Traveling to Rome? Tips for Travelers2 - Taxi Edition

Taxis / Your guerrilla guide to Rome's gorillas

1.             If some bloke comes up to you in an airport, uttering ‘Taxi-Taxi’ as if he’s about to sell you a kidney, it’s best not to take a ride. He’s illegal.  Go to the regular – authorized – white cab stand just outside the airport.  You’ll know you’re in the right place when you see the handwritten sheets of paper taped on some of the signposts there.  picture from www.Romafaschifo.com

2.             Right now, the tariff from Fiumicino (aka Leonardo daVinci) airport is at 40 euro fixed price, including tip & bags (extra persons about 1 euro each).  This is the case if you are traveling to the City Center (or, inside the walls, so to speak).  If you’ve passed an immense brick wall with huge archways for cars to pass under, chances are, you’re inside the walls.  Going anywhere else, the fee is what’s on the meter.

Having said that, Rome’s Mayor may announce any day now that the fee is set at 45 euro plus 1 euro per bag. No tips necessary (unless you’re American and feel guilty about it).

The fee is 30 euro from Rome’s Ciampino airport (about to go up to 35).  The drivers there will make up a thousand excuses why it’s 60 euro.  Take the advice of Rome Explorer, and do NOT pay a penny more.

3.             Note the medallion number on the outside door of your taxi – copiously. Rome is quite serious about weeding out the thieves.  Any question about the price, don’t pay it and call 113 for the police.

4.             Ask first if they have air conditioning = aria condizionata.  If they say ‘it’s broken’ (and each summer, there is such an epidemic of broken air conditioners in taxis, you’d think by now all Taxis would have been recalled), you can take another taxi and let that guy sit & sweat.  This does not, however, signify that the taxi driver then turns it on much, and often, they leave a window open so they don’t catch cold.

5.             And finally, go here to know more about the teenie two charges and what to avoid (in the new tariffs, it looks like these will be taken away given the immense fraud on the passengers, Italians & tourists alike). 

Or, to avoid this entire hassle, book an airport transfer - private car or minibus with www.DriverinItaly.com

Trains/ If you take the 8 euro train to quite central Trastevere station, just remember to stamp your ticket in the little yellow machines before boarding.  It’s 15 euro for a non-stop train to Stazione Termini (Rome’s Central Train Station). 

But if you take a taxi from the Termini Station, I was just hit with a 2 euro surcharge.  Note: It’s not written anywhere (save for a tiny sign stuck to a post somewhere) nor on the posted price list, doesn’t seem to appear on the meter (although he may very well have plugged it in and then asked me for 2euro more), but I have since found confirmation.  The doorman of the Hassler Hotel also confirmed it, but I’m sure he’s in cohoots with the taxis…