Rome Ciampino Airport (Italian: Aeroporto di Roma-Ciampino or Giovan Battista Pastine Airport) is a joint civilian, commercial and military airport near Rome in Italy. The airport is situated 15 km southeast of central Rome, just outside the Greater Ring Road (Italian: Grande Raccordo Anulare or GRA) the circular motorway around the city.

Ciampino airport was opened in 1916. Until 1960, it was the main airport of Rome, with traffic amounting to over 2 million passengers per year. Since the opening of Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport in Fiumicino, Ciampino has been handling almost exclusively charter and executive flights.

After decades of stagnation in scheduled traffic, low-cost carriers have boosted Ciampino; it is now one of the busiest and fastest growing airports in Italy. Passenger traffic in 2007 was 5,402,000 (9,24% up from 2006; 2006 itself had seen an increase of 16,75% compared to 2005). Traffic has grown so much that noise complaints are now forcing the Italian Ministry of Transport to look for a third airport for Rome, which could take over some part of the excess traffic of Ciampino.

In November 2007, it was decided that Rome Viterbo Airport will become Rome's third commercial airport.

The terminals were extended at the beginning of 2007.

Ground Transportation

There is no rail transport at Ciampino Airport. The options are to take a bus to a rail station (either metro or regular train) or to take a bus or taxi all the way.

Bus, then rail transport

COTRAL/Schiaffini operates buses from outside the terminal building to Anagnina metro station. A metro ticket to central Rome takes about half an hour to Roma Termini station. Buses go to the Ciampino local train station, from where a train can be taken to Roma Termini station. Train tickets must be bought from a newsagent and stamped before boarding the train. Both bus routes operate roughly once or twice an hour on working days (8:00-12:00 and 16:00-20:00). Travel time is at least 45 minutes on either route.

All the way by road transport

• Terravision runs a direct bus service to Termini, taking 40 minutes (about 20 services a day). Terravision also offers buses from Fiumicino airport to Termini, and a transfer bus between the two airports.
• Schiaffini also runs direct buses to Termini station taking 40 minutes, but with far fewer departures than Terravision (see above). These buses are not mentioned on the airport website but they can be found on Schiaffini's own site.
• BusShuttle runs a service similar to Terravision. Their stop near Termini is about 20 metres up the road from Terravision's.
• The fixed fare for a taxi ride to the city centre (inside the Aurelian Walls) is €30, according to the official agreement between Roman taxi driver associations and Rome municipality. This fixed fare is inclusive of up to four passengers AND luggage. However, Ciampino-based taxi drivers have a reputation for overcharging, and it is wise to confirm the fixed tariff before getting in the taxi.

Rental cars are available in the airport terminal from all the usual companies.

Airlines and destinations

• easyJet (Basel/Mulhouse, Berlin-Schönefeld, Bristol, Dortmund, Geneva, London-Gatwick, Lyon, Madrid, Newcastle, Paris-Orly)
• Ryanair (Alghero, Brussels-Charleroi, Dublin, Dusseldorf-Weeze, East Midlands, Eindhoven, Frankfurt-Hahn, Girona, Glasgow-Prestwick, Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden, Liverpool, London-Luton[ends October 2008], London-Stansted, Madrid, Milan-Bergamo, Paris-Beauvais, Santander, Santiago de Compostela, Stockholm-Skavsta, Valencia, Venice-Treviso, Zaragoza)
• Wizz Air (Bucharest-Băneasa, Katowice, Warsaw[ends October 2008])

References

External links

• Official website
• Aviation services Ciampino Airport