CIA to Rome — How To Get To Rome’s Centro From The [Other]Airport

Serviced by mainly budget flights, CIA is surprisingly easy to reach

In my last article, I wrote about getting from FCO (Rome’s largest Airport) to Termini (Rome’s central train station which also serves as a major hub for Rome’s public transportation).

Of course, it leaves the question, “What if I arrive in Rome at the CIA (Ciampino Airport)?”

Great question, reader!

If you’re not familiar with budget flights by low-cost carriers like RyanAir, EasyJet, and the no-longer-bankrupt Norwegian Airlines, then let me offer a small introduction.

Your friend told you that they found a $5 flight from Paris to Berlin. “Crazy,” you think.

Then you go to Skyscanner (affiliate link) and find out that isn’t such a stretch.

In fact, I found an $11 flight from Paris’s BVA to Tangier, Morocco leaving October 13, 2022. This is just one of many examples.

“What a deal!” you think.

Then you see where it leaves from BVA. “Well, that can’t be too far. It’s not like it’s over an hour away by bus. Or essentially a large building with trailers that form the different waiting areas.”

But it is. And it is.

Still, the flight is only $11, so I guess one can’t really complain.

Taxi

Just like arriving at FCO, CIA is also reachable by taxi. And just like FCO, there’s a set price of 30 euros (around $31 as of August 2022).

As I mentioned in the last article, Uber still isn’t much of a tool in Rome as they aren’t allowed to operate their normal business in Rome. However, if there are multiple of you arriving at CIA, Uber XL, Black, or Lux is an option.

Also, Lyft doesn’t operate in Italy.

But for the door-to-door service, no stress of having to catch a bus, train, or Metro, a taxi is a great option. Plus, if you have luggage, it’s the easiest option.

Ciampino Airlink

For the second easiest mode of transportation, check out Ciampino’s Airlink. From the entrance of CIA, you take a bus to the train station in Ciampino (a nearby town) and switch to a train that brings you directly to Termini.

This is all for the sweet, sweet price of $2.80.

That’s right. Compared to FCO-Termini’s whopping $15, getting to and from CIA is far easier.

However, as I mentioned, there is a change involved. There’s no real chance of you actually missing the train on the other end, plus there are frequent buses so if you miss one, another should arrive within 20 minutes. But, if you have a few suitcases, getting into and out of a bus, plus into and out of a train, can be a struggle.

Websites like Trainline (Affiliate Link) and Trenitalia (regular link) have tickets available for sale for the Ciampino Airlink.

Bus

Just like FCO, there are a number of bus options from CIA to Termini. Companies like SIT, Terravision, and FlixBus run frequent (and usually direct) buses between the two.

These tickets cost around $6.50-$7.00 per way. This is just over double the cost of the Airlink ticket, but it’s a direct trip. No changes are necessary.

Aggregate websites like Busbud and Trainline (both are affiliate links) will have a variety of tickets, companies, and times available.

Nathaniel Mellor is a published short story writer and aspiring travel writer who lives in Italy with his partner, Darcy. You can find more of his work on Only A Bag.