Welcome to the Civitavecchia cruise port guide. Civitavecchia is the cruise gateway to the incredible city of Rome. Civitavecchia is a small town of about 50.000 on the coast of Italy. From here you are about 80 km / 1,5 hours drive from Rome which many consider to be the best destination in Europe. Civitavecchia is not the most exciting town to visit. You’ll find your local market, the cathedral and fort Michelangelo here, but that is about it. If you want an easy day in port it is a nice spot to hang around, but most people will chose to go to Rome. Rome’s history spans more than 2500 years to the time Romulus and Remus fought each other to be King of this new town they established. Since then it has been the capital of the mighty Roman Empire, part of the Papal states and later it would become the capital of the Kingdom of Italy. Its significance in history already tells us this city is a gem to explore. There is history to be found on every single street corner. The sites will tell you about the birthplace of the western civilizations, the birth of the capital of the Catholic church, the greatest empire to rule the European continent and much more. Read our Civitavecchia cruise port guide underneath for all the info you need when visiting this port of call.

Cruise Port Guide Civitavecchia – Italy: docked

There are several docking points in the port of Civitavecchia and it recommended that you would know in advance where the ship will dock, because that might just change the whole planning of your day especially if you are planning to make plans independently and do not go on a shore excursion organised by the ship.

The main cruise dock locations in Civitavecchia are either the Finger Pier or the Roma cruise terminal. You can check a couple of days in advance where your ship is planned to dock. Please know that this infformation is subject to change. Find more information on each dock right here:

The Finger pier:

This is the most used pier for cruise ship that make Civitevecchia their port of call.

Walkin from the fingers pier to the exit of the port.

As the name of the pier indicates it could be a long walk to the exit of the port. Once docked look for a big round(ish) fort at the end of the long pier. This is the Fortezza (fort of Michelangelo). Evaluate if you want to walk this. If this is too far for you then please know that often a ship shuttle bus is operated between the cruise terminal and this fort. At this for you will find the beach and boulevard of Civitavecchia and the trainstation is just a 10 minute walk from here.

To get from the finger pier cruise dock to the trainstation in Civitavecchia:

If you are docked at the finger pier that please know you have a couple of options to go to the trainstation where you can catch the train to Roma Termini. Let’s evaluate them:
– Walk from the cruise dock to the train station. Mind you this could be a 15 or 45 minute walk depending on where your ship will be along the way.
– Your second option is to take the shuttle to the exit of the port. We mark the big fort of Michelangelo as the exit of the port. From here the train station is less than 10 minutes walk if you follow the boulevard.
– Third option is to see if the Port Link shuttle bus is operating. Pay 6 euro and get a direct transfer to the trainstation.

The RCT (Roma cruise terminal):

This would be dock 25 or Banchina 25 in Italian, also known as parcheggio cruise.

This cruise berth is located between the container and ferry terminals in the middle of the port. This dock is often used for cruise ships that start or end their cruise in Civitavecchia, because it simply provides a great infrastructure for cruise ships that need to load an offload their passengers fast.

Walking from Roma cruise terminal to the exit of the port

The distance to Civitavecchia is quite large. It is about 4 km by foot. You are able to walk, but mind you this will cost you about an hour.

Shuttle bus from Roma cruise terminal to the exit of the port

The port also provides a shuttle to take you to the exit of the port. This bus is operated by PortMobility. More information can be found underneath.

To get from the Roma cruise terminal to the trainstation in Civitavecchia:

If your ship is at the Roma cruise terminal then you will find it is a bit harder to get to the Civitavecchia trainstation compared to if you were docking at the finger pier. This is purely because the cruise terminal is located at the further end of the port area. To get from the Roma cruise terminal to the trainstation of Civitavecchia you can:
– Walk for just about 1 hour from the Roma cruise terminal to the trainstation. You are free to walk in the port area. The route is not clearly marked to the train station. However please know that both are located near the waterline. So keep close to it when you are walking.
– Take the shuttle bus of Port Mobility to get to the Fortezza stop. This is the fort of Michelangelo and is considered to be the exit of the port and the beginning of the city center of Civitavecchia.
– When you ship is docked at the Roma cruise terminal you can also check if the Port Link shuttle is operating. You would pay 6 euro to the driver to get a ride from the Roma Cruise Terminal to the train station or visa versa. This might be a good option if you are planning to move quickly.

