Rome Tram Line 2 from Piazzale Flaminio along Via Flaminia

Via Flaminia is an ancient Roman road since 220 BC running between Rome and Ariminum (today’s Rimini) on the coast of the Adriatic Sea and onwards to the rest of Europe and Asia, running over the rugged Apennine Mountains. The section of the Via Flaminia running through northern Rome is where Constantine the Great experienced his vision of the Chi Rho, which led to his conversion to Christianity and the subsequent Christianization of the Roman Empire.

Being the main pilgrimage road for the past 1700 years or so, I decided to take a symbolic exit out of Rome on the last evening of my trip via the ancient Via Flaminia, but using modern technology of the tram instead of on foot or a chariot.

*As photography of trains in Rome using a camera are not really welcomed by the operators and staff, picture quality and quantity are degraded in this article.

Porta del Popolo

The Via Flaminia starts and ends at Porta del Popolo, the main entrance gate to Rome at Piazza del Popolo which most foreign pilgrims would have seen before the advent of cars, buses, trains, planes, and everything.

Crossing the road junction to Via Flaminia.

Piazzale Flaminio Tram Stop

The start of the ancient road of Via Flaminia is now the uninspiring Piazzale Flaminio Tram Stop, which while I like trains, it’s a bit unfortunate to rail over a historic road like this. But this is now the only way to depart from the start of the Via Flaminia by public transport.

What I thought was an information board on the historical Via Flaminia was instead the transfer information around Piazzale Flaminio for buses, trams, and trains. Change here for the Rome Metro Line A and Roma-Viterbo Railway.

Passengers wait in the middle platform, while doors on the tram will open on the side platforms for alighting passengers first, thus adopting the Spanish Solution.

The scotch on the rails at the end of the line and the end of Via Flaminia.

Hopefully the tram works well in general, as I don’t think the scotch and glass end of the track are of any use to stop a speeding tram.

Porta del Popolo as seen from Via Flaminia and Piazzale Flaminio Tram Stop.

The other end of the platform is used apparently as a car park.

The scissors crossing after the platforms of Piazzale Flaminio Tram Stop.

Fiat Cityway (Alstom Cityway) Articulated Tram

The Fiat Cityway (Alstom Cityway) articulated tram used on Rome Tram Line 2. Passengers on the island platform wait for alighting passengers on the side platform to alight first.

The tram filled up quickly, so I couldn’t take a proper interior photo just yet, lest I incur the wrath of everybody on board.

Via Flaminia

Departing from Piazzale Flaminio Tram Stop onto the Via Flaminia – my symbolic departure from Rome.

After Flaminia/Belle Arti Tram Stop, the double-tracked line splits around the middle park area, with the northbound line heading onto the Viale Tiziano, a parallel road with the Via Flaminia for a short distance up to the River Tiber.

Turning around the northernmost 135 degree corner at Piazzale Cardinal Consalvi.

Mancini Tram Stop

Rome Tram Line 2’s northern “terminal” for crew and scheduling operations is Mancini Tram Stop which is located in front of Mancini Bus Interchange at Piazza Antonio Mancini. However, as Mancini is located on Rome Tram Line 2’s 4-shaped loop, passengers are allowed to remain on board while the crew change takes place, since passengers travelling through stops on the loop will overlap at Mancini.

Departing from Mancini back to Piazzale Flaminio.

On the southbound journey to Piazzale Flaminio, takes Via Flaminia from Piazza dei Carracci all the way down to Piazzale Flaminio.

Meeting with Rome Tram Line 19 at Belle Arti.

There are 2 shared stops of the Rome Tram Lines 2 and 19 at Belle Arti and Ministero Marina. Rome Tram Line 19 turns right after Ministero Marina, short of Piazzale Flaminio, to continue on to Risorgimento/San Pietro near St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.

Arriving back at Piazzale Flaminio Tram Stop.

Piazzale Flaminio Tram Stop

More passengers waiting for the Rome Tram Line 2 at Piazzale Flaminio Tram Stop to Mancini.

The empty interior of the Fiat Cityway (Alstom Cityway) Articulated Tram operating on Rome Tram Line 2.

Back at the start and end of Via Flaminia and Porta del Popolo.

The Fiat Cityway (Alstom Cityway) Articulated Tram at Piazzale Flaminio Tram Stop.

Piazzale Flaminio Tram Stop is located just beside an entrance to Flaminio – Piazza del Popolo Metro Station on Rome Metro Line A.

While travelling on the Via Flaminia used to be an important road link from Rome to the rest of the world, and foreign visitors would most likely only use it twice in their lives, once when going to Rome and once more when going home, now everyone can do it as frequently as the Rome Tram Line 2 departs from Piazzale Flaminio.