Rome - Information on Rome

BANKS

Usually open Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 13:30. In the afternoon, the opening hours change from bank to bank but they are usually open from 14:30/15:00 to 16:00/16:30. Some banks are open non-stop from 8:30 to 16:00 and/or on Saturday mornings.
Outside most banks there is a cash dispenser and some of them located in downtown Rome also have an automatic exchange machine working 24 hours a day.

EXCHANGE

The Euro, the common European currency, circulates in Italy and in the other European member states: Austria, Belgium, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, Nederland, Portugal, and Spain.
There are 8 euro coins denominated in 2 and 1 euro, then 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents and 7 euro notes denominated in 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 euros.
Tourists coming from other countries will be able to change money into Euros at:
Banks: outside many branches in downtown Rome and at the Fiumicino Airport there are automatic exchange machines working 24 hours a day.
Change offices: usually open non-stop from 8:30 to 19:30; you can also buy or sell traveller's cheques or ask for a money transfer.
Post Offices: limited to offices in downtown Rome - from 8:30 to 13:50 from Monday to Friday: ; on Saturdays from 8:30 to 12:00. Central offices usually keep the change counter open non-stop until 18:30

CREDIT CARDS

In Rome shops are almost always provided with credit card service. But remember that some small shops, stalls in markets, rooms for rent or bed & breakfast usually are not provided with credit card service.

For information on your own credit card apply to the issuing Company. Major ones have an operating office in Rome:

- Servizi Interbancari (SI Card and VISA) - Via Quattro Fontane, 22 - Phone 800-151616

- UBS -P.za di Trinità dei Monti, 18 - Phone 066976011

- American Express - L.go Caduti di El Alamein - Phone 06722821

- Diners Club - Customer Service - Phone 063575333

In case of loss or theft the first thing to do is call the issuing Company and ask to block the card.

Servizi Interbancari (SI Card and VISA) - Free Number 800-018548 / 800-819014

UBS - Phone 066976011

American Express - Phone 06722821

Diners Club - Free Number 800-864064

TELEPHONE

Telephone box: using coins or a phonecard Euro 2,58 - Euro 5,16 - Euro 7,74 available in any tobacconist's, post office, most newsstands and some bars. Local calls are timed; so if you are using coins be sure to put enough money. (The price for a local call starts from € 0,10). If you are dialing a number that begins with 338 330, 347, 335, 339, 368, etc, you are calling a telefonino (cell phone). Remember that it is more expensive. International calls can be made from any telephone box, using an Italian card or your own calling/credit card dial 00+ country code + area code + local number

POST SERVICE

Information: 800 160 000 - http://www.poste.it

Downtown Rome several post offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 18:30, and on Saturday mornings from 8:30 to 13:00.
Via di Porta Angelica 23 (San Pietro)
Via Marmorata (Piramide)
Viale Mazzini 101 (Prati)
Via Arenula (L.go Argentina)

Sending telegrams in Italy and abroad. 24 hours a day; dial 186 on the phone is, covers all the world and can be read in any foreign language.

USEFUL NUMBERS for ASSISTANCE

Breakdown Service ACI - 803116

Police ( Polizia di Stato) - 113

Carabinieri - 112

Fire Brigade ( Vigili del Fuoco) - 115

Local Police - 0667691

Customs ( Guardia di Finanza)  - 117

Police Station - 064686

First Aid Ambulance ( free of charge emergency service) - 118

Italian Red Cross Ambulance for patient transport - 06 5510

Chemist's Open On A Holiday - 06 228941

Municipal Veterinary Surgery - 06 5800340

Urgent Blood Transfusion - Policlinico Umberto I - 06 49970860 - 06 49970861

Urgent Blood Transfusion - S. Giovanni - 06 77055563

Helicopter Ambulance - 118

Guardia Medica - 06 570600 Available from 20h -8h during working days and sundays/public holidays. On sundays and public holidays also during daytime from 8h- 20. Free medical service which visits at home or sends an ambulance according to patient needs.

Roman Green Cross Ambulance - 06 24302222

Centre Against Drugs Intoxication – Gemelli - 06 3054343

Centre Against Drugs Intoxication - Policlinico Umberto I - 06 490663

EMERGENCIES - FIRST AID ( Pronto Soccorso)/ HOSPITALS

For very urgent and serious events call the free 118 emergency ambulance service or go to one of the Pronto Soccorso emergency units of the hospitals. For babies and children there's the Ospedale Bambino Gesù; for odontoiatric urgencies and specialist dental care you may go to the G.Eastman dental hospital. For less serious matters you may go as well to the pronto soccorso or to the Touristic Medicine Service as written below.

