Planning to get around Rome using public transportation? Then you should definitely become familiar with how to use the Rome metro system.
The underground subway is certainly not the most extensive system given the size of the Eternal city, BUT if your destination is near a metro stop, then Rome’s underground is one of the fastest ways to travel.
During the day, metros come approximately every five minutes. On nights and weekends, the wait for the next metro can be up to ten minutes.
Rome has three metro lines (A, B, and C). The two main lines are A and B which cross at only one point at Termini station. Then, B splits in B and B1 (so be sure to double check if you need to travel beyond Stazione Tiburtina). Finally, Line C serves some of the Roman suburbs, and it now connects with line A at San Giovanni. The long-awaited station finally opened in May 2018.
Rome’s Line C is shown in dashed green on the map because not every station is complete.
An official Rome metro map is available from ATAC here. (However, please note that the Rome metro is only composed of the lines described above and the map also includes regional trains, such as the FL1).
In order to take the metro (called la metropolitana in Italian), first decide what line you need to use and then understand what direction you need to travel in. The train directions are based on the terminal station at the end of the line.
So that means, for example, if you want to go from Termini to the Vatican, you need to take Metro A in direction Battistini.
Metro tickets are interchangeable with bus tickets. They can be purchased at machines at all metro stations (though you should have change in coins if you would like to do so). These metro stations have self-service machines where you can buy single ride tickets or opt for 24 hour, 3-day or 7-day passes.
Tickets can also be purchased in advance from tobacco shops and newspaper stands. They are validated when you pass through the gate to the metro, and you should hold on to your ticket until you have fully exited the next station because you may be asked to show proof of purchase.
Tickets cost €1.50 are valid for 100 minutes, so it is possible to take the metro and then to take a bus or tram with the same ticket within that time period. However, each ticket is only good for one metro trip, so you cannot reuse it to return, even if you fall within the 100-minute limit. (Here is more information on bus tickets in Rome, which also applies to metro tickets).
If you don’t want to worry about time limits and expired tickets, RomaPass holders have unlimited use of the metro for as long as the pass is valid.
The Rome metro is open from 5:30 am to 11.30 pm but stays open until 1:30 am on Friday and Saturday.
Rome’s metro still leaves some things to be desired. While some of the trains have been upgraded to sleek and modern subway cars with AC during summer, others remain covered in graffiti.
Please also be prepared for crowded trains during rush hour, and watch out for pickpockets that like to take advantage of the packed space.
Do you have any questions or tips for using the Rome metro system?
P.S. You can find this kind of information on the Discover Rome app for iPhone and Android.
Please note that the link to purchase a RomaPass is included for convenience and is an affiliate link. RomaPass can also be purchased in person at official outlets in Rome.
I found the Rome metro pretty easy to use, but it definitely wasn’t an extensive as metros I’ve encountered in other cities. Still though, when traffic was terrible, the metro definitely saved us some time.
That’s a great summary of the system – perfect for passing traffic but won’t get you everywhere!
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Excellent information. I’ve checked out the map and fortunately takes me right where I need to go for most sites. I’m still not sure what to say at the stand to get a ticket…but I will learn quickly!! Also, wondering if Credit Cards are widely used in Rome for transportation and other things.
How about taking tours from milan to switzerland?
I have not had a chance to try that yet!
A very helpful summary and great link to the RomaPass. For a first time visitor preparing, this was a great article!
I’d like to use the Metro when I visit Rome however I cannot find help to figure out where to get off to sites I wish to see. For example, Traveling from my hotel to the Vatican…how can I find where to get off the M? I can figure out that I want to travel toward Battistini on the red line but again…which stop puts me closest to my desired site? Capitoline? Palatine Hill? Please help. Thanks
Hi Doug! You want the Ottaviano stop on Metro A. For the Colosseum it is Colosseo. Colosseo is also the closest stop to some of the monuments in the historic center, including Capitoline and Palatine. However, the Capitoline is closer to Piazza Venezia which does not have a metro stop but it is one of the biggest bus stops in the city.
what about staying in the Trevi Fountain area? What would be the best way to travel there from Termini
Ciao! The closest metro stop to the Trevi Fountain is line A – Barberini
Hi, I was wondering about the accessibility of the Metropolitana? My son is a wheelchair user. Thanks.
