Getting Around in Rome
The transport of choice for young Italians is the motorino, and it's easy to understand why when you see the little mopeds zipping along the narrow streets. Until late 2005 you didn't even need a license to drive a moped, but it's become more restricted now.
If you're limited to public transport in Rome, you'll find a wide variety of buses, trams and the metro to suit your needs. The metro stops running at roughly 23.30 (Linea A stops at 21.00), so if you plan to be out late you might want to look into nightbuses. Taxis are available but they are unrelliable and can be expensive.
You'll see several horse-and-carts making their leisurely way around the city. If you're tempted to try one of these, then be absolutely sure to agree a total price before the trip. There have been several reports of people being stung for hundreds of euros after taking a ride.
The Metro
There are currently two metro lines in Rome. More are planned but are not going to be finished and ready any time soon. Broadly speaking, Linea A runs west and east of the main station Termini, while Linea B runs north and south.
Bear in mind that Linea B shuts down by about 23.30, while Linea A currently shuts down at 21.00, so if you are planning to be out later than that, you will need to make alternative arrangements.
Buses and Trams
There are numerous buses and trams on routes around Rome, including night buses.
Taxis
Taxis in Rome are expensive and not always reliable. They're also famous for overcharging. Keep an eye on the meter (never get into a cab that doesn't have a meter).
Official licensed Roman taxis are white. They have two tarrifs, and the tarrif you are on will be marked on the meter. Tarrif 1 is for inside Rome and Tarrif 2, which is more expensive, should only be used once the taxi has driven out past the GRA ring road. There is now a fixed rate fare for travel between the centre of Rome (within the walls) and the airports: getting to and from Fiumicino costs €40 while getting to and from Ciampino costs €30.
Tickets & Abbonamenti
Single trip tickets cost €1. They last for 75 minutes and are valid for buses, trams and a single metro trip.There are also weekly and monthly abbonamenti available. The monthly ticket costs €30 and is valid from the beginning to the end of the caldendar month. This means that if you buy it on the tenth of the month, you will only get 20 days' worth of use out of it.
If you're travelling on a single-journey ticket, you will need to validate it when you first use it. Validation machines are everywhere - on buses, trams, and at the turnstiles in the metro station. The machines are generally yellow. Give them a bite of your ticket and it will save you a potential fine later on. If you have an abbonomento, you can just stride through the stations, waving your pass at anybody who shows an interest.
