Transportation around Rome
Transportation in Rome area is very convenient. My apartment is luckily two minutes away walking from the Tiber campus and seven minutes from the Guarini campus of the university; therefore I was able to get to them on my own even on my first day. I am also able to walk to and from monuments such as the Roman Forum, the Trevi Fountain, the Coliseum, and even the Vatican City. They are all within thirty minutes of walking at most, which I am very confortable with.
One of my classes (Ancient Rome and its Monuments) requires the students to meet the professor on site. Many people take public transportation to go to the sites: Public transportation here is very cheap and easy to understand (especially if you are used to the Boston public transport system). However, there are strikes constantly and many times buses are very late or never show up. Therefore, the university conveniently warns all students if a strike is scheduled for the next day so we can all adjust our travel plans accordingly. I prefer to walk to the monuments for my on site class because that way I do not have to worry about delays and get to also enjoy the walk through the beautiful city.
Many people here in Rome will tell you not to buy a ticket for any public bus given that the tram and bus workers who are supposed to check if passengers have a ticket never do so. However, they do actually check and they will fine you a lot of money if you do not have a validated ticket with you! My roommate, for example, received two fifty-eight Euro fines this week only because she did not purchase and validate tickets to take the bus. Make sure you buy your tickets at the nearest newspaper stand or Tobacco shop and validate it by inserting it into the machine inside the bus or tram. Each ticket lasts three hours, so if you have to take another trip within three hours of validating your ticket for the first time, you do not have to buy another ticket.
In addition, trains going to other Italian cities such, as Florence and Venice are very affordable and confortable. I would recommend taking the “slow” versions of those trains, as those are much cheaper and only take one hour more on average than the faster version. However, on weekends while going to the beach or at other busy times, you may not have a seat when traveling on those trains, so pack light, come well rested and ready to stand!
