A dash of 1940s Italian modernism

Rome Termini is the main station in Rome, and the best station to use for the city centre.  It's called Termini not because it's a terminus, but after the nearby Roman Baths of Diocletian, as the Latin for baths is Thermae.  There's been a station here since 1863.  The original station building was demolished in 1937, but World War 2 delayed reconstruction of its replacement.  The current station was designed in 1947 and inaugurated in December 1950, a fine example of Italian modernism.  For more about the station's history see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roma_Termini_railway_station.

small bullet point  Overview

small bullet point  Which platform for your train?

small bullet point  Advice on changing trains in Rome

small bullet point  Left luggage office

small bullet point  WiFi, ATMs, safety & security

small bullet point  Ticket offices

small bullet point  Executive & Club class lounges

small bullet point  Restaurants, cafes, bars, supermarket

small bullet point  Hotels near the station

small bullet point  Taxis, metro, walking from station to sights

 

Other stations in Rome

small bullet point  Rome Tiburtina

small bullet point  Rome Ostiense

On other pages

small bullet point  Trains between London & Rome

small bullet point  Trains between Paris & Rome

small bullet point  Trains from Rome to other European cities

small bullet point  Trains from other European cities to Rome

small bullet point  Guide to train travel in Italy

Station overview Location map

There's a plan of the station at www.gsretail.it/en/network/roma-termini (click EN for English).

Rome Termini exterior

1. Rome Termini station exterior.

Rome Termini forecourt

Taxi rank and main entrance at the front of the station.  That's an impressive cantilevered canopy!

Rome Termini atrium

2. Atrium (Atrio Stazione), inside the main entrance with an equally impressive roof.  The Trenitalia ticket office is here, indicated by the arrow.

Middle concourse, Rome Termini

3. Central concourse (Galleria Centrale), separated from the Atrium by a row of retail units, the central concourse spans the full width of the station with exits open to the street on either side.  Another row of retail units separates it from the platforms concourse.  The escalators in the centre go up to the food court and toilets.  Note the departure boards.  In the Galleria Centrale you'll find shops like Swatch, United Colours of Benetton, Nike, Victoria's Secret on this level and on a lower level too.

North side of Roma Termini   North side of Roma Termini

At each end of the central concourse (Galleria Centrale) there's an open exit into the street at the side of the station.

Rome Termini inner concourse

4. Platforms concourse (Fronte Binari) sits between the central concourse and the platforms, accessed from the central concourse through gaps in the row of retail units.  A partition with ticket gates (on the right of this photo) separates it from the platforms.  The escalators in the background are the ones from the central concourse up to the food court.  Note the arrivals & departure boards on each column.

Ticket gates at Roma Termini   Exit gates at Roma Termini

Ticket gates to platform area.  Scan the QR code on your ticket to get in. There are staff to help if necessary.

 

Exit gates from the platform area to the concourse.  There's no ticket check when leaving.

Rome Termini platforms

5. Platform circulating area.  A circulating area behind the buffer stops lets you walk between platforms without going through any ticket check.  The photo looks across the station, with the platforms on the left and the ticket gates & exit gates to the rest of the station on the right.

Rome Termini platforms

6. Platforms are numbered 1 to 29 from left to right.  Platforms 25-29 are accessed by walking down platform 24, platforms 1est & 2est are accessed by walking 550m along platform 1.  This photo shows platforms 10 & 11.

Which platform for your train?

Rome Termini platforms

View of the platforms as you arrive at, or leave, Roma Termini by train.

Changing trains in Rome

Left luggage

Roma Termini left luggage office   Roma Termini left luggage office access

1. Walk along platform 24, past the yellow KiBag left luggage office as there's no door on this side.

 

2. Turn right here, exit the platform area, the entrance to the left luggage is on the other side.

WiFi, ATMs, safety & security

Ticket office & ticket machines

Trenitalia ticket office, Rome Termini

Executive & Club class lounges

Rome Termini Trenitalia Freccialounge

Trenitalia's FreccialoungeCourtesy of @AndyBTravels.

Italo club lounge

Club Italo lounge at Rome Termini with complimentary coffee, soft drinks, snacks, wine & prosecco.  This new lounge opened 2023.  Courtesy of Chris Ogilvie

Somewhere to eat, drink or buy supplies

Terrazza with bars & cafes

The terrace (Terrazza Termini), up the escalators from the central concourse, good for a coffee or beer while waiting for your train.  There are toilets here.

View over Rome Termini platforms from food court

View over the platforms from the food court.

Hotels near Rome Termini

Local transportWalking, metro, taxis

Rome's metro   Rome's Colosseum

The metro links Rome Termini with the Colosseum, Circus Maximus and the Vatican.

Back to top


Roma Tiburtina  Location map

Rome Tiburtina is a modern station used by high-speed trains, some on their way to or from Roma Termini, some by-passing Rome Termini en route between Milan or Florence and Naples.  Tiburtina is a pleasant station to use and much less hectic than Termini, but it's located in the northeast of the city much further away from the city centre and sights.  For example, the Roman Forum is 22 minutes walk from Termini, 1h15 from Tiburtina!

So use Rome Termini if you want the convenience of a central location, most trains start or terminate there.  However, sometimes there's no avoiding it, from late 2024, the Nightjet sleeper to/from Munich, Salzburg & Vienna is using Tiburtina instead of Termini.

How to transfer between Termini & Tiburtina

By metro:  The easiest way is by metro, just 4 stops on metro line B, see www.atac.roma.it/en.  The metro trains run every 10 minutes, the whole trip should take around 30 minutes and cost less than €2.  There's no need to buy a ticket if you (and each person with you) has a contactless bank card, just tap the card on the contactless reader when you enter and leave the metro, the fare will be debited from your account.

By regional train:  You can also travel between Termini & Tiburtina by Trenitalia regional train, direct ones are fairly infrequent, but there are departures every 10 minutes or so with a change at either Rome Tuscolana or Rome Ostiense.  Check times at www.trenitalia.com.  If you have an Interrail or Eurail pass, taking Trenitalia trains saves you a euro or two over the metro!

Rome Tiburtina station

Inside Rome Tiburtina

Rome Tiburtina station

Roma Ostiense  Location map

Rome Ostiense is located in the southwest of the city, again considerably further away from all the city centre sights than Rome Termini.  Use Rome Termini if you can


Back to top

Back to home page