In the course of the past twenty years Rome’s central station Roma Termini has gradually been turned into a shopping mall. Almost every little bit of space has been taken up by fast food restaurants and all kinds of stores, maily catering to tourists. Several important facilities have been moved to hard to find spots in the railway station.
Roma Termini Facilities
Tourist information
The Tourist Information Office has probably been moved at least ten times in the past twenty years, every time to a less visible location. Now it is in the hallway that runs between platform 24 and the Via Giolitti. This means that either you need to walk through the COIN department store near the beginning of platform 24 or go out of the station, walk past the COIN store, and then enter again. The hotel reservation desk is near the tourist office.
Luggage department
Roma Termini’s luggage department can be found by walking along platform 24 and taking the steps down. You will see the signs as soon as you are downstairs. There are no lockers.
Train information and ticket office
The ticket offices can be found in the hallway between the main one and the bus square. The left windows are for information. There are usually some men with phony badges hanging around pretending to work there. They don’t, and expect to be tipped for the information they will give you.
Post office
You can only enter the post office, which is next to platform 1, from the Via Marsala. Here you can go if you need to send bigger packages to your home country. If all you need to do is buy stamps and/or mail letters or postcards you had better go to a tobacco shop and save time. There are mailboxes near both exits. These have one slot for Rome and one for “all other destinations” (tutte le altre destinazioni).
Police
The police office is also next to platform 1, but quite a bit of a walk into the station. You will need to go here in case you have been pick-pocketed. There are forms to fill out, which you will need for your insurance company or for your embassy in case the theft involved passports or other forms of ID.
First aid and pharmacies
There is a medical center in the hallway where the tourist office (see above) is. There are two pharmacies in the railway station, one next to the Via Marsala exit and another one in the main hallway below the station.
Washrooms
There are toilets in the main hallway (-1) near the escalators to the Via Marsala and Via Giolitti exits.
Car rental agencies
The major car rental agencies can be found in the same par tof the station where the tourist office is.
Waiting room
The waiting room for normal travelers is at the beginning of the tracks, next to platform 1. There is also a business lounge in the main hallway.
Supermarket
There is a smaller supermarket next to the post office and a bigger one on level -1 near the escalator to the Via Marsala exit.
Wifi
There is supposed to be wifi all over the station, but it doesn’t always work very well.