Rome to Ostia Antica by Train: A Complete Guide
Is Ostia Antica is Worth Visiting?
For those stationed in the eternal city of Rome, is Ostia Antica worth visiting via a day trip? That is the question that many tourists ask. Luckily, Rome to Ostia Antica is an easy day trip by train. The historic ruins of Ostia Antica provide a look into daily life during the Roman Empire that is much different than the Roman Ruins in Rome.
The ancient city of Ostia Antica features 2,000-year-old Roman Ruins. Founded around 600 BC, Ostia Antica served as a harbour city and eventually became an important trading city on the Tiber River during the height of the Roman Empire. When Rome fell around 500 AD, the harbor was abandoned and eventually filled with mud. Mud-covered Ostia Antica preserved it until it was ultimately excavated and opened to the public in 1975. Archeologists believe that more than 60% of the town is still buried in mud and yet to be excavated.
The ruins are in remarkable shape and include Roman roads, mosaics, an amphitheater, and bathhouses. When I walked through Ostia Antica, I really could picture what it would have felt like during the days of the Roman Empire.
The best part about Ostia Antica is that Ostia Antica is less than an hour from Rome by train. Its location makes it an easy day trip for anyone who wants to escape the bustling city of Rome.
Rome to Ostia Antica by Train: A Complete Guide - Table of Contents
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Rome to Ostia Antica by Train
It is easy to travel from Rome to Ostia Antica by train. The journey only takes about 45 minutes from Rome’s Termini Station.
The first step is to take Rome’s Metro Line to Rome’s Termini Station. Metro stations are abundant inside of Rome, so one should never be more than a few minutes walk.
The next step to travel from Rome to Ostia Antica by train is to take the Blue Line to Piramide Station. From Piramide Station, you can transfer to the Roma Lido Line. The Roma Lido Line goes all the way to the Ostia Antica Station. Tickets on both lines are free with the Roma Pass. For tourists who do not have the Roma Pass, the fare is a reasonable €1.50 in each direction.
Get off the train when it stops at Ostia Antica Station. From Ostia Antica Station, it is a simple 10-15 minute walk to the entrance to the Roman Ruins of Ostia Antica.
During my visit, when I got off the train at Ostia Antica Station, I wasn’t sure which way to walk. It quickly became apparent that all I had to do was follow the people. Despite being a commuter train, everyone who got off the train headed to the ruins of Ostia Antica.
Purchasing Osita Antica Tickets
Ostia Antica is open six days a week from around 8:30 am to 7:00 pm, depending on the time of the year. When the days are longer, the ruins stay open later.
Ostia Antica is closed on Monday. Tickets to enter Ostia Antica cost €18. If you have the Roma Pass, there is no charge to enter Ostia Antica. During my visit, I used the second free entry from my 72-hour Roma Pass to gain entry.
Something worth noting is that admission to Ostia Antica is free on April 25, June 2, and November 4.
The Ruins of Ostia Antica - A Photo Tour of My Experience
I had never seen anything like Ostia Antica. When I entered the ruins, I wanted to walk through every inch of the ruins and inside every dwelling or structure. My advice is to walk quickly through the initial section. Most of the spectacular ruins are later along the route, and I wish I had more time to walk through them. Remember, Ostia Antica is large, and you will not be able to see everything during a single-day trip.
In the section below, I did my best to map out my route and feature my best photos of Ostia Antica.
Fairly quickly, the main pathway met up with an old Roman Road, which took me past numerous broken statues towards the giant Roman Amphitheater. Before coming upon the amphitheater, I stopped at one of the highlights of the ruins, the Baths of Neptune.
The Baths of Neptune
The Baths of Neptune contained the ruins of over 20 Roman Bathhouses and had both hot and cold water. The piping system was able to remove the wastewater and keep it separate from the incoming water.
The Baths of Neptune feature spectacular mosaics that have withstood the test of time.
