Rome Bus Timetables

I don't know where you are staying in Rome, but unless you stay outside the city center, there is a high chance that you will not be using public transportation much, and when you do, it will be probably be the same line (whether bus, tramway or metro) or just a couple of lines.

You actually don't need to have your life planned to this level of detail to need to know the bus schedule of every bus stop. In most of Europe city buses or trams come so frequently that you rarely have to wait more than 5 minutes. I have lived in Florence for many years and never consulted the ATAF (Florence bus agency) schedule, in spite of the fact that my father was an ATAF supervisor and in our house there were more bus schedules than books. Some important lines have frequencies as high as a bus every 2 or 3 minutes. Distances between stops are generally under 250mt in the city and maybe 500mt outside, therefore the bus travels the distance between two stops in less than a minute, unless they get stuck in traffic or at a red light.

Just get a general bus map with the routes and just go to a stop and wait.

If needed, ask the locals for which bus to take. Even if they don't speak English, bus in Italian is AUTOBUS and for the number ask to use their fingers or write it down. All you need to ask is NUMERO AUTOBUS PER ...... (VATICANO or TREVI or TERMINI or COLOSSEO etc) ? You won't be standing long before your bus arrives. The metro runs every 2 to 4 minutes, therefore you don't have to worry.

Keith,

Piano, piano.

Roberto, thank you for your reply.

My question remains is Rome’s official bus timetable available online—as it is posted on signs at many of the actual bus stops in Rome. Again--beyond the ATAC’s route calculator--are the times buses arrive at each stop and the amount of time it takes a bus to get from where you start out to your desired destination available online to help with planning?

I am just trying to be less of a stupid tourist.

I have taken buses in Rome many times, including two weeks ago. I have never looked at what the bus stop shows in terms of maps or schedule. Since I have limited knowledge of Rome buses when I don't know I ask which number i need to take and where the stop is. Then I walk to the stop and wait for the bus number. I never look at the posted schedule and I don't even remember if there is one. When it arrives I get on board and get off where I need. If I have no idea where to get off, I ask the driver or someone on the bus, and they will tell me.

What planning are you talking about? The only planning you need is the destination where you want to go (Vatican? Trevi? Colosseum?). Then ask a local or your hotel staff which Autobus per (fill blanks). Then ask "dove e' la fermata autobus (number) per (destination). Then you walk to it and wait a few minutes until it arrives. Ask when "dove scendo per...?" And you get off. There is nothing to plan. Buses are frequent and if you are in the city center you won't be on the bus over 10 minutes to get anywhere of interest to a tourist.

There are a few bus routes which are slightly less frequent. My favourite, the 492, is one. I use two apps, Roma Bus and Moovit, to keep an eye on expected arrival times and run times, and Moovit is very good keeping an eye on strikes - like the small one today on a few bus lines.

But mostly I just turn up at a stop and wait.

If it is a particular connection you must make leave half an hour early in case one doesn't show up.

If there is a particular connection you are trying to plan tell us and between us we have probably made that journey.

Something is making you anxious. What is it?

Like others, I generally only check city bus schedules in person at the bus stop, or else a bus shows up before I've even read through the schedule. If someone in your party can't stand and wait for buses, then you do the research legwork, or your group grabs a taxi at a taxi stand whenever that looks more convenient than waiting for a bus.

Since everyone is kind of making light of your need for a precise schedule, you might explain why the need for exact time is so important to you. Maybe that would help us to respond more precisely that we current are. You are asking questions that are impossible to answer with any degree of certainty. I agree with the others. We never check a bus schedule or metro line. Just go and get on the next bus or train and go. In Denver our buses and light rail run a very precise schedule. If they are early to a specific stop, then the bus or train sits there for a couple of minutes until it is time to leave. I have never had that happen to me in Europe. And I would say that would be impossible in Rome. How the buses get through the traffic and maintain any type of schedule is amazing.

I knew you are traveling with your elderly mother. So if you are concerned about her ability to wait, I would bring a folding stool so she can sit. Most of your waits, at best would only be a few minutes.

