A practical guide to help you getting around Rome with kids in tow: how to use Rome public transport, taxis and airport transport for families (updated with prices for 2025)
Rome is a big city and figuring out the best way of covering distances can be daunting, especially if you have kids with you.
Thankfully, there is help at hand!
I am a Rome mama: I am from Rome, I travel in and out of Rome often with my kids, and I love getting around the city with them, playing tourists in my own town.
I am therefore the perfect person to help you figure out how to get around Rome with kids, what works, what doesn’t and to reassure you about the options available to visiting families.
In a previous guide, I have given an overview of the Rome transport system. Today, I talk specifically about how to get around Rome if you have children with you, looking at specific needs such as car seats, strollers, safety and more.
I hope you find it useful!
Good to know! If you want to get in touch with me and other like minded parents, at the end of this article you’ll find a link to join my FREE Facebook Group ‘Travel Italy with kids’ where you can any questions about visiting not just Rome with kids but also all other destinations in Italy and how to plan your trip.
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How to get from Rome airports to Rome city center with kids in tow
If flying into Rome, the first thing you’ll need to figure out is how to get from the airport into the city.
The options available to families with kids are the following:
Taxi – Taxis station outside Fiumicino Airport and Ciampino Airport Arrivals Lounge.
They do not require and do not offer child car seats, kids ride using standard seatbelts or on your lap and they are therefore best for families with kids who can ride secured with standard seatbelts.
Official taxis have a standard fee of 55 Euro for trips from Fiumicino FCO to Rome city center and a flat fee of 40 euro from Ciampino CIA to the city centre. This fare and all standard fares are displayed and well visible inside the taxi.
The most common type of car can take up to four passengers; however, some are bigger and can take larger families. Since there are fewer vans than cars, if you are more than four you may need to wait for a van to come around.
We have never had to wait too long but I’m afraid this is down to luck on the day and how many larger groups are ahead of you.
The center is defined as ‘Whithin the Aurelian Walls’ – if you are in an area other than Navona / Pantheon / Trevi, I recommend you ask your hotel/host to confirm whether they are within the Aurelian Walls so you can make the best arrangement.
Destinations outside of the city caters are also served but price is metered: the meter is on the front dashboard of the taxi and well visible to the passengers.
See below our tips for safe taxi use in Rome.
Good to know: If you need a car seat, you can use private car service instead – Many providers offer private car service from the airport to the city, each at different price points, usually depending on number of passengers, bags and destination. Usually prices are higher than taxis, often up to almost twice as much, and for this price you get a black car service, driver waiting for you on arrival, the comfort of pre-paying and, in some cases, the option of getting a car seat for kids. A good service I have used for this is called Welcome Pickups.
Bus – Both Fiumicino and Ciampino Airport are connected to Rome Termini station, in the center, buy a bus service. Bus prices start form about 7.50 Euro each (depending on single journey/ return etc), buses have individual seats and do not require nor offer car seats. You can buy tickets on the spot by cash or card: the buses are well indicated and easy to find from the arrivals’ hall.
Train – Fiumicino Airport FCO is connected to Rome Termini station by train, the excellent Leonardo Express.
The train station is inside the airport complex, costs 14 euro per adult (special price for kids under 12, T&C apply), it is safe and fast, getting to Termini in about 32 minutes. Tickets available on the spot.
Uber – Uber in Rome only operates to call official taxis (we do not have standard Uber) or an Uber Black, which is a private car. Therefore it simply oprerates as an app to avail of the options above, it doesn’t have its own pool of cars.
As you can, you can choose between many options, the best one deepening on the type of need you may have in terms of child seat, luggage and where you need to go.
When picking the best one for you, I recommend you consider the following:
>>> Train and airport buses in Rome are safe and efficient.
>>> Train and bus get you to Rome Termini station which is central by may / may not be close to your accommodation. If you are not walking distance from Termini, you may need additional transport (see below)
>>> Taxis operate on a flat fee to the city centre. The fee is 55 Euro from Fiumicino and it is clearly stated in all taxi cars; from Ciampino the fee is 40 Euro.
Taxis are outside of the terminal , they are very easy to find and they are all regulated and official. Join the line and the attendant will help you get on the next availalable one.
If heading outside of the city center, the ride will be metered and the cost will be displayed on the meter at the end of the journey.
The best way to get around Rome with kids once in the center: discovering Rome on foot
Once in Rome city centre, the best way to get around with kids is usually on foot.
Rome is a very walkable city and despite the traffic and the cobblestones, it is easier to explore it on foot than by any other means.
If you are staying in the city center, aka in the areas between the Vatican and the Colosseum, you will be able to see all Rome top landmarks on foot and you can likely avoid public transport entirely.
Some of the walks may be up to 20 minutes but since Rome is an open air museum, these walks will be part of your sightseeing as Rome is, truly, an open air museum!
For instance, if you are going from Piazza Navona to the Colosseum, you can go via the Pantheon, Piazza Venezia and Via dei Fori Imperiali (along the Roman Forum): they are absolutely stunning and offer that ‘full immersion’ experience in history that makes Rome so unique.
If you have small kids who wouldn’t be able for that distance, I recommend a stroller for littles and a stroller + stroller board for older kids.
Rome and strollers: despite the cobbles and occasional potholes, a stroller is super useful in Rome and many parts of the city plus many of the attractions are stroller friendly. Just make sure you have a model you can easily fold and carry if suddenly needed!
