Caritas contacts for logistics
Martina Liebsch +39 334 359 0814 (English, Spanish, French, German, Italian)
Jacob Winter +39 335 584 5975 (English, French, Dutch)

Arriving at Fiumicino "Leonardo da Vinci" Airport (FCO)
Welcome desks: On arrival days (18 - 21 May 2011, possibly also 22 May), Caritas welcome desks will be positioned at arrival terminals T1 and T3, immediately after passport control. You will find Caritas staff ready to meet you and help you find transport to your accommodation. If you arrive very early in the morning or very late at night or on another day, and do not find Caritas representatives, please follow the instructions below on taking a taxi.

Changing money: At the airport you will find two Bureaux de Change, one in the baggage claim area (open 07:30 - 24:00), the other in the arrivals hall (open 06:00 to 24:00). There is a Unicredit bank in the International Arrivals Hall Terminal 3 (open 08:30 - 13:30 and 15:00 - 16:00, Monday-Friday), and cash dispensers for Mastercard, Visa and most other cards.

Taxis: Caritas staff in the airport will help you to get to the taxi area. If you arrive at a time when Caritas staff are not available, follow "taxi" sign to the taxi stand outside the arrivals area. Although there may be people soliciting you for a taxi ride into Rome, you should use only the white licensed taxis with meters. To make sure you board the right (cheapest) taxi, look for the symbol of the Roman local administration (Comune di Roma) on the side of the car. The tariff should be about 45 Euro (US$60) for up to four persons, inclusive of luggage. You should pay in cash for the journey. If you have a problem, note down the taxi licence number. Avoid taxis licensed by the Comune di Fiumicino who will charge a higher fare, as they are not allowed to carry passengers from Rome to the airport. Surcharge fees are applied for night runs, on Sundays and holidays. Travel time will be 30 to 45 minutes to the General Assembly venue and hotels.

Trains and buses: There is a railway station in the airport with trains to central Rome. Please follow the signs.

For Trastevere, take the local train (Metropolitan Train FM1), NOT the Leonardo Express. The fare is 8 Euro (about US$ 11). Timetable: every 15 minutes, 05:57 - 23:27. Timetables may vary on holidays and Sundays. Train schedules are posted inside the railway station.

Tickets can be purchased at vending machines located inside international and domestic arrival halls and at the railway station. You must validate your ticked by inserting it in the validation machine before you board the train.

From Trastevere station, you can either take a taxi or tram (No. 8), towards the centre (direction ‘Argentina’). From Largo Argentina (the final stop), cross the road to the bus stop in front of a large bookshop called ‘Feltrinelli’ and take
bus 916 for Villa Aurelia (get off at second stop in Piazza Pio XI) and Casa La Salle or Palazzo Carpegna (get off at Metro De La Salle).

For Torre Rossa Park Hotel get off at Villa Carpegna bus stop and walk 5 – 10 minutes; alternatively change buses at Porta Cavalleggeri bus stop and take bus 98 or 881 from there; get off at Torre Rossa/Domus Pacis. On Sunday 22 May you can also take bus 190, but this stops only at Villa Carpegna stop.

You can make the entire trip on two/three tram/bus lines on one ticket of Euro 1, which you can buy at “tabacchi” or newspaper stands.

For Princess Hotel see below (via Termini Station).

Trains to Termini Station (Leonardo Express) start at 06:37, with trains running at 5 and 35 minutes after the hour. No intermediate stops. The last train of the day departs at 23:37. Travel time: about 30 minutes. The fare is Euro 14 (about US $ 18). Buy a ticket "per Termini". You must validate your ticked by inserting it in the validation machine before you enter the train.

From Termini Station to your final destination you can either take a taxi (around Euro 20) or, if you are staying at Torre Rossa Park Hotel, Palazzo Carpegna, Casa La Salle or Hotel Princess, metro A (direction BATTISTINI). Get off the metro at Cornelia station and take southbound bus 98 or 889 for Torre Rossa Park Hotel (get off at Torre Rossa/Domus Pacis) or bus 246 (direction MALAGROTTA) for the Princess Hotel (get off at Aurelia/Da Rosate).

For Palazzo Carpegna and Casa La Salle either walk 5 – 10 minutes after you get off Cornelia metro station or take bus 246 and get off at Aurelia/Azone (the third stop).

If you are staying at Villa Aurelia Hotel the best way is to get bus 64 from Stazione Termini to Porta Cavalleggeri bus stop and from there one of the following bus lines: 98, 881, 916. Get off at the second stop at Piazza Pio XI. You can make the entire trip on one ticket of Euro 1, which you can buy at “tabacchi” or newspaper stands.

