Rome - Train vs. Private Tour

[auducky2]

Hi all!

 

For those who have done either, or both, how much time did you actually have IN ROME (excluding travel time). I'm trying to figure out if we'll have more sightseeing time if we take the train by ourselves (since we won't have to worry about traffic - but then you have to worry about getting the right train time back) versus hiring a private tour company to drive us from the port and take us around. Any input/advice is greatly appreciated! :)

[eh2zed]

The private operator will give you more sightseeing time to be sure and will be more efficient in the use of your time. However, the cost is significant.

[chipmaster]

Hi all!

 

For those who have done either, or both, how much time did you actually have IN ROME (excluding travel time). I'm trying to figure out if we'll have more sightseeing time if we take the train by ourselves (since we won't have to worry about traffic - but then you have to worry about getting the right train time back) versus hiring a private tour company to drive us from the port and take us around. Any input/advice is greatly appreciated! :)

 

I agree with the previous poster that its a tradeoff in time versus money. Spend the money, its really worth it if you can afford it. We found traffic minimal which helped make it a special day. Left the ship first, back very early too.

 

If memory serves me correct, off the ship at 7am, in Rome by 8:35 or so. We were in our first attraction around 9am sharp. We got a nice history of rome waiting for our second driver who secured our tickets then guided us thru the morning line at the Colosseum. Left Vatican around 3:15 or so and back at the ship a bit after 4pm. Our drivers were crazy doing more then 150 Km/Hr plus. It was the only bad part of our whole cruise, maybe scary was more accurate discription than bad:eek: BTW the ship left a few hours later so it wasn't like we were close to missing the boat.

 

If you do the train you save tons of money but between hiking / cab to train and waiting and walking in town versus have the van pick you up you lose any advantage due to traffic. We literally were dropped off "across the street" distance from every attraction and walked less then 10-20 meters to any entrance. We might have been lucky but we had NO traffic issues except Istanbul and Florence.

[auducky2]

I agree with the previous poster that its a tradeoff in time versus money. Spend the money, its really worth it if you can afford it. We found traffic minimal which helped make it a special day. Left the ship first, back very early too.

 

If memory serves me correct, off the ship at 7am, in Rome by 8:35 or so. We were in our first attraction around 9am sharp. We got a nice history of rome waiting for our second driver who secured our tickets then guided us thru the morning line at the Colosseum. Left Vatican around 3:15 or so and back at the ship a bit after 4pm. Our drivers were crazy doing more then 150 Km/Hr plus. It was the only bad part of our whole cruise, maybe scary was more accurate discription than bad:eek: BTW the ship left a few hours later so it wasn't like we were close to missing the boat.

 

If you do the train you save tons of money but between hiking / cab to train and waiting and walking in town versus have the van pick you up you lose any advantage due to traffic. We literally were dropped off "across the street" distance from every attraction and walked less then 10-20 meters to any entrance. We might have been lucky but we had NO traffic issues except Istanbul and Florence.

 

What time of year did you go? Also, was 7am the ships docking time and you were able to get off right away? If we do have a private tour, I'm wondering what time I should have him at the port for us. How much were you able to see on your tour?

[Susan-M]

We took the train to Rome and back and our day transpired as follows:

 

Civitavecchia: 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

 

7:20 - Shuttle to port entrance, 10-15 minute walk to the train station.

8 a.m. Regional Train from Civitavecchia

9:30 - Arrival in Termini, connect to Metro Line B to Colosseum

10:00 - 11:15 - walked around the outside of the colosseum and peeked in through the gates to view it....also spent a brief amount of time at the Forum

11:15 - back on the Metro Line B to Termini/transfer to Line A to Vatican

- grabbed a sandwich at the deli across from the Museum Entrance

12:00 - Tour of the Vatican (pre-booked) ... did the Vatican's guided tour of the Museums, Sistine Chapel and then St. Peters (on our own).

3:00 - walked to Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain ... very brief view of each ... continued on to Barberini Metro to get back to the Termini...had a delicious Gelato somewhere along our walk

4:35 - Train to Civitavecchia

6:00 - walked from Train station to port entrance to catch the shuttle back to the port

 

We had a great day in Rome and my only regret was not getting into the Colosseum & having more time at the Forum (but we made up for it this past October when we spent 3 days in Rome.) We loved walking in Rome and taking in as much as we could in addition to our 'must see' sites.

 

I would only recommend doing Rome on your own if you like to do a lot of preplanning ... and more importantly, if you (and others in your group) have the interest and energy to do a lot of walking. You could take a taxi between sites, but depending on traffic, that may only save some steps but not a lot of time.

 

One thing I learned after returning, that would have saved some time, is that by getting off the train at Ostiense stop (a few stops before Termini), you can get on the Metro to the Colosseum from there ... probably worth about 20 minutes of time saved.

[auducky2]

We took the train to Rome and back and our day transpired as follows:

 

Civitavecchia: 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

 

7:20 - Shuttle to port entrance, 10-15 minute walk to the train station.