Guardia Turistica - Via Morosini 30 (Ospedale Nuova Regina Margherita) - A First aid and emergency medical center for tourists from all over the world; at the hospital Nuova Regina Margherita in Trastevere. From Monday to Friday, 8am-20pm. In addition to this and in other hours or days you may go to EVERY of the many "Pronto Soccorso" in Rome which are open 365 days a year and 24h a day.

Azienda Ospedaliera S. Camillo – Forlanini (Monteverde Nuovo)
Via Portuense, 332 - phone 06 551801 - 06 58701
First aid: 06 58200066 Circonv. Gianicolense 87

Ospedale Fatebenefratelli Isola Tiberina (Trastevere)
Piazza Fatebenefratelli 2 - phone 06 68371
First aid: 06 6837299 - 06 6837324

Ospedale Madre Giuseppina Vannini (Prenestina)
Via Acqua Bullicante 4 - phone 06 242911
First aid: 06 24291255

Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù (Children) Gianicolo
Piazza S. Onofrio 4 - phone 06 68591
First aid for children: 06 68592351 - 06 68592571

Ospedale S. Carlo di Nancy (Aurelia)
Via Aurelia 275 - phone 06 39701
First aid: 06 39706316

Azienda Complesso Ospedaliero S. Filippo Neri (Trionfale)
Piazza S. Maria della Pietà 5 - phone 06 33061
First aid traumatology: 06 33062368 - 06 33062207
First aid acceptance: 06 33062204 - 06 33062254

Ospedale S. Pietro Fatebenefratelli
Via Cassia 600 - phone 06 33581
First aid: 06 33582644

Ospedale G. Eastman (Odontoiatric hospital ) Termini
Vl. Regina Elena 287 - phone 06 844831
Dentistry First aid: 06 84483232

Ospedale Sandro Pertini (Tiburtina)
Via Monti Tiburtini 385 - phone 06 41431
First aid: 06 41433365

Policlinico Casilino (Casilina)
Via Casilina 1049 - phone 06 231881
First aid surgery: 06 23188320
First aid medicine: 06 23188239

Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli (Trionfale)
Largo Agostino Gemelli 8 - phone 06 30151
First aid: 06 30154036 - 06 30154037

Ospedale S. Giovanni (S.Giovanni in Laterano)
Via dell'Amba Aradam 9 - phone 06 77051
First aid: 06 77055661 - 06 77055297 - 06 77055500

Policlinico Umberto I (Termini)
Vle del Policlinico 155 - phone 06 49971
First aid: 06 499720100
First aid for children: 06 499720500

Ospedale C.T.O. ( Ostiense) - Trauma center
Via San Nemesio 28 - phone 06 510039
First aid: 06 51003728

Ospedale S. Spirito (Vatican)
Lungotevere in Sassia 1 - phone 06 68351
First aid: 06 650901

Ospedale S. Eugenio (EUR)
P.le dell'Umanesimo 10 - phone 06 510029
First aid: 06 51002330 - 06 51002332

Ospedale Nuovo Regina Margherita (Trastevere)
Via Morosini 30 - phone 06 58441
First aid: 06 58446650

PHARMACIES

May be easily identified by a red or green cross. To know which pharmacies are open at week-ends and during the night or to receive urgent medicines for disabled or old people call 06228941. Outside each pharmacy there’s posted a list of those open in the same area.

All - night pharmacies in the city center:

Piazza della Repubblica 67 - phone 06 4880410
Via Cola di Rienzo 213/215 - phone 06 3244476
Piazza Risorgimento 44 - phone 06 39738166
Via Arenula 73 - phone 06 68803278
Corso Rinascimento 50 - phone 06 68803985
Galleria Stazione Termini ( up to 22 pm) - phone 06 4880776
Piazza dei Cinquecento 49/50/51 - phone 06 4880019
Piazza Barberini 49 - phone 06 4871195
Via Nazionale 228 - phone 06 4880754
Viale Trastevere 229/229a - phone 06 5882273
Corso d'Italia 100 - phone 06 44249750