How to get around Rome by kids using the bus (and tram)
Rome has an extensive network of buses (and trams, although temporarily replaced by buses) that covers the whole city and sort of works.
‘Sort of’ may seem a little harsh but I believe it is a fair assessment of the situation!
Buses in Rome do work, but not all equally well. Some lines are excellent and frequent, some are more erratic and less reliable. Some stops are equipped with light boards with an estimated time of arrival, some are not…
Overall, it really is a mixed bag and depends a lot on luck and where you need to go.
With all this in mind, I recommend you use the bus when you are not in a hurry and, if planning on staying outside of the centre, ask your hotel / host what the buses are like on the specific stretch into town. It can make all the difference!
Buses are overall safe in Rome but, like in most big cities, at busy times you want to be careful with your belongings (see below)
Bus tickets in Rome cost 1.50 euro. Kids under 10 go free. You need to validate your ticket at the start of your journey and you can use it on any bus for 100 minutes from validation.
You can read here >>> how to use the bus in Rome
Getting around Rome with kids by metro
Rome has a very basic metro system that can be handy with kids if you need to cover long distances in a short amount of time.
The metro uses the same tickets as the bus and kids under 10 are free. One ticket is valid on one metro journey only, change of line allowed.
The metro in Rome is ok but does has two potential issues:
One is that it only has two lines and they only meet once. So, it is only really convenient if you find yourself close to one of the stops already.
The second issue is that at busy times there is a risk of pickpockets.
I don’t want to make it sound worse than it is, pickpockets are not everywhere and it is very much not a given that you’ll encounter them.
However, they do exist and at busy times, when you are dealing with crowds, trying to keep the kids close etc, it can get stressful.
With this in mind, I recommend you use the metro but try avoid rush hour (morning and late afternoon home / office commute) and evaluate well where it goes -and where it doesn’t – if planning on accommodation out of the center.
How to stay safe on Rome public transport and taxis with kids in tow
I know that safety is one of the biggest worries for families in Rome as the web seems set into only sharing horror stories about it, but I hope I can help you getting a realistic picture of what Rome is like and what you may need to look out for.
In general: Rome is overall a safe city.
Like in most big cities there are some unscrupulous taxi drivers and some pickpockets and they are very unpleasant to deal with, but I really hope you don’t go to the city thinking they’re behind every corner and you need to be tense all the time, it is genuinely not as bad as reading online suggests!
Scammers and pickpockets are not the norm when getting around Rome, but they are something to be aware of as it is possible to encounter both.
As a Rome mama, my best tips to stay safe in Rome are as follows:
How to avoid taxi scams in Rome
Only use official taxis
Rome taxis are heavily regulated. Only official taxis can carry passengers and we do not have private services such as standard Uber or Lyft. The only other type of legal car service is limo service (called NCC: Noleggio Con Conducente = Rental with Driver): all limo service cars must has a visible licence.
Never enter a car that is not an official taxi and never enter a private car with no licence/ not clearly marked as an NCC.
This is not really issue, as you don’t have unofficial taxis trying to lure you in; however, I believe it is good to know especially of opting fro private drivers. Alway make sure they have a valid licence as NCC provider.
All taxis operate by meter, with very few the exception such as the route Airport – City center which, as mentioned above, enjoys a flat fee. The meter is well visible at the front of the car. Do not enter ‘deals’ with the driver, always make sure the meter is on!
The final prices is displayed on the meter: do not trust estimates and do not trust what taxi apps say the cost is going to be. The cost will depend on distance and time of journey, the only valid amount is the one on the meter.
If you ask for an estimate anyway, make sure the meter gets started and it is not taken as an excuse to make a deal privately.
Important to know: Do not assume all is a scam: most taxi drivers are honest. Some extra charges are legit: for instance, there is a standard charge to start the journey that is higher in the evening than in daytime hours. You can find here >>> official taxi fare rules (this is the official city of Rome website) the info in the pdfs is also in English.
How to stay safe on Rome buses and metro
Rome buses and metro are overall safe but at busy times they can pose pickpocketing issues. Pickpockets operate mostly on opportunity, so the best way to stay safe is to make it hard for them to get to your stuff.
Things that help are:
>> Do not have valuables, phone etc in your pocket: have everything secure in inner pockets of a bag you can easily control
Crossbody bags are harder to pickpocket than backpacks. If you prefer a backpack, movie it to the front of your body so it is harder for people to open it and take stuff without you realising what is happening.
Move your crossbody bag to the front of your body and put your hand on the closure so no one can access it.
If you have hands busy as you’re holding the kids, consider additional precautions such as bag zip closures, carabiniers to secure the zip or even anti theft bags.
Get the bus / metro ticket in your hand before you enter the busy station/ hop on the bus so you don’t have to rummage through your bag ones inside, potentially making it easier for people to get to your belongings.
Do not worry too much and do not worry about looking like a tourist or similar. Standard big city awareness and extra carefulness to your bags goes a long way + remember you hear only when things go wrong: while pickpockets exist, they are not a constant worry in Rome and not a given when using public transport, they are still very much the exception.
I hope you fond this practical guide ot getting around Tome with kids useful: safe travels!
Want to get in touch? Join me and other like minded parents in the FREE FACEBOOK GROUP ‘Italy with kids – travel tips and advice’ so you can ask questions, get inspiration and find help to finalised your plans to Rome and Italy!
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