Tell me about the metro in Rome

[hal2000]

We're going to be in Rome for several days pre-cruise with our kids [ages 7 and 10] and we're thinking of buying a Roma Pass since our hotel is near Termini, and the option to use the metro to get to/from a few more distant places would be nice.

 

My hesitation is that we've used the metro in US cities (San Francisco, Washington, DC) and not had trouble, though we've never ridden them during heavy rush hour, but about 12 years ago my husband and I were in Mexico City and used the metro there several times. It was fine except during rush hour and then it was AWFUL [there were special cars for women and children, but since we didn't want to ride separately I rode in the regular car]. At the time it was merely annoying, but with kids (especially the younger one) I wouldn't want to do it.

 

Does anyone have a comparison for how the metro is in Rome? Would there be any hesitations with doing it with children? If it depends on rush hour, are there rough times to avoid?

 

(I'm assuming that the stations themselves are well-marked, so that aspect of the travel would be straightforward, but feel free to correct that assumption!)

 

Thanks in advance for your help. :) I've hardly posted on these forums, but lurk regularly and have found the information and advice here tremendously helpful as we make plans.

[euro cruiser]

The stations are well marked, and to use the metro all you need to know is the last station on the line in the direction you are headed.

 

There are only two lines, the A (with endpoints at Battistini and Anagnina) and the B (with endpoints at Rebibbia and Laurentina). You can see the lines on the map here: http://www.atac.roma.it/files/doc.asp?r=4

 

What you will find is that the metro is virtually useless for tourists in Rome, as it doesn't go near much of the historic center, other than the Colosseum.

 

You'd do much better to familiarize yourself with the bus system and make use of that. You can see the map of bus lines here: http://www.atac.roma.it/files/doc.asp?r=3

 

Rome mass transit has an excellent web site, with many of the pages in English. You can acces that here: http://www.atac.roma.it

 

As for the metro, it gets extremely overcrowded on weekdays between about 8 AM and 10 AM, and again between 4 PM and 6 PM. I wouldn't be afraid for my children, but rather for my wallet. Pickpockets are, unfortunately, a part of crowded mass transit all over the world.

[D4]

We've only been in Rome during the lighter seasons (April, early May, Nov, & Dec.) Since you have school age kids, I expect you'll be there in the hot, crowded summer.

 

During the low season months, the metro and buses are packed around 4-6pm. They're also probably busy early in the day too, but I never rode them at that time.

 

Termini is CRAZY busy, especially during the rush times. I was there in May and they are doing construction inside Termini so you have to do a lot more stairs and walking even just to switch from the A line to the B line. I recommend holding your kids' hands in crowded places like the metro stations. I don't see a problem doing it with kids your age. I do feel for the people carrying strollers up & down all those stairs in the crowd.

 

The metro and bus doors don't stay open very long, so I would have one adult be the first on, then the kids, and the other parent last. That way there's no chance the doors would close and one of your kids would be without an adult.

 

The metros and buses don't have a lot of seats, so you'll likely have to stand and hang onto something. (It's good to have your money and credit cards in a money belt inside your clothes.)

 

When you go down to the metro level, if you go all the way to where the front car will be or way to the back end, you'll probably find the cars less crowded. Also, after you get off the metro, I recommend just standing against the wall for a minute to let the crowd pass. Most metro stations have some combination of escalators and stairs, so I prefer to the people in a hurry pass.

[JEBurton]

We're going to Rome in early Sept. staying on Via Cavour near the Termini Metro station. We want to go to the Spanish Steps (piazza di Spagna) to see the most lavish McDonalds in the world!!

 

Question: how best to get from our hotel to the Piazza di Spagna? Metro - 3 stops but is it safe to walk to/from stations in mid-day? How long/safe a walk would it be from the hotel to the steps? How about a taxi?

 

thanks for any advice.

[Susan-M]

 

What you will find is that the metro is virtually useless for tourists in Rome, as it doesn't go near much of the historic center, other than the Colosseum.

 

 

Since the OP is staying near the Termini, the metro could be useful for the Vatican Museums and Spanish Steps (in addition to the Colosseum).

 

Agree that the metro gets crowded during rush hour (we experienced the 4 p.m. squeeze), but at non rush hour times, it's fine.

 

Also agree that having some bus routes worked out will come in very handy to reduce the amount of walking involved otherwise.

[Susan-M]

We're going to Rome in early Sept. staying on Via Cavour near the Termini Metro station. We want to go to the Spanish Steps (piazza di Spagna) to see the most lavish McDonalds in the world!!

 

Question: how best to get from our hotel to the Piazza di Spagna? Metro - 3 stops but is it safe to walk to/from stations in mid-day? How long/safe a walk would it be from the hotel to the steps? How about a taxi?

 

thanks for any advice.

 

It's safe to walk in this area during the daytime (we've done it) - either to the Termini or all the way to the Spanish Steps.

 

From the Termini on the Metro, it would be maybe 5 minutes to the Spagna station.

 

Here's a google map with walking directions: Click here

 

On that map, if you enter your hotel address in "A" (upper left side of the page) and any other address or site in "B", or add other destinations (you can add multiple destinations) you can make up a customized walking map for yourself. I do this for most cities that we visit. Google maps even has transit directions for some cities (perhaps just North American ones because I couldn't get them for Italy ... we just returned from a trip to Chicago and thanks to Google maps with their walking and transit directions, we knew exactly how to get from point A to point B.)

