After Rome’s metro shuts, the city switches to buses rather than stopping public transport altogether. The simplest Rome night transport rule is to look for lines beginning with n: nMA replaces the Metro A corridor, nMB covers Metro B, nMB1 serves the B1 branch, and nMC covers Metro C. There is also a wider network of overnight buses across neighborhoods that the metro never reaches. On Friday and Saturday nights, remember that the metro itself runs later than on the rest of the week.
First, know when the metro actually closes
Rome’s normal metro timetable depends on the day. According to the current official Metro and railway timetable, the basic pattern is:
- Sunday to Thursday: last metro departures from the end-of-line stations are around 23:30.
- Friday and Saturday: last departures are around 01:30.
- Morning service: the metro begins again at about 05:30.
The wording last departure from the terminus matters. A train leaving Anagnina or Battistini at 23:30 will reach intermediate Metro A stations later than 23:30. Likewise, the station nearest you does not necessarily lock its doors at exactly that minute.
There are small line-specific differences. Metro B’s last scheduled departure from Rebibbia is 23:27 Sunday through Thursday and 01:27 on Friday and Saturday, while B1 has similar three-minute differences between Laurentina and Jonio. Do not plan a tight connection around those final few minutes. Temporary engineering work, major events and station closures can also alter the normal timetable.
The buses that replace the metro at night
Rome’s overnight surface network currently includes 32 dedicated linee notturne, or night lines, operating broadly from 23:30 to 05:00. Another 15 normal daytime bus routes continue until about 02:00 every night. The full current list is maintained on the city’s official bus, tram and trolleybus page.
For most visitors stranded after the last metro, these four routes are the ones to remember:
- nMA: follows the Metro A corridor between Anagnina and the Battistini/Soria side of the city.
- nMB: follows the Metro B corridor between Laurentina and Rebibbia.
- nMB1: serves the B1 branch, running from Termini via the Jonio area and back to Termini.
- nMC: links Piazza Venezia with the Metro C corridor towards Pantano/Monte Compatri.
There is also nME, linking the Metromare corridor with Piazza Venezia, plus neighborhood routes such as n8, n46, n66, n70, n90, n92 and n98. That matters if your hotel is in Trastevere, Monteverde, north Rome or another district not sitting directly above a metro line.
Saturday night is currently better served
Rome expanded its Saturday-night service in July 2026. On Saturdays, ATAC currently schedules the nMA, nMB, nMB1 and nMC at roughly 8 to 10 minute intervals through the night, with extra journeys added after the final metro trains. Do not assume the same frequency on Sunday through Friday nights. On those nights, waiting times can be substantially longer.
How to read a night-bus route correctly
The prefix is easy once you know the Italian shorthand. n means notturna, night service. The rest usually tells you what the route replaces. MA corresponds to Metro A, MB to Metro B and MC to Metro C.
The trap is choosing the right line but the wrong direction. Look at the destination printed on the stop display or journey planner, not merely the route number. If you need western Metro A, for example, you want the nMA heading towards Battistini/Soria, not Anagnina.
Useful words on signs include:
- fermata: stop
- capolinea: terminus
- direzione: direction
- ultima corsa: last run/departure
- linea notturna: night bus route
- deviazione: diversion
- fermata soppressa: stop temporarily not served
Do not assume the night bus stops at the metro entrance
This causes more trouble than the route numbers themselves. A bus replacing a metro corridor travels on streets, so its stop may be around a corner, across a piazza or on the opposite side of a major road from the underground entrance.
Before walking to a closed station, search the night-line number and identify three things: the stop name, the stop code and the destination shown for your direction. Then look for the ATAC surface stop carrying that line number.
Street closures make this especially important around the historic centre. The nMB, for example, can be diverted away from the immediate Colosseo or Cavour station frontage when Via dei Fori Imperiali or surrounding streets are pedestrianized. A glowing Metro B sign is therefore not proof that the replacement bus will stop underneath it.
Finding the night buses at Termini
Termini is one of the easiest places to change between overnight routes, but only if you go to the bus terminal rather than waiting beside a random station exit. The main bus area is outside the station on Piazza dei Cinquecento.
ATAC’s current Termini terminal layout lists the nMA at platforms A and F depending on direction, nMB at platforms A and E, and the nMB1 terminal at platform D. Other overnight routes from Termini include n46, n66, n70, n716, n8, n92 and n98.
Platform assignments can move during road works, so use those letters for orientation rather than treating them as permanent. Once outside, find the platform board and match the actual line number and destination.
Piazza Venezia is the other useful central hub
Piazza Venezia becomes particularly useful after the metro closes because several overnight routes converge there. The nMC’s central terminus is here, and other night buses connect the square with districts east, north and west of the centre.
This is often a better strategy after dinner around the Pantheon, Campo de’ Fiori, Piazza Navona or the Trevi Fountain than walking all the way to a locked metro entrance. Check which night route serves your accommodation, then walk to a useful surface-transport hub instead.
For a broader explanation of daytime buses, metro connections and ticket choices, see Italy on Foot’s guide to getting around Rome without stress.
