It's easy to take the train from the port of Civitavecchia into Rome
and then catch the subway to the Spanish Steps (above).
Photo: Index Stock Imagery, Jupiter Images

by Wendy Perrin

Question from reader Rosie Lee of Naples, FL:

"What would you recommend as the best (and cheapest) way to get from the port of Civitavecchia into the city? Three healthy, well-traveled, retired ladies on a budget wonder about taking a train (is there one?) into the city, then a taxi to our hotel. The cruise ship charges $85 per person at least."

You're smart to opt for the train rather than pay an outrageous price for a bus ride that will take longer, what with all those cruise passengers being loaded on and off, not to mention the traffic you can hit. As I advised in "Ten Tips For The Perfect Port Call" in Conde Nast Traveler's August issue, research whether you can get a train, bus, or ferry from the pier to the place you want to see.  The train is how I myself got from Civitavecchia into Rome, and back again, during a port call on a Windstar cruise several years ago. The station is an easy walk from the pier . . . as long as you're not lugging a ton of baggage.