Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A Definition of
SPQR
One set of initials that you cannot avoid while visiting Rome is
SPQR
, embla-
zoned on manhole covers, water fountains, and building facades. It means
“Senatus Populus Que Romanus,” or “The Senate and the People of Rome.”
It was unveiled 24 centuries ago, making it the oldest acronym still in use.
It's on Trajan's Column and is still found on public-works projects.
Taxis
Licensed taxis in Rome are white and always have a meter. They are difficult to
hail from the street and almost impossible to find around midnight, when Italians
are finishing up the evening meal or moving from restaurant to discothèque. Taxi
stands are well indicated, but not always staffed with taxis. The base fare during
the day should be €2.35 (€4.90 after 10pm). The most you should be charged for
luggage is €1.05 per piece.
DRIVING
Driving in Rome is not as hard as it looks, but it's also not necessary. Getting
around the city is easy on foot, and the public transportation system for both local
and regional travel is comprehensive. An additional consideration is a recent rash
of vehicle arsons, which have made it necessary to either add fire protection to your
car-rental policy or park in a secure garage, which costs from €10 to €25 a day. A
car is, of course, useful for day trips and jaunts to the seaside or neighboring towns.
If you drive in Rome, don't try to do so as you would in other cities. The best
analogy is perhaps to think of Roman cars as grains of sand tumbling through the
small funnel of an hourglass. What this means is that, in general, you should do
as other Roman drivers do; you're actually more likely to have an accident if you
try to follow conventional driving rules.
That said, Italian police will stop you for talking on a cellphone while driving, for
speeding, or for blowing a red light—though traffic cops are a rare breed in the city
center. Much of the city is also closed to all but resident traffic and monitored by elec-
tronic cameras that pick up signals from residents' permits. Your rental car won't have
one of these, and you risk getting a ticket if you drive into a zone that is closed.
REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION
Regional buses to neighboring towns like Tivoli (p. 85), Ostia (p. 86), and Viterbo
(p. 85) are run by
CoTral
(
%
800-150008; www.cotralspa.it).
CoTral does not have
a presence at Termini, so you generally have to travel by metro to an outlying station
(Tiburtina and Anagnina are the largest) to get on your bus. Ticket agents are always
near the CoTral terminus stations. Bus tickets to Ostia, Viterbo, or Tivoli are under €5.
Train travel in and out of Rome is very easy. For trains to other European
countries, check schedules at www.trenitalia.com; for regional trains, check www.
ferroviedellostato.it. You can buy tickets online and pick them up at self-service
kiosks at any of Rome's train stations. An economy ticket from Rome to Naples
is around €22, to Florence around €14, and to Venice €45.
