Trenitalia, Italy’s main rail service, operates the popular Leonardo Express and other lines from the Fiumicino Airport train station. The Leonardo Express line offers direct service to Termini train station every 15 minutes with a travel time of 32 minutes.

The Termini train station is located in the heart of Rome and you can easily continue your journey in Rome from there by metro, bus, or regional train if your final destination is outside the city.

One great advantage of this service is that it doesn’t impose limits on the amount of luggage that can be taken aboard. Another plus is that departures are guaranteed in the event of labor strikes.

Stephen Rees

Stops

Leonardo Express trains depart from platforms 2 and 3 at the Fiumicino train station (see location below) and arrive in Termini Station at platforms 23 and 24. There are no intermediate stops along the route.

Tickets

A one-way ticket costs €14.00 and can be purchased online on the Trenitalia website or from the automatic machines at the station.

Since daily departures from Fiumicino are frequent, there’s no need to book tickets online. However, arriving at the station with a previously purchased ticket can help you avoid lines at the ticket office during rush hours.

Please, note that regular public transportation tickets are not valid on Leonardo Express trains. You’re not allowed to travel before the time indicated on the ticket. However, if you’re delayed, you can travel after the time on your ticket.

If you buy your ticket directly at the airport train station, you must validate it before getting on the train in the green machines on the platform. Tickets bought online do not require validation.

The Leonardo Express is free for:

• Children under 4 years old
• Children between 4 and 12 years old (one child per adult)
• Small pets in appropriate kennels
• Service dogs

Schedule

Due to the health contingency caused by COVID-19, the Leonardo Express schedule has been temporarily modified. Currently, there are departures from Fiumicino every hour between 6:23 am and 11:23 pm.

Previously, there used to be 126 departures of the Leonardo Express train every day. The wait for a train averaged 15 minutes but it varied depending on the time of day and day of the week. The maximum waiting time never exceeded 45 minutes.

Go to Trenitalia’s website for the updated Leonardo Express schedule.

Luggage restrictions

While the Leonardo Express doesn’t have a limit on the amount of luggage that can be transported, traveling with a lot of luggage on the train can be uncomfortable and isn’t recommended.

The train cabins have dedicated spaces to place the luggage.

Location of the train station

The Fiumicino Airport train station is located in front of Terminal 3 so you won’t need to leave the building. Look for signs inside the airport that will direct you to the station.

Leonardo Express trains suit you if…

• Your final destination is in the center of Rome.
• You travel alone or with a companion (for groups of three or four people, a taxi would be more cost-effective).
• You’re looking for a quick way to get to Rome.
• You have a bigger budget.
• You want to avoid traffic jams or bus rides.
• You have little luggage.