TOURIST OFFICES

Italian State Tourist Board

Head office: Via Marghera 2/ 6 - 00185 ROMA
phone: 0039 06 - 49711
Fax: 0039 06 - 4463379 / 4469907
E-mail: sedecentrale.enit@interbusiness.it
web site: http://www.enit.it

Chiamaroma TEL 060606

Information on the services provided by the City of Rome; Italian 24hrs a day, English, French, German, Spanish, Chinese, Arab; Mon – Sat 16-19

Info Tourist Line
Tel 06/36004399 daily 9-19 (Italian, English, German, Spanish, French)

APT – Azienda di Promozione Turistica di Roma

Head Office: Via Parigi 11 - 00185 Roma
Tel. 06 48 89 91- fax 06 48 19 316 - E-mail: info@aptroma.com

Visitor Center: Via Parigi 5; Mon – Sat 9-19 Closed on Sundays

“Leonardo da Vinci” Airport Fiumicino, International Arrivals, Terminal B; daily 8-19

TRANSPORTS

-Arriving by plane:

FIUMICINO AIRPORT “LEONARDO DA VINCI”

Rome's main airport is very well-connected to the center during the day; the direct train between Fiumicino and Termini costs € 8,78 and takes approximately 30 minutes. It leaves from and arrives at track 22 at Termini (the main train station). Tickets at: vending machines at both Termini and Fiumicino, Alitalia office near track 22 at Termini (6.30am / 9pm), ticket window by the platform at Fiumicino.

From May 30 through September 25:

Fiumicino - Roma
6.37am - 7.37am - 8.07am - 8.37am - 9.07am - 9.37am - 10.07am - 10.37am - 11.07am - 11.37am - 12.07pm - 12.37pm - 1.07pm - 1.37pm - 2.07pm - 2.37pm - 3.07pm - 3.37pm - 4.07pm - 4.37pm - 5.07pm - 5.37pm - 6.07pm - 6.37pm - 7.07pm - 7.37pm - 8.07pm - 8.37pm - 9.07pm - 9.37pm - 10.07pm - 11.37pm

Roma - Fiumicino
4.51am - 5.51am - 6.22am - 6.51am - 7.21am - 7.51am - 8.21am - 8.51am - 9.21am - 9.51am - 10.21am - 10.51am - 11.21am - 11.51am - 12.21am - 12.51pm - 1.21pm - 1.51pm - 2.21pm - 2.51pm - 3.21pm - 3.51pm - 4.21pm - 4.51pm - 5.21pm - 5.51pm - 6.21pm - 6.51pm - 7.21pm - 7.51pm - 8.21pm - 8.51pm - 9.21pm - 9.51pm - 10.52pm

Winter schedule may vary by a few minutes.

Slower train: cheaper, but does not stop at Termini. Look for trains with destination “Orte” or “Fara Sabina”. They leave approximately every 20 minutes (every hour on Sunday) and cost €4,70. They take 46 minutes to reach Tiburtina.

Fiumicino Airport - Trastevere - Ostiense - Tiburtina
From: 5.57am until 11.27pm
Tiburtina - Ostiense - Trastevere - Fiumicino Airport
From: 5.06am until 10.36pm

Reach Termini from:
Ostiense: Metro line B stop Piramide or bus 175
Tiburtina: Metro line B stop Tiburtina or bus 649 or 492
Trastevere: Tram 8 to Largo Argentina and bus 64 or 40express

NIGHT TIME: for arrivals and departures between 11.30pm and 5am, there is a night bus running between Fiumicino and Tiburtina station. It stops at Termini Station. From Fiumicino: 1.15am - 2.15am - 3.30am - 5.00am From Tiburtina: 0.30am - 1.15am - 2.30am - 3.45am

40N bus connects Tiburtina and Termini during the night.

CIAMPINO AIRPORT - smaller airport dealing mainly with charter flights and budget airlines; connected to Line A metro station Anagnina (about 30 mins by metro from Termini) by Cotral buses; ticket costs € 1,03. Buses leave every half hour; they stop running at 11pm, so the only way to get into town late at night is by taxi.

