"Getting Around Rome by Buses" submitted by RomeTour Editorial Team and last updated on Thursday 28th April 2011
There are hundreds of bus lines, running from 5.30am until midnight. A complex network of over 200 bus lines covers the whole urban and suburban areas of Rome, although the effectiveness of the service is heavily affected by the city's traffic, especially in central districts.
The vast majority of buses don't run on a schedule, so you never really know when they are showing up. In the historic center, you don't usually have to wait too long, unless you're tired and it's raining.
Bus stops all have yellow signs or a white background that indicate which buses stop there, and their hours. Daytime buses run from 5:30 AM to midnight. Most buses do not operate on schedule, so do not expect to catch a bus at a specific time, but a select few do.
All bus lines are indicated by numbers. In recent years, a colour code system has been introduced to describe their features, and ordinary lines are now being changed accordingly. All bus lines are indicated by numbers and colours. A colour code scheme describes the type of line. All colours but one, (red), also have a matching logo, as shown below, which is featured in the bus stop board. In addition to the usual bus lines recognizable by a U letter on a blue background, the city Bus Lines are the following:
they are being gradually turned into blue or maroon lines.
BLUE (linea urbana, "urban line") - they are the standard urban and suburban lines, whose stops do not have a time schedule. They are orange and there are the old style and the new. Most of the buses in Rome are in the Linea Urbana, and the newer ones have air conditioning and more seating.
DEEP GREEN (linea espressa, "express line")- marked by an X letter in green color covering long distances and connecting far away areas. They do not operate as much and do not make every stop. They are the very long green buses. It is a particularly fast service between crucial or distant spots of the city with only a few stops. You'll have to ask which is the stop closest to where you are going, otherwise you might have to backtrack a bit. They run a little less frequently than the other buses. They have even numbers (20,40,60,80,90) and (usually) say Express.
MAROON (linea esatta, "exact line") [Temporary] - There are a few buses, called Linea Esatta that run on a predetermined schedule. They are marked by an E letter in bordeaux colour covering short distances leaving at fixed hours. They usually only run during the week. They are the only temporary urban daytime lines. They are still few, compared to ordinary lines. You'll see this type (see pictured) for the Linea Esatta which runs on a schedule as well as the Notturno (night buses) that run after midnight.
BLACK (bus linea notturna, "night bus" - marked by and N letter or sometimes with a small owl, sometimes also featured on top of the bus stop board) - all night lines are subject to a time schedule, shown below the bus stop.Service runs from midnight to 5.30am Stops are easily recognisable because they feature an owl sign. 
Electric Lines -
Linea Circolare (Circular Line)Linea Circolare is not regular bus service and new. It is not extensive and well connected to evrywhere in Rome and not reaches to most areas of the city. For the occasion, the circular line 100, free and dedicated to the holiday shopping season only remain in service. The new shortcut circular line 291 which will have a single circular route with a terminus in piazzale Clodio and stops near all locations of the Court of Rome between viale delle Milizie and via Lepanto.
Lines for the disabled 
In general, about 1/5 of the buses in Rome have facilities for the transportation of wheel-chairs. These buses carry the international sign on their front.
Rome is a very safe city, but you do have to watch out for pickpockets on crowded buses and metro train. Carry your money or documents in a secure bag or money belt in front of you and always keep an eye on where other people's hands are!
Bus stops have yellow (sometimes white) signs with each bus line in a column on the sign. Each column will show all the stops for that line, with the current stop in a red rectangle. The type of bus will also be noted at the top: Express (stops infrequently), Urbano (normal), Notturno (night). Metro stops and train stations will also be noted.
At the bottom of each column, you'll find the hours for that bus line.
Except exact and night lines, all the others do not show their time schedule: they do set off at given hours, but the heavy traffic would make it very difficult to reach every stop at the right time.
However, a great majority of lines have rides ranging from one every 5 mins. to one every 25-30 mins., according to the time (higher frequency at peak hours) and to the districts covered by the line (central neighborhoods, or areas not directly reached by subways are usually better served). Furthermore, often two or more different lines may be taken from the same stop to reach a given spot, so the wait for a bus is never too long.
On Sundays buses are scarcer than during the rest of the week. The daytime bus service starts around 5:00 or 5:30 AM, depending on the different lines, and ends around 11:30 PM-0:00, when it switches over to the night service. The hour of the last ordinary ride is usually stated on the board. Night service lines have a scheduled timetable, shown on the sign's board. Night rides are less frequent than during daytime, about one every 30 minutes.
Sometimes bus stops need to be moved temporarily for various reasons. In that case, you'll find a round sign stating " la fermata stata spostata " (the stop has been moved). It will usually be ahead on the route and sometimes the sign will say how far. At the temporary stop, there will be a sign that usually just says fermata and sometimes the bus lines are written in by hand.
Tour Buses Circulation
The circulation of tour buses in Rome is regulated according to the "Piano Pullman" ("coach plan") of the Municipality of Rome. The city has been divided into two big "Zone a Traffico Limitato" ("limited traffic areas"):
Traveling Italy through bus is cheaper and hassle-free than any other forms of transportation like private cars as the country is short of sufficient car parking spaces. Moreover, people in Italy prefer to move about in buses as they reach even the remote destinations where other transports don't. The private Bus Services in Italy actually connect the far-flung villages with the modern amenities and glamor of Italian urban lifestyle. Buses get very crowded because they are the main way of transportation around Rome, so do not expect to get a seat every time.
For more information about public transportation call 800.431.784. (Toll free in service 8am - 6pm Mon - Fri). All buses that circulate inside the Ring Road must register and display the permit. All information on check points, parkings, rates and reservations is available at www.atac.roma.it . Also Check Guide for buses/coaches in Rome