Fiumicino (FCO) wheelchair accessibility

Fiumicino operates two passenger terminals today: Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. The historic Terminal 2 was retired during the airport's modernisation programme and is no longer in service; Terminal 5 (the older remote security terminal previously used for US-bound flights) is closed. Older signage and forum posts that mention T2 or T5 are out of date.

Terminal 1 serves Schengen-area flights operated by ITA Airways (Italy's flag carrier and the airport's biggest tenant), Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, ITA Airways Schengen partners, and other SkyTeam and Star Alliance carriers' Schengen operations. The check-in concourse is at departures level with lifts to the arrivals level below and to the elevated walkway over to Terminal 3.

Terminal 3 handles every non-Schengen and intercontinental departure (United States, United Kingdom, Middle East, Asia, Africa) plus Schengen flights operated by airlines that do not use Terminal 1 (most low-cost Schengen routes that have not relocated to Ciampino, charter operators, regional carriers). The FCO railway station sits inside Terminal 3 at the level below arrivals, reached by lift.

The two terminals are landside-connected by a covered walkway on the upper level and an internal shuttle bus on the lower level. Both options are step-free. Walking between terminals takes 10 to 15 minutes at a slow pace; the shuttle bus runs every few minutes during operational hours and is the recommended option for wheelchair users with luggage or tight schedules.

Book PRM assistance through your airline when you make the reservation, then confirm again at online or kerbside check-in. The 48-hour pre-booking deadline is set by EC Regulation 1107/2006; missing it does not legally block you from getting assistance, but it does mean ADR's ground-handler cannot guarantee staffing for your arrival or departure window.

Specify the level of assistance you need using the IATA codes. WCHR means you can climb stairs but need a wheelchair to and from the aircraft; WCHS means you cannot climb stairs and need a wheelchair through the terminal plus an aisle chair to your seat; WCHC means you cannot self-mobilise and need a full transfer to and from the seat. The airline relays the code to Sala Amica, which arranges the right equipment and staffing.

If you are travelling with your own wheelchair, declare it as mobility equipment at booking. It travels free under EC 1107/2006 in addition to your standard baggage allowance. Declare battery type for power chairs (lithium-ion, lithium polymer, or lead-acid) so the airline can confirm dangerous-goods handling. Lithium batteries above 300 Wh need 72-hour advance clearance with most carriers.

Disembark first or last (the airline tells you which on the day). A Sala Amica staff member meets you at the aircraft door with the equipment you booked. They escort you through passport control (priority is offered at most desks for assisted passengers), to baggage reclaim, and to your onward transport: rail platform, taxi rank, hotel shuttle, or arrivals hall.

If your assistance does not arrive within 10 to 15 minutes of disembarkation, ask cabin crew to call Sala Amica. If you are already in the terminal and the escort has not appeared, head to the nearest yellow Totem call-point or the Sala Amica lounge in your terminal and quote your assistance reference number. Recovery is usually quick during operational hours.

Plan an extra 30 to 60 minutes for the assisted route compared with the standard arrivals walk. Long-haul early-morning arrivals (the transatlantic and Middle East banks) are the busiest at Terminal 3; allow more buffer if you have a tight onward train to catch.

Identify yourself at a Sala Amica meeting point as early as possible after arrival at the airport. ADR recommends 2 hours early for Schengen flights and 3 hours early for non-Schengen flights for assisted passengers, on top of the airline's standard recommendation. The three named meeting points are: your airline's check-in desk, the yellow Totem call-points outside the terminal, and the Sala Amica lounge before security.

Staff escort you through check-in, security, and (for non-Schengen flights) passport control, with priority queues at each step. At the gate, your wheelchair is tagged and either gate-checked into the hold or stored in the cabin if it folds and the airline has space. You transfer to the airline's onboard chair or are wheeled to the seat in your own chair, depending on aircraft type and your booked code.

Passengers who have requested assistance board first on every airline serving FCO under the EC 1107/2006 framework. Allow at least 3 hours before a long-haul flight from Terminal 3 and 2 hours before a Schengen flight from Terminal 1, on top of the airline's recommendation, to absorb queue time at peak hours.

Accessible toilets are signed at every concourse of both terminals, before and after security. The standard Italian disability layout applies: a wide door, grab bars, transfer space, and an emergency call cord. Locations are mapped on the airport's internal information screens and on the ADR website's terminal-by-terminal pages.

Free wheelchair loans are available at the Sala Amica desk in each terminal. Stock includes manual airport wheelchairs and folding chairs; power chairs are not loaned. If you forgot or cannot bring your own chair, request the loan when you book PRM through your airline so staff can have the chair ready at the meeting point.

Pet-relief areas for service and assistance dogs are signed in both terminals, with grass surfaces, water bowls, and waste-disposal bags. The areas are signed from the gates after security and from the kerbside before check-in. Confirm location with the Sala Amica desk on arrival if you need to use one quickly.

