Even though more expensive than buses and metro, there are some occasions when taking a taxi in Rome becomes necessary. Whether you are going to the airport or you are a woman alone at night, it’s always good to know the different ways to use taxis in Rome.
It’s good to know that taxis in Rome are still considered public transport. In fact, as a general rule, they can’t refuse to take you on board. Obviously, if you are visiting Rome on a budget, you might prefer cheaper means of transportation and ways to get around, but it’s necessary to know all your options.
This simple guide will walk you through the different ways to call a taxi in Rome, a rough guide of the local fees, the different companies and how to contact them, and when it’s better to opt for a cab over public transport.
When you need a taxi in Rome
- At night. Sometimes and in some areas of Rome, at night there are no buses. The Rome metro stops in the evening, in some stations it closes around 9 pm, and the routes are served for a few hours with the bus. Some neighborhoods are little covered by public transport and often buses stop at midnight and there are no night buses. If you are staying out late, taking a cab is your only option.
- Where there’s no public transport. There are some areas, especially in the suburbs, where public transport is not very efficient. Whether you have an appointment or want to start sightseeing and your hotel is far from the landmark, you might need to call a taxi to get to your destination.
- Out of the city. If you are going somewhere out of the city, whether it’s another town or along the A90 GRA (Grande Raccordo Anulare) highway, often a taxi is your best option. In some areas, you can also take a car using the car-sharing app, but sometimes if you go far from the city, there is no parking, so you can’t leave the car and you will keep paying even if you are not using it. This is when it’s better to take a cab that leaves you there and call another one when you need to go back to the city.
- The airports. Rome is well-connected to its two airports, Fiumicino and Ciampino via trains and buses. Sometimes, however, you might need a taxi, especially if you are a large family and have luggage, if you are traveling at night and don’t feel confident with the buses, or if trains and buses are too far from your hotel.
Ways to book a taxi in Rome
When you are walking around the streets of Rome, you are going to see many white taxis. Here are the ways you can take or book a taxi in Rome.
- From the sidewalk. The first thing you can do is simply stop on the sidewalk and call them with your hand out. I never managed to stop them this way. They are either with a passenger or on a call already.
- From a station. A better and easier way is to go to a taxi station and take the first in line. You will spot them because they are spots with several cabs gathered together. Some of the biggest ones you will find are obviously in front of the main entrance of Termini train station and at the exit of Rome airports. To get a taxi, you need to stand in the line and then
- Over the phone. There are a few numbers you can call to book a taxi in Rome. This is the method I always use because I find it easier and more reliable. Your reservation goes directly through the office, so there’s no hidden fee and your journey is easy to track because you are already linked to a specific taxi number.
- Using the app. Similar to the phone, you can also book a taxi in Rome independently via an app. Usually, the apps gather a few taxi companies so you have a wider choice. By making your reservation through the app, you can easily and independently choose the time and date as well as the model of the car, the size you need, and obviously your destination.
Numbers and apps of taxis in Rome
Phone numbers
These are the main taxi agencies and numbers to call if you want to reserve a cab in Rome. There are several numbers so if you can’t find the services you need with one, you can try other agencies.
- Radio Taxi: 063570. This is probably the largest taxi fleet in Rome. With some 3700 taxis, they cover the whole city and the airports. Radio Taxi is the company I have always used since I’ve been in Rome, so from 1998.
- Pronto Taxi: 066645 and 066677. Another big Rome taxi company. They claim to be low-cost. They are reliable and well-spread, but I think the prices are pretty much the same as the other agencies.
- Samarcanda Taxi: 065551. This is another reliable taxi agency in Rome that has been around for some 30 years. You can book your taxi over the phone, with an SMS text message to (+39) 366 6000159, or via Whatsapp or Telegram to (+39) 329 498 5551. Samarcanda Taxi also has an app that you can use to book via the Wetaxi platform called Samarcanda Plus.
- Taxi Tevere: 064994 and 064157. This is a smaller company of taxis in Rome, I don’t see many of these around. You can book it 24/7 and their drivers accept all credit cards.
- Chiama Taxi: 060609. This is the number of the taxi company of Comune di Roma. It’s not the biggest fleet but they have several cars and you can book it over the phone or via their dedicated app “ChiamaTaxi” available on both Google Play and AppStore.
Taxi apps
The apps you can use to book a taxi in Rome that connect several agencies both in the capital and also in other cities in Italy.
- Wetaxi. This is a taxi platform present in more than 20 Italian cities including Rome, Milan, Naples, and Turin. It makes it easy to book your taxi in Rome, you will know your fee in advance, and you can book a shared taxi so that you pay half of the fee. It’s free to join and it only charges a fee for each completed ride.
- Free Now. This is a wide-range platform where you can book your taxi in Rome and choose different types of cars, mentioning the services that you need such as a larger car or a taxi for passengers on a wheelchair. On Free Now, you can also book electric scooters, electric bikes, and car-sharing. Among the services, you can choose Taxi Go which tells you in advance what’s the maximum rate you will be charged. This is especially for those who don’t want surprises.
