Fiumicino (FCO) — officially Leonardo da Vinci International Airport — is Italy's busiest airport and, for most visitors, their first taste of the country. Here's what actually happens between landing and getting to your hotel, and where the process trips people up.
Terminals and Arrival
Fiumicino has two main passenger terminals in regular use. Terminal 3 handles most long-haul and non-Schengen arrivals, and is where passport control and baggage reclaim for international flights typically happen. Terminal 1 mainly serves domestic and short-haul Schengen flights, where passport checks are usually lighter or absent if you're arriving from within the Schengen area.
Signage throughout the airport is in Italian and English, and arrivals generally funnel toward passport control, then baggage reclaim, then customs (green channel for nothing to declare, red if you do).
Passport Control and Customs
Non-EU arrivals typically face the longer queues, especially on flights landing in clusters during morning and early-evening peak hours. EU/Schengen citizens can usually use automated e-gates if travelling with a biometric passport, which is considerably faster.
Customs is rarely an issue for tourists — declare anything over the standard duty-free allowances and you'll be waved through the green channel otherwise.
Getting Into Rome
The Leonardo Express train runs directly between Fiumicino and Roma Termini, Rome's central station, and is the fastest fixed-schedule option — though it only serves Termini, meaning a taxi or metro connection if your hotel is elsewhere.
Official white taxis operate on a fixed rate to central Rome (within the Aurelian Walls), which is worth knowing so you're not talked into a metered fare that ends up higher. A private chauffeur transfer is arranged and priced before you land, with a driver waiting in arrivals holding your name — the most predictable option if you're jet-lagged, travelling with family, or just don't want to manage logistics after a long flight.
Practical Tips
Fiumicino is roughly 35km from central Rome, and traffic on the raccordo (ring road) can extend that considerably at peak times — build in a buffer if you have a tight connection or an early check-in. Luggage trolleys are available but sometimes require a small coin deposit, so keep some cash or a card handy.
If you're continuing on to Civitavecchia for a cruise, or further afield to Tuscany or the Amalfi Coast, it's often more comfortable to arrange that onward journey directly from the airport rather than routing through central Rome first.
Book a Private Transfer
Fixed prices · Professional drivers · Door to door
Get a Free Quote