Before you go · Rome
Rome essentials
The practical things worth knowing before you arrive, checked against official sources on 27 October 2026. Entry rules change: always check the official sources before you travel.
Updated October 2026
Entry to the EU
The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) registers travellers from outside the EU electronically at the border.
ETIAS, the travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, is not yet in operation: the EU will announce the start date on its official site, travel-europe.europa.eu, in advance. Never pay a third-party site.
From the airports
From Fiumicino, Trenitalia’s Leonardo Express runs non-stop to Roma Termini. From Ciampino, buses run to Termini and to Ciampino railway station. Both airports are run by Aeroporti di Roma (adr.it).
Arriving by train
Frecciarossa and Italo high-speed trains arrive at Termini (some at Tiburtina) from Florence, Bologna, Milan, Venice and Naples. See our page Rome by rail.
The metro, buses and trams
ATAC runs the metro (lines A, B and C), buses and trams. Metro C now reaches the Colosseum, at the new Colosseo–Fori Imperiali station. Check fares and tickets on atac.roma.it, and validate paper tickets as you board.
Book the big sights direct
Book the Colosseum, the Forum and the Palatine on colosseo.it, the Vatican Museums on museivaticani.va and the Galleria Borghese on its official site, where entry is by timed slot. The Pantheon is ticketed through its official site.
Since 2 February 2026, non-residents pay €2 to enter the inner perimeter of the Trevi Fountain (fontanaditrevi.roma.it): daily 9:00–22:00, from 11:30 on Mondays and Fridays. Residents of Rome and its Metropolitan City, children under six, disabled visitors with a companion, licensed guides and MIC Card holders go in without paying.
The city tourist tax
Rome charges a tourist tax (contributo di soggiorno) per person per night, set by the type and category of your accommodation. Your hotel collects it; Roma Capitale publishes the rates.
Customs and etiquette
Cover your shoulders and knees for St Peter’s and other churches. In a bar, pay at the till first and then order at the counter; coffee taken standing costs less than at a table. Don’t sit on the Spanish Steps or step into the fountains. Watch your bag on buses and in crowds at the big sights.
Emergencies
Call 112 for ambulance, police and fire. See our health page for hospitals. Carry your EHIC or GHIC, or travel insurance that covers medical costs.
Questions and answers
Do I need ETIAS to visit Rome?
Not yet: ETIAS is not in operation. The EU will announce the start date in advance on its official site.
How do I get from Fiumicino to Rome?
By the Leonardo Express, non-stop to Roma Termini (trenitalia.com).
Do I have to pay to see the Trevi Fountain?
Since 2 February 2026 non-residents pay €2 to enter the inner perimeter by the basin; the view from the piazza is open to all.
What is the emergency number?
112.
Entry rules and transport change, sometimes at short notice. Check the EU’s official sites, adr.it, trenitalia.com, atac.roma.it and your government’s advice before you travel.