- Uber. Uber has recently signed an agreement with Radio Taxi where you can use their app to book either an Uber car or a local Roman taxi.
Rome taxi fees
Taxis in Rome have an initial fixed fee that varies depending on the day and the time:
- Fee from point of departure on weekdays from 6 am to 10 pm: 3€
- Fee from point of departure on Sundays and public holidays from 6 am to 10 pm: €5
- Fee from point of departure at nights from 6 am to 10 pm: €7
The hourly fare for speeds less than 20km per hour is 28 €/h.
These are the progressive fares:
T1: at speeds > 20 km/h 1.14 €/km from the initial fare up to 11€
T2: at speeds > 20 km/h 1.35 €/km from 11€ up to reaching further 13€ so up to 24€
T3: at speeds > 20 km/h 1.66 €/km from the end of fare T2 so from 24€ until the end of the ride.
Special fares for Rome taxis
In some cases, they apply a 10% discount:
- Rides to public hospitals in Rome
- For unaccompanied women using the night service from 10 pm to 6 am
- For young people coming out of clubs and discos on Friday and Saturday nights when previous agreements have been made with the venues.
Extra charges
- The first piece of luggage is free. Each piece of luggage that you add is charged 1€
- Each passenger added from the fifth in taxis that can host more than 4 passengers is charged 1€ extra
- Fixed fee for booking a taxi over the phone: €4
- Journeys starting from the Rome A90 ring road (GRA) toward Fiumicino Airport, and vice versa, can’t be charged more than 73€.
Fixed fares to and from Rome airports
There are special fixed fees that concern the rides connecting Rome with both airports. These are applied per journey and not per passenger and are inclusive of all extra charges:
From Fiumicino Airport to within the Aurelian Walls and vice versa: 50€
From Fiumicino Airport to Castello della Magliana – Parco dei Medici and vice versa: 31€
From Fiumicino Airport to Nuova Fiera di Roma Exhibition Centre and vice versa: 26€
From Fiumicino Airport to Ciampino Airport and vice versa: 52€
From Fiumicino Airport to Tiburtina Station and vice versa: 57€
From Fiumicino Airport to Ostiense Station and vice versa: 47€
From Fiumicino Airport to Port of Civitavecchia and vice versa: 125€
From Ciampino Airport to within the Aurelian Walls and vice versa: 31€
From Ciampino Airport to Tiburtina Station and vice versa: 36€
From Ciampino Airport to Ostiense Station and vice versa: 31€
Are Rome taxis cash-only?
When you book a taxi in Rome, you can choose the type of payment you prefer. If you book over the phone, for example, Radio Taxi at 063570, the operator will tell you all the ways you can pay, including by credit card.
While at the beginning not all the taxi drivers in Rome had the device to swap bank cards, now I found that all that I have recently used have.
So if you take a taxi in Rome, you can pay cash or by bank card, whether it’s a credit or debit card.
Rome taxis vs Uber
Uber in Italy doesn’t include the popular UberPop service where any private with a car can offer a lift, which is also the cheapest, but only luxury options such as UberLux, UberBlack, and UberVan. This is why Uber in Rome is generally more expensive than booking a regular taxi.
Tips for taking a taxi in Rome
Here are some pieces of advice you can keep in mind when using a taxi service in Rome.
Rome’s taxi drivers have a very bad reputation that they want to cheat on routes and fares. While I’m sure this happens, I can state for a fact that they are not all like this because I have used taxis in Rome many times and I was never tricked.
Maybe it’s because they quickly realize that I live here and I know the roads, or maybe I have just been lucky. Whatever the reason is, I find it fair to give you a few tips you can follow when taking a taxi in Rome.
- Know your way. It’s not easy if you are not from Rome, but if you have a rough idea of the route you need to take to your destination, you are going to give the driver a more confident impression. I usually make sure they understand I know the streets and what route they need to take, and this probably leaves less space for tricks and misunderstanding. If you are not from Rome, this is not an easy task because streets, roads, and driving directions are very confusing. In any case, Google Maps helps a lot and is usually quite up-to-date.
- Know your fees. Depending on the journey, you can either memorize the fixed fee or calculate what you should expect. If you are going to the airport, keep in mind that the fee is fixed and you shouldn’t be asked to pay more. From Termini train station to the city center, you can expect to pay between 10 and 15€.
- Know the colors. Make sure you take a regular taxi and not an unauthorized car. Taxis in Rome are white and have the “taxi” plate placed on top. Additionally, on the side, they show the phone number of the agency they work with as well as their own specific identification number.
- Know the rules. When you book your taxi in Rome, whether it’s over the phone or through the app, you will be given the personal identification number of the car that is going to pick you up. Use it to spot it so you are sure you are taking the right taxi. You will see this number also inside the car. This number is useful also if you want to make some complaint or in case you forget something inside and you need to localize it after your ride is over. Make sure you only take taxis with a landline number starting with 06 showing on their car as this is how you see they work with an agency.
