Thursday 9 October 2008

Rome airport taxi fees

Rome airport taxi fees. This is another frequently asked question. How much should one pay for a taxi to and from the Rome airports? What I have to say is a guide line, but I would like to point out that I do know what I am talking about so if I say not to pay more then 30 euro, then don't hand over even one cent more.

Rome has two airports - CIAMPINO (CIA) which serves most of the low cost airlines such as Ryan Air, Easy Jet, BMI etc... If you are going to or from this airport there are many transport options to get you into the centre of Rome. One of the easiest is obviously to take a public taxi from the taxi rank out the front of the arrivals hall. Do not take a taxi that is not in this taxi rank. Do not get in a taxi if someone approaches you. The real taxi drivers do not care to approach customers. They just sit in their cars, or stand close by talking, smoking and normally paying customers little attention. These are the real taxi drivers and they work on a first come first serve basis so you walk to the first taxi and get inside, rather then just choosing any old taxi that takes your fancy.

The set fee from the CIAMPINO airport to somewhere inside the city walls is 30 euro. (or vice versa) Normally this includes baggage, and is for one of the normal size cars which can hold 4 people. If you have excess luggage or arrive late at night there may be a small surcharge but you are never, ever to pay more then 40 euro. Never ever.

The Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) is the main international airport with flights coming in from all over the world. Is a big, hectic and disorganised airport, and the taxi situation here can be a bit confusing.

There are two taxis that enter the airport. Taxi's collecting guests from inside the city walls and dropping them off at the airport belong to the Comune of Rome. They have set fees which should be clearly listed in the taxi, normally in the back seat behind the drivers chair. The fee if you hail a taxi or collect it from a taxi rank is 40 euro If you ask a hotel to call a taxi for you, normally the set fee is 50 euro. The same as above applies. Do not take an illegal taxi, and do not pay more then the set fee. This is for a normal size car and should include baggage. All in all do not pay more then 45 for a taxi you have picked up from a taxi rank, or 55 euros if the hotel orders one for you.

The taxi's that serve the airport belong to the Comune of Fiumicino and they charge normally a 60 euro set fee to anywhere within the city walls. There is a lot of airport controversy as the Comune of Rome charges less for its set fee (40 or 50 euro) but they are not technically meant to transport guests from the airport to the city centre. They do so a lot of you will be lucky and pay the lower fee. Likewise the Fiumicino drivers are not meant to collect guests from inside the city walls and take them to the airport...but they do.

The main advice is to make sure you understand the rate before driving off. Ask the taxi driver. Most of them speak English, and if not then they are obliged to have the prices in the car. Please follow this advice. It sounds simple but none of my customers ever seem to listen to me, and then ring later in tears.

I had a customer just the other day who called me to ask how much a taxi would cost him from FCO to the hotel. I told him to pay no more then 60 euro. He called me when he got to the hotel to advise he had been charged (and worse he stupidly paid) 120 euro. I had a single woman who I told to pay no more then 40 from CIA to a city hotel, and she paid 100 euro... Taxi drivers are sly, they are like this world wide so read the above, ask the driver and if they try to charge you more refuse to pay. Simple as that.

Does anyone have any questions that I could answer? Anything about Rome you always wanted to know?

8 comments:

Jewel said...

Any questions for you to answer? hmmm...well there's the obvious shallow question - are all Italian men hot or is that just a stereotype?

What are the working hours like in Rome? (Please tell me there is at least one country where everyone hasn't turned into workaholics).

Apart from pick pockets, is it safe for a girl to travel on her own there or go out at night?

I could go on but I'll let someone else ask some questions.

Anonymous said...

Do you ever recommend The Leonardo Express(train that'll shuttle you from Fiumicino to Roma Termini station)?
It's much cheaper than a taxi (around €10) and although I was a bit 'crammed' in there, I think it's a great way to go if you want to save money!

Anonymous said...

Foreign airports can be pretty intimidating as it is. I have always been pretty fortunate to know someone who was willing to pick me up from the airport! :) These are really helpful tips Leanne. Grazie mille!

Leanne was in Italy now in Australia said...

Hi Jewel,
HA your questions are funny! I will answer them all for you.

Hi Carla,
I do recommend the Leonardo Da Vinci Expess (which costs 11 euro now) but then it depends who the customers are as lots of mine are old people so safer for them to get a taxi! I will though write a post about bus and train options - thanks for the idea :)

Hi Lulu,
Having people to pick you up at the airport is the best. Often if you are alone you can get so confused and lost.

Rosa said...

I could catch a plane into Ciampino airport but hesitate as the flight arrives after ten at night. How difficult would it be to catch the direct bus from the airport to Stazione Termini at that hour, or alternatively how much should the taxi cost to Termini? Thanks!

Leanne was in Italy now in Australia said...

Hi Scintilla,
You should be ok to get the Terravision or an equivilant bus at that time of night as they work along side the low cost airlines and I assume you would be coming in on an easy jet or ryan air (or equivilant) flight. If you are coming in on one of the participating flights then there will be a bus to take you to Termini (have a look on terravision.it and you can even buy a ticket on line. They do not have the time table but the have a list of the participating flights...and 10pm is not that late anyway.) When I was last at CIA we got in about 10pm and there were 2 buses to take us to termini.
If worse comes to worse then the set fee should be 30 euro, but at that time of the night make sure you pay no more then 40 euro - set the fee before you leave as they do not turn the metres on for the airport transfers.

Piccola said...

I always book my transportation before my trip. That way I pay a flat fee and don't have to worry. It does workout to be a little cheaper than the taxi. I always have too much luggage to take the train. I'm a chronic over-packer. After having lived through 9/11, I want to always be prepared for disaster.

Leanne was in Italy now in Australia said...

Hi Piccola,
Prebooking a taxi is a really good idea, especially for the first time you may be arriving in a new country. We did that the first time we arrived in Italy and it was so nice and easy.
Also I did not know you went through 9/11, how brave of you.