Trilliumlady Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 We have a trip to Italy planned next month and will be flying into FCO airport ourtside Rome, landing around 9:15 am. Our train from there to Pescara on the east coast is set to leave at 1338. What might we do in those few hours? Is there anything remotely interesting that is very easy to get to? If not, how is that airport and where would you recommend hanging out? We will have three kids age 9,8,5 and just carry on bags. Thanks for any and all advice! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 Friends left there yesterday for their trip back to UT When I email them I will try to remember to ask about the airport. Assuming that your flight arrives on time, and assuming that you can get through Immigration and then Customs quickly, I don't think you are going to have much time to kill before your train leaves! And with 3 young kids, I would not be planning anything extensive and you will be tired and with "Jet Lag". Enjoy your trip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RegGuheert Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 Watch out for pickpockets? :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FriedClams Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 It's too far to go into the city by public transport. Sorry. I wouldn't risk it. The airport is also kind of weird so I'd plan extra time there to get to your gate (half are only accessible by bus). 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilliumlady Posted August 14, 2017 Author Share Posted August 14, 2017 Good to know. I was thinking we might not have time for much, but if there was even somewhere decent in the airport to hang out till train in the afternoon that would be great to know. Thanks for the replies so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 It's too far to go into the city by public transport. Sorry. I wouldn't risk it. The airport is also kind of weird so I'd plan extra time there to get to your gate (half are only accessible by bus). I agree. It took us at least 3 hours to get into FCO and through security and we almost missed our flight. We were not the only ones. It may be better if you are going somewhere within the EU instead of to the US, but the line in Rome for US flights was the worst I've ever seen. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmrich Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 That airport is a mess. We landed (just me and the kids) and the power went out. Not super fun after a long plane ride and a layover in London. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My4arrows Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 We just got back and if you need to stay near the airport there really isn't any thing close by. It also seemed to take a lot of time to get through everything in the airport so it'll probably be less time than you hope. If I recall it was at least a 30 minute drive to Rome where all the sites are. There was a train station there, is that the one you are going to? If so you may be able to sneak a peek at the Colosseum. Otherwise there wasn't all that much nearby to do as I recall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bibiche Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 (edited) Watch out for pickpockets? :laugh:That's not funny, just rude. I fly in and out of this airport from time to time to visit family and have never had the slightest problem. It isn't the most exciting place, but it is fine. Ostia Antica is very close, less than a quarter of an hour away (when my uncle drives, anyway ;) ). It is worth a visit. Edited August 14, 2017 by bibiche 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 We flew out of there last month. It's 30 min from the city, and above posters are correct. Lines take forever, so you likely won't have time to go anywhere. They recently completed a big expansion, though, and there is a ton of shopping and some nice places to grab a bite to eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdbates78 Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 (edited) One thing very close to FCO is the ancient harbour town of Ostia Antica. Its a huge archeological site, very well intact, and much much less touristic than Pompeii. Your children should be able to run around fairly freely as you pay the entrance fee and your on your own. And after a long flight the fresh air (assuming it will be decent weather) will be appreciated. The buildings and mosaics and beautifully preserved. And its only about 4 kilometers from FCO. How you would get there, I'm not exactly sure, as we trained from Rome, but its something to consider. I've flown in/out of FCO 4 times and never personally had problems with long lines, but perhaps it depends on when you visit. http://www.ostia-antica.org https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/read/articles/ostia-antica-near-rome ETA I see bibiche also recommended it! Edited August 14, 2017 by tdbates78 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 You fly into Rome and then take a train from the airport? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootsie Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 I have recently flown in and out of FCO. Lines at the airport were not too long. On arrival, the wait to get through customs got long when two planes arrived at the same time, but shorter than lines I have experienced coming into the US. Also, I had little trouble with lies when I was flying out of FCO. The traffic getting into and out of Rome, however, can be a mess. Is your train leaving from FCO? Or does your train leave from Rome Termini? I did have the best espresso and croissant at FCO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilliumlady Posted August 14, 2017 Author Share Posted August 14, 2017 From what I understand we fly into FCO, take a train from there to Roma Termini and then our connecting train from there to the east coast. That is what I'm seeing on italiarail.com. Is there not a train connection right at FCO? