The scene below is not one of Rome’s most photogenic. It is the taxi queue outside Roma Termini, the main railway station in the city.
This is the official taxi rank where you will be able to get a registered taxi with a meter. I find the drivers to be courteous and helpful. Many speak a bit of English, but accents can be a problem, so it is a good idea to have the name of the street you want to go to written down. You will be charged the fare shown on the meter plus a couple of euros more for your suitcases.
You must go to the taxi from the queue. Do not go with someone offering you a car not in the queue. They will take you to an illegal taxi and charge you whatever they want, always much more than you should pay.
It is very easy to be taken in by them. Just yesterday I was led to a car and told my fare to Via Rasella would be €30. I happen to know the fare is about €8 so I told him where to go.
I went back to the queue and it happened again! You really have to know what you are doing. The second one told me there was a strike in the city and I had to take his car, which was absolute rubbish.
I can speak Italian and they still try to put it over me. It can be very difficult for strangers to the city who don’t speak the language.
If possible ask your hotel roughly how much a taxi fare should be so if you get caught by one of these illegal drivers or their touts you will know to refuse them.
It is a pity that this is the first impression many people get of this wonderful city.