I hope this helps:
I went to the Viaggio con ATAC website and it does not look like you can get any bus schedules from the website. Just route planning (odd for a bus site). So the only work around I see is to plan your overall bus trip routes/distances of the trip and find and keep track of the intersections. Then I would go back to the rout planning and input cross streets as the beginning and end points of the trip and see what the times are and do this for every intersection on the route. It will take a while to input all intersections but I could give you a better idea of route stops times. So say your bus goes down Via Vicenza:
so I would put Via Voltuma as start and Via de Mille as end and see what the times are
then I would put Via de Mille as start and Via Varse as end point and see what the times are, and so on
Then the time point should cascade until you reach the end point.Then I would look at the time difference and calculate the time traveled for the route.
Does this make since???
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I would suggest going to "ron in rome" web site. Ron maintains a lot of info on rome and may have suggests for bus schedules. I would also Google "roma bus schedules public" or something similar to see if their are unofficial rider guides online. I would also download the new Trip Advisor app that has city info to download and see if they have anything on bus routes.
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But as far as I can see they only way to get official bus times is to go to the actual bus stop in person and read the sign. The bus system may print paper route schedules but I do not remember seeing them ( but I did not look for them either). If you have a hotel booked they may be able to give you more info on bus schedules.
Good luck.
J

Thank you Janet. I appreciate your effort to help. Most grateful.

Frank. I do not wish to be negative…but you asked…

The question was: Are the official Rome bus timetables available online? The schedules either are or they are not. You either know the answer or you do not. You either want to help people or you do not. Instead of answering questions people seem to just want to question the question or criticize the people asking. (Sadly, it appears, for many, posting replies on travel forums is just some sort of hobby to pass the time and it is for them sport as you put it to “make light” of the people asking questions.)

When you fly do you want to know when the plane is scheduled to depart and arrive? Why do you? Why not just show up anytime at the airport—there are always planes taking off—why not just get on one? The plane will eventually get you someplace. Why plan? Flights can be delayed, re-routed and even cancelled for all kinds of reasons.

I asked if the bus schedules were online—the actual times a bus is scheduled to depart a stop and the approximate time it will take to arrive at a destination—because having the official timetables for the buses serving Rome’s historic center would allow me to better plan my visit to Rome and make more efficient use of my time when there (even knowing circumstances make it problematic and unlikely for the buses in Rome to keep to their schedules).

The availability of different bus lines and when they run will in part determine when and where we travel and which sights we can visit in Rome. For example, the time it takes to travel between sights will determine, in part, how many we can visit in a day. I am sure you would agree basic information such as the hours a museum is open is essential. Wouldn’t you also want to know (regardless of the difficulties inherent in all big city public transit) when a bus will hopefully, with some luck, get you there? Wouldn’t you want to know which bus line of several that could get you to a destination was, at least in theory, the fastest? I assume the city’s transit planners, who create the bus schedules, take into account traffic patterns and congestion, so even though the world is not a perfect place, much should be able to be learned from the timetables.

Seeing that Rome’s bus timetables are posted at the bus stops, someone must think they are useful.

With its embarrassment of riches, everyone complains they never get to see as much of Rome as they would like—I am just trying to lessen that enviable disappointment. A trip to Rome for me is a budget breaking undertaking. It will also be an extremely invaluable and treasured experience. Due to age and finances this will be my one and only trip to Italy. It seems reasonable to gather as much information and plan as much as possible. As I stated, I am also reading extensively on Rome’s history which I believe will enhance my time in Rome. I suppose some would think reading up on Rome beforehand is also a waste of time. After all isn’t the reason you are going is to learn about the city?

There are certainly questions posted on forums that seem unnecessary, unanswerable, unreasonable--even foolish or undesiring of an answer. If you think someone’s inquiry is such a question, I would respectfully suggest to simply not answer. Read through the questions and replies on this forum (as well as the other popular travel forums) and more times than not questions are never answered directly. Often the very first reply, in one way or another, passes judgment on the question or the person asking. The people who ask questions on forums just want what everyone wants— the best trip possible and forums such as Rick Steves can be invaluable. (I do not know how people traveled before the internet.) By their very asking they are acknowledging others have superior knowledge—so why “make light” of them.