The Leonardo Express is the simplest accessible transfer from Fiumicino to central Rome. The station sits inside Terminal 3 at the level below arrivals, reached by lift from the arrivals concourse. Trains depart every 15 minutes from around 05:35 in the morning to 22:35 at night, run direct without intermediate stops, and arrive at Roma Termini in 32 minutes. The fare is 14 EUR one-way.

Every Leonardo Express train has dedicated PRM seating and accessible bathrooms. Guide dogs travel free of charge. Both ends of the line are step-free: lifts run between the FCO station entrance and the platform, and lifts at Roma Termini connect the Leonardo Express platforms to the main station concourse and the accessible exits.

There is a small platform-train gap on most carriages, typically 5 to 8 cm. The Sala Amica team and Trenitalia Sala Blu staff at both ends can deploy a portable bridge plate if you need one. Book Sala Blu assistance through the SALABLU+ app or by calling the toll-free Italian number when you book the Sala Amica airport assistance; the two services coordinate the handoff between airport and rail.

The FL1 regional train calls at the same FCO station as the Leonardo Express but runs north to Trastevere, Ostiense, Tuscolana, and Tiburtina rather than to Termini. It is the right option when your hotel is on the Right Bank, in the Aventino or Testaccio districts, near Tiburtina station, or anywhere on the eastern ring of Rome. The journey to Trastevere takes around 25 minutes and to Tiburtina around 45 minutes.

The FL1 fare is lower than the Leonardo Express. Tickets are sold at the staffed counter inside the FCO station, at the platform vending machines (touch screens at standing height; staff at the counter can assist if you cannot reach them), and on the Trenitalia mobile app. Validate paper tickets at the platform gates before boarding.

PRM assistance on the FL1 is via Trenitalia Sala Blu, the national rail accessibility service. Book at least 12 hours ahead through the SALABLU+ app or by calling Sala Blu. Sala Blu staff meet you at the FCO platform and at your destination station, deploy a portable bridge plate to cover the platform-train gap, and coordinate with the Sala Amica airport team on the handoff.

The official airport taxi rank is at the kerbside outside each terminal's arrivals hall. White Comune di Roma taxis from the rank charge a fixed flat tariff to within the Aurelian Walls and a metered fare for destinations outside the walls. The fixed rate covers up to four passengers and standard luggage; oversized mobility equipment may incur a small additional charge declared at the start of the journey.

Walk-up wheelchair-accessible cabs (rear-loading or side-loading vans, occasionally a converted estate car) are not always at the rank. Pre-book through Radio Taxi 3570 or La Capitale at least a few hours ahead, longer for early-morning weekend arrivals. The driver meets you at the standard taxi rank or at the Sala Amica desk if you arrange that with the dispatcher in advance.

Journey time to central Rome is 30 to 45 minutes outside peak traffic and 45 to 60 minutes during the morning and evening commuter peaks (07:30 to 09:30 and 17:00 to 19:00 on weekdays). The Sunday-morning shoulder is the fastest run. Tip is at your discretion; round up to the nearest euro is the local custom rather than a percentage gratuity.

Service dogs travel free in the cabin on every airline serving FCO under EC 1107/2006 and IATA cabin rules. Bring the EU pet passport (for EU residents) or third-country annex IV documentation, the rabies vaccination certificate, and the airline's own service-animal form. The chip ID must match the rabies certificate; carriers verify this at check-in and at the boarding gate.

Your wheelchair travels free as mobility equipment in addition to your standard baggage. Manual chairs go in the hold; folding power chairs may be cabin-loaded if cabin space allows on the specific aircraft type. Lithium-ion and lithium polymer batteries up to 300 Wh are accepted on most carriers without advance notice; declare the battery type at booking and again at check-in. Lead-acid batteries (older power chairs) require dangerous-goods packaging and must be declared 72 hours ahead.

Save the Sala Amica contact details on your phone before you travel. The reference number from your airline booking is the fastest way to recover a missed assistance handoff; without it, you will be asked to wait while staff search by name and flight number.

Photograph your wheelchair at the gate before it is loaded. If anything is damaged in transit (the airline is liable under EC 1107/2006 for damage to mobility equipment), the photo is your evidence on the day. File a damage report at the Sala Amica desk on arrival before you leave the airport; the airport baggage office downstream of the desk handles the airline claim.

Allow extra connection time if you transit through FCO. The published minimum connection time at Fiumicino is 60 minutes for Schengen-to-Schengen connections and 90 minutes for non-Schengen connections, but for assisted transfers add at least 30 minutes on top. Long-haul to Schengen connections that change terminals between T3 and T1 are the most time-pressed; budget two hours if your itinerary is tight.