[euro cruiser]

We're going to Rome in early Sept. staying on Via Cavour near the Termini Metro station. We want to go to the Spanish Steps (piazza di Spagna) to see the most lavish McDonalds in the world!!

 

Question: how best to get from our hotel to the Piazza di Spagna? Metro - 3 stops but is it safe to walk to/from stations in mid-day? How long/safe a walk would it be from the hotel to the steps? How about a taxi?

I think of Rome as a walking city, but you could certainly take a taxi if you want to.

 

One way on foot that would be interesting is to take Via Depretis (it joins Via Cavour at the backside of Santa Maria Maggiore) all the way to the top of the Spanish Steps, then walk down them. It's about a mile and will involve some up and down hill walking, but it's not bad. Although you basically stay on the same road, it will change names a few times along the way. It will become Via delle Quattro Fontane in the Quirinale neighborhood, and you can stop in at San Carlo delle Quatro Fontane, a beautiful little jewel of a church on the corner of Via del Quirinale. You'll also pass Palazzo Barberini, and the wonderful Bernini fountain in the Piazza Barberini. After this piazza the road becomes Via Sistina. At the top of the steps you can visit Trinita dei Monti, before descending one of the most famous staircases on earth.

[JEBurton]

Thank you "Susan-M" and "euro cruiser" for your very informative responses; just what I was looking for.

[hal2000]

Thanks for your replies, euro cruiser, D4, and Susan-M! euro cruiser -- I appreciate the bus map; I hadn't really thought of using the bus system since it felt complicated, but it occurred to me when I looked at the map that since we'll be sticking to the central area, even if the bus didn't go where we expected we wouldn't be stuck anywhere [since most of our time will be unscheduled]. I'm expecting that we'd mostly use the metro/bus to get to a more distant point that we can walk back from (e.g. the Vatican) or, if we've walked to a more distant point, to get back to the hotel.

 

D4, I also appreciate the metro tips. I hadn't throught of the doors closing on someone, although that happended to someone in Mexico City [the doors closed on his foot; other passengers helped give thehim support, but he had to ride with his foot out of the car until the doors opened at the next station. I think he was a bit bruised, but otherwise OK.]

[Host Jacquelyn]

FYI, don't forget that the metro is crawling with pickpockets. Every time we rode the metro it was jam packed, with people pressed up against one another. This was in May. I always held my purse in front of me in my hand even while it was over my shoulder. However, I did notice a man with his hands in my pants pocket. We were so crammed, I couldn't even move. I am not sure if he was after cash or a quick feel, but all he got was used Kleenex :p

[RJHNorthyorks]

We used metro in August 2010 to travel from Termini to Vatican museum and back was very easy to use- just like using London undergrouind or Paris metro in terms of fellow travellers seemed to be lots of Italians and tourists. Although we can understand a bit of Italian it was very easy to use. Well signposted/ clear maps/clean.

I'm sure it attracts some pickpockets because its a major city but we didn't have any problems( We have considerable experience of working with offenders so we are fairly vigilant!!)

[ariawoman]

We used the Metro on our last trip to rome and it wasn't complicated. I would agree though that it's not terribly useful except for getting you to the other sides of the city. Our hotel was near Termini as well. I NEVER felt unsafe (but then again I am from the NYC area....lol) and we had 0 issues walking from termini to our hotel.

 

If you're looking to stay above ground but not walk as much, you could also consider the hop on/hop off bus tours located in rome. Those drop off at the various sites to see, and let you on/off as needed. I've not yet looked into the cost, however we are going to consider it for our day excursion in October.

 

Otherwise, taxis/busses or just simply walking (you'll have tired feet after Rome - for sure!) are all options for getting around. I wouldn't suggest car rental - driving in Rome is NOT for the inexperienced. Take 1 cab ride and you'll see! :-)

[Andym]

( We have considerable experience of working with offenders so we are fairly vigilant!!)

 

The problem with the pickpockets is that they unfortunately do not all look like offenders, some are ver well dressed as business men.

 

We have used the Metro in Rome twice and both times have witnessed 'incidents'.

The first time a woman had her mobile phone stolen and she chased the man onto the platform and whacked him .

The second time a man proceeded to feel up a woman.

 

We personally now use cabs.

[samavarcruiser]

Metro system in Rome :)

 

http://www.rome.info/metro/

[xcomet]

The metro is not complicated at all, but dont try to ask anyone, there simply is no one to ask. We got our info from the magazine vendor on the street corner. We also took the A line, but the wrong way. So we got off and back on at the next stop, in the right direction. I must warn you, since you have kids. The doors will close on you! They did on my daughter! It is not like in the US where the door will automatically stop if it hits something. There also is not alot of time to decide if its the correct train or not, crowds and about 30 seconds to board.We laughed about it at the end, as we remember my daugher's face when we were in the train and she was not. We laughed at her squeezing herself into the train, the doors closing , and us prying the door open. All the while the passengers on the train didnt bat an eyelash. I am sure they were thinking crazy americans! Once we got in the train we saw the warning signs in Italian stating that the doors will not stop! and a special handle to pull in case of emergency! It was only funny after it happened, we were pretty concerned during the incident. Oh and my daughter is 18!:D

[CHUANJO]

The metro signboard