In this guide
💡 The Short Version: From a cruise ship at Civitavecchia, the train is the cheapest and the most frequent way: about every 30 minutes from Civitavecchia station, 1 hour 6 to 1 hour 22 to Roma Termini for €4.60, or 44 to 56 minutes to Roma San Pietro, by the Vatican. The station is about 500 m from the port entrance. The SIT coach is €15 one way and takes about an hour, but runs only twice a day each way: 9:00 and 9:30 from the port, 15:15 and 15:25 back from Termini. That gives about five hours in Rome. Or book a tour: a guided tour of Rome from Civitavecchia portad (from £59.57) collects you at the port and brings you back in time for the ship. Fares from Trenitalia and SIT, 30 September 2026.
The options, compared
| Option | Time | Fare | Where it drops you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regional train | 1 hour 6 to 1 hour 22 | €4.60 (about £3.94) | Roma Termini |
| Regional train to San Pietro | 44 to 56 minutes | €4.60 | Roma San Pietro, by the Vatican |
| Frecciabianca express | 48 minutes | From €10.90 (about £9.34) | Roma Termini |
| SIT Bus Shuttle | About 1 hour | €15 one way, €25 return (about £12.86 and £21.43) | Via Crescenzio by the Vatican, then Termini |
| Guided tour | 7 to 8 hours | From £57.85 | Rome, with a guide, and back to the port |
Exchange rate: the ECB’s of 29 September 2026 (€1 = £0.857). Train times and fares are Trenitalia’s for Tuesday 13 October 2026.
By train
€4.60 · 1 hour 6 to 1 hour 22 to Termini · about every 30 minutes
The station is about 500 m from the port entrance: walk it, or take a taxi to the entrance. Ships berth inside the port, and a shuttle bus takes passengers between the ship and the entrance (Roma Cruise Terminal, 30 September 2026, in Italian). The main Rome stations that serve Civitavecchia are Termini, Ostiense, Tiburtina, Tuscolana, Trastevere and San Pietro.
| Civitavecchia to Termini | Train | Fare |
|---|---|---|
| 7:02, arriving 8:18 | Regional | €4.60 |
| 7:44, arriving 8:50 | Regional | €4.60 |
| 8:36, arriving 9:48 | Fast regional | €4.60 |
| 9:15, arriving 10:03 | Frecciabianca | From €10.90 |
| 9:42, arriving 10:48 | Regional | €4.60 |
| Termini to Civitavecchia | Train | Fare |
|---|---|---|
| 15:42, arriving 17:08 | Regional | €4.60 |
| 16:12, arriving 17:13 | Fast regional | €4.60 |
| 16:57, arriving 17:44 | Frecciabianca | From €10.90 |
| 18:27, arriving 19:14 | Frecciabianca | From €10.90 |
| 20:12, arriving 21:13 | Fast regional | €4.60 |
| 22:27, arriving 23:48 | Regional | €4.60 |
- To the Vatican: a regional train to Roma San Pietro takes 44 to 56 minutes, for the same €4.60. On the Tuesday searched, the 8:36 arrived at 9:24 and the 9:42 at 10:26.
- Back: trains run about every 30 minutes until the last direct regional, 22:27 from Termini on the Tuesday and the Saturday searched, 13 and 17 October 2026. A few later services need a change.
- Validate a paper ticket. A single ticket bought at a machine or a ticket office must be stamped in a validating machine at the station before the train leaves, and it is then valid for four hours. A digital ticket from the Trenitalia app or site is validated automatically. Tickets are sold at station machines and ticket offices, in the app and on the site (Trenitalia, 30 September 2026).
- Buy from Trenitalia. GetYourGuidead resells one-way train tickets from £4.53, against Trenitalia’s €4.60, about £3.94.
The front of Civitavecchia station, about 500 m from the port entrance. Photo: Nicholas Gemini, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Once you are in the city, Rome public transport explains the €1.50 BIT ticket and how to get from Termini to the sights.
