Just in the pre-jubilee year, Rome is preparing to say goodbye (forever?) to fixed taxi rates for Fiumicino and Ciampino airports. The decision was taken during the first meeting of the advisory commission set up by the Campidoglio, which brought together the councilors for the mobility of the Municipality of Rome, the commander of the local police, the presidents of the transport, tourism, and trade commissions, and representatives of the taxi drivers’ unions and the NCC. The request for fixed-rate suspension to and from Ciampino was unanimously accepted; the one concerning Fiumicino is still under negotiation, but everything indicates that it will have the same fate.
ROME AIRPORT: HOW THE FIXED TAXI RATE WORKS
As is known, taxi rides to or from the airports in Fiumicino and Ciampino currently have a fixed rate according to the place of departure or arrival. Most commonly, with a start or end inside the Aurelian Walls (central Rome), the cost is 50 euros to or from Fiumicino and 31 euros to or from Ciampino. The fare is per ride, not per person. As already mentioned, the fixed rate can change if the taxi ride includes a shorter or longer route; for example, from Fiumicino to Nuova Fiera di Roma (or vice versa), it costs only 26 euros, while from Fiumicino to Tiburtina station (or vice versa), the price rises to 57 euros. Click here to find out the price of all taxi journeys to and from Rome Airport.
TAXI ROME: FAREWELL TO AIRPORT AND AIRPORT FIXED RATE, HERE’S WHY
However, these fixed tariffs will become a distant memory due to the decisions taken by the advisory committee. The changes that will be activated soon only concern the way to and from the Aurelian Walls, i.e., the center of Rome, which is of course the most desired and also the one that represents larger critical issues. The request to suspend the fixed tariffs of Rome taxis to and from the airports arises from the need for taxi drivers to maintain commercial speed at an acceptable level. Whereas now, given the few preferential lanes and the very high road construction (around 1300), due to the many ongoing works, many of which are given the 2025 jubilee, this is not possible.
ROME AIRPORT TAXI: WHAT’S GOING ON NOW?
Everything is already ready for Ciampino, given that the request to suspend the fixed fare was accepted unanimously. Fiumicino will still be discussed, but eventually, a square is found. The issue raised by taxi drivers hangs over Rome’s main airport’s number of stalls, which would be insufficient to guarantee the stability of all cars outside the airport. However, a solution will be found (it is no coincidence that the unions are pressuring the municipality to act as an interpreter with the manager of the Rome airports regarding the progress of the new project to expand the taxi bays at the airport), after which it will be possible to proceed with the abolition of the fixed rate at Fiumicino. However, the taximeter will not be free; the municipality still intends to introduce a maximum limit of 73 euros included in the price of rides.
FIUMICINO: THE FIGHT AGAINST TAXI ABUSE CONTINUES
Meanwhile, counter-attacks continue at Rome’s Fiumicino airport abusive operators of irregular public transport. Over the past two years, the Carabinieri have carried out approximately 1,300 checks and issued 300 fines totaling 620,000 euros, issued 120 48-hour expulsion orders from the airport with subsequent administrative fines totaling 12,000 euros, and imposed 100 road traffic violations for violations of special rules totaling 20,000 euros. Furthermore, 9 Daspos were notified of so many illegal workers who will not be able to approach the airport area for 8 to 12 months.