We are flying in April into Fiumicino airport, near Ostia Antica. We have an extra day before our cruise from Civitavecchia. I was thinking of visiting Ostia Antica and then heading to Civitavecchia the following day. Any thoughts? Any suggestions about transportation?
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Posted by
Duluth, MN🌲
12570 posts
Well, Ostia Antica is certainly worth a visit and if you have a whole day, is doable. I loved it there and if it were me, I would take the trip. There is a a SIT shuttle bus from the airport that takes about 90 minutes to get there with no transfers. That might be your best bet.
I'm not sure how you would get to Civitavecchia from there, but hopefully someone here will.
Posted by
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
5958 posts
We're heading to Civitavecchia in October and plan to visit Ostia Antica in advance as well. We've decided to stay in Ostia Lido which is a short train or bus ride to Ostia Antica. Here's where we're staying.
Posted by
Saint Paul, Minnesota
2214 posts
There is a 45 minute bus from FCO to the Civitavecchia port. From taking taxis on various trips between the town of Fiumicino and the airport I know they are expensive for a very short trip, so I'm guessing it's the same between FCO and Ostia Antica. I don't know what you would do with your luggage ---- maybe there are lockers in the building at Ostia Antica's entrance? Or you could check into your one-night accommodation, drop your bags, and go see the ruins. Then the next day, either return to the airport to get the bus or take the train to Roma Termini and then another train to Civitavecchia. Ostia Antica is terrific (I've been there twice). Somebody here can probably tell you exactly how to do what you want to do.
I have an alternate suggestion, though, based on the general principle that if you have to catch a cruise or flight or tour or whatever, you go to that place rather than planning to travel to it the day of. Instead of visiting Ostia Antica (and believe me, I see the temptation because it's SO close to the airport), take the airport transfer bus to the Civitavecchia port, check into your hotel, and then take a taxi to Tarquinia (20 minutes away) and spend the day there. Less chance of missing your cruise or at least less chance of anxiety about getting to it. Tarquinia is also terrific, but Etruscan instead of ancient Roman. Much, much smaller than Ostia Antica, so much easier to manage on the day you land.
A few years ago, we planned to land at FCO and take the two trains to Civitavecchia and then a taxi to Tarquinia to stay for 3 nights. There turned out to be a strike on the train from Roma Termini to Civitavecchia, but the announcements at Termini kept saying the train would go and the platform was full of people expecting the train to go. More hopeful announcements. Our Trenitalia app on our phones said the train would make the trip. Everybody waited. But in the end, it was cancelled. For various reasons we ended up having to take a taxi to Tarquinia (yeah, extremely expensive, don't do that!) ---- anyway, that's the kind of thing that can happen.