By coach
€15 one way, €25 return · about 1 hour · two departures a day
SIT Bus Shuttle runs from the port, at the exit of the Welcome Centre where cruise passengers disembark, to Via Crescenzio in Prati, a few steps from the Vatican, and on to Termini. Its timetable is valid from 15 March to 15 November 2026, and journey times are approximate.
| Direction | Departs | Vatican | Termini |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port to Rome | 9:00 | 10:00 | 10:15 |
| Port to Rome | 9:30 | 10:30 | 10:45 |
| Direction | Departs Termini | Vatican | Port |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rome to port | 15:15 | No stop | 16:30 |
| Rome to port | 15:25 | 15:40 | 16:40 |
Return coaches leave from Piazza Indipendenza by Termini and, on the second run, from Via Crescenzio. On GetYourGuide, the Civitavecchia port shuttle to Rome Terminiad is from £12.86 (4.3 stars from 3,022 reviews, 1 hour), the same as SIT’s €15 single, with free Wi-Fi and luggage storage.
Tours from the port
A tour starts at the port and brings you back to it. Prices are GetYourGuide’s lowest “from” price on 30 September 2026.
Cruise ships alongside at the port of Civitavecchia. Photo: Mike McBey, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
Rome in a day, guided
From £59.57 · 4.4 stars from 457 reviews · 8 hours
From Civitavecchia Port: Rome in a Day Guided Tourad takes in the top landmarks in one day with a guide. It has free cancellation, is wheelchair-accessible and needs 10 hours’ notice.
Private or shared, to eight sites
From £84.85 · 4.5 stars from 1,515 reviews · 7 hours
Civitavecchia Port: Private or Shared Guided Tour of Romead is a tour by air-conditioned people carrier to eight main sites, in a small group or privately. It has free cancellation and pickup.
A shore excursion with an aperitivo
From £57.85 · 4.7 stars from 82 reviews · 7 hours
From Civitavecchia Port: Rome Shore Excursion with Aperitivoad visits the main attractions and ends with a tasting of local and regional products.
Transport only, for your own day
From £25.71 · 4.3 stars from 1,855 reviews · 8 hours
Rome On Your Own: Bus Transfer from Civitavecchiaad is return transport from the cruise terminal to Rome, and leaves the sights to you.
By taxi, and to Fiumicino airport
- Taxi: there is a taxi stand by Civitavecchia station, and the cruise terminal gives +39 766 26121 for booking one.
- To Fiumicino: a fixed €130 by taxi. By train, the direct service from the airport to Ostiense takes about 15 minutes, and Ostiense to Civitavecchia about 50 (Roma Cruise Terminal). The Fiumicino and Ciampino airport guide has the fares.
Five hours in Rome
The coaches give about five hours in the city, from 10:15 to 15:15, and the trains give more freedom. Choose two or three things: the Colosseum needs a booked slot, the Vatican Museums are closed on Sundays except the last of the month and a Museums visit alone takes most of the time, and the Pantheon (a €7 ticket), Piazza Navona and the Trevi Fountain (free to see from the square, €2 to go down to the basin) are within walking distance of each other. Rome in one or two days puts them in order. For what to book, see what to book before you go in Rome.
Common questions
How do you get from Civitavecchia cruise port to Rome?
By train from Civitavecchia station, about 500 m from the port entrance: a regional train to Roma Termini is €4.60 and takes 1 hour 6 to 1 hour 22, with trains about every 30 minutes. A coach from the port to the Vatican and Termini is €15 one way, and a shore tour or private transfer collects you at the port.
How long does it take to get from Civitavecchia to Rome?
1 hour 6 to 1 hour 22 by regional train to Termini, or 44 to 56 minutes to Roma San Pietro, by the Vatican. The Frecciabianca express takes 48 minutes and costs from €10.90. The SIT coach takes about an hour.
How far is Civitavecchia from Rome?
About 72 km north-west of Rome, according to the cruise terminal operator. The port is 60 km from Fiumicino airport.
What is the last train back from Rome to Civitavecchia?
The last direct regional train from Roma Termini on the Tuesday and Saturday searched, 13 and 17 October 2026, left at 22:27 and arrived at 23:48. Trains run about every 30 minutes through the evening. Check the date you sail against Trenitalia's timetable.
Do you need to validate a train ticket from Civitavecchia to Rome?
A paper ticket from a machine or ticket office must be validated in a machine at the station before the train leaves. A digital ticket from the Trenitalia app or site does not need it.
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