Car Rental: The following car rental companies are in the airport: Avis, Eurodollar, Europcar, Hertz, Italy by Car and Maggiore. Their offices can be easily reached from both the Domestic and International Terminals. Just follow the "Rent a Car" signs.

Arriving at Ciampino Airport (CIA)
RyanAir, EasyJet and some charter flights land in Ciampino airport, about 15 km south east of Rome. Bureaux de Change and banks are available at the airport.

Buses and trains: in the parking lot outside the arrivals area, you will see a bus stop where you can take a local bus Atral to Anagnina subway station. Cost: 1 Euro (about US$ 1.30). From Anagnina station take subway direction Battistini and get off at Baldo degli Ubaldi, journey time about 25 minutes. Cost: 1 Euro (about US$ 1.30). Alternatively, take the direct bus from Ciampino to Termini station (Atral, Cotral, SIT or TERRAVISION), which takes around 45 minutes and costs 6 Euro (about US$ 8),. For the onward journey from Termini station see above.

Taxis: The tariff will be around 35 Euro (about US$ 50), including luggage for up to four persons; the ride takes 30 - 60 minutes.

Arriving at Termini Railway Station
Termini Railway Station, in the centre of Rome, is connected to ‘A’ and ‘B’ underground lines and a large number of bus lines. Roma Termini is open from 4 am to 1 am, corresponding to the arrival of the last scheduled train. For the onward journey from Termini station see under Fiumicino (above).

General Assembly location
The Hotel Palazzo Carpegna (Domus Mariae) is located at Via Aurelia, 481. Participants lodged in this hotel can make their way to the main conference hall and other meeting rooms on foot, as can participants lodged in Torre Rossa Park Hotel (Domus Pacis) by taking the footpath through the gardens, and in Casa la Salle by crossing Via Aurelia.

For participants in Villa Aurelia and the Princess Hotel, a daily pick-up and drop-off service by bus will be provided, leaving these two hotels at around 08:00 in the morning and returning after meetings have ended (times will be announced).

Grand Hotel Palazzo Carpegna (Domus Mariae)
Via Aurelia, 481
00165 Roma
Tel: +39 06 66 00 11

Accommodation
All General Assembly participants will be individually informed about where their accommodation has been booked and how to get there. At the General Assembly, you will find displayed a list of where each participant is staying, so that you can contact friends and colleagues.

Grand Hotel Palazzo Carpegna/Domus Mariae
Via Aurelia, 481
00165 Roma
Tel: +39 06 66 00 11

Torre Rossa Park Hotel/Domus Pacis
Via di Torre Rossa, 94
00165 Roma
Tel: +39 06 66 00 71

Centro Congressi Villa Aurelia
Via Leone XIII, 459
00165 Roma
Tel: +39 06 66 01 7458

Casa La Salle
Via Aurelia, 472
00165 Roma
Tel: +39 06 66 69 81

Hotel Princess
Via Andrea Ferrara, 33
00165 Roma
Tel: +39 06 66 49 31

Registration
Caritas staff will be present in Palazzo Carpegna for registration. You are kindly requested to report to the registration desk at your earliest convenience. You will receive your General Assembly documentation and badge at registration. Registration is from 8.30-21.30 Saturday 21 May and 8.30-13.30 Sunday 22 May .

Food
Most meals will be provided. Mercato Irnerio, to be found at the entrance of Villa Carpegna in Via Aurelia, has many fresh food, snacks and grocery shops.

General information
Rome is halfway down Italy’s West coast, about 20km (12 miles) inland. It is a big city, but the historic centre is quite small. In Summer, it is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.

Language
Italian. English is widely spoken, enough to communicate basic information in major hotels, restaurants, stores and international business meetings. Most taxi drivers do not speak English.

Currency
The currency in Italy is the Euro, although US dollars may be accepted in some restaurants and stores. Exchange bureaux can be found around the city and are open all day. At night you will have to rely on the automatic machines placed at strategic points around town. Banks and exchange booths set their own exchange rates, so be sure to check before you change your money.

Electrical appliances
Voltage in Italy is 220, and although the three-prong round plug is preferable, a round two-prong works as well.

Business hours
Most stores are open 09:00 - 13:00 and 16:00 - 20:00, except for some in the historic centre that are open all day. The major supermarkets and department stores are also open all day. Most shops are closed on Sunday and sometimes on Monday, except for the shops in the historic centre, which are open Sunday and closed Monday morning.