8 a.m. Regional Train from Civitavecchia

9:30 - Arrival in Termini, connect to Metro Line B to Colosseum

10:00 - 11:15 - walked around the outside of the colosseum and peeked in through the gates to view it....also spent a brief amount of time at the Forum

11:15 - back on the Metro Line B to Termini/transfer to Line A to Vatican

- grabbed a sandwich at the deli across from the Museum Entrance

12:00 - Tour of the Vatican (pre-booked) ... did the Vatican's guided tour of the Museums, Sistine Chapel and then St. Peters (on our own).

3:00 - walked to Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain ... very brief view of each ... continued on to Barberini Metro to get back to the Termini...had a delicious Gelato somewhere along our walk

4:35 - Train to Civitavecchia

6:00 - walked from Train station to port entrance to catch the shuttle back to the port

 

We had a great day in Rome and my only regret was not getting into the Colosseum & having more time at the Forum (but we made up for it this past October when we spent 3 days in Rome.) We loved walking in Rome and taking in as much as we could in addition to our 'must see' sites.

 

I would only recommend doing Rome on your own if you like to do a lot of preplanning ... and more importantly, if you (and others in your group) have the interest and energy to do a lot of walking. You could take a taxi between sites, but depending on traffic, that may only save some steps but not a lot of time.

 

One thing I learned after returning, that would have saved some time, is that by getting off the train at Ostiense stop (a few stops before Termini), you can get on the Metro to the Colosseum from there ... probably worth about 20 minutes of time saved.

 

Wow! Thank you for taking the time to write out all the details. I am definitely a planner, so I guess it'll just come down to cost and what hubby would rather do as well. Thank you again!

[Susan-M]

Wow! Thank you for taking the time to write out all the details. I am definitely a planner, so I guess it'll just come down to cost and what hubby would rather do as well. Thank you again!

 

You're welcome.:)

[CathyCruises]

If you don't do the whole tour at the Vatican, you can see more of the Forum and Colosseum, walk to the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and Piazza Navona, then cab over to the Vatican and at least walk through the basilica, which is amazing in itself--you might even have time to climb the dome. It all depends on what you want to see- but it is easily done by yourself using the train.

 

Cathy

[lambs2]

Just be aware that trains can be delayed for many reasons. We have done Rome via train from Civitivecchia on our own - twice. First time everything worked perfectly and we got to Rome Termini before 9 AM and were able to get to see all the sights easily that day, starting with the Colliseum. This past January we had our day in Rome all mapped out and were at the train station as early as possible ---but the train was LATE! We still had a great day but had to forgo our reservation at the Borghese Gallery due to the lost time. Our reserved Scavi Tour under the Vatican was more important. Guess my best advise is to BE FLEXIBLE, and if you find all this trip planning on your own just too stressful...go with a tour guide. Sure you will pay more for a private tour, but this is such an individual decision and the drivers will be able to get you closer to the sight entrances than any public transport, that is for sure.

[cruiselvr04]

Thanks Cathy! I am thinking more and more of just doing this port on our own as long as we leave extra time to return to the ship. We just can't afford a private tour unless we can get some people from our meet and Mingle to do it with us. We will skip the Vatican as we are in port on a Sunday.

[auducky2]

Thanks for the advice. I don't think we'd spend 3 hours at the Vatican. While I do want to see the Sistine Chapel (but not walk around the rest of the museum), St. Mark's Square and the Basilica, I think 3 hours would be a lot for us since, even though we are Christian, our religion does not recognize the Pope. So...while I do want to see some of the Vatican, it's not necessary for us to spend a lot of time there. I'd like to spend more time at the Forums, etc. I DO want to go into the Coliseum. Does anyone have an idea of wait times, or what time our best bet would be to get in with a minimal wait? Thanks!

[auducky2]

You're welcome.:)

 

So, it seems like your ship was set to dock at 7am, but you were actually able to get off about then. It doesn't seem like there was much of a wait, right?

[cruisemom42]

I DO want to go into the Coliseum. Does anyone have an idea of wait times, or what time our best bet would be to get in with a minimal wait? Thanks!

 

 

You can either pre-purchase tickets online (which means you would have to choose a time in advance when you think you would be at the Colosseum), OR you can go to the Palatine Hill entrance which is almost always uncrowded, to buy your ticket. (One ticket is good for admission to the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and the Roman Forum).

[lambs2]

I DO want to go into the Coliseum. Does anyone have an idea of wait times, or what time our best bet would be to get in with a minimal wait? Thanks!

 

Tour the Colliseum as early in the AM as possible. Either pre-purchase your tickets online or buy them at the Palantine Hill entrance (a ways past the main Colliseum entrance on your right as you face the Colliseum from the Metro exit.) If you already have tickets than you can by-pass the main line and just get in the security check line. We purchased an English tour once we were inside the Colliseum. Had to wait about 1/2 hour before the tour started so looked around on our own for a while first, but well worth it as the guide (we all wore headsets so we could hear everything said) made the tour very interesting.)

[auducky2]

Thanks for the info! If I prepurchase the ticket for a time we think we'll be there, and say our train is late, are they still going to let us in? I saw a discounted site, but I wasn't sure if it was legit.

