We are arriving at FCO airport Rome at 8:40 am on June 5th. We are planning to travel with carryon luggage only. How much time does it "typically" take after landing to 1) go through customs and 2) travel by the Leonardo Express to Rome Termini for the train to Florence? Should we purchase train tickets in advance on Trenitalia? There are 3 of us traveling and there is a Current 3x2 offer where you can purchase a single ticket valid for 3 people at the full base price of 2. We can purchase online up to midnight on the second day before the train's departure, at station ticket offices or self-service stands. I assume that the station ticket office and self-service stands are at the Trenitalia Station. The tickets are non-refundable and do not allow time changes. If I book the economy rate (some times are sold out), I can change the time and the difference is 11 or 26 Euros depending on the time. I am getting nervous seeing so many sold out seats on the trains when I was under the impression that it wouldn't be a big deal to buy at the station (reading through this blog and through Rick Steves book). Was my impression wrong and should I purchase my tickets online at the economy rate to allow for a change of train if needed? Or do I go for the 3x2 offer and take one of the later trains to allow for any flight delays, etc. I am not sure what to do. Thanks for any advice, etc.
Posted by
Green Bay
21344 posts
You are looking at the opportunity of saving 47 EUR and gambling that your flight will land on time and that there will not be any significant delays in immigration. In these circumstances, the savings would not be enough to make me take that bet. The alternative is to make an afternoon reservation, in which case if you do land on time and pass seamlessly through immigration, you'll be sitting around cooling your heals. And you'll have two other people giving you the evil eye. Not enough time to really see anything in Rome other than have lunch. You will be tired, and killing time with nothing to do is even more tiresome.
I think you should plan on taking the 11:08 direct train from the airport to Florence. That will save you a little over the cost of taking the Leonardo Express to Termini.
I don't see any trains selling out on your date, just Economy and 3-for-2 deals. There are still seats on all trains.
Posted by
NYC
490 posts
Sam makes a great point! You cannot predict international travel!
Take a later train. It will give you time to sit and have a much needed coffee and snack.
The route from Rome to Florence will not sell out. Buying a week in advance may save you a bit but at this point not much. There are plenty of seats on both lines of high speed trains.
I have never purchased train or ferry tickets in advance, too much can go wrong but that is just me!
Remember everything in Italy is slower, so relax and enjoy!
Posted by
OP
21 posts
Thanks! I forgot about the direct train from the airport to Florence. That would probably work out time wise assuming our flight is on time or only slightly delayed. It would give us time to get something to eat if we had to wait for the train. Good advice given the uncertainty of international air travel these days.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
Here's a thread proving the point that immigration takes...as long as it takes: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/italy-april-2017-trip-report
Note that customs (control of goods) is just a matter of walking through the Green Channel Nothing to Declare line; unless you're "randomly selected for additional screening" (possible but rare), you're done. It's immigration (passport control) that can take time - or not.
Posted by
Italy
3812 posts
It's 01:00 now in Italy, there are BASE fare tickets left on the direct freccia leaving out of FCO at 11:08. I've just checked: only discounted tickets are (obviously) sold out.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23660 posts
We can only relate our personal experience. On a couple of times we have sailed through immigration in less than hour. And then two years ago in May on a Delta flight from New York on a Saturday morning it took over 2.5 hours to get through immigration. Just two officers on duty, and maybe a thousand or more passengers off of several planes that morning. So it reasonable to assume that you can clear immigration within an hour after landing. However, there is always a possibility that it can take much longer. So you decide how much risk you wish to assume.
Posted by
99 posts
Our flights have usually been on time landing in the morning in Rome BUT once last year my husband arrived several hours late. 3 times last year I landed on time once and 30 minutes late twice.