Roman Amphitheater at Ostia Antica
Following the Bath of Neptune, I continued onto the Roman Amphitheater. Archeologists believe the Amphitheater was constructed around 12 BC and could hold around 4,000 people. It was in remarkable shape and provided an incredible view of the ruins.
Be sure to walk up to the top of the Roman Amphitheater to get great views of Ostia Antica.
Below are a couple of additional photos from the top of the Amphitheater at Ostia Antica. This location was my favorite location for photographing the ruins.
Houses and Residences at Ostia Antica
I continued walking down the Roman Road past a merchant area as well as areas of housing. This part of the ruins was in remarkable shape and made me feel like I was walking down these streets over 2,000 years ago. Typically, the markets were located on the lower floors and the merchants lived on the upper floors.
Throughout my walk through the ruins of Ostia Antica, I took over 200 pictures. I tried to take photos of the signs so I could remember what each building was. It would be impossible to put a picture of everything worth seeing on this page.
Continuing Towards the Mouth of the Tiber
As I continued down the old Roman Road, the buildings of Ostia Antica became buried and overgrown with plants. These ruins still need to be excavated.
Eventually, I reached the Tiber River, turned around, and walked back to the entrance.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time visiting Ostia Antica. I can definitely answer my initial question, “Is Ostia Antica worth visiting?” The answer is a resounding yes!
Guided Tours of Ostia Antica
Personally, I do not feel a guided tour is necessary to enjoy the sights of Ostia Antica. Still, I know many people enjoy taking a tour guided by an expert. Below are various tour options for Ostia Antica.
I am an affiliate partner of Viator. If you book a tour using one of the links below, I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no additional cost to you. If a tour interests you, I would greatly appreciate it if you would consider booking using one of my links.
Prices are accurate as of June 2024.
 Ostia Antica Guided Tour Including the Ancient Theater and Baths - $295.18 Explore Ostia Antica on this 3-hour private tour. |
 Semi Private Tour of Ostia Antica, Rome's Ancient Harbor City / MAX 6 PEOPLE - $141.39 This intimate and safe Semi Private tour with MAX 6 people GUARANTEED, will take you on an adventure back in time to a once flourishing cosmopolitan harbor city on the outskirts of Rome! Thanks to the amazing preservation, Ostia is often referred to as ‘the better Pompeii’. |
 Ostia antica walking tour - $304.39 We'll do together a walk through the Roman ruins in this old town. Its history, rich and fascinating, is witnessed today by the countless monuments that are worth visiting because in excellent condition. The first settlement can be traced back to the beginning of the 4th century B.C. Only at the end of that century a squared fortified encampent (castrum) was built. This military camp, called Ostia from the Latin word Ostium meaning "mouth of the river", was established at a distance of around 16 miles from Rome, as a military outpost to keep under control not only the access to the Tiber and the nearby areas, in order to defend Rome. |
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The City of Ostia
After spending over 3 hours at the ruins, I walked back to the Ostia Antica train station and took the Roma Lido Line, two stations further to the Lido Central Station. From Lido Central, I walked through the town down to the Mediterranean Sea. During my walk from Lido Central Station to the Mediterranean Sea, I walked past many beautiful houses.
The Mediterranean Beaches Near Ostia Antica
This trip was the first time I had ever seen the Mediterranean Sea. Even though it was March, the air temperature was warm. I was able to wade into the Mediterranean Sea, which was the first time I’d set foot in the Mediterranean’s water.
I highly recommend walking out on the Ostia Pier. The pier provides a great view of the nearby beaches.
Next to the Lido Central Train Station was an outdoor mall that had a few nice shops and restaurants.
To take the train back to Rome from Ostia Antica, I walked back to the Lido Central Train Station and took the Roma Lido Line back to Piramide Station. After getting on the Blue Line, I disembarked at Cavour and was back at my hotel. It was a wonderful day trip from Rome, and I would highly recommend it to everyone.
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