BIRG Ticket

Hi

Can anyone confirm categorically whether I can buy a BIRG ticket online, or alternatively at/near the Cittavecchia train station?

We are cruising to Rome in 2 weeks (NCL Jade) and cannot get a definitive answer regarding this issue from other posts/message boards.

Much appreciated

Steve

You cannot buy the BIRG pass online. You can buy it at and near the train station in Civitavecchia.

You can purchase a regional train ticket online (but only a very limited window to time prior to the date you plan to use it) -- however, that is not the same as the BIRG, which includes not only your roundtrip train fare but also use of the metro/bus system in Rome for the day.

You might feel better knowing that buying a BIRG ticket is quite simple...and besides the station there are several coffee kiosks and small food places that can also sell the ticket. But some of these third party vendors might charge you one extra Euro...when compared to the station price.

Hank

Saw a newstand(I think) next to the port drop off point selling BIRG tickets. You can pick it up from there before getiing on the bus or walking to the train station.

The tourist info counter at the train station has 3 desks selling the tickets as well when we were there a week ago.

BIRG tickets can´t be bought online. The ticket includes the public transportation in Rome plus the regional trains.

All shops/newsstand/kiosks saying "Tabacchi" do also sell the tickets (at no higher cost). At Largo della Pace (where the shuttle bus stops) there´s a shop at the corner which sells train tickets (and newspapers and magazines). At the train station you can buy the ticket at the counter or in the shop (access through the counter hall) or at the ticket machines (English language option available).

In all cases the ticket must be validated at those hardly to discover boxes at the platforms.

steamboats

Do they take US dollar, or I have to pay in Euro?

thanks!

Do they take US dollar, or I have to pay in Euro?

thanks!

You will need euros as you will for other purchases while in euro countries.

Do they take US dollar, or I have to pay in Euro?

thanks!

Do any public transit operation in the Bay Area take any other currency besides US dollars?

Sorry, the quote function doesn't seem to be working. This is quoted from post #5 by steamboats and my question is if you have purchased the BIRG from the ticket machines. I would be surprised to learn that this ticket is available from a Trenitalia machine because it is issued by ATAC, not the train company. I'd like verification that it's possible to purchase this specific ticket from a machine.

euro cruiser,

Actually in late September we were the only people in the train station with two counters open. So I bought it at the counter. But I do know from previous visits that you can buy it at the ticket machine and the ticket machine has multi languages.

steamboats

I realize this is an old post, but I'm hoping someone can help me. I want to buy a BIRG in Rome and use it to go to Civitavecchia in the morning and back to Rome in the afternoon. This thread addresses the opposite - going from Civi to Rome. So my questions are:

Will I be able to purchase a BIRG in Rome, either at a newstand/tabacchi/machine in a metro station? Do I want the 12 euro one (5 zones, I think)?

More importantly, can I then take any train I want, or any marked as a regional (regionale) train, or what? If I'm limited to the regional trains, it may not be worthwhile for me to use the BIRG, as my time will be limited if I try to go back to Rome after I embark my ship.

Thanks.

I realize this is an old post, but I'm hoping someone can help me. I want to buy a BIRG in Rome and use it to go to Civitavecchia in the morning and back to Rome in the afternoon. This thread addresses the opposite - going from Civi to Rome. So my questions are:

 

Will I be able to purchase a BIRG in Rome, either at a newstand/tabacchi/machine in a metro station? Do I want the 12 euro one (5 zones, I think)?

 

More importantly, can I then take any train I want, or any marked as a regional (regionale) train, or what? If I'm limited to the regional trains, it may not be worthwhile for me to use the BIRG, as my time will be limited if I try to go back to Rome after I embark my ship.

 

Thanks.

Between Rome and Civitavecchia you'd need the 12 euro BIRG. You can buy it in a news shop or Tabaccheria in large train stations or nearby (not sure which station you'll be using?). You MIGHT be able to get one in a metro station...

You can only use the BIRG for transportation on the regionale or regionale express trains (slightly fewer stops). However, if all you want to use it for is the transportation to and from Civitavecchia, it's not worth it. The normal "regionale" ticket one-way is 5,10 euros. (Roundtrip would be 10,20 euro).

The regionale trains are the most frequent ones, departing about every half hour.