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaitlinC Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 We were in the same situation as you described, but what we ended up doing was taking a bus to Pescara because there were more options in terms of departure times. I was really against doing that initially (bus doesn't have the same cachet in my books!), but I didn't see us hanging around the airport for 3 hours with two kids. The bus ride turned out to be just as picturesque as the train ride and quite comfortable. They even served us coffee. So that might be an option for you. Alternatively, I think we would just have gone to a restaurant/café on-site and had a meal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My4arrows Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 From what I understand we fly into FCO, take a train from there to Roma Termini and then our connecting train from there to the east coast. That is what I'm seeing on italiarail.com. Is there not a train connection right at FCO? I'm not sure about if there's a train from the airport to Roma termini (I'm assuming that it's the same station we took in Rome), but if you are waiting three hours at the airport to go to that train station, you'd be better off taking a taxi to the train station (20-30 minutes away) and if you want walk around there. It's in a part of the city with shops and restaurants nearby. And maybe take a ride to see the Colosseum or other sites near by the train station. You won't be able to get in them because of long lines, but you could see them. I remember seeing the. from our taxi as we drive from our apartment to the train station, so I can't imagine they are too far of a ride from the train station. Or grab something to eat at the airport until you have your transport to the train station. Also a side note...and you'll probably have no issue, but double check with italiarail before you get there about your train ride. We planned for a train previous to coming to get to Pompeii for a day trip. It went from Rome to Napoli and then to Pompeii. We arrived in Napoli only to find they aren't running trains to Pompeii because of an accident that had happened two weeks prior. We wer never notified. It was a slight headache trying to then find a way to Pompeii as we had a private tour guide waiting for us there. It all worked out, but I found their communication to be horrible by not notifying us previous to that date, getting us there and we still haven't resolved a refund for the tickets (which wer quite pricey since we had to resolve round trip travel). Even when we were there the information person we spoke with was quite confused about why were even asking about that train and the others didn't even know the line s shut down. We only figured it out since there were no trains on the schedule for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 I would NOT leave that airport if you only have a few hours. I was there last year and it was just extremely slow getting around there. We actually had a flight leave late because people just didn't plan enough time. If you have the option to do the bus instead, that might be better than just waiting around. Otherwise, I'd find a restaurant there, get some walking in, and check out the shops. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bibiche Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 From what I understand we fly into FCO, take a train from there to Roma Termini and then our connecting train from there to the east coast. That is what I'm seeing on italiarail.com. Is there not a train connection right at FCO? Yes, there is a direct train from the airport to Roma Termini. It takes around a half an hour to get into town from the airport and the train runs every half hour or so. If I were you I would just get the first train into town in order to verify that all is in order. The area around the terminal is fine now and you could walk around or get a meal before boarding your next train. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootsie Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 Are you planning on taking the first available train from FCO to Termini? And then wait around Termini for your train to Pescara? Or, are you planning on waiting around FCO to take the last possible train to Termini for your connection to Pescara? If this is the only time on your trip to Italy that you will be in Rome you may want to consider hiring a taxi to take you on a tour for a few hours. You could either get one to pick you up at FCO and take you into Rome, showing you some of the sites. Or, you could take the train into Rome and then pick up a taxi. They will drive you near some of the sites, let you out of the car where you can walk around with a meeting place and time to pick you back up. This can be handy if you have some bags you don't want to tote along around. It is also helpful if you do not know how tired the kids might be after an overnight flight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotherGoose Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 From what I understand we fly into FCO, take a train from there to Roma Termini and then our connecting train from there to the east coast. That is what I'm seeing on italiarail.com. Is there not a train connection right at FCO? So yOu have four hours to get to termini? I would go straight there. Maybe walk around the neighborhood around termini if you get there early but I wouldn't stay at the airport. It's at least a 30 minute cab ride to termini, and you will have to get luggage etc. customs. Are you coming from the us? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdbates78 Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 (edited) The area around Terminini has some decent sightseeing. The Baths of Diocletian are close as is the stunning Santa Maria Maggiori. Or you can hop on the metro and be at the coloseo exit in a few minutes There used to be a luggage check at Termini with an actual bag checker. Not sure if there still is. I would walk around. If you are flying from abroad a little fresh air and exercise will do wonders. ETA looks like Termini does still have luggage storage http://www.amoitaly.com/deposit/roma.html Edited August 14, 2017 by tdbates78 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 Just enough time to buy labellos and have a macchiato :) city too far. Jealous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilliumlady Posted August 14, 2017 Author Share Posted August 14, 2017 We were going to buy tickets in advance on italiarail and the cheapest ones were showing 19euros which were the ones going from FCO to Rome Termini at 1338 arriving to Termini at 1410. We then leave Termini at 1430 for pescara. I guess with people saying it takes awhile to go through FCO airport that this might be he best option to make sure. Plus, it would be cheaper tickets, right, if I iBook them in advance? Maybe we will just find where we need to go to grab the train in FCO then find a place to grab food. It certainly sounds much more fun to go and at least see a few sights in Rome but money and ease wise maybe best to just pass these hours at FCO. Bummer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilliumlady Posted August 14, 2017 Author Share Posted August 14, 2017 And oh my goodness! You are all so stinkin helpful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootsie Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 We were going to buy tickets in advance on italiarail and the cheapest ones were showing 19euros which were the ones going from FCO to Rome Termini at 1338 arriving to Termini at 1410. We then leave Termini at 1430 for pescara. I guess with people saying it takes awhile to go through FCO airport that this might be he best option to make sure. Plus, it would be cheaper tickets, right, if I iBook them in advance? Maybe we will just find where we need to go to grab the train in FCO then find a place to grab food. It certainly sounds much more fun to go and at least see a few sights in Rome but money and ease wise maybe best to just pass these hours at FCO. Bummer. How much is a train ticket simply from Termini to Pescara? If you did this then you would be free to get to Termini on whatever time frame your flight arrival and getting through customs allowed. It is not always cheaper to purchase the tickets in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdbates78 Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 We were going to buy tickets in advance on italiarail and the cheapest ones were showing 19euros which were the ones going from FCO to Rome Termini at 1338 arriving to Termini at 1410. We then leave Termini at 1430 for pescara. I guess with people saying it takes awhile to go through FCO airport that this might be he best option to make sure. Plus, it would be cheaper tickets, right, if I iBook them in advance? Maybe we will just find where we need to go to grab the train in FCO then find a place to grab food. It certainly sounds much more fun to go and at least see a few sights in Rome but money and ease wise maybe best to just pass these hours at FCO. Bummer. If I'm reading this right, you will only have 20 minutes in Termini in between trains? This would make me a bit nervous. Termini is very large and often very chaotic. Its one of the largest train stations in Europe. With three kids and luggage I personally would want a little bit more time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotherGoose Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 If I'm reading this right, you will only have 20 minutes in Termini in between trains? This would make me a bit nervous. Termini is very large and often very chaotic. Its one of the largest train stations in Europe. With three kids and luggage I personally would want a little bit more time. I was there last year and I agree. And you they don't post the terminals from which the trains leave until very close to departure, (unlike an airport, where it's there for hours), so you can't figure out where exactly you are supposed to be in advance. A general area yes but not the precise place. So that makes herding kids and suitcases etc very difficult. Pack light. Pack light and then take out some stuff. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilliumlady Posted August 15, 2017 Author Share Posted August 15, 2017 Dang, got home and DH had already ordered these tickets for the time mentioned above...... we will have small carry on rolling suitcases and a backpack, think we will make it? Any tips for making it easier when we are there? Ugh..