Rome- Train questions

[kathew]

1st question:

What is the easiest/quickest way to get from Civitavecchia to the Colosseum? We are planning on walking to the train station, but then what trains do we take to reach the Colosseum?

 

2nd question:

What is the easiest/quickest way to get from St. Peter's Square back to the cruise port?

 

 

 

THANKS :)

[John Bull]

Take a BIRG train to Rome, there'll be plenty of cruisers doing the same & many will have done it before. Get off the train at Ostiense, one of the stops between the first in Rome (San Pietro) & the end of the line (Termini).

Walk thro' the tunnel to the adjacent well-signed Piramide metro station, your train ticket covers metro & buses all-day. Take metro line B (end destination Rebibbia) and Colosseo is the second stop. http://www.rome.info/metro/

Best to pre-purchase Colosseum tickets over the 'net (they're a 3-site ticket covering Palatine Hill, Colosseum, Forum). If you haven't got those tickets, get off the metro at the first stop (Circo Massimo)& walk down to the Colosseum. On your way down, the entrance to Palatine Hill is on your left - although you won't want to go in, get your tickets here to avoid the long lines for tickets at the Colosseum. Then you can by-pass the lines at Colosseum & go straight to the entrance.

 

From St Peter's it's a 20 minute walk to San Pietro station for the train back to Civi. But be warned, the train will be very full by the time it gets to San Pietro so although everyone manages to get on your chances of a seat are slim to nil

 

JB :)

Edited June 3, 2014 by John Bull

[cruisemom42]

From Civitavecchia to Colosseum:

 

Purchase BIRG ticket, validate it, and get on next available regional train to Rome.

 

Get off the train at the Roma Ostiense stop (the first of the Rome stops).

 

Follow signs to the Pyramide metro station, which is connected to the train station.

 

The metro stations have route maps posted on the walls as well as indicators showing you correct direction. You'll want to get on the Metro Line B (Blue line) going in the direction of Rebibia. (This is usually how they list the trains, not by "north" or "south".)

 

Travel two stops on the metro to the Colosseo stop. Exit the subway (there is only one exit) and be prepared to be wowed because as you walk up the stairs, the Colosseum is literally in front of you.

 

 

 

From St. Peters Square, the closest train station for your return is San Pietro which is about 15 minutes' walk from the Piazza in front of the basilica, assuming you walk reasonably fast and don't get lost. All the regionale trains headed back to Civitavecchia stop here, but just be aware that it can get very crowded on the mid- to late-afternoon trains and you may not get a seat.

 

The regionale trains originate at Termini; some have decided to take a taxi or metro to Termini station and try to catch their train here. However, the trains can still be crowded and there is a long walk to the track from the station entrance.

[kathew]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[MeHeartCruising]

I 100% agree with the great information above. Just one note of clarification that may not be obvious is you aren't familiar with Italian trains. As Cruisemom indicates, get on a "regional" train... the word regional is important because there are other types of trains that will be at the same station and might even be on the same tracks at similar times. But if they aren't "Regional", then your rather inexpensive BIRG ticket will not be valid on them. So you may find yourself on a better/faster train but with the wrong ticket (the train conductors frown upon that). So be sure to do some research to look for "Regional" (often designated with an "R" in the time tables). So when you get to the train station, double check with the posted timetable at the station and find your desired "Regional" train and then note what track (Italian is "Binario", I think) and time to expect it. Then go to that location and wait for it. It never hurts to ask someone on the platform as a train arrives if it is the right one. And don't forget to validate your ticket in the little yellow boxes located on the platform.

Edited June 3, 2014 by MeHeartCruising