Pharmacies in town rotate opening night hours.

Banks are open Monday-Friday 08:30 - 13:30 and in the afternoon from around 15:00 - 16:00 (though afternoon hours vary). You must remember to have photo ID with you.

Post offices are open Monday-Friday 08:30 - 14:00; Saturday: 08:30 - 13:00.

Clothing
Light clothes are recommended for the rather warm month of May (17-28 degrees C; 63-82 Fahrenheit). When visiting the Vatican or any major cathedral, men should wear long trousers, and women skirts or long trousers. Sleeveless shirts and shorts are not permitted in churches or the Vatican, including the Vatican Museums.

Coffee bars
Most bars insist that you order and pay for your coffee at the cash desk first, then go to the bar with your receipt. The Italians usually stand at the bar to drink their coffee, which is considerably cheaper than sitting at a table, since table service is usually charged. Always check prices before sitting down, as sometimes a coffee at a table can be extremely expensive, especially in popular tourist sites.

Tipping
Tipping is not mandatory. At times a service charge (servizio) is included in your restaurant bill. This should not be confused with the cover charge (coperto), which is a charge for bread and table settings. If the service charge is included and you are pleased with the service, it is customary to leave an additional 5%; if the service charge is not included, leave a 10% tip. Tipping in taxis is not obligatory either, but 1-2 Euro (about US$ 1.30 – 2.60) is usually given to the driver.

Telephone
Most public phones now accept only telephone cards, which are issued by Telecom Italia, the state-run phone company, and are available at newspaper stands, tobacco shops and many bars. Cards are available for 5 and 10 Euro (about US$ 6.50 and 13). Ask for "una carta telefonica". Some newer phones, mostly in the centre, also accept major credit cards. You may also buy various types of phone cards from most Bureaux de Change, which can be used to make calls from public phones and hotel rooms. These are usually the cheapest way to make calls abroad. To call abroad you should dial 00 and then your country’s dialling code.

Nuisances
Like all big cities, Rome has its share of crime, some of it avoidable. Petty thefts may take place on public buses and in the historic centre. Bus 64, connecting Termini Station to Saint Peter’s, attracts many pickpockets. Don’t tempt thieves with dangling or open purses, easily accessible wallets or flashy, expensive jewellery. Hold on tightly to purses and briefcases as you walk, and do not walk close to the traffic (a purse snatcher may operate from the back of a motorbike).

Emergency numbers
Police: 112 or 113
Ambulance: 118

Newspapers
Newspapers are available at the green news-stands found on many street corners. Foreign newspapers are mostly available in the centre of town.

Transport
Subway (Metro): Rome’s Metro has two main lines. Timetable: 05:30 - 21:00 (Saturday: until 00:30). Price: 1 trip = 1 Euro (about US$ 1.30)

Buses and trams: Buses and trams operate 05:30 - 24:00. Night bus services operate 00:10 - 05:30. These services are marked by the letter N followed by a number. The integrated ticket – Metrebus – allows you to travel on all modes of public transport within the metropolitan area of Rome (excluding the rail links to Fiumicino Airport or the direct bus to Ciampino airport). While it is preferable to buy tickets before the start of your journey from any Metro station, authorised vendor (newsagent, tobacconist) and automatic ticket machines, some buses and trams are now equipped with ticket vending machines.

If travelling by bus every day, buy the weekly ticket. Alternatively, buy a small supply of daily tickets on your arrival in Rome, ideally at the tobacconists/newsagent in the airport. The Weekly Ticket (CIS) is valid for seven days on all public transport services within the metropolitan area of Rome. Cost: 16 Euro (about US$ 21). The Daily Ticket (BIG) is valid for use on all public transport services within the metropolitan area of Rome on the day it is validated. Cost: 4 Euro (about US$ 5.20). The 75 Minute Ticket (BIT) is valid for up to 75 minutes on all ATAC buses and trams, for one trip on metro lines A and B and for one trip on any metro-type FS train (2nd class). Cost: 1 Euro (about US$ 1.30).

Tickets must be validated as soon as you get on the bus or train. Validation machines are located at the rear of buses and trams, at the entry gates of Metro stations and within the entrance area of all rail stations. During your journey a ticket inspector may ask you to show your ticket. If you do not have a valid ticket, you are liable to pay a fine of 51 Euro (about US$ 66).

Radio taxi telephone numbers
Mondo Taxi 068822
Cooperative Radiotaxi 063570-63898
Cosmo 0688177
La Capitale 064994
Pronto Taxi 066645
Tevere 064157