My wife and I land at FCO ion June 30 at noon. We are heading directly to Florence. It looks like there are trains every 30 minutes via Rome Termini and a direct train from FCO around 15:00. I assume we will be safe to purchase tickets at the airport? Is there any need to purchase in advance? How much time should we expect to clear customs and immigration and get luggage from baggage claim?
Posted by
California 🦋
5298 posts
It’s not recommended to buy train tickets for day of arrival due to possible unforeseen delays with your plane, passport control, or baggage claim.
Yes, you can buy your tickets at the airport, and if you’re lucky, you may be able to take the direct train to Florence at 15:00!
There’s no way to predict how long it will take for you to clear passport control and retrieve your luggage. It all depends on how many flights land around the same time as yours, or how many offficers are working in passport control.
Enjoy your trip!
Posted by
Chicago
8228 posts
No need to purchase tickets in advance when your flight is not guaranteed to arrive at noon. You should be able to get tickets to Florence but possibly not direct from FCO meaning you will have to change trains more likely in Rome Termini or Tiburtina train stations. From passport control to baggage claim and then pass customs it could take 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on how many planes arrive at the same time as yours
Posted by
CA, USA
1266 posts
My advice would be to take the 15:00 direct train unless your flight is significantly delayed.
Here's my reasoning: if you have just carry-on luggage (a good idea BTW) then it takes about 30 minutes from landing to being inside airport concourse. You mention luggage, so add some time on for that. You need to find and walk to the train station, wait in line, buy a ticket to Roma Termini and then on to Florence. Call this 20-30 minutes. The ride to Roma Termini is about an hour on the Leonardo Express (don't forget to validate your ticket!), and you'd be smart to give yourself 20 minutes to get off the train, find the track your next train is on, and board. So from landing to getting sitting down on the Florence train is about 2.5 hours, and you're hustling much of the time.
Since it's going to take 2.5 hours anyway to get on the Florence train at Roma Termini, why not wait an extra 30 minutes at FCO and avoid the hassle? Land, go buy your train tickets, have a leisurely lunch, wander in the shops, read a book, then board your train. You have 2 hours at FCO which is a margin of safety in case your flight is late and to wait for your luggage.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23653 posts
The above is a little off on time lines. The Leonard Express is a 35 minute run - twice an hour. Immigration is the big unknown. We have gotten through in 30, 45 minutes but once took almost three hours -- only two officers on duty that day. If you can catch the 3pm train it would save the change in Termini. But it is not worth waiting an hour or two just to catch it. That train also goes to Termini so there is no time saving but same saving in not having to change trains. You can buy both your ticket to Florence and the LExpress at the same ticket office in the airport.