Taxis in Rome: fixed fares, apps and taxi ranks

In Rome a taxi is useful for getting home late, going to the airport with luggage or reaching a neighbourhood the metro serves poorly, but it is not cheap and there are a few traps. This guide explains how to recognise an official taxi, how fares are calculated, which journeys have a fixed price, where to find a rank, how to book by phone or app and how to avoid scams. Fares were checked in October 2026 on Rome's official mobility website.

Recognising an official taxi

A white taxi in Rome

Rome's official taxis are white, with a "TAXI" sign on the roof and a licence number on the doors. The meter must be visible and running for the whole journey. Take a taxi at a rank or station, or book one by phone or app; most do not stop when hailed, although it does happen. Refuse any unmarked car offered by a tout at the airport or the station.

Meter fares

Time	Starting charge
Weekday, 6am to 10pm	€3.50
Sunday and public holidays, 6am to 10pm	€5.00
At night, 10pm to 6am	€7.50

After that the meter adds a per-kilometre rate; according to Rome's mobility website it is about €1.33 per km by day and higher at night. The first bag is free, further ones cost €1.00 each. Traffic can push the bill up: the meter also charges for time spent in jams. Passengers over 70 and disabled passengers get a 10% discount.

Fixed fares from the airports

Fiumicino – centre: €55 per car, within the Aurelian Walls, luggage and surcharges included; a journey of about 40 to 50 minutes.
Ciampino – centre: €40 per car, within the same limits; about 30 minutes.

Say "tariffa fissa" before getting in and check that the fare is shown on the door or the dashboard. For comparisons with the train and shuttles, see our guide to Rome's airports.

Where to find a taxi: the ranks

There are taxi ranks at the main hubs: Termini station, the Spanish Steps, Piazza del Popolo, around the Pantheon, near the Colosseum and around St Peter's Square and the Vatican Museums. There is almost always a queue outside a busy site: look for the white cars lined up, get into the first and do not follow touts.

Booking by phone or app

The ChiamaTaxi service (060609) groups the city's radio taxis: the call and the app connect you to the nearest free taxi, which is announced with a code and a car number. Keep this code: it lets you recognise the right car.

Payment, tipping and scams

Card: Italian taxis must accept bank cards; ask before getting in if you have no cash, and keep a little change.
Tip: not compulsory; rounding up is enough. Our guide to paying in Rome explains the customs.
Meter: check that it starts at zero, at the starting charge for the time. If the driver refuses to switch it on, get out.
Receipt: ask for one, with the licence number, for any complaint.
Scams: fake taxis and touts at stations and airports, detours before the ZTL, "flat" prices muttered quietly. See scams to avoid in Rome.

Taxi, metro, bus or on foot

In the historic centre walking is often quicker than a taxi, because of traffic and pedestrian streets. A taxi makes sense for an arrival or departure with luggage, for getting home in the evening when the metro is closed, or in a group, when the price is shared. Tickets and passes are described in our guide to getting around Rome.