The fastest and easiest way to get from Leonardo da Vinci Airport, Rome-Fiumicino (FCO), into central Rome is the Leonardo Express. It takes you straight to Rome's main train station (Termini) in 32 minutes, with no stops along the way.
Leonardo Express Rome – Prices, Schedules, Tickets
The fastest and easiest way to get from Leonardo da Vinci Airport, Rome-Fiumicino (FCO), into central Rome is the Leonardo Express. It takes you straight to Rome's main train station (Termini) in 32 minutes, with no stops along the way.
From Termini, you can switch to the metro or one of the many buses to continue to your accommodation, or simply walk from the station. Plenty of Rome attractions are within easy reach from there too.
How do I get to the Leonardo Express?
Once you've landed in Rome and collected your luggage, follow the "Uscita/Exit" signs first. That takes you to the arrivals area of Fiumicino Airport. From there, follow the signs marked "Train/Treni." These lead to the airport's train station, about 400 to 500 meters from the arrivals hall. A tunnel and a few escalators get you to the station within a few minutes.
Buying Tickets & Prices
How much do Leonardo Express tickets cost?
A one-way ticket from the airport into central Rome, or the other way around, costs €14.00 for an adult. Children ages 4 to 12 pay a reduced fare. Kids under 4 ride the Leonardo Express for free.
The €14.00 adult fare applies at all sales points directly on-site in Rome. If you order your tickets online, a processing fee of €2 to €4 is added on top, which shouldn't put anyone off given the time you save.
| One-way | €14.00 |
| Round trip | €28.00 |
Where can you buy Leonardo Express tickets?
You can buy train tickets at several points inside the station, or online in advance. Ticket machines are available for buying Leonardo Express tickets, and you can also buy tickets at a tobacco shop, known locally as a "tabacchi." As always, you can also buy tickets the classic way at the station's ticket counter.
These days, you can also buy tickets online ahead of time.
Buying tickets online
If you'd rather skip the lines at the ticket machines and other sales points and head straight for the Leonardo Express, you can buy your tickets online before your trip. Just visit our partner's website and buy your tickets there. They'll be emailed to you within 24 hours, so even last-minute purchases are possible.
When buying online, you can choose and book your travel day during checkout.
Buying tickets at the ticket machine
On the way to and inside the station at Fiumicino Airport, you'll find plenty of ticket machines where you can buy a Leonardo Express ticket. The purchase itself isn't complicated. One thing worth knowing in advance: these machines tend to draw a lot of tourists, so it can take a bit before it's your turn. That's another reason to consider buying online ahead of time, which saves you the wait at the machines and lets you book calmly from home without any time pressure.
If you'd rather buy your ticket directly at the machine, here's how it works.
First, head to one of the many red machines labeled "Trenitalia." Once you're there, you can (and should) switch the menu language to English first. Just tap the corresponding flag at the bottom of the screen. All the machines have touchscreens, so you just tap whatever you need on the display.
Once you've switched the language, everything is shown in English. Next, choose your destination, in this case the "Roma Termini" station. Since most tourists head straight to Termini, the machine usually shows this stop as a preferred option.
Next, choose your travel date and time, which in almost every case is simply the day you're standing at the machine. Then just tap "Confirm." The travel time doesn't really matter on any given day, since the tickets are valid for the entire selected day. What matters is picking the correct date.
After entering the date and time, you'll see all available trains to Termini. Pick any of them, it doesn't matter which, since Leonardo Express tickets are valid all day as mentioned.
The machine will then ask how many people are traveling. Just select the correct number of passengers (adults and children ages 4 to 12). If you're traveling with one or more dogs, you'll need to include them too.
The screen will now show first class as the class to book. That's correct, and it's also the only class available on this train; there's no second class on the Leonardo Express. If everything shown (date, number of travelers, etc.) is correct, just confirm. If you spot a mistake, you can still change it here.
Once you've confirmed your details, the machine will ask if you'd like to book a return trip right away too. We recommend declining and buying your return ticket separately when you actually head back.
All that's left is payment. You have several options: cash, debit, or credit card. Once the payment goes through, your tickets print and come out through the dispenser slot.
This might sound like a lot of steps to get a Leonardo Express ticket, but overall it's not much effort and works fairly smoothly.
Plenty of room and comfort for travelers
Departure Times & Travel Time
Leonardo Express Rome departure times
The train runs daily, 365 days a year, between Fiumicino Airport and central Rome. Trains generally run every 30 minutes, and every 15 minutes during peak times. The first train from Termini station toward the airport departs around 5:30 AM. The last connection to the airport leaves around 10:30 PM. In the other direction, from Fiumicino Airport to the city-center station, the first train departs around 6:20 AM. The last Leonardo Express toward Rome departs shortly after 11:30 PM. That schedule covers arriving and departing flights throughout the day.
Guaranteed Service
Whether it's strikes or other disruptions affecting rail service, the city of Rome and the train operator guarantee that this connection between Rome-Fiumicino Airport (FCO) and central Rome keeps running.
Travel time from the airport to Rome and back
The Leonardo Express takes exactly 32 minutes from Rome-Fiumicino Airport to central Rome. The same applies in the other direction, from central Rome to Fiumicino Airport. It's a direct connection with no stops along the way, so first-time visitors to Rome don't have to worry about missing their stop.
Buy Leonardo Express Round Trip
Don't Forget to Validate Your Ticket!
All passengers should pay special attention to validating their ticket. Unfortunately, many forget to do this when boarding the Leonardo Express, and that can get expensive. Many passengers assume the ticket gets validated automatically at purchase or at the latest when entering the platform, but that's not the case!
To reach the platform where the train departs, all passengers first need to scan their ticket's QR code. Only then can you access the platform. This is exactly where many people get confused, assuming this scan already validates the ticket, but it doesn't. Scanning the QR code just confirms that only passengers with a valid ticket can enter the platform.
Once you're on the platform, you'll see small green machines (many people call them "green Easter eggs"). You still need to validate your ticket at one of these machines. Just insert your ticket into the slot in the middle of the green machine. The machine stamps the current date and time onto the ticket. Only once that's done is your ticket properly validated.
If you forget to validate your ticket and get checked by an inspector, you can face a penalty fare of up to €100, even with a valid ticket in hand. So don't forget to validate your ticket!
Frequently Asked Questions
The Leonardo Express runs daily between Rome-Fiumicino Airport and Roma Termini station. Trains generally run every 15 to 30 minutes. The trip takes about 32 minutes with no stops.
The station is right at Fiumicino Airport and reachable from all terminals via signposted walkways. You'll reach the Leonardo Express platform within a few minutes.
Yes. Paper tickets must be validated at the machines in the station before you travel. For tickets bought online or digital tickets, follow the provider's specific activation or check-in rules.
Yes. There's no luggage restriction like on many other airport transfers. You can bring your luggage on board at no extra cost and stow it in the designated areas or by your seat.
Yes. The Leonardo Express runs direct to Roma Termini station with no stops, making it the fastest rail connection between Fiumicino Airport and central Rome. From Termini, you can connect to the metro, regional trains, and numerous bus lines.