Which option makes sense from the main visitor areas?
Prati and the Vatican area: accommodation near Ottaviano, Lepanto or other Metro A stations is usually well placed for the nMA. Check the surface stop rather than simply returning to the metro doors.
Monti, Colosseum and the Metro B corridor: the nMB is the obvious replacement, but central diversions can alter its stops around Colosseo, Cavour and Via dei Fori Imperiali.
Areas along Metro B1: look specifically for nMB1. Do not assume every nMB follows the Jonio branch.
Eastern neighborhoods along Metro C: the nMC is the main replacement. From the historic centre, Piazza Venezia is its useful central endpoint.
Trastevere and districts without a metro: forcing your journey through a closed metro station often adds unnecessary walking. Search the complete night-bus network instead. Routes such as n8 and other N services may give you a more direct surface connection.
Historic-centre hotel: if your destination is already within a comfortable walk of Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Trevi or another central area, walking may beat waiting for two buses. For a longer journey, a direct night bus or taxi usually makes more sense than constructing a complicated transfer.
Night buses use the normal Rome transport tickets
There is no special expensive “night fare” on ATAC buses. The ordinary integrated ticket rules apply. The current BIT costs €1.50 and is valid for 100 minutes from its first validation.
Contactless payment is particularly useful late at night because ticket shops and tobacconists may be closed. ATAC’s Tap & Go readers are installed on surface vehicles. Tap the contactless card, phone or watch when boarding and wait for the green confirmation.
If you transfer to another bus within the ticket’s validity period, tap again. ATAC states that these additional taps within the valid 100-minute period do not trigger another fare. Use the same card or device throughout. A physical credit card and the same card stored in your phone are treated as different payment devices.
With a paper ticket, validate it correctly and keep it until the journey is finished. Do not rely on buying a ticket from the driver after midnight.
Plan the return route before you sit down for dinner
Late-night journeys are much easier if you save the route while you still have time and battery. Note the night-line number, destination, boarding stop and one alternative nearby stop. Saving your hotel’s full street address is more useful than saving only its name.
If you are choosing between restaurants, evening sights and accommodation in different parts of the city, the Italy on Foot trip planner can help you organize the rest of the route before the daytime network switches over.
A screenshot is also useful. Temporary diversions, weak mobile data and a nearly dead battery are all less annoying when you already know that your bus is “nMA direction Battistini” rather than simply “some bus back towards the Vatican.”
What to do with luggage, large bags or a stroller
Night buses follow the same ATAC baggage rules as daytime services. ATAC currently allows one piece of luggage up to 50 x 30 x 25 cm free of charge. Additional luggage, or a bag exceeding those dimensions, requires an ordinary ticket. Luggage larger than 80 x 45 x 25 cm is not permitted under the standard rules.
That can matter after a late train arrival at Termini. A full-size suitcase may fall into the paid-baggage category even though travelers often assume all luggage rides free. ATAC can also limit baggage when crowding or operating conditions require it. The current dimensions are published in its official luggage rules.
On surface transport, child buggies are carried free when folded so they create minimal obstruction. With several suitcases, a stroller and a tired child, a taxi can be far less awkward than waiting for an overnight bus and then making another connection.
When a taxi is the better answer
Rome’s licensed taxis are white, have TAXI on the roof and display a Roma Capitale symbol and licence number. Use an official taxi rank or a service that dispatches licensed taxis rather than accepting an unsolicited ride from someone approaching passengers near a station.
For ordinary city journeys there is no single fixed night price. Under the current Rome taxi tariff, the meter has a €7.50 night starting charge from 22:00 to 06:00, after which the metered fare applies. A radiotaxi call carries a fixed €5 call charge under the municipal tariff.
A taxi becomes especially sensible when the bus alternative requires two transfers, your accommodation is a long walk from the nearest night stop, several people can share the fare, or you have bulky luggage. Ask for the meter to be switched on and request a receipt at the end.
If the app shows no arrival time
No live countdown does not automatically mean the route has stopped running. Scheduled service and real-time vehicle tracking are separate things. At night, first confirm that you have the correct line, stop code and direction. Then check the service status for diversions or suspended stops.
If the bus is diverted, do not keep waiting beside a closed metro entrance just because the replacement line normally passes there. Find the nearest confirmed stop on the temporary route. Around major events, demonstrations, road works and pedestrianized streets, moving one stop along the route can solve the problem.
If there is still no sign of the bus and the next scheduled option would leave you standing for a long period, switch plans rather than building an increasingly complicated chain of transfers. Walk to a well-used hub such as Termini or Piazza Venezia if it is reasonably close, or take a licensed taxi directly to your accommodation.
A five-minute check before going out
- Check whether it is Sunday to Thursday or Friday/Saturday, because the last metro is roughly two hours later at weekends.
- Identify the overnight route serving your hotel, not just the nearest metro line.
- Save the exact surface stop and direction for the return journey.
- Have a valid ticket or contactless card ready before boarding.
- Keep a taxi fallback in mind if the route requires multiple changes, luggage makes the bus impractical, or a diversion removes the stop you intended to use.