Europe > Italy > Rome (FCO)
The city by city Car or no Car advice for Rome can be broken down into three similar questions - do you need a car in Rome ; is it worth it (based on costs), and ultimately - should you rent one? (a balance of the two).🚆 🚌⛴️ Do we need to rent a car in Rome ?
These scores are based on the quality of public transport and other travel options. If these are good enough to see the main points of interest, then you don’t need to rent a car.
💰💶💳 Is it worth hiring a car in Rome?
These scores reflect the practical factors that affect whether renting a car is convenient, good value, and stress-free.
✈️ Arriving in Rome
Rome is served by two major airports: Fiumicino (FCO) and Ciampino (CIA). Fiumicino has a direct, frequent rail link to the city via the Leonardo Express, as well as regional trains to Trastevere and beyond. Ciampino relies more on buses, but transfers are still straightforward.
Car hire is widely available at both airports, yet picking up a car immediately is rarely sensible unless you plan to leave the city straight away.
🚶♂️ Getting around Rome without a car
Rome’s historic centre is vast but surprisingly walkable, and walking remains the best way to experience it. The metro is limited in coverage but useful for longer hops, while buses and trams fill in the gaps. Taxis and ride-hailing apps provide a safety net when needed.
Traffic is heavy, parking is scarce, and restricted traffic zones (ZTLs) are strictly enforced. Driving in central Rome is stressful, slow, and unnecessary for visitors.
🚆 Day trips by train
Rome excels as a rail hub. Easy day trips include Ostia Antica, Tivoli, Naples, Florence, and even Pompeii, all reachable by train. For many travellers, this removes the need for a car entirely during a city-based stay.
🚄 Long-distance train travel from Rome
Rome is one of Europe’s strongest long-distance rail hubs, and this is where the no-car argument becomes even more convincing. High-speed Frecciarossa and Italo trains connect Rome with Milan in around three hours on the fastest services. On a door-to-door basis, this is often faster and far more pleasant than flying. Domestic flights from Rome–Fiumicino usually arrive at Milan Linate, which lacks a mainline rail station, or Malpensa, which is even further from the city centre. By contrast, high-speed trains arrive directly into Milano Centrale or Porta Garibaldi, right where you want to be.
On the way north, trains pass through Florence and Bologna, meaning it is perfectly feasible to visit either city as a long day trip, even if that does require an early start and a mindful eye on evening timetables. While Italian high-speed trains are frequent, late-night return services are not always guaranteed, so overnight stays often make more sense. Still, this rail corridor gives you exceptional flexibility without needing a car at all.
🚆 Beyond the north: coastlines, islands, and the south
Rome also works brilliantly as a gateway to other regions by rail. Cities such as Pisa, Verona, and Venice are all easily reached by train, reinforcing the idea that much of Italy’s most famous sightseeing can be done entirely without driving. To the south, long-distance services run all the way to Reggio Calabria, where you can connect seamlessly with ferries to Sicily. While the journey is long, it is scenic and relaxed, and it avoids the complexity of long-distance driving.
🚗 When renting a car makes sense
A car becomes useful if you plan to explore Lazio’s countryside, hill towns, vineyards, or continue onward to Umbria, Tuscany, or the Amalfi Coast. In these cases, renting a car after leaving Rome—often from an outer station or airport—works best.
Conclusion — should you rent a car in Rome?
Should you rent a car in Rome? No, not for the city itself. However, Rome works extremely well as a starting or ending point for a wider Italian road trip, once you are ready to leave the capital behind.