Ciao Wendy! It is not great but it should be possible. There are elevators at most stops but the problem is that they do not always work. At the stops that do not have an elevator (like the Colosseo) there is a wheelchair lift – but again, I would not trust these to be operational. There is also a small gap between the platform at the metro, but this shouldn’t be as big of an issue as the stairs.
Ciao! Thanks for the informative article. We will be traveling from the cruise port at Civitavecchia. Would we take a train to Termini then transfer to Line A to get close to the Vatican or can a person purchase one ticket from the cruise port for Line A? Thanks
hi! you will need a metro ticket because you are switching from the train to the metro. You can get off at Termini and catch Line A there. Ticket machines are available at the entrances
Would it be possible for you to explain how transfers are done within metro between lines A, B and C, please. Are they made on the same ticket?
Hello! Yes – metro transfers in Rome are all done on the same ticket without leaving the station. To switch from A to B, get off at Termini and follow the signs to the other line. The same can be done from B to C at San Giovanni.
Is the RomaPass the same as the hop on/hop off passes I see advertised everywhere?
Hi! No, the hop on hop off buses are run by different private companies and have their own routes around the city. They are easy to spot, but you can only use your ticket on the one particular company bus.. not the city buses.
So where is labinaca on the metro maps?
Via Labicana is a street rather than a metro stop. The two closest metros are Colosseo (B Line) and Manzoni (A line)
I am trying to get from the Termini Roma to Piazza Venezia by 8am but can’t seem to find a bus that goes then I am planning to go from there to the Gallery Borghese. I am buying a 7day pass. Can you help me find my way . I will be in Rome Sept 3 to Sept 9th 2019
thank you
Hello! You don’t need to go to Piazza Venezia first. You can take the 910 bus from Termini and get off at Pinciana/Museo Borghese. Buses tend to leave every 15 minutes. I
I am trying to take the bus from Piazza Venezia to Termini, which bus would that be and in which direction? Also, I believe I have to take the FL5 train from Termini to Civitavecchia for a cruise. Is the train ticket the same you would use for the metro or bus? And is there a clear difference between the train and metro stops at Termini?
Hi Nicole – if you are going to Termini to get the train to Civitavecchia, I would honestly say take the 8 tram from Piazza Venezia to Stazione Trastevere and get the train there instead. But yes, the metros and the trains are on separate floors at Termini. Bus and Metro tickets are interchangable but you will need to buy a train ticket.
how long does it take from Line A (Orange) at Ottaviano to get to the Termini Train Station? 20 minutes or longer? Thank you!
It depends on how long it takes the metro to arrive. You rarely wait more than 7 minutes, and then it is about a 12 minute journey.
Hi Natalie,
If you purchase a BIRG ticket can it be used for trains and Metro? Do you have to purchase separate bus tickets?
I’m sorry – could provide more info on what a BIRG ticket is?
Hi Natalie, On Rome’s buses, how do you know which stop is approaching? Is it displayed or announced? As a first time visitor, I wouldn’t know if I was at the stop I need to get off at if it wasn’t announced. Thanks!
It will be displayed on a scrolling sign near the driver, but may not be noticeably announced. You can track your progress on google maps to be sure!
The Rome Metro is not as extensive as those in London, Paris or Berlin. When Line C is fully operative it will obviously increase the system’s range. It is relatively easy to navigate but the one thing missing is its lack of style! In the land of Gucci, et al, the Metro stations are abysmal! The London Underground looked better during the Blitz!
I really enjoyed this guide to the Rome Metro! It was very informative and easy to follow. The map was also very helpful.