Team building in Rome: days out and how to organise the transport

Team building in Rome works better when you leave the city. In the office or a hotel meeting room people stay in their roles; half an hour beyond the Raccordo (the GRA, Rome’s orbital motorway), in a vineyard or by a lake, they talk to each other differently. The limit, for organisers, is almost always logistical: getting 40 or 120 colleagues out of Rome on time, without the day being eaten up by cars to coordinate and parking.

Below we put together some destination ideas and, above all, how to set up the transport for each one. The company or agency chooses the activity; we make sure everyone gets there with the vehicles from our coach and bus hire in Rome.

Castelli Romani: the closest destination

The Castelli Romani, the hill towns south-east of Rome, are the most frequent choice for a company day out: Frascati, Grottaferrata, Castel Gandolfo on Lake Albano, Nemi. They lend themselves to tastings, cooking and walks in the green of the Parco dei Castelli Romani. From central Rome allow at least 45 minutes, which becomes longer if the group leaves at rush hour.

The tricky part is the historic centres. The Castelli towns have narrow streets and small squares, and a 56-seat Gran Turismo does not fit everywhere. For groups of up to 25-27 people the minibus is the most convenient choice, because it gets closer to the destination. For larger groups we use the coach as far as a stopping point and, where needed, a transfer with smaller vehicles.

Coast and lakes: outdoor activities

Between spring and early autumn the Lazio coast works well for beach sports and seaside lunches, from Ostia to Fregene. In the same season Lake Bracciano and Lake Albano offer a different setting, with lakeside activities and walking routes.

For these destinations the problem is not the road out but the return. At weekends and on summer evenings the roads back from the sea to Rome get busy, and a team building day that ends at 18:00 can get people home very late. Where possible we suggest bringing the return departure forward or moving the day to a weekday. At the lakes the same care applies as at the Castelli: some roads down to the shore are narrow and need checking beforehand.

Tuscia, Sabina and agriturismi

For a longer day, or two days with an overnight stay, Tuscia offers old villages, Lake Bolsena and a long tradition of wine and olive oil. Sabina, to the north-east, is an area of olive groves and agriturismi (farm stays). These destinations suit groups who really want to break the routine, with a longer journey but a less crowded place.

In this case the coach works many hours, and this needs to be taken into account. A day leaving at 08:00 and returning at 20:00 has to be built around the driver’s driving and rest times. Agriturismi are often reached by minor or unpaved roads: send us the exact address and we will check whether the vehicle can get to the gate.

Which vehicle to choose for team building in Rome

The choice depends on three things: how many people, where you are going and what you are doing. A few practical examples:

• 15-20 people: a van or a minibus, which fits into villages and farm stay courtyards;
• 25-36 people: a large minibus or a 36-seat bus;
• 50-56 people: a Gran Turismo, with a luggage hold for sports equipment or materials;
• more than 60 people: several coordinated vehicles, possibly of different sizes.

Depending on the model, Gran Turismo coaches have a microphone and monitors: useful if you want to hold a short briefing on the way out and arrive with the programme already explained. Equipment varies from model to model, and each Gran Turismo coach in the fleet has its own specification.

For small groups our minibuses with driver in Rome, with 16 to 27 seats, are enough.

Timings, stops and the unexpected

A team building programme often changes on the day itself: an activity that finishes early, an extra photo stop. Small changes, such as an additional stop or a 15-20 minute difference, are handled with the driver. Major changes must be agreed beforehand, because they affect the hours of service.

When the group exceeds 100 people we prepare a written logistics plan with pick-up points, times and a contact who can be reached all day. If you prefer a different format, for example a more touristic and less structured group outing, we also organise day trips from Rome.

For larger company events, such as conventions or incentives, we provide bus hire for events with several coordinated vehicles.

How to request a quote for team building transport

Tell us the date, the departure point (office, hotel or station), the venue address, the number of participants, the departure and return times, any stops and whether there is equipment to load. In normal periods 2-3 weeks’ notice is enough; for several vehicles or for spring, when dates fill up, we recommend 2-3 months.

The quote is written and itemised: driver, fuel, passenger insurance and maintenance are included, tolls are shown separately. The hourly coach rates in Rome give an idea of the cost, always indicative.

If the team day ends with the end-of-year dinner, we also run the company dinner shuttle, with the return at the end of the evening.

For colleagues in Milan we have our team building day out ideas from Milan.

Phone: +39 06 4882027. Email: info@toddebus.it (subject line: “Team building Roma”).

Frequently asked questions