Indy Chronicler

Termini Station, Rome’s main train stop, is Europe’s second largest by passenger traffic – second only to Paris’s Gare du Nord. Around 800 trains pass through this transit hub daily. At Termini, trains arrive from all major Italian cities and many European capitals. Two of the three lines of Rome’s subway system – Line A and Line B, also cross paths here. In Piazza Cinquecento, facing the station’s facade, you’ll find a bus station and many public transit pickup points.

Over its one and a half century history, Rome’s main station has been rebuilt and reconstructed more than once. The first Termini building was erected in 1863 to serve the new Rome-Frascati railroad line. It was situated on the site of the former Villa Mantalto-Peretti estate.

After a few years, the small station could no longer handle passenger volume, so a larger, more substantial building was commissioned on Esquilin Hill.

Construction lasted over ten years before finally completing in 1874. Due to its proximity to the Thermae of Diocletian baths, the station was dubbed “Termini.”

The next wave of renovations kicked off in 1937 per Mussolini’s orders, but was halted by the outbreak of war. After the end of World War II, construction resumed and Termini Station was fully operational by 1950.

The most recent reconstruction, transforming it into one of Italy’s most modern stations, was completed recently in 2000.

Today’s Termini Station is a grand building with extensive infrastructure: ticket counters, information booths, baggage storage, cafes, restaurants, newsstands, shops, and a large shopping area.

Termini Station is located in the heart of Rome – the Colosseum is about one mile away, Piazza Navona is just over 1.2 miles away, and the Vatican is about 1.8 mikes away. Since the Termini station is connected to many city transportation routes, you can get to it from anywhere in Rome.

The most convenient and fastest way to get to Termini Station is to use the metro or the subway as it is called in the US. That’s where Line A and Line B of the Rome Metro intersect is located right under the station in the basement. For more information on the Rome Metro, see the article on our website about the Metro in Rome: map, cost, opening hours.

Because Termini is so well located relative to the main attractions, and given the ease of travel from here to the airport and other Italian cities, the area is perfect for travelers planning a busy travel schedule.

From those areas of the capital where the subway has not yet reached, you can get to Rome’s train station by bus – in the station square there are stops for most city routes. You can learn more about Rome’s public transportation system here.

How to Get from Fiumicino Airport to Termini Station

Tourists who landed at Fiumicino Airport can get to Termini Station by the Leonardo Express, a direct train, connecting the airport to the station. Trains run daily at intervals of 15 to 30 minutes, the trip takes about half an hour and the price is 14 euros one way. Tickets can be bought at the airport or online at https://www.trenitalia.com/en/purchase.html?.

Travelers who are in no hurry can get to Termini station by bus. The bus trip will take longer than by train, but this the ticket price is around 6 euros.

Besides, as in any airport in the world, you can order a cab in Fiumicino and get to Termini station quickly and comfortably. Full information on how to get to Rome from Fiumicino Airport can be found here.

How to Get from Ciampino Airport to Termini Station

There are several ways to get from Ciampino Airport to Termini Station. The easiest is to take the Terravision bus, which will take you directly to the station. The fare is 6 euros, the buses run quite often, and the trip takes about 40 minutes.

Another way is to use the services of the Cotral company – you can take their bus to the nearest metro station in the capital, and then take a train to your destination.

Of course, the subway option is not very convenient, but it is quite affordable. If you do not want to give up comfort during your vacation, order a cab online.

Full information on how to get to Rome from Fiumicino Airport can be found here.

Trains from Termini Station to Italian Cities

From Termini Station, trains run to all major cities of Italy – charming Venice, marvelous Florence, and fashionable Milan.

Trains from Rome to Venice depart from Termini Station daily once an hour. Travel time by high-speed train does not exceed 4 hours during the day and 6 hours at night.

From Rome to Florence there are also high-speed trains that can take you to Florence in 1.5 hours, unlike the trains that make multiple stops – in this case the journey will take at least 3 hours.

Many tourists visiting Rome use the high-speed trains to Florence to visit the Cradle of the Renaissance and return to Rome within 1 day.

A high-speed train from the Termini Station in Rome to Milan takes 3-3.5 hours, a cheaper regular train, making many stops along the way, takes about 6-7 hours.

It is better to buy train tickets in advance, especially if you plan to go on vacation in high season.

You can buy tickets online, paying with a bank card and safely avoiding queues, as well as at the station ticket offices or special ticket machines. One of the most convenient ways to do this is to use Omio https://hubavihoteli.com/italy/rome/termini-station/, a service for buying train tickets in Europe.

The service is especially convenient because it searches for tickets not only for the largest Italian railroad company, but also for smaller ones. Their tickets are often cheaper, so you can save a lot of money.