The 75, 60, 90, 718, H, 44, 719, these are just a few of the many different buses I can take to get to school. I have yet to be in a city with a bus system as complicated as Roma. It is impossible to count the numerous different bus routes I could take each day to get to where I need to go. On one hand this is positive because I theoretically always have a way to get somewhere, but it causes a problem because the bus stops are not always near each other. My friends and I all have our favorite ways of getting to school and each one of them has it pluses and minuses. Unfortunately, there is no fast way to get to school.
On early mornings, I like to take the 75 because the bus stop is closest to my house. The 75 is probably slower than other buses, but it guarantees a seat (one of twenty) which allows me to catch a few minutes of extra snooze time. Depending on how awake I am I can get off at Piramide and transfer to the metro. I can take the metro to Bologna then take the 93 or 310 bus to school. However, on mornings where I am still asleep when we reach Piramide, I just stay on the 75 until Termini and then switch to the 90 express bus.
On other mornings, I will walk down the hill, take the 719 to Venezia, and then catch the 60 express to school. The only negative side of this is that sometimes the 719 bus takes a long time to show up and I have to walk a lot further to catch the bus.
In the evenings, I usually take the 60 or 90 express home whichever one comes first. The 60 express drops you off in Piazza Venezia. I can either walk to Largo Argentina (about a five to ten minute walk) and catch the 8 tram or I can take the 44 bus in Piazza Venezia. The tram guarantees no traffic, but I have to walk up a huge hill when I get off. Otherwise, I can take the 44 that usually takes forever for the bus driver to leave because he is chatting with his friends. If I catch the 90 express first I usually wait for the 75 bus, but that can take a long time in the evening.
The key to bus system is if you can get yourself to Venezia or Termini you should find a way to get to where you need to go.
The bus system was the scariest part about my acclimation to Roma. The first week I was convinced I would never learn the transportation system in the amount of time I was here. However, having my school far away from my apartment has made me learn it a lot faster than other people. It also has given me the opportunity to see and explore parts of the city I would not usually see on a daily basis if I lived near school. It is a great personal success that I no longer keep the routes in my bag. Each day in Roma brings new possibilities and new routes that I have not yet explored.
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