1. Flights to Italy

For the vast majority of participants, Rome (FCO) is by far the best airport to arrive at (Rome Ciampino, for some in Europe, will also be good although it is less easy to get into the city from there to transfer to a train to Assisi).

We recommend most people to fly into Rome unless they are lucky enough to live near a European airport with flights to Perugia, which is actually the closest airport though not many flights go there (though flights from London do, for example).

A good website for booking flights which compares many different fares, routes and airlines is www.kayak.com Some budget airlines do not give their available seats to comparison websites.

Landing in Milan is another possibility but the train journey is longer, so, also, Turin. If you combined the trip at all with a visit to anywhere else in Italy or elsewhere in Europe, Florence is a similar distance to Rome. Pisa is a good few hours away, also by train. Ancona is a similar distance to Rome, obviously with less frequent train links and Bologna one hour more (but one hour less than Milan by train).

2. From the Airport to Central Rome

To transfer from Rome FCO Airport to a train to Assisi you have two choices. You can either go to Termini Train Station or to Tiburtina Train station.

Termini Train Station

To Termini is 20-30 mins by train, somewhat longer by shuttle bus (35-70 mins). Taxis are more expensive and because of traffic will take longer than the train. From FCO Airport to Termini by the Leonardo Express it costs 14 Euros single. A shuttle bus is around 8-10 Euros single (15 return). Taxis from FCO to central Rome are around 40 Euros (from Ciampino approx. 30 Euros).

Tiburtina Train Station

For some trains to Assisi, it is cheaper and quicker to get off the train from FCO airport at Tiburtina station and change there.  Rome FCO Airport to Tiburtina costs 8 Euros (Ostiense is another possibility with transfer by metro to elsewhere in the city – Rome metro tickets are 1 Euro per journey as are local bus tickets).

You can buy tickets for both trains to central Rome (and also for Assisi) in the train station at the airport. Follow the signs to the station and via steps/escalator go under or over the road and then up a further escalator to get there. It is a short walk from the main terminal – turn right on coming through arrivals. Ticket machines have various language facilities and the ticket staff also speak various languages. A Regionale (R) single to Assisi from Rome Termini should be less than 10 Euros. Intercity (IC) is 20 Euros. The latter stops at fewer places and is generally via a faster and more comfortable train.

Make sure you ask and know which platform – (binario) – the train departs from. There are only two at the airport but one is direct to Termini, one stops at various stations (including Tiburtina).

Very important: You must validate all train tickets and bus tickets in the yellow validation machines before travelling for trains or as soon as you get on the bus for buses.

3. From Rome to Assisi

From Rome Termini Station it is one hour forty seven minutes (Intercity) to two and a half hours by train to Assisi (Regionale). If in doubt ask. Many trains will be heading towards Perugia – some will require you to go to Perugia first then onto Assisi. Some will require changing to a bus at Foligno (i.e. some trains later in the day – your ticket is good for the bus also).

Note some tickets will list the specific train carriage (carrozza) and seat – although regionale tickets usually do not so any seat in the second class may be taken. Make sure you ask about your route and if you need to change and know which platform – binario – the train goes from.

The Italian National Rail Service – Trenitalia, have their website here.

Tips on buying tickets can be found here, here and here.

There are also buses from central Rome to Assisi throughout the day and evening.

Very important: do not forget to validate your ticket!

If you are landing in Rome on April 16^th, please send your flight arrival details to registration@assisi2012.com as we are going to coordinate those arrivals that day so that people can travel on a common bus. You must send those details by March 16^th at the very latest in order for places on the bus to be allocated. Thus bus will not leave until the evening, so if you land early you may prefer to take the train. If you send details further timings will be sent in due course. Please do not send emails about such in the meantime. Other than this one arrangement all participants are responsible for their own travel arrangements including those between airports, destination and home. If you have not sent your name to reserve a place on this bus you will need to make alternative travel arrangements at your own expense.

4. Upon arrival in Assisi

Note that the train station in Assisi is in the lower part of the city – at the foot of the hill, as is our Assisi 2012 venue. From the station it is a short walk (ten/fifteen to twenty minutes maximum) to our venue, Domus Pacis – you exit the station’s main entrance, turn left, walk to the underpass and descend to go under the main road, come up the other side and continue straight ahead until you come to the back of the Basilica of Santa Maria Degli Angeli – cross in front of the church and Domus Pacis (a map is here) is behind the buildings linked to the monastery on the left.

If you are tired and carrying heavy baggage, taxis or a bus can be taken from outside the station at your own expense. If you are staying in the Hotel Frate Sole you might also jump on the bus as it is slightly further away than Domus Pacis (but not much further). You will need a bus ticket in advance before getting on, available at shops, newsagents and the station.

But if you have time and are not overburdened with heavy luggage, the walk is easiest and pleasant. Assisi in April is usually very nice weather and warm.

Note that, obviously, should you land earlier than April 17 and/or leave later than the morning of April 21 you must book and pay for any additional nights of accommodation etc. directly with the host venue.

If you are planning to stay in Rome either side of the conference, two good sites to search for reasonable accommodation at your own expense are www.monasterystays.com and www.venere.com

5. From Assisi to Rome

The first train departing Assisi on April 21 leaves at 7.04am (it is possible to leave earlier by taking a bus to Foligno and then catching the train there). If you are going direct to FCO airport then this will get you there at 9.49am (double check the times at the Trenitalia web site above to make sure you will have plenty of time to make your flight). We recommend you buy your return train ticket in advance as the station will be very busy Saturday morning and has limited machines to buy tickets from. You should buy your ticket either as a return when you buy your outgoing ticket or walk to the station at a quiet period during the week to buy it in advance (a short walk).

There will be lists available at the host venue, Domus Pacis, for those wishing to share taxis together to travel back to Rome on the Saturday (the costs per person will vary between 30 and 50 Euros depending on how many travel together). You will need to take care of these arrangements yourself, the host venue and we can recommend taxi companies.