Getting from Train Station to Spanish steps area

[Eddieg24]

We are staying at the Hilton Garden in in Rome prior to our cruise. We are planning on meeting friends who are staying near the Spanish Steps (Empire Palace Hotel) for an excursion to the Vatican. I assume the cheapest way of meeting them would be to take the Train to the Termini station and then take a cab over to their hotel. I would like to know you have any other suggestions. We will be on a pretty tight schedule. Our plane arrives at &:00 A.M. and the tour leaves from their hotel at 2:45 PM. Are we better off taking a cab from the station and fogetting about a bus? What should a cab cost for my wife and myself. Also, after the tour we plan to hang around with our friends for a while. What time do we need to be back at the train to make sure we can get back to our hotel. Thanks in advance.

[Eddieg24]

Sorry about the typos. Our hotel is five minutes from the airport, and we will be arriving at 7:00 A.M.

[Jim C.]

Don't take the taxi. The spanish steps has a metro (submway) station right next to them. Take the train to Termini, go out towards the front of the station. I the lobby/ticketing area you will see an escalator down to the metro station. Us the self help ticketing machine (it can be set to english) and buy the full day Metro/Bus pass. (Costs 3.80 Euro).
Get a subway map too. Get on the subway that drops off at Spagna station (this is the spanish steps.) From the airport to the steps might take you 45 mins. Unless you miss a train at the airport and have to wait for the next one. You can then use the subway pass to get to the Vatican. Its a couple of stops out past Spagna. This would be the easiest and cheapest method in my book.

As far as how late you can stay, when you get to termini, check the train schedules to see when/if there is a last train out. You could even buy you ticket for it then so you don't have to worry about it getting sold out and so that you know what time you need to be back at the station.

[Hank]

I have a few thoughts (so what else is new). A taxi is certainly the most convenient and I would assume it would cost less than 10 Euros (this is an educated guess). If you like to walk, you could also walk to the Spanish steps in about 15 min. I believe the metro (subway) would also work and it should be the Metro Line A. This would get you pretty close to the Spanish steps. Keep in mind that you will need to get your hotel shuttle to the airport, walk to the train station (inside the airport) and than take the Leonardo Express which runs every 30 minutes. Round trip on that Leonardo Express will cost you around $60 (for 2). The Hiltons (I think the Garden works with its larger cousin Hilton FCO) also runs a shuttle bus into Rome, but I am not sure of their schedule or the cost.

Hank