You have three good ways to get from the ship to Rome: the train, a shared transfer and a private transfer. They differ in time, in how much you plan ahead and in how much you carry, and the right one depends on how long your stop is.
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Private transfer from Civitavecchia port to Rome
from €117.45 · rated 4.6/5 (466 reviews) at the time of writing
via Viator
How do I get from the pier to the station?
Take the free port shuttle to Largo della Pace and walk from there along the sea. From Largo della Pace the station is about 1.5 kilometres, which takes 10 to 20 minutes on foot. From the Fortress gate, Varco Fortezza, it is only about 600 metres, a walk of about 10 minutes. Fort Michelangelo is right by the gate.
If you prefer to ride, a special line connects the port with the station on the days when ships are in port. It runs from about 7:00 to 19:00 and costs 6 euro each way, with the ticket bought on board. The port guide explains the shuttle in detail.
Which trains go to Rome?
The line is the FL5, from Civitavecchia to Roma Termini. The stops in Rome are Roma San Pietro, Roma Trastevere, Roma Ostiense and Roma Termini, in this order. San Pietro is for the Vatican, Ostiense has the connection to metro line B, and Termini is the central station.
The regional train takes about 50 to 60 minutes to San Pietro and about 80 to 90 minutes to Termini. An Intercity is faster and takes about 50 minutes to Termini, but there are fewer of them. The regional trains run two to three times an hour for most of the day. All times here are approximate: look at the departure board at the station on the day.
From 27 September to 12 December 2026 there are two extra trains on public holidays, so on Sundays and holidays in that period you have one more choice in each direction.
What does it look like door to door?
For a day on your own, the sum goes like this. First the shuttle and the way to the station, then the train for 50 to 90 minutes depending on the stop you choose, then a walk or the metro in Rome. In all, count about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes from the ship to the centre of Rome, for each leg.
An example: you leave the ship at 8:00 and you are in the centre around 10:00. If your on-board time is 18:00 and you want to be at the pier at 16:30, the train back leaves Rome around 14:30. You have about 4 and a half hours in Rome: a good half day, but not a full one. That is why a day on your own is better for a long stop of 9 to 10 hours, and a guided tour of about 9 hours, which leaves about 6 hours in the city, is better for a stop of normal length. Read the Rome in one day guide for an itinerary.
When does a private transfer make sense?
The private transfer from the port to central Rome takes about 1 hour for about 70 kilometres. The driver waits by the ship and holds a sign with the name of the lead traveller, so you do not search for anything at the port. It is a one-way transfer for 1 to 8 people in a private vehicle, and each person can bring one checked bag and one carry-on at no extra cost. It runs 7 days a week. At the time of writing it has 4.60 out of 5 from 466 reviews and starts from 117.45 euro.
It is a good choice if you travel in a group, with luggage, or if you want to be in Rome earlier than the train allows. Remember that it is one way: for the return you can use the train, or book a transfer from Rome to the port.
And a shared transfer?
The shared transfer is a minivan with no more than 8 passengers, with a pick-up at the ship and a drop-off at a hotel in Rome or at Fiumicino airport. There are two pick-up times: 7:00 for the airport, and 9:30 for hotels in Rome and for the airport. The 9:30 run can stop at the airport before Rome, and it can have more than one hotel drop-off, so count 1 to 2 hours. Pick-up times can vary by 10 to 15 minutes when passengers come from several ships. Each person can bring one large suitcase and one carry-on. At the time of writing it has 4.78 out of 5 from 633 reviews and starts from 68 euro.
It suits you if you are going to a hotel in Rome or to the airport, and you can follow a fixed time. If you want to see Rome on the same day and come back to the ship, a round-trip excursion is simpler: the small-group tour we describe in the Rome guide lasts about 9 hours and brings you back to the pier.
Which one do I choose?
If your stop is long and you like to move on your own, take the train to San Pietro for the Vatican or to Termini for the Colosseum. If your stop is normal and you want a day without worry, take the small-group tour with the return guaranteed. If you are going to stay the night in Rome, or you are carrying luggage, take the shared or the private transfer. In every case, check the on-board time on your cruise card, and plan to be back at the pier with an hour to spare.
