Renting a Car at Rome Airport
Last updated: April 2026
Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO), Italy's busiest, has its car rental center in Office Tower 2 adjacent to Terminal 3 — accessible via a covered walkway from all terminals. The multi-floor building houses Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Sixt, Maggiore, and Italy by Car. The center is well-organized with dedicated floors for different operators but gets extremely busy during summer, when pickup queues can exceed 30 minutes.
🎯 Quick Tip
Rome's ZTL (Zona a Traffico Limitato) is an enormous restricted traffic zone covering the entire historic center — including the Colosseum, Vatican, and Trastevere. Cameras are everywhere and each passage generates a €100+ fine. Do NOT drive into central Rome. Park outside the ZTL and use buses or metro.
Compare Prices at FCO
Economybookings.comAggregates 800+ rental companies including all major brands operating at FCO
Check FCO Prices
Localrent.comSpecialises in local Italy operators that often undercut international brands at FCO
Check FCO PricesAirport Pickup Tips
Follow 'Car Rental' signs from any terminal to Office Tower 2 — the walk from Terminal 3 is 5 minutes. Find your operator's floor, take a number, and wait. Present passport, EU license or IDP, and credit card. Verify the car has a Telepass for autostrada tolls. Critical: request a detailed ZTL map and have the agent explain how to reach your hotel without entering restricted zones. Pickup: 15-30 minutes.
Roman driving leaves its mark — check every panel for parking dings, inspect both mirrors (Fiat mirrors are targets on narrow streets), and look at the bumper corners carefully. FCO fleet cars drive heavy A91 motorway miles — check for stone chips. The Office Tower 2 parking garage has poor lighting; step outside to inspect in daylight.
Explore Rome by Car
While central Rome is best navigated on foot, a car rental from Fiumicino airport gets you to the stunning hill towns of Lazio — Orvieto, Tivoli's Villa d'Este, and the medieval Castelli Romani wine villages south of the city.
Top drive from Rome: Amalfi Coast via the A1 south (combine with Naples drop-off)
Getting from Rome Airport to the City
FCO is 30 km southwest of Rome center. Take the A91 to the GRA (20 min to the ring road). For central Rome, exit the GRA at your target area and follow GPS carefully around ZTL boundaries. For Naples, A1 south (2.5 hours). For Florence, A1 north (3 hours). For the Amalfi Coast, A1 south to Salerno then SS163 (3.5 hours). For Orvieto, A1 north (90 min).
Maggiore has a depot in Fiumicino town, 5 km from FCO, with free shuttle. They provide the most detailed ZTL navigation maps of any Italian operator and include Telepass toll transponders free of charge. Their Fiat 500X is the ideal Rome-area car — compact enough for narrow streets, comfortable enough for autostrada drives.
What to Know Before Driving from FCO
Italy drives on the right. Autostrada limit is 130 km/h (110 km/h in rain). The GRA ring road has an 80 km/h limit and is perpetually congested. ZTL zones exist in virtually every Italian city — Rome's is the largest and most aggressively enforced. Autostrada tolls: Roma-Napoli approximately €15, Roma-Firenze approximately €20. Italian drivers tailgate at high speed in the left lane — move right promptly.
FCO connects to the A91 motorway (Roma-Fiumicino), which feeds into the Grande Raccordo Anulare (GRA, Rome's ring road). The GRA connects to all major routes: A1 north (Florence) and south (Naples), A12 (coast), A24 (Abruzzo). Navigate to the GRA and circle to your exit — driving through central Rome is impossible for visitors. The A91 is toll-free.
Fuel Stations Near FCO
ENI, IP, and Q8 stations are on the A91 and Via Portuense near FCO. Fuel: unleaded approximately €1.85/L, diesel €1.75/L. The ENI on Via dell'Aeroporto di Fiumicino is 2 km from the rental return. Self-service (fai da te) pumps are 10-15 cents cheaper than attended (servito). Many Italian stations close between 1-3 PM and on Sunday afternoons — self-service pumps remain operational.
Local Driving Tip
Rome's Grande Raccordo Anulare ring road is Italy's busiest highway — avoid it between 7:30–9:30 AM and 5–8 PM. The ZTL zone covers all of central Rome including Trastevere; fines are €80–100 per camera detection.