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdbates78 Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 Dang, got home and DH had already ordered these tickets for the time mentioned above...... we will have small carry on rolling suitcases and a backpack, think we will make it? Any tips for making it easier when we are there? Ugh..... I think the best thing to do is just familiarize yourself with a map of termini, know where an information booth is in case you need it, and do your best to stay together because its a very busy station and it would be easy to get separated. http://www.romatermini.com/it/map/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootsie Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 Do you know if your tickets have an actual time stamped on them? Some tickets in Italy are sold for a specific train at a specific time. Some tickets are sold that can be used any time during the day (with a suggested time given your travel route). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilliumlady Posted August 16, 2017 Author Share Posted August 16, 2017 I think they have a specific time but are good for four hours after so presumably if we miss it we can grab the next one. If I have preprinted tickets we could just go straight from one train to the next in Termini, right? Will the board showing which track to use be nicely visible after disembarking the first train? Also, I'm looking at the map and trying to determine where the information booth is on it. Is it on the middle level over on the right hand side of my page? A yellow area with the icon of a train on it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootsie Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 If you have tickets, you can go directly to the next train. To get to the track area at Termini, you have to go through a security area where you show that you are a ticketed passenger (it isn't like going through airport security). I don't know if all of the local trains disembark within that area, or if you will have to enter that area to catch your second train. I do not know what map you are looking at, but there are a number of boards with track information. Track information is often not posted until close to the time for the train. If your ticket is good for a four hour window, is there a way you can take an EARLIER train from FCO but the same train from Termini? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilliumlady Posted August 16, 2017 Author Share Posted August 16, 2017 Unfortunately, no. It says the four hours is good for AFTER departure time, not before, and is only a safety measure in case we miss a train. I suppose I could look into seeing about changing the FCO to Termini leg, but then I would not want to feel stress there either on the FCO end. And, I'm not sure on their exchange policy. Hmmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilliumlady Posted August 16, 2017 Author Share Posted August 16, 2017 And the map I was looking at is the one linked above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootsie Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 I see the map now. I cannot tell if that is an information area. There is an information area on that level in the area which is marked Biglietteria. You can look at that site and see which tracks the arrivals from FCO usually come in and which track the departures to Pescara usually occur from. They may change from day to day but it will give you an idea. They are only listing tracks for the trains for the next 30 minutes or so, but the next train that arrives from FCO will arrive at track 24 (the furthest to the right). There isn't an upcoming train to Pescara, so you can't see a track for it right now. But, you would simply get off at track 24 and precede to your next track to depart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 If you are catching one train from the airport to the main train station in Rome, and then transferring to the other, longer train at the train station, I'd rather get to the main train station right away and spend my time waiting in that area. There is much more to do there. You can also take a bus from the airport to the main train station. I'm not sure if the train or bus is better. You say you have your train tickets already. If you want to try and get an earlier train to the Rome station, there is a chance that you don't have to change the airport - train station ticket. In some countries our family has been to, the ticket is actually good any time that day, even though a specific time is listed on the ticket. I don't know how that works on that route and in Italy though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdbates78 Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 (edited) I think that what will help you is that if you are taking the Leonardo Express from FCO to Termini than you will already get off in the right area (ie not having to navigate the interior train station) . If I recall correctly the Leonardo Express lets off on the far end tracks of Termini, track 24 I think. So get off the train and walk down the plat form towards the departure board. There are, I believe, something like 24 train tracks so you may have to walk from one end of the station to the other depending on what track your train departs from. Most trains won't given track numbers until 5-10 minutes prior to departure. Edited August 17, 2017 by tdbates78 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdbates78 Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 (edited) You can probably find YouTube videos taken from inside the train station. I'm always amazed at what people will film and upload onto YouTube :) It may give you an idea of what to expect. Edited August 17, 2017 by tdbates78 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilliumlady Posted August 17, 2017 Author Share Posted August 17, 2017 Oh YouTube, of course! Great idea, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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