It's the historic and impressive sights like the Colosseum, as well as the chance to immerse in modern Roman culture, that draws millions of visitors to Rome, Italy, each year. While traveling to Rome as a U.S. citizen is not too difficult, the city you fly out of will determine the time and cost it will take to get you there. If you're flying from Los Angeles, California, pack your patience along with your passport, as it will take a minimum of a half-day to reach Rome.
Italy Travel Requirements
- In order to travel to Italy, you need a U.S. passport that is valid for at least three months beyond your stay. As Italy is a member of the Schengen Agreement, U.S. citizens do not need a visa to travel to Italy, as long as you are only staying up to 90 days. You may also need to show proof of your ability to support yourself financially during your stay, which you can do with a copy of a recent bank statement.
Departure
- To get to Rome, you will need to fly from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Fiumicino - Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO) in Rome. Nonstop flights are available through Alitalia, the national airline of Italy. The flight takes roughly 12 to 12 1/2 hours. Most of the U.S. airlines have partnerships with international airlines that will get you to Rome with one or more connections. For example, if you book a flight to Rome with United, you might take a United flight to Toronto, Canada, but then transfer to an Air Canada plane to get to Rome, as Air Canada is one of United's partners.
Arrival
- When you arrive at Fiumicino - Leonardo da Vinci airport, you must go through Italian customs, where they will check and stamp your passport with the date of the last day you can stay in Italy without a visa. Your bags will generally not be checked unless you tell the customs officials you have something to declare. After you receive your bags from baggage claim, you have a variety of transportation options to get you to the city center.
Airport to Rome
- The airport is less than 20 miles from the center of Rome. Metered taxis cost anywhere from 25 to 55 Euro, which is roughly $33 to $75, depending on where you are going. You can also opt to take the Leonardo Express train that travels between the airport and Rome's main station, Termini Station, every 30 minutes. It costs 14 Euros, or about $19, as of publication. Another train option is an FL1 Regional train, which departs every 15 minutes, but stops at several stations along the way. However it is less expensive, costing about 8 Euros, or $10, as of publication. Other options include renting a car, or choosing among several local bus services. All buses will take you to Termini Station, though it will take significantly longer than the train.