Now my question is: Why do people post replies if they do not know the answer or have any useful information to share?

You are right that traffic can upset the schedule. major bus stops have an electronic board that tells you how many stops and how many minutes until your bus arrives. Major routes run every few minutes. look for little signs that contain the word "Soppresso", which means that bus number no longer stops there - the stupid tourist part is standing and waiting for a bus that will never come; I've done it.

Major terminal areas (Piazza Venezia, San Giovanni, Stazione Termini) have staffed info kiosks where you can get answers, but even there the info can be off by minutes.

Although I usually just turn up, using my trusty bus map - the yellow one, available at all tabacs in central Rome - in addition to the apps I mentioned above, I also use the official website http://viaggiacon.atac.roma.it/index.html?language=eng#

If you keep clicking you can get all the routes calling at the stops along a route. You can also get the departure times and frequency at origination points.

I understand your bristling at Frank's question - but actually it is a good question and if answered would help us help you. If you gave examples of what is concerning you we all here have quite a bank of knowledge and experience. Professor Frank is one such stalwart.

For example, if you said, I have to be at the Borghese Gallery on a Sunday at 2pm and I will be in Trastevere after a church service we can help. I'm afraid that your question is actually quite broad. Even better if you give the exact date because we can then see if any diversions are planned for that day.....

I'm sorry you don't like follow up questions.

Note that Sundays, holidays, and in some areas Satudays have different schedules, sometimes no service at all (like Via del Corso on weekends in summer).

I do understand your wanting to maximize your time and resources, but please consider that some of the most memorable experiences occur when you just go with the unexpected. I always do a very detailed itinerary, just to know what my options are if something has to change. But my plan is always to return, which so far I have been able to do.

I wish you a great trip and at least one more after this one.

I apologize for asking my question. I did not realize Rick Steves’ forum, for many, is a social network and not just for obtaining information. In the responses I have received few have even tried to directly answer my question. Instead almost every reply has expressed some notion that either I or my question is lacking in some way. Sandra stated she is worried about me. I believe she is sincere. Nigel says from my inquiry he has detected that I am overly anxious (and he wants to know why).

What is troublesome to me are the references to “us” and “we” used by many who responded to my posts. Nigel wrote “we all here have quite a bank of knowledge” if only my question was not so “broad.” Likewise Frank keeps using “we” and “us” suggesting everyone on the forum could be more helpful if only I asked my question better.

And what again was my too broad and poorly asked question? “Are the official Rome bus timetables available online?” Almost everyone has suggested the proper thing is to do is what “we” do—“just get on the bus when it arrives.”

The contention I guess is that planning is foolish. Quirite called it “useless.” Roberto told me he never plans--it is not needed.

Instead of the answer to my question, I have been provided an assortment of opinions and other “facts” such as—the buses run on time in Denver. I have been told the word for bus in Italian is autobus. Mostly I have been told I just do not understand. I am in my sixties, college educated and I have traveled a fair amount. My professional background included city planning and traffic engineering. I realize that no one who responded to my question knew any of that but is it necessary to tell anyone there are such things as transit strikes, adverse weather, construction detours and traffic congestion that often cause delays? One person asked if I ever considered the possibility of my bus being stopped by police to bust someone on board for crack cocaine possession. He wanted to know what good my planning would be then. Lupalding felt it necessary to suggest I didn’t understand fully that Rome is a big city. Qaminari is at a loss to understand why I would even want to know the bus schedules.

Responders have also shared their personal experiences with public transit—most of which were bad. Perhaps the often cited bad experiences provide a clue to those who want to know why I want to plan my trip in detail.

Nigel suggested I should listen to Frank. The forum goes back to 2007 and both have been active participants since then. Nigel has made some 9,400 postings and Frank has posted more than 11,400 times. This means Frank posts on average about 130 times each month or more than 4 times a day—Nigel about 3.5 times each day. I am not making any judgment. I mention this only to explain how I did not realize the extent this forum was used as a social network and a club of sorts with a recognized, possessive membership.

