Italy should be no problem!! When possible, we have always given ourselves at least 20 minutes to catch our trains and then we find ourselves using the WC, grabbing a pastry and coffee, people watching and baby sitting our luggage because we have plenty of time!!!

For your first visit to Termini, 15 minutes in advance of your train departure is not enough time. Half-hour is better, even 45 minutes ahead is not being too early. Why? Because Roma Termini station is a world on its own. It's maybe the best place to people-watch in Europe, a real rogue's gallery of all the human race has to offer.

The Metro lets you off right inside the station, so walk around and get your bearings. Yes, look for your train number on the board (it's correct that track numbers show up as little as 10-20 minutes in advance of departure), figure how much time you're going to have, and wander a little bit. If you have to buy tickets, use one of the kiosks but don't let a scammer come up and 'help' you. He may know what he's doing but all he wants is a tip--shoo him off. That's another thing--be normally careful with your goods, but no reason to think you'll get robbed. Termini's a surprisingly safe place.

I like Termini, a lot. For our week in Rome a year ago March, we were through there at least 5 times, once to travel to Orvieto and once to Naples but mostly as a hub from Point A to Point B within Rome.

"If you have successfully navigated a large station in the US, then Italy should be no problem!! "

Agreed.

The problem is that the vast majority of people in the US have never been in a train station, of any size, so the very thought of a European train station creates extreme anxiety. They have no idea what to expect. Then, once they've done it a few times, they see it's easy, with a few exceptions (even being familiar with New York Penn Station, I found Madrid Atocha Station confusing!)