Shuttle service in the port of Civitavecchia:

The port shuttle: PortMobility operate a shuttle service between the different terminals in the port of Civitavecchia. The two main stops for the cruise docks are included.
They are marked as the stops:
Molo del bicchiere
Largo della pace
There is also a stop at the Fortezza (the fort of Michelangelo) which many would consider the entrance of the port. This shuttle service is a great service if you want to move within the port itself especially if your ship is docked at the Roma cruise terminal. However, this shuttle service stays within the limits of the port and does not give you access to the train station for example. However, at Fortezza as well as the cruise dock you will find taxi’s and if you get off at the stop of the Fortezza you will find that the train station is a simple 10 minute walk down the road.

The trainstation – port shuttle bus:

To get from the cruise dock to the train station in Civitevecchia you might want to use a bus service called PortLink. For 6 euro’s per person you will get a ride from the cruise terminal to the train station or visa versa.

Taking the train from Civitavecchia cruise port to Rome central station.

If you are planning to take the train from the Civitavecchia cruise port to Rome then here is what you would like to know in advance.
Fast facts:
– Several departures an hour
– Price is between 5 and 15 euro per person one way
– Best station to travel to: Roma Termini
– Check the train schedule here: https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html
– Length: between 1 and 1,5 hour one way

To elaborate about above’s information:
There are several trains per hour leaving from Civitavecchai to Rome. The train journey is between 1 and 1,5 hours depending on wether you get yourself on a train stopping at every station or going straight into Rome. The most preferred train station to go to would be Rome Termini, which is considered Rome’s central station. Rome is a large city that is well spread out. You could get around by foot, however don’t think you can see it all in one day. Rome Termini is a great station to start your day in Rome. How to buy your ticket from Civitavecchia train station to Rome Termini? Best prices are directly at the machine. You will find that several vendors and the tourist information at the station sell the tickets. However, the machines are multilingual and super easy to use. When you enter you want to go to Roma Termini it will automatically give you the next departures times and you can select on.
One thing you need to know about Italian trains. The service is great. Trains are clean and information is clear. However strikes and delays are common. Calculate this into your day.
How much is the ticket from Civitavecchia train station to Rome? It depend on the operator you will chose at the machine and wether you travel 1st or 2nd class. The prices would be anywhere between 5 and 15 euro one way.

Bus to Tuscania or Tarquinia

Why not do something different and visit Tuscania or Tarquinia? At the cathedral in the town of Civitavecchia you will find a local bus stop. From here you can catch the bus to Tuscania or Tarquinia in the North. Keep in mind these buses only go about every 2 hours.

Car Rental

You could also choose to rent a car for a day and make your own road trip. There is a hertz car rental next to the train station in Civitavecchia. Make your online arrangement to be sure a car is waiting for you.

Shopping

Depending on your desired type of shopping you might want to know that souvenir shops are available at the exit of the port near the fort and all along the boulevard of Civitavecchia.

There are some clothe ships available in Civitevecchia however a designated Italian shopping trip would obviously be best spend in Rome.

Currency

The official currency used in Italy (and therefore of course also in Civitevecchia) is the euro. US dollars are not accepted in this port of call or the local shops. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted.

FAQ about Civitavecchia

– What do I do if the trains go on strike? the trains can go on strike at any time. Worse case scenario is that you will have to take a taxi of about 160 euro back to the port. – Will there be a shuttle bus service available? Most of the times that is the case, although there are exceptions, depending on where you dock.