TAXI - the average fare for a taxi ride fron Fiumicino airport (or Ciampino) to the center is € 35.00/40.00. After having exited the arrival hall at Fiumicino, you will find the taxi stand. You may be approched by illegal taxi drivers in the station and at the airport. If you need a taxi, look for the official yellow or white taxis which have meters and a “Comune di Roma” sign next to the plate. There are taxi stands at both Fiumicino and Termini.

-By train:

TERMINI STATION

Luggage Storage: Open 5.15am - 12.20 am - € 3,10 per 5 hours, per item. Alitalia office, Police and Carabinieri Station, Tourist office, Train information office, Banks, Pharmacy, Travel Agency, Newsstand, Restaurants, Bars, McDonalds, Shops, Bookshop

Services for disabled people: 064881726 (office located by platform 1)

TIBURTINA STATION

From or to Termini: Metro Line B stop Tiburtina or Bus 492.

www.trenitalia.com - official railway site

METRO AND BUSES:

There are two metro lines, A and B, which cross at Termini - trains from 5.30am until 10.30 pm every day (Sat. 0.30am). Metro stations on line A do not have facilities for disabled (except Cipro-Musei Vaticani and Valle Aurelia); In alternative, bus 590 follows the same route of metro line A and has wheelchair access. All the metro stations on line B have facilities for disabled except Circo Massimo, Colosseo and Cavour (direction Laurentina).

Watch out for pickpockets on crowded buses and metro train, have a look at your bags and wallets!

For more information call 800.431.784. (toll free 8-18 Mon – Fri) and have a look at the official website http://www.atac.roma.it

Rome's public transport uses Metrebus tickets, which have to be validated getting on buses and before getting on metro and trains. There are different kinds of tickets:

BIT (Integrated Single Ticket) Euro 1 valid 75 minutes from first convalidation for buses but only one trip for metro and urban trains.

MULTIBIT (Multiple Single Ticket) Euro 5; stays for 5 BIT tickets in one

BIG (Integrated Daily Ticket) Euro 4 valid for the whole day of validation, unlimited journeys on buses, metro and trains.

BTI ( Touristic Ticket ) Euro 11 valid for three days.

CIS (Integrated Weekly Pass) Euro 16, valid for seven days, unlimited journeys on buses, metro and trains.

Tickets can be bought at tobacconist's, newsstands, bars, travel agencies, vending machines, bus terminals, metro stations and in railways stations.

TAXI

Taxis are white or yellow, with an identification name and number on the front door and a taximeter inside.

You find them in taxi parkings or calling a radiotaxi ( here some taxi companies 06 3570 - 06 6645 - 06 8822 - 06 4157 - 06 4994 - 06 5551)

Ordinary fares:

Fixed charge: 7-22 (Euro 2,33); Sundays and holidays 7-22 (Euro 3.36); Night 22-7 (Euro 4,91)

For every piece of luggage larger than 35x25x50 a supplement of Euro 1,04

Amount of each fare increment Euro 0,11 – Rate 1 In town cost per km Euro 0,78. Increment every 141 meters at speed of more than 20 km/hour. Rate 2 Out of town (beyond G.R.A ring road) cost per km Euro 1,29. Increment every 85.3 meters at speed of more than 20 km/hour

At speeds of less than 20 km/hour, increments are based on time (one every 19.2 seconds). Approximate cost for one hour: 20.66 euros

When you get into the taxi, Rate 1 must always be applied. Drivers are obliged to inform their passengers when Rate 2 goes into effect. If part of the ride is in-town and the passenger will also be returning in the same taxi, Rate 1 is applied to the entire trip.

For trips from Lido di Ostia towards Rome, Rate 2 applies until the G.R.A. ring road.

TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS

Monday through Friday from 6.30 to 18.00 and Saturday from 14.00 to 18.00 you are not allowed to drive to downtown of Rome (ZTL zone), unless you are a resident or have a special permission. If you wish to drive to downtown hotels by your car, first contact the hotel management. Upon arrival the hotel has to send a fax with the number of plate and days of stay to STA fax 0039 06 57 11 82 59 to avoid the fine.
http://www.sta.roma.it

SHOPS

Closed on Monday morning.

Usually open from 9-13; 15.30-19.30 Some shops downtown are open non-stop.

Grocery stores, bakeries etc. are closed on Thursday afternoon.

Shops are closed on:

1/1, 6/1, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, 25/4, 1/5, 2/6, 29/6, 15/8, 25/12, 26/12

and may stay open on 1/11 and 8/12