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Rush hour on the Metro?

We have tickets for first entry to the Sistine Chapel on a Friday in mid-March and need to be at our meeting spot by 7:20am (Caffé Vaticano). Originally thought about taking a cab but since we are staying right by Cavour station, we're now considering taking the Metro, transferring to the A line at Termini and then hopping off at Ottoviani station.

The only concern I have is that it would be at the beginning of rush hour and this would be our first attempt on the Metropolitana. If we do attempt it, not sure what time to head to Cavour station and how much time to schedule for confusion at Termini

Thoughts?

Posted by
8094 posts

I think you should try to reschedule the tour a little later in the morning. The Rush Hours are pretty busy on the Metro, and Ottoviani Station is still a little hike from the Vatican.

Posted by
94 posts

I have used the Metro in Rome numerous times and on my last trip, never bothered using a taxi at all. However, the very first time I used it I felt a little disoriented with all the crowds and being unfamiliar with the stops. If at all possible, do a dry run a day or two before to become familiar with the stops and times. Have a great time!

Posted by
15682 posts

I think you should try to reschedule the tour a little later in the
morning

The very popular early-entry tours/tickets are for getting into the Sistine before the general public, when isn't a complete zoo in there. The OP booked their tickets specifically for that reason so rescheduling isn't an option.

Posted by
3112 posts

If you take the metro, I'd suggest leaving no later than 6:30. The change of lines at Termini is a somewhat long walk and you'll have a 10+ minute walk from the metro stop to the meeting point. Worst case, you'll arrive a little early and can enjoy a cappuccino while you wait. Check the Via Cavour metro stations the day before to make sure you know which side of the street to use, as you'll have to go back up and cross the street if you're on the wrong side. In Termini, there are signs listing the stops that will help you get to the correct side of the tracks. Exits for the Vatican are clearly marked at the Ottaviano metro station.

Posted by
2767 posts

Just take a cab in this instance. The metro will get you there fine, but a cab would be faster and easier for first thing in the AM. When done with the tour, the metro will get you back to the hotel cheaply - and you won't have stress about being on time, or rush hour concerns.

Posted by
7049 posts

If it's rush hour, then sitting in a taxi in traffic will take longer than public transit (the beauty of public transit is time savings when roads are gridlocked). Assuming it's not your first full day there, you should be able to scope out the station and learn how to buy tickets, etc. so that the whole process goes smoothly. If you build in some time cushion, the metro shouldn't be an issue (it's not a long ride). For some reason, I don't think the metro will be packed if you take it before 6:30am. That should give you plenty of time.

Posted by
238 posts

Kathy is correct - we will not rebook as we specifically signed up for First Entry to see the Sistine Chapel before the crowds.

Originally planned to leave the hotel at 6:50am - can anyone tell me when Rush Hour is in full swing? If its at the early stages, just not sure what it would be like on either the Metro or cab.

Posted by
11247 posts

I can tell you from experience that a cab at that hour is a piece of cake. The streets are not so jammed before 8:00 am and the taxis use special lanes on many of the arterials. We took a cab each of the three times we went on the early-entry tour. (We lived there so went with guests a couple of times.) Taking a cab is much less stressful than the Metro. Locate your nearest taxi stand the night before and if you are Ina cab by 6:50, you are golden. Maybe even have time for a cappuccino and cornetto before the tour!

Posted by
238 posts

Thanks all for the replies - I think we may just cab it. Having a hard deadline to meet that early in the morning and trying to maneuver thru Termini and then making our way from Ottoviani Station to the meeting point having never done either, it makes more sense to have a cab pick us up and drop us off right where we need to be.

Posted by
15043 posts

The metro ride is 10 min plus the Termini transfer (and wait). So you can be in Ottaviano in 20 min or less. But the walk to the Museum is another 10 min. Therefore you should leave your hotel no later than 6:50 to make it by 7:20.

If you think the Romans are already commuting to work at that ungodly hour, you don’t know the Romans. 6:45 is when Romans hit the snooze button on the clock. It has to be well past 7:30 to see the real commute. At 6:50 people on the suburbs make their way to work, but closer to the city center is too early.