[lambs2]

We did not pre-purchase tickets to the Colliseum, but the tickets we bought at the Palantine hill entrance had no time on them - just the date.

[auducky2]

We did not pre-purchase tickets to the Colliseum, but the tickets we bought at the Palantine hill entrance had no time on them - just the date.

 

So, sometimes I hear of really long wait times. Is this just to buy tickets, or because the Coliseum has reached capacity and they can't let more people in until some people leave? Thanks!

[lambs2]

So, sometimes I hear of really long wait times. Is this just to buy tickets, or because the Coliseum has reached capacity and they can't let more people in until some people leave? Thanks!

 

People buying tickets at the main entrance by the Colliseum, is the reason for the long wait lines, at least in my two experiences there.

[auducky2]

People buying tickets at the main entrance by the Colliseum, is the reason for the long wait lines, at least in my two experiences there.

 

Ah, ok. I'm going to have to break out my map and mark where that other entrance is so I don't forget. Thanks for that info!

[PangeanSir]

Wow! Thank you for taking the time to write out all the details. I am definitely a planner, so I guess it'll just come down to cost and what hubby would rather do as well. Thank you again!

 

Also be aware that there are the regular regional trains that take about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours and express trains from Civit to Rome. The latter cost a few Euros more (than the regular BIRG fare), but only take about 45 minutes. Be aware though that they don't stop at some of the earlier Rome stops (such as San Pietro for the Vatican) and instead go all the way to Termini.

 

Many of the most famous sites in Rome are accessible by foot or by using the subway system (cost included in the BIRG fare). By getting on the express trains and keeping a good pace on foot we ended up seeing more than those on the private tours and much, much more than those on the excursions off the ship.

 

P.

[Susan-M]

So, it seems like your ship was set to dock at 7am, but you were actually able to get off about then. It doesn't seem like there was much of a wait, right?

 

The ship is usually in port slightly ahead of schedule (unless there is an unforeseen delay), so we were often able to get off within 5-10 minutes after the arrival time stated.

 

Re the Colosseum...there are two lines, side by side. The one on the right (next to the building) is the line that people stand in to purchase tickets, the one on the left is for those who already have tickets and are waiting to go through security... it moves along fairly quickly. Agree that if the ticket line is long at the Colosseum, head to Palatine Hill to purchase them.

 

If you are touring on your own, I highly recommend Rick Steves' Rome book, and if you have ipods or MP3 Players, you can take along his podcast tours of 5 sites in Rome (you can download them for free from http://www.ricksteves.com/news/podcast_menu.htm)

[Flyguy35]

I am planning on doing Rome on my own have down load the train schedule:

 

http://www.ftroute.com/IT_ROM_CIV.cfm

 

But at the bottom of the schedule is says:

 

* = Train does not stop in Civitavecchia; continues on further north. You will have 2-3 minutes to get off the train. Train will usually stop at an island platform (use of stairs and tunnel required - no lift.)

 

Does anyone who has done the Rome to Civ know exactly what this means.

[Susan-M]

I am planning on doing Rome on my own have down load the train schedule:

 

http://www.ftroute.com/IT_ROM_CIV.cfm

 

But at the bottom of the schedule is says:

 

* = Train does not stop in Civitavecchia; continues on further north. You will have 2-3 minutes to get off the train. Train will usually stop at an island platform (use of stairs and tunnel required - no lift.)

 

Does anyone who has done the Rome to Civ know exactly what this means.

 

The word 'stop' should probably say 'end' as it means that the train doesn't end in Civitavecchia, but continues on after a few minutes stop there. In other words, Civitavecchia is not the 'end of the line' for that train.

 

Our train stopped at an 'island platform' and we had to walk under another set of tracks to get to the station...so down one set of stairs, along the hall that runs under the tracks and back up the stairs to the station. It's one of those times when you want to make sure that you haven't brought more luggage than you can carry!

 

Since the stop in Civitavecchia is short (although not unusually short) I brought a list of the stops between Rome & Civitavecchia so that I would know when our stop was coming up. We then had a chance to get our luggage and ourselves near the door so that we were ready to get off quickly.

[Flyguy35]

The word 'stop' should probably say 'end' as it means that the train doesn't end in Civitavecchia, but continues on after a few minutes stop there. In other words, Civitavecchia is not the 'end of the line' for that train.

 

Our train stopped at an 'island platform' and we had to walk under another set of tracks to get to the station...so down one set of stairs, along the hall that runs under the tracks and back up the stairs to the station. It's one of those times when you want to make sure that you haven't brought more luggage than you can carry!

 

Since the stop in Civitavecchia is short (although not unusually short) I brought a list of the stops between Rome & Civitavecchia so that I would know when our stop was coming up. We then had a chance to get our luggage and ourselves near the door so that we were ready to get off quickly.

 

Thanks Susan very helpful information. Greatly appreciated.

 

Duane

[auducky2]

You guys are great! Thanks for all the info! I read somewhere that the train schedules aren't out until 60 days before, so I'm going to have to wait a little longer. :)