Please understand, I truly appreciate those who wanted to help me. Some like Janet did. I believe the intentions of most people on this forum are good. Often the advice received is invaluable. I was just mistaken as to what the purpose of the forum is for some people.

And to those who wished me a safe and enjoyable trip--my sincere thanks.

I just will never understand why some people post replies when they don't have anything useful to share. Reading through other people’s questions and threads it seems too often--instead of answering the question, the question itself is questioned and judgment is made on the person asking. Even when information is provided there is often some ridicule expressed toward the question and the person who has posted it. I guess for many it is just some sort of sport.

Thank you for reading my posts and allowing me to express my disappointment. I will not be posting again.

I'm probably crazy to take a stab at this but in the interest of trying to smooth things over…

As Quirite said above, schedules as you're accustomed to in Denver simply don't exist online for the reasons she explained, and according to her profile she LIVES In Rome. Rather than work by web schedules, Romans use the boards that are posted at the stops, and simply wait until the right bus comes along as they run so frequently. It's a different way than you're used to but it's just how things work there.

What you can do to help things along is to purchase yourself a good bus map when you arrive so you can trace which bus numbers go to the next attraction you wish to see. In the meantime, take a look at the "Roma Centro" text on this web page for a map that'll give you some idea of just how many buses there are, and how you can follow where they go. Also note the arrows which provide the direction some of them will be running in:

http://www.atac.roma.it/page.asp?p=18

Zoe already mentioned what "Soppresso" means, and there are some other terms that will be good to know to well; Ron in Rome's page on navigating the buses and reading the boards may be useful here:

http://www.roninrome.com/%20transportation/bus

And really, NOT to be condescending at all but once you're there, you'll understand the vast difference between what buses in Denver deal with versus buses in Rome, and why delays are much more possible to occur. Many, many streets are so narrow and so busy that it doesn't take but some distracted tourists walking in the wrong place to hold up the show! :O)

So I think people were just trying to provide assurances - with a dose of humor - to ease your concerns rather than dodge the question. Sometimes a conversational style of communication is perceived as more relaxed and upbeat than "Just the facts, Jack" statements, and relaxed and upbeat is exactly how I know I like people to feel when they're on their way to their big adventure. Hope this makes more sense, and that the additional resources may be helpful.

@Quirite, I was wondering about that!
When in Rome, do as the Romans do?

Quirite, my sincere apologies! If I tell you how much I love your city, will you forgive me? :O)

Keith, so sorry if you were given more information than you wanted. How's this, in response to your original request: "No, that information is not available."

Is that more helpful than what you heard from the people who tried to give you the benefit of their experience having traveled in Rome?

In the same way that you told people to ignore your question if they didn't have the exact answer you wanted, you should feel free to ignore responses that don't contain the information you want.

Alternatively, you could ask for a refund if you're unhappy with the responses given by people who actually took time out of their day to try to be helpful.

I do hope you enjoy Rome but I fear that you may be disappointed to discover that it is not Switzerland. Happy travels.

Keith, There are departure timetables for Capolinea (head of the line), but it is still unpredictable. There is a wonderful app called PROBUS that you can put on your smartphone if you have a dataplan. It will tell you approximately when a bus will arrive at a particular stop in more-or-less real time. We allow about an hour to get almost anywhere. That is our defense system against Roman bus crazyness and traffic. It works! IF we are early there's always coffee or wine, depending on time of day....

If you can tell me a couple of routes/places you want to get too and from, I can give you some advice you route and time estimates based on personal experience.

Laurel, thanks for the info on Probus. I hadn't heard of that. It's now on my smartphone and will come in handy in May when we stay in Testaccio for a week.

I'm new here. Just read this thread. Wow. I hope this isn't like TA forums. Ask a question there and you get hammered. I'm headed for Rome and asked about the short cut RS talks about between the Capitolini and the Viittoriano. All I got back was sh*t. Why do you want to go there? Waste of time. Save your money. Locals wouldn't be caught dead there. Made me feel stupid wanting to take the elevator to the top. What's up with that? Kind of like Michael and the rest of you peeps wanting to put keith in his place.

I'd really like to know about the short cut, if anyone knows? Please see my separate RS post under, Rick Steves short cut, if you can help.