But not clear why you'd be going to Civi in the morning and back to Rome in the afternoon -- do tell!?!?!

Between Rome and Civitavecchia you'd need the 12 euro BIRG. You can buy it in a news shop or Tabaccheria in large train stations or nearby (not sure which station you'll be using?). You MIGHT be able to get one in a metro station...

 

You can only use the BIRG for transportation on the regionale or regionale express trains (slightly fewer stops). However, if all you want to use it for is the transportation to and from Civitavecchia, it's not worth it. The normal "regionale" ticket one-way is 5,10 euros. (Roundtrip would be 10,20 euro).

 

The regionale trains are the most frequent ones, departing about every half hour.

 

But not clear why you'd be going to Civi in the morning and back to Rome in the afternoon -- do tell!?!?!

Thank you. The prices are certainly low enough that I could just buy individual tickets, but I wanted to make sure I could take a regionale veloce train that takes 46 minutes from Trastevere, Rome, to Civi, 4,60 euros one way. (From Termini the trip is a little bit longer, and price is the 5,10 you mention.) If I bought a BIRG ticket I COULD use it to go back and forth to Rome once I embarked the ship, or use it the next day to go into/back from Rome on my own (with a little bit of sightseeing either day) since our itinerary includes an overnight. But it sounds like finding a BIRG in Trastevere or anywhere I am on the morning of embarkation might not be totally simple, so I may just buy individual tickets for what I want to do - once I decide what that is!

And yes, I know it's a bit of a long trip from a cruise ship in Civi to Rome, but I might be crazy enough to want to do it!

We used a BIRG when we were in Rome a number of years ago, but I forget: For the train, after I buy my BIRG ticket, do I simply choose which train I want, and when I get to the station, find where to validate the ticket, and board the train? Is there anything else I need to do? For example, coming from Trastevere (or Termini or Ostiense), is there a baggage scan? We'll have cruise luggage with us when we go to Civi to embark.

One other question, a port document I saw implies that all taxis must drop off at the newish location just outside the port. However, someone on a Roll Call has implied that if you book with one of the well-known shuttle/limo companies, they can take you directly to your ship. Do you (or anyone) know if this is true?

roothy, not sure I can completely answer your questions but I'll try:

1) You can definitely take the Regionale Veloce trains using the BIRG pass, if you decide to go for that. The 'pass' is not an official ticket, so obtaining one means you might have to try more than one place, if you're not going to be at Termini.

2) It sounds like you are going to embark your ship on one day and then you have an overnight in Civitavecchia. I'm not sure why you are planning to go to Civi and embark and then return to Rome? Wouldn't it be easier just to do your sightseeing in Rome first and then go to the ship at the end of the day? If you are worried about luggage, hotels will hold it for you after checkout until you are ready to depart. Or you can leave it at the luggage claim in Termini and pick it up there on your way to the port. (Although you say you don't plan to depart from Termini, do be aware that NOT boarding there -- that is, boarding at a later stop -- can mean standing all the way to Civi on the Regionale trains as there is no assigned seating.

[On the other hand, departing on the Regionale trains from Termini means a long walk to the auxiliary tracks....]

While going back and forth may sound doable if you are only taking the 46-minute ride into account, keep in mind that every time you go back and forth, you also have to add an additional 30-40 minutes transit time to get from the train station to your ship, and vice versa. Plus ensuring you arrive at train station with a few minutes to spare. So in reality you are looking at a minimum 1.5 hours each time you commute.

3) If you buy a BIRG pass, you can use it on any Regionale train. Just remember to validate the pass in the yellow or green machine beside the tracks before boarding, as that will 'start the clock' on how long you have to use the pass. Should anyone ask to look at your ticket (rare, but it happens) you can face a fine if the ticket is not stamped or is out of the validity period.

There is no baggage scan. At Termini within the last couple of years, they have become stricter about enforcing that only passengers with tickets can pass from the terminal onto the tracks -- not sure if they added a checkpoint or merely started enforcing it. At smaller stations I doubt they are doing that. There shouldn't be anything significant to delay you.

4) Most private and shared transfers are able to drop you at the ship. I believe taxis can also do this, although I'm not 100% sure. They may have to stop at a checkpoint to verify that the